HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Fire chief accused of arson

Ramona fire chief Alan Bentz was arrested July 14 on suspicion of arson and interfering with a law enforcement officer in connection with a March 22 hay bale and pasture fire west of Lost Springs. Deputy Derek Calvert discovered the fire about 3:30 a.m. at 340th and Remington Rds. Lost Springs firefighters extinguished it. Hay bales owned by Martin Kroupa and pasture owned by Scully Partners and Judyth Remmers Kill were burned.

Horsing around at the fair

Few things say county fair like horse shows and rodeos, and Marion County’s 87th annual fair has both. The 4-H horse show Sunday gave kids opportunities to put their horses through a series of trials that demonstrated handling and showmanship.

Lake 'extremely ignored,' new super says

A former campus and McPherson County public works employee who thinks the county lake has been “extremely ignored” will become its new superintendent Aug. 7 — provided he approves of the lake house that comes with the job. County commissioners announced Monday that Bryan Metz had accepted their previously secret offer to take the job for $40,000 a year and live in the house, with county-paid utilities. The county estimates the value of the free housing as an additional $7,200 a year.

Thieves snag $11,500 of fishing equipment

Four Lowrance fish finders, a MinnKota trolling motor, and rods and reels with a total value of $11,540 were stolen from Tampa and Lincolnville homes between July 8 and 14. Each theft happened during overlapping five-day periods, but Sheriff Robert Craft said there wasn’t evidence linking the crimes.

New blue-green algae peril emerges

A family of five splashed and paddled in the Marion County Lake swimming area Saturday, while a jet skier raced along a shoreline to the east. The family from McPherson County hadn’t seen signs placed on a hill between a parking lot and the beach, warning them to stay out of the water because of a toxic blue-green algae bloom.

70-mile police chase ends in nick of time

An alleged truck thief led officers on a dusty, dangerous 70-mile, hour-long chase down county roads Tuesday through Peabody and Burns, but ran out of road in Butler County just before a pursuing officer ran out of gas. A call apparently made to dispatchers by a disgruntled driver reported that an EMB Construction truck was driving fast and erratically on US-50 east of Walton. The driver used a phone number on the side of the truck to call the owner, who said the truck had been stolen.

Landowners on 330th Rd. to discuss widening right of way

A public meeting for 23 landowners with property along an eight-mile stretch of 330th Rd. is planned for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at Durham Community Center. At issue is whether residents care whether the long-troublesome road between K-15 and McPherson County needs ditches and shoulders at the same time the surface is redone.

Truck tracked down after trailer theft

Two Baldwin City men were arrested July 23 after a Jost Fabricating employee scared off strangers who hitched a company trailer to their truck at 3:43 a.m. Officer John Heubert followed tire tracks from the truck, which had cut across grass as it left Jost’s lot at 800 Western Heights Rd., onto US-56 then Indigo Rd. and eventually K-15, where a vehicle matching the truck’s description was found.

Pool slide reopens

Parents of frustrated young swimmers in Hillsboro and Marion got good news last week when both municipal pools lifted restrictions on their slides. In Hillsboro’s case, it was a matter of persistence, city administrator Larry Paine said.

Cindy Jo Bird

Services for 1978 Centre High School graduate Cindy Jo Bird, 56, who died July 18 in Florence, Kentucky, were Monday at Zeiner Funeral Home, Herington. Private inurnment is planned later. Born Sept. 19, 1960, to Robert A. Potocnik Sr. and Janie Gonzales Heitfield, she was baptized at St. John Nepomucene Church in Pilsen, worked at Russell Stover in Abilene for 20 years and for Frito Lay in Kentucky.

Faye Kimball

Services for retired Hillsboro caregiver Faye Ann Kimball, 66, who died July 19 at her home, will be 1p.m. Thursday at Zion Lutheran Church. Born March 15, 1951, in Shawano, Wisconsin, to George and Lois (Diestler) Kimball, she graduated from Salina High School and Bethany College.

Vernon Hein

Inurnment for former car salesman Vernon W. Hein, 77, who died July 2 in Roseburg, Oregon, will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Marion Cemetery. Born June 20, 1940, in rural Marion County to Williams and Catherine (Ruby) Hein, he went to school in Florence.

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County jail bookings

Criminal division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Marriage licenses issued

Offenses reported

Police incident reports

Traffic division cases

Custodians use summer to do a deep cleaning

A crew of nine people has been busy all summer giving Marion-Florence school facilities a deep cleaning. They finished the high school and middle school several weeks ago and now are working at the elementary school.

Groundskeeper provides safe enviroment

Danny Maddox describes his position with the Marion-Florence school district as “low on the totem pole,” but he does many things that are essential to its operation. Maddox, 59, is a groundskeeper, custodian, and bus driver.

Custodian enjoys flexibility

Money isn’t everything. Marty Hoffner of Durham found that out 10 years ago when she gave up factory work for a job as custodian in the Hillsboro school district.

