25 years ago

january 1, 1997

At the regular meeting Dec. 23, Marion City Commission presented outgoing co-foreman Merle Bruner with a commemorative clock in honor of his many years of service to the city. Bruner’s family attended the brief ceremony. The longtime employee and volunteer fire chief retired this past week.

A photo on the front page shows one of the two sites where rock is being harvested, crushed, and sorted at Martin-Marietta’s huge quarries at Marion.

The operation has 32 on the payroll, including the operations at Marion and Woodbine and smaller units at Little River and Florence.

Mike Steinel, formerly of Marion, will perform on a national radio broadcast New Year’s Eve. Steinel will be playing his trumpet in “The Guys All-Star Shoe Band,” as a part of the Garrison Keillor Prairie Home Companion show.

Lyle Leppke has been selected as recipient of the 1996 Marion County Extension Council Appreciation Award. He is pictured as Leonard Frantz, Marion County Extension Council board chairman, presents a plaque to him in appreciation of his many activities on behalf of the program.

Four Marion Elementary School students, Amy Goering, Chelsea Zeiner, Courtney Geis, and Amy Tajchman read essays Dec. 18 at the DARE culmination. Other students read essays during regular class sessions this semester. Essays were to express the students’ commitment to stay drug- and violence-free.

The Marion County Treasurer’s office has been remodeled after a portion of the office was absorbed by installation of an elevator to serve the courthouse. The Courtroom also is now in service. A portion of the original courtroom was converted to offices and the elevator shaft, but there continues to be seating for more than 60 observers.