HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Road turns into gauntlet of flames and smoke

At least seven separate fires were burning simultaneously in ditches and fields along the west side of Indigo Rd. on April 4, with one threatening a home near 140th Rd. As Hillsboro firefighters were scrambling to the station after multiple reports of fires were received at 1:47 p.m., Hillsboro police officer John Huebert headed south on Indigo Rd. to determine where the blazes were.

Woman charged with five felonies strikes plea deal

A Marion woman alleged to have tried to prevent a witness or victim from reporting alleged indecent liberties with a child by her husband struck a plea-deal Monday that got four felony charges dismissed and one reduced to a lesser charge. Sheila K. Thouvenell, 51, appeared in district court to plead guilty to a single charge of interference with law enforcement.

Faulty hydrant to blame for total loss in house fire?

First responders rushed to the scene of a house fire in Peabody Saturday morning that started in a chimney just before 9 a.m. in the 700 block of N. Walnut St. Florence and Butler County departments joined forces with the Peabody fire department along with EMS and police who responded to the call at the residence of Chris Litton and Julia Mosqueda.

Commissioners wrangle over health plan

A decision to be made about health insurance at Monday’s county commission meeting turned into a clash over who would take priority: employees or taxpayers. When all was said and done, single employees ended up having to pay more for health insurance, families a little less, and spectators got to see a tiny bit of fireworks.

High-speed chase leads to arrests

A Marion couple that led officers on a high-speed chase Thursday from Marion to Hillsboro, allegedly to obtain medical treatment for a juvenile, landed in jail with a long list of suspected offenses. At 6:10 p.m. April 4, a sheriff’s deputy radioed dispatch that he was “trying to get a Cavalier stopped with two occupants” in the 500 block of Cedar St. in Marion.

Linemen keep electricity flowing through the countryside

Seven linemen are employed by Flint Hills Rural Electric Cooperative to work out of a warehouse at 412 S. Cedar St. in Hillsboro. They have a combined 147 years of experience. Sheldon Miles, line foreman, has been there for 33 years; Scott Kelsey, 32 years; line superintendent Tim Jirak, 30 years; Lloyd Anderson, 18 years; Brent Unruh, 13 years; Brock Nieman, 11 years; and John Stohs, 10 years.

Narcotic painkillers receive scrutiny

As news of an opioid drug epidemic continues to garner national attention, local health professionals and law enforcement are doing what they can to see that is doesn’t spread here. People know about addiction caused by illegal narcotics such as helium and opium, but prescription drugs that are used to treat pain can also become addictive. These include morphine, Demerol, Oxycontin, Percodan, Percocet, and Tylox, along with drugs with opioid additives such as Robitussin A-C and Tylenol with Codeine.

Historic Matfield Green ranch headquarters re-opens

An area historic Flint Hills ranch headquarters dedicated to prairie heritage education has reopened to tourists. Pioneer Bluffs, a National Register Historic District site located one mile north of Matfield Green on K-177, features a 1908 farm house with works by local artists, a restored 1915 barn, and distinctive mile-long limestone fence. Educational and cultural events are offered throughout the tourist season.

It's all in the marketing for hotel owner

Historic Elgin Hotel owner Tammy Ensey knows she got something special when she and her husband, Jeremy, bought the property from Jim and Nancy Cloutier. Investing heavily in renovations to the hotel, the Cloutiers created an elegant environment ripe for the Enseys’ plans for a destination hotel.

StoryWalk couples literacy and exercise

Marion County parents, along with their children, will have the opportunity to experience next week the first StoryWalk event held for the county. Marion County K-State Research and Extension office, in collaboration with Parents as Teachers, Families and Communities Together, and early intervention services are sponsoring the event.

New quarry is open for business near Lincolnville

Several large mechanical diggers and a crushing and screening machine are busy producing base rock at a new quarry at 290th and Zebulon Rds, 3½ miles east of Lincolnville. The quarry is the latest of four operated in central Kansas by Bergkamp Construction of Wichita. The others are at Towanda, El Dorado, and Sun City.

Courthouse security system to come first

Courthouse and health department offices will soon be getting increased security. Sheriff Robert Craft on Monday presented county commissioners with options for adding security systems to county offices.

Custom metalwork is trademark of store

Visitors to Prairie Oaks Designs on Florence’s Main Street are greeted by country western music wafting through the air. Inside, they find a variety of custom-made metal cutouts, word signs, and wall hangings dispersed among jewelry displays, pillows, clothing, and candles.