Count on the county to do the wrong thing

For 128 years, the graceful cut-stone walls of downtown Marion’s historic Bowron Building have survived floods, tornadoes, booms, and busts. Now they face their stiffest challenge: surviving county government. After 24 years of neglectful ownership, county commissioners washed their hands of the building Monday after nearly a decade of bad-mouthing it. The last remaining county office will move out next week.

Live from Marion County, it's fake news

Fake news isn’t something that happens just in Washington. We in Marion County seem pretty adept at fostering fake news without any help from Beltway pundits. Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce sent an email Monday afternoon asking whether anyone in the area had a bouncy house.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

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Retiring at 55 - not age but years of service

Being a secretary and office manager in the Kansas State University/Marion County Extension Service office has been the work of a lifetime for Doris Winkler, who will retire at the end of the month after 55 years. She began at age 18, soon after graduating from Centre High School and marrying her husband, Gene, in 1961.

Quilt takes 40 years

A quilt that Joyce Kyle started 40 years ago and was finished this spring with the help of friends has sold for $7,000 at a benefit auction in Ft. Worth, Texas. The auction, named in honor of her “American Sniper” grandson, Chris Kyle, benefits other veterans.

County's only female deputy is heading west

Marion County’s only female law enforcement officer, sheriff’s investigator Wilma Mueller, is moving after 6 ½ years to be closer to family members in Colorado. Her last day on duty will be Aug. 2.

80-pound flathead may be reservoir record

Expect a bigger than usual fish fry this September if you’re among the friends of 47-year-old Charlie Henning of Sedgwick, who pulled an 80¼-pound flathead out of Marion Reservoir earlier this month. Charlie and his wife, Nancy, talked to a taxidermist about mounting the 50-inch-long fish, unofficially the largest ever taken at the reservoir.

Cards sought for 90th birthday

Wilma Jean Everett’s family has requested a card shower for her 90th birthday Aug. 4. After growing up in the Whitewater area, she lived near Homestead and Matfield Green until moving to St. Luke Living Center, Marion.

Card shower requested

Marge Gray’s family and friend Liz Clark are requesting a card shower for her 90th birthday Tuesday. Cards may be sent to her in care of Peabody Health and Rehab, 415 N. Locust St, Peabody KS 66866.

P.E.O. meets for brunch

Hostesses Debbi Darrow, Diane Sams, Belinda Skiles, and Lois Smith served a summer brunch to 14 members of the local P.E.O. chapter at 10:30 a.m. July 18 at Marion Presbyterian Church. Members heard committee and convention reports. \The next meeting will be 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Aug. 28 at Marion City Library.

Senior center menu

NORTHWEST OF DURHAM:

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Centre staff gets 3 percent raise

Centre’s school board has approved 3 percent raises for teachers, Administrator Susan Beeson, and classified personnel. Base pay for teachers will be $35,396, with a step up in salary for every year of experience and additional pay for more college credits. The highest salary will be $49,258 for a teacher with 24 years of experience and a master’s degree plus 32 hours or a specialist degree.

Students win county scholarships

Three students won Marion County scholarships among 86 awards presented Friday at Central Kansas Community Foundation’s regional scholarship ceremony in Newton. Joshua Schmidt won the Karen Rae McIntosh Teaching Scholarship from Goessel Community Foundation.

Free hot dogs to be served

A free hot dog lunch will be served starting at noon Thursday at Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce, 120 N. Main St.Eagle Communications and Et Cetera Shop are sponsoring the meal, which will be cooked by Hillsboro firefighters. Serving will continue until 1 p.m. or whenever the supply of hot dogs is exhausted.

Screenings offered in Hillsboro

Free developmental screenings for children 5 and younger will be offered from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 8 in Hillsboro. Sessions test vision, hearing, cognition, language, motor skills, and social and emotional development. Each evaluation generally takes at least an hour. Appointments are required and are being accepted by Marion County Early Intervention Services at (620) 382-2858.

Farmers Market menu set for final five weeks

A full slate of meals is on tap for the final five weeks of this year’s Farmers Market from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays in Hillsboro’s Memorial Park: Aug. 3 — Fajitas by youth from Alexanderfeld Church.

Goessel Threshing Days to include 5K walk\run

A five-kilometer walk and run will be part of this year’s Country Threshing Days. A $25 entry fee will include an aluminum water bottle, participant medal, refreshments, and an admission button to Threshing Days festivities. Competitive runners will compete in 15 division, from ages 6 to 9 all the way up to age 75 and older. The walk and run will kick off at 7 a.m. Aug. 5, with check-in 30 minutes earlier at the southeast corner of Goessel High School.

Full slate of rec programs planned

Youth bowling, gymnastics, flag football, martial arts, weightlifting, and cardiovascular fitness are available this summer through Hillsboro Recreation Commission. Bowling

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