HILLSBORO Star-Journal

HEADLINES

Fender bender becomes drug bust
An April Fool’s Day fender-bender turned into a drug bust. But the driver may have had the last laugh, being released from jail less than a day later on her own recognizance.
News site blocked; others threatened
What may be a vendetta against legitimate news organizations claimed