HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Disaster strikes church again

Members of Hillsboro’s Mennonite Brethren Church found water as much as five inches deep Saturday morning after an overnight rupture of water pipes. During that night, the temperature plunged to 4 degrees below zero.

Tumult, tragedy dominate year's headlines

In police jargon, “22” — as in “10-22” — means “disregard,” something many Marion County residents may wish they could do with year 2022, now slipping away. Tumult and tragedy dominated the year’s headlines according to analysis of online metrics from the Record’s website.

Chase nets familiar face

A Marion man believed by many to be a leading drug dealer was arrested for the seventh time Christmas day when he sped off after spotting a deputy at 110th and Remington Rds. Deputy Matt Regier pursued Kevin W. Geren’s car, which fled at 7:20 p.m. Regier caught up to the vehicle at 140th and Sunflower Rd. but couldn’t get Geren to pull over.

Marion fires city administrator

Former Marion city administrator Mark Skiles will clean out his desk today. Marion’s two top cops cleaned out their desks Tuesday. The city clerk will clean out her desk next week. All stem from events in just over two weeks, when city council members held several secret sessions during Dec. 12 and 23 city council meetings to discuss allegations of misconduct by Skiles.

Skiles responds to firing

Mayor David Mayfield, Following the 3-2 City Council vote to terminate immediately my employment as Marion City Administrator last evening, I offer the following comments

Marion borrows more for power project

Raising the specter of rotten utility poles collapsing like dominoes or matchsticks, Marion City Council formally approved on Friday the borrowing of additional money within a previously authorized total for electric system upgrades. The additional borrowing from Kansas Power Pool will cost the city an additional $2,500 a month on its electric bills for 20 years — a total of roughly $600,000 to borrow roughly $400,000 additional.

Salon building moves closer to use

A former beauty salon building that the county bought for $160,000 last June with the idea of moving the health department there is likely to be home to the road and bridge, emergency management, and planning and zoning departments. The plan to move the health department there fell through after commissioners found out renovating the building for health department use would cost $693,700

Probation wants attorney's office

Now that the county attorney and his staff are preparing to move to the former extension office in the Courthouse Annex, court services officials want the county attorney’s office space. The probation office on the third floor of the courthouse is crowded.

Groceries to cost less

Assuming that inflation doesn’t eat up all the savings, groceries should cost 1.5% less starting Sunday. That’s when phased elimination of state sales tax on many food items will begin. Not all taxes on food will be eliminated. The state tax rate will go from 6.5% to 4%, but city and county taxes will remain. In Marion, for example, that means shoppers still will pay a 1% county tax, a 0.75% city tax, and the remaining 4% state tax.

Ruby Siebert

Services for Ruby Ens Siebert, 88, Hillsboro, who died this past Thursday, will be 11 a.m. this coming Thursday at Grace Community Fellowship, Hillsboro. Relatives will receive friends 5 to 7 tonight at Jost Funeral Home, Hillsboro.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

County jail arrests and bookings

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police activity reports

In search of a successful resolution

Resolutions that most of us started crafting this week as yet another year began slip-sliding away are as likely to become broken in coming weeks as water mains were on a colder-than-usual, longer-than-usual Christmas weekend. The average American, according to a study that probably consumed way too much in taxpayer money, succeeds in keeping less than 12% of New Year’s vows each year.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

Program to focus on Latino experience

The dynamics of immigration and the history of Latinos in Kansas will be told through visual art and poetry at a presentation at 1 p.m. Jan. 7 at Peabody American Legion post, 108 N. Walnut St., Peabody. José Faus, independent teacher, artist, and founder of Latino Writers Collective, will explore the Latino presence and experience in Kansas in a program sponsored by Humanities Kansas and Flint Hills Counterpoint.

Senior center menus

MEMORIES:

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