HILLSBORO Star-Journal

New folk song a tribute to Joan Meyer

Joan Meyer’s tragic death resulting from an illegal raid on her home and newspaper inspired a Wichita folk singer and songwriter to compose a song in her memory. Emily Judson, a native of Minneapolis — a north-central Kansas town about the size of Marion — who now lives in Wichita, was immediately gripped and astonished by the story of an Aug. 11 raid on the office of Marion County Record and home of its owners.

Workers pinned by half-ton bales: One airlifted to Wichita hospital

Peabody firefighters had to rescue two men trapped under round bales that fell off the back of a flatbed semi Friday afternoon. The men were loading bales too high onto the trailer, Peabody fire chief Colton Glenn said.

Shoplifter threatens store clerk

Hillsboro police are investigating an aggravated assault and theft at Bomgaars that was reported a day after the incident took place. According to Police Chief Jessey Hiebert, a Bomgaars employee who confronted a shoplifter was threatened with an unknown object in the store parking lot but didn’t contact police until Saturday.

Statue would honor Kapaun

A bill to create a memorial to Chaplain Emil Kapaun will be heard today by the Kansas Senate’s Committee on Federal and State Affairs. “I’m planning to be there,” Harriet Bina, tour guide and curator of the Father Kapaun Museum, said. “The way I understood, they are voting whether to put it at the Capital.”

Be mine! Goodies, singers await today's call

Today is a day to show love, and florists and singers are busy delivering tokens of romance all over the county. Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are neck-and-neck for the busiest days for florists, but flowers aren’t the only things that get delivered.

Record owners to receive Citation of Courage

Joan and Eric Meyer are among 13 individuals and organizations named last week as First Amendment Award honorees by the national Radio Television Digital News Association. All will be honored at an awards ceremony March 9 at the Watergate Hotel in Washington.

Democrats urged to be alert to school legislation

Politics and school funding aren’t always easy to reconcile, retired Goessel superintendent John Fast told county Democrats on Saturday. Recounting tales from his years as a superintendent, Fast talked about a bill during the days Sam Brownback was governor that would have reduced school funding and taken away weighting factors that help balance out per-pupil state funding for schools.

Hillsboro man faces rape charge

A Hillsboro man was arrested Monday on child sex charges after he went to Hillsboro police Headquarters to answer officers’ questions about a report made by a minor. William A. Dykens, 32, was arrested at 6:16 p.m. Monday on suspicion of rape, aggravated criminal sodomy of a child younger than 18, and aggravated indecent liberties with a child younger than 14.

School district grants easement for health building

Marion school board granted the county health department an egress Monday so traffic exiting a planned drive-through at a proposed health building could go through the district office’s parking lot to reach Thorp St. The county’s plan to build a new 5,000-square-foot, eight-office health department building with a drive-through garage at the site of the former county food bank in the 1200 block of E. Main St. was approved Jan. 30 by Marion planning commission members provided an easement agreement was forged between the county and the school district.

Interim administrator looks forward to plunging in

The first thing Mark McAnarney wants to do when he takes office Thursday as Marion’s interim city administrator is get to know people. “For the first three or four weeks, the schedule will be that,” McAnarney said.

Peabody foundation awards grants

Peabody Community Foundation awarded $10,000 to 10 community projects Feb. 3 during its annual pancake feed and pancake race day. In the pancake race, children ages 2 to 11 flipped pancakes in a skillet as they raced to the finish line.

Chase sheriff was at bar fight

A Marion man and a Hillsboro man arrested in relation to a Dec. 8 fight at a Cottonwood Falls saloon are facing Chase County charges over an incident at which the Chase County sheriff was present. Sheriff Jacob Welsh was at the Bulldog Saloon when a fight broke out between three men.

Suit over inmate death returns to county

A wrongful death lawsuit filed September 2022 against the City of Marion and Marion County, then transferred to Sedgwick County after a partial settlement, has been moved back to Marion County District Court. A status conference in the case is scheduled for April 17. Marion County and the sheriff’s office are the only original defendants remaining in the suit.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

Unsteady interest rates mean uncertainty

Interest rates, both for saving and borrowing, have been so unpredictable since COVID-19 fueled a recession that makes it hard for savers to know where to put their money. It’s also hard for borrowers to know where to turn.

Accidents reported

County jail arrests and bookings

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police activity reports

Traffic division cases

Why artificial intelligence isn't

Hello. You’ve started reading the automated editorial in this week’s Press 1 to demonstrate your intelligence by skipping to Pat Wick’s “Another Day in the Country.” Press 2 to demonstrate the reverse by reading one isolated sentence of the editorial then posting on anti-social media how it is yet more evidence of the writer’s negativity and hatred of his hometown. Press 3 if you cannot find a number to press and are willing to go ahead and read the editorial because you have nothing better to do.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

Centre grad races to the top as NASCAR executive

Eric Peterson has just completed a personal race to the top in the NASCAR world. Last week, he was hired as president of the NASCAR-owned Iowa Speedway at Newton, Iowa. He is excited about his new position because he will be overseeing the track’s first NASCAR Cup races.

Fire marshal named top investigator

Marion fire marshal Chris Mercer was named Kansas Arson Investigator of the Year at a ceremony Feb. 7 in Wichita. The recognition, given during a training conference, came from the Kansas Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators.

School tech group to meet

Directors of Technology Excellence in Education Network, which provides online education to area school districts, will meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Marion district offices, 101 N. Thorp St. More information is available from Lena Kleiner at (620) 877-0237.

Official's tap truck for sale

A liquor catering truck operated by Zach and Keri Collett of Marion is listed for sale on a social media marketplace. The 1949 Chevy Thriftmaster panel truck was used in operation of Tap Truck, a mobile beverage company with a menu of beer, wine, juice, soda, cocktails, nitro coffee, tea, root beer, and cider.

Senior center menus

MEMORIES:

AS THE STORY ORIGINALLY WAS REPORTED:

Students learn to make a difference

Peabody-Burns and Hillsboro fifth graders are getting a 10-week course meant to help them avoid the pitfalls of violence and drugs. At Peabody, retired teacher Brenda Riggs is teaching students a Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence curriculum developed by a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence.

Library to feature author, movies

Hillsboro High School graduate and author Joy Bishop will be at Hillsboro Public Library from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Bishop, a licensed therapist in Topeka, will talk about and sell copies of her first book, “My Gift To You.”

College degrees and honors

Werth stuns Halstead with buzzer-beater

Hillsboro With only four seconds left Friday and the score tied at 31, Trojan Kingzley Ratzlaff inbounded the ball to Zaylee Werth, who scored a turnaround jumper to win the game, 33-31.

Centre sweeps Peabody

Centre, Peabody-Burns The Cougars swept the Warriors this season, winning Friday’s homecoming game 56-47.

Girls wrap up; boys to regionals

Marion Marion boys ended their regular season with a dual Thursday against Central Burden.

Marion names athletes of month

Kenna Wesner and Jack Lanning were named Marion’s Student-Athlete Champions of Character for January. Wesner was cited for integrity in all she did and working hard to be a leader committed to her team.

Return to current issue