Norman Epp

Services for Norman F. Epp, 78, who died Friday in Hillsboro, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church, Hillsboro, with interment preceding at 10 a.m. at Gnadenau Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Jost Funeral Home, Hillsboro. He was born Jan. 14, 1940, to Edwin F. and Margaret (Flaming) Epp in Hillsboro. He married Rosella M. Ediger August 4, 1961 in Henderson, Nebraska. He worked in construction and farming for many years.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County jail bookings

Criminal division cases

Deeds recorded

Domestic Division cases

Emergency dispatches

Police incident reports

Traffic division cases

Lamb sale draws buyers and sellers

People from throughout Kansas and Oklahoma attended the annual Stars of Kansas club lamb sale Sunday at Stardust Sheep
Farm at rural Lincolnville. Sherry Nelson, owner of Stardust Sheep Farm, offered 27 lambs for sale. Breeders from Overland Park, Newton, and Oklahoma consigned another 25 lambs.

When it comes to conservation, it's personal

Those who believe conservation is a synonym for giving something up would likely change their minds if they dropped by the Marion office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and had a chat with supervisory district conservationist Matt Meyerhoff. “That’s one of the important parts of economics, to make sure we’re helping someone and not making them give up something on their operation,” Meyerhoff said.

Mid-Kansas Coop organizes food drive

Mid-Kansas Cooperative Community Involvement is organizing their sixth annual food drive to support local food banks. Throughout April, they will collect non-perishable food and toiletry items. “We called local food banks to ask what they are in dire need of and they requested items such as detergent, shampoo, body soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and non-perishable foods,” said Lamont Turcotte, plant manager at Groveland location and MKC Community Involvement Committee member.

New disaster assistance for livestock

Ag producers with livestock and honeybees affected by disasters may be eligible for a piece of $34 million allocated to Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program. More information about this and other disaster-related assistance is available through the USDA Service Center, 303 Eisenhower Dr., Marion.

Distance makes

I’m willing to bet you finished that one before your eyes ever moved down to this paragraph: Distance makes the heart grow fonder. If that’s truly the case, then we should soon see a gradual warming trend between county commissioners Dianne Novak and Randy Dallke.

Mennonite Center to hold dinner and tour

Historic architecture will be featured at the annual Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies dinner program at 6:30 p.m. April 28 in Franz Heritage Hall of Shari Flaming Center for the Arts. Keith Sprunger, a history professor at Bethel College in Newton, will present his research and insights into historic architecture in Kansas.

Holt and Wallen wed in New Zealand

Andy Holt, formerly of Marion, and Rachael Wallen, formerly of Auckland, New Zealand, were united in marriage Feb. 3 at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Christchurch, New Zealand. The bride’s sister, Stephanie Wallen of Whangarei, New Zealand, served as maid of honor. Kirsty Wadsworth of Levin, New Zealand, was bridesmaid. The groom’s brother, William Holt of Cleveland, Ohio, served as best man. Louis Holt of Hampstead, North Carolina, was groomsman. The groom’s uncle, A.J. Cameron of Roeland Park, read scripture.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

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Trojans salvage splits against Larned nines

With weather playing perhaps the Trojan teams’ toughest opponent, Hillsboro’s baseball and softball teams picked up a pair of splits Thursday against Larned. Both openers went bad for the Trojans, but both rebounded in the finales for wins.

Bluebird golfers take third at Hillsboro

On Thursday, the Hillsboro Tournament was moved up a day, to accommodate Mother Nature. On a much calmer day than their first tournament, Goessel came in third out of six teams. Braden Roby led the Bluebirds with a fifth place finish, shooting 87 and Dylan Lindeman broke the 100 barrier with a score of 95 finishing in 10th place. Luke Wiens improved 24 strokes to capture 23rd place hitting 111 and Carson Sterk rounded out the scoring for the Bluebirds with 114 and placing 27th. Kendall Hiebert shot 117 and Christopher Strecker finished at 140.

Trojans compete at music festival

Hillsboro High School band and choir students competed Saturday, at the regional solo and ensemble festival held at Tabor College. Students receiving a “I” rating advance to the State Festival on April 28 at Kansas Weslyan University.

Trojans second at Hillsboro Invitational

Paced by a third-place finish by Elias Werth, Hillsboro High School golf team captured second Thursday at the Hillsboro Invitational. The Trojans’ 374 was 13 strokes in back of Halstead’s 361 in a six-team field.

SCHOOL MENUS:

Chat and Dine to meet Saturday

New lake superintendent Isaac Hett will be the featured speaker for Marion County Lake Chat and Dine Club at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the lake hall. Hett and staff will provide updates on future lake plans and functions.

Disability group to meet Monday

A public forum will open a regular monthly meeting of the Harvey-Marion County Community Developmental Disability Organization board of directors at 4 p.m. Monday in the meeting room at 500 N. Main St., Suite 204, in Newton.

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