40 years ago

june 24, 1981

Plagued by long drought, a late spring freeze, then a prolonged wet spell, the 1961 wheat crop began pouring into area grain bins last week. Most farmers report the yields are not as bad as they had expected.

Following through with their decision last March to decrease the amount of blacktop roads maintained in Marion County, commissioners Harold Jost, Earl Mueller, and Charles DeForest announced Monday a plan for revitalizing main thoroughfares.

Instead of resurfacing roads whose base has deteriorated over the course of the years, the county now will tear up these surfaces and begin with a solid rock foundation.

Mixed with crumpled remains of the old blacktop, the new rock will be formed into a more solid base before asphalt is applied, the commission said.

Richard E. Dale, registered pharmacist and owner of Dale’s Rexall Drug Store at Florence for the past 35 years, has announced he will close the business on July 3. “I’ve tried to sell the store for the past 18 months,” Dale said, “but none of the younger fellows want to locate in a small town.”

Forty-three Cub Scouts and sponsors held their second Camp Nishcoba last week at Marion County Lake.

Daniel Ludwig, a driver for Ludwig Truck Line, Florence, took first place in the five-axle livestock class of the Kansas Truck Roadeo June 12-13. This was the third year Ludwig participated in the rodeo, held at Schilling Air Force Base, Salina. Last year he placed second and in 1979 he took third.

Elaine Mosler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Mosler, rural Hallowell, and Gary Ewert, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Ewert, Marion, were married May 29 in the First United Methodist Church at Columbus.