HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Mystery solved: Wal-Mart coming to Hillsboro

After months of speculation, Wal-Mart officially announced it would be opening a Neighborhood Market in Hillsboro, set to open in spring 2015. The store will feature a grocery, pharmacy, a fueling station, and “select household items,” according to the Wal-Mart press release.

Dalke concerned about speed, turns on US-56

Speed was not cited as a factor in the recent fatality accident on US-56 at Ash St., but Hillsboro mayor Deloris Dalke has been concerned about highway speeds for a long time. Speed combines with another issues Dalke believes is important.

Origin of porcupine sighting?

A “mellow” porcupine spotted in a cedar tree Sept. 5 southeast of Aulne may well be the same prickly creature Peabody veterinarian Virginia Skinner transported to her office and gave sanctuary over Labor Day weekend. Skinner was drawn into the story when Dr. Paul Friesen, a friend and colleague of hers, called to consult about the appropriate dosage of telazol — a drug vets use to anesthetize animals.

EMT training class begins

Tuesday marked the first day of county EMT training. The course will meet 7 to 10 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at the Hillsboro City Building until May. EMS director JoAnn Knak said 15 pre-registered for the class, and that number is likely to fluctuate based on late additions or cancellations.

County 4-H members do well at state fair

Many 4-H members from Marion County received blue and purple ribbons at the Kansas State Fair. Listed in alphabetical order by last name are those who won the prized purple. Addie, Berens: clothing exhibitor; demonstration or illustrated talk; food product.

Theodora Hansen

Theodora “Sue” Hansen, 71, of Medicine Lodge, died Saturday, at Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital. She was born Nov. 15, 1942 in San Antonio, Texas, the daughter of Theodore James Ellis and Leona (Maltbie) Ellis. On May 13, 1967, she married Francis R. Hansen in Florence.

Jack R. Kerbs

Jack R. Kerbs, 84, passed away Sept. 15, 2014, at Marion Assisted Living, Marion, Kansas. He was born July 8, 1930, at Ft. Collins, Colorado, the son of Fred and Elizabeth (Vogel) Kerbs. He was a 1948 graduate of Durham High School. On July 12, 1950, he was united in marriage to Treva Mae Kelsey. For twenty years they made their home in Durham, moving to the Marion area in 1970. He was a retired Maintenance Supervisor for KDOT for nearly 44 years, and along with his family provided foster care for approximately 20 children over 16 years.

Marilyn Montgomery

Former Centre school district clerk Marilyn L. Montgomery, 83, of Lincolnville, died Thursday at Wesley Medical Center. She was born near Lost Springs on Oct. 14, 1930, the daughter of Chris and Emma (Herbel) Deines. On June 27, 1953, she was married to Merrill “Monty” Montgomery.

Gertrude Ray

Piedmont area native, rancher’s wife, and former high school teacher Gertrude W. Ray, 91, died Friday at St. Luke Living Center in Marion. Services were Monday at the Valley United Methodist Church in Marion followed by a committal service at Piedmont Cemetery.

Esther J. Stucky

Esther J. Stucky, 87, a lifelong resident of the Peabody and Burns area, died at Elm Haven East in Parsons, Kansas at 2:30 a.m., Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. She had been in failing health. Esther was born near Peabody on July 17, 1927 to Harry and Olga (Zleh) Hess.

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Old Settlers' Day honors heroes

The 103rd edition of Marion’s Old Settlers’ Day on Saturday, Sept. 27 will give a nod to military veterans and emergency responders with the theme “Marion Heroes, Past and Present.” Marion Kiwanis Club sponsors the annual event, and chairman Macky Taylor said the grand marshals will be heroes.

Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair

In the dawn air of the Colorado high country, Van Martin scours the timberline, looking for branches of dead trees older than history. He looks at the bristlecone pine wood and sees eagles, bears, wolves. “I have to see it in the wood before I’ll do it,” Martin said of his work. “I have to see the flows and the forms.”

Lake activities bring people, dollars to county

Marion County Park and Lake Superintendent Steve Hudson isn’t only a caretaker of the facility, he’s a salesman. “It’s a hidden gem out here,” Hudson said. “We need to really promote our lake. My goal is to try to bring out-of-county revenue into the county.”

Tours available of Pilsen church and museum

Groups and individuals from Marion County are invited to take a tour of the Father Emil Kapaun Museum and St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church at Pilsen. Kapaun is a candidate for beatification by the Roman Catholic Church. The museum has displays related to Kapaun and his service as a priest and an Army chaplain in a North Korean prisoner-of-war camp. Books, CDs, and other items about Kapaun are available for purchase.

Women rope for national berth

One by one, teams of four women on horseback entered the rodeo arena Saturday at Marion County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro, vying for a spot in the Women’s Ranch Rodeo Association national finals. Six teams from Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas competed. As riders exited the arena, they offered encouragement to competitors entering the ring. Such things are common among WRRA riders, who compete from February through September for a shot at the October finals in Loveland, Colorado.

Lincolnville's Octoberfest goes hillbilly

Octoberfest is a German tradition, but it will get a hillbilly twist for Lincolnville’s 38th annual Octoberfest on Oct. 4. Hillbilly golf is a new addition to the festival. It is played using bolas tossed at ladders with three rungs. A bola is a two-foot-long rope with golf-ball-sized balls attached to each end.

Longtime volunteers still in service at Lincolnville

Lester and Barbara Kaiser have been involved in Lincolnville’s city festival almost every year since it began 28 years ago. Back then, it was sponsored by Tiemeier’s Store, and all activities took place on Main Street. It featured a parade, rube band, Alex Stuchlik Band, and country singers. The city later took over the annual event, and activities eventually were moved to the park.

An outsider's perspective on the new Wal-Mart

Hi again, it’s me, the 22-year-old degree-toting outsider who moved here despite knowing nobody because I saw an opportunity in this community. You know, like the archetypical person Marion County is looking to attract. News broke this week that the Hillsboro mystery business is a Wal-Mart. That it’s Wal-Mart as opposed to, say, Dillon’s or Love’s, is of deceptively large consequence. They may offer similar services, but Wal-Mart is what every “box store” is aiming for.

The sky isn't falling; it's just some raindrops

Wal-Mart’s arrival here will, as Eliot Sill suggests, be both the best of times and the worst of times for Marion County. Yes, it will mean more competition for some businesses, but we’re confident the business leaders most challenged are the exact type who aren’t about to let price rollbacks roll over their businesses.

Neo-Century Club elects officers

Neo-Century Club elected officers on Sept. 8 at a restaurant in downtown Marion. Bea Kelsey presided over the installation of officers presenting president Lenore Dieter, vice president Shirley Carlson, secretary Donna Fruechting, and treasurer Suzanne Thole red carnations during the meeting.

VanBuren turns 80

The family of Delores (Yoakem) VanBuren requests a card shower to help celebrate her 80th birthday on Sept. 26. She grew up in the Wonsevu and Burns areas. Cards may be sent to 661 40th Rd., Burns, KS 66840.

Card shower requested for Edward Hein

The family of Edward Hein will be celebrating his 90th birthday from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 28 at Hillsboro Senior Center, 212 N. Main St. They have requested that no gifts be sent. However, those unable attend who would still like to extend birthday well wishes may send cards to 1281 E. 170th, Hillsboro KS 67063.

Dyrness, Jones to wed Sept. 26

Kayla Marie Dyrness and Keith William Jones will join in matrimony Sept. 26 at Catherine Catholic Church in the bride-elect’s hometown of Valley City, North Dakota. The bride-elect’s parents are Ralph and Jean Dyrness of Valley City, North Dakota. She graduated from Valley City High School and the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.

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Students harvest lessons, produce from school garden

Goessel elementary students are reaping more than crops from USD 411’s school garden. In addition to cultivating work ethic and developing teamwork skills through project-based learning, Goessel’s little seedlings are beginning to understand their responsibility to the well being of the garden.

Hillsboro schools keeping pace with technology

USD 410 this year is implementing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiative called Project Lead the Way into its middle and elementary schools. The change is slow in coming. “It’s gonna happen, we’ve just gotta make it happen,” elementary school principal Evan Yoder said. “Since it’s so new, teachers are still trying to wrap their hands around it. The only teachers that have been trained (in the PLTW curriculum) are the two that went to training this summer.”

Hillsboro falters at Haven

Haven was anything but a safe refuge for Hillsboro Friday, as the visiting Trojans got pasted by the Wildcats, 41-12. Haven’s homecoming was a coming out party for running back Jacob Newcomer, who scorched the Trojans for 247 yards and three touchdowns, including an opening drive 50-yard scoring run.

Hillsboro High School tennis

Senior Allison Weber defeated a Central Plains opponent in the first round, and Abilene opponents in the second and third rounds before losing to Hesston’s Morgan Holopirek, 8-2, Thursday at Smoky Valley tennis invitational. “Allison stayed with the hard-hitting sophomore,” coach Bob Woelk said. “She was one service break away from forcing a tiebreaker. It was a fun match to watch except for the outcome.”

Sechrist wins at Wamego

Led by senior Emily Sechrist, Hillsboro’s small team of cross country runners had a strong showing Saturday at Wamego. Etching another milestone, Sechrist claimed victory over almost 100 runners for the third year in a row with a time of 15 minutes and 21 seconds in a 4K.

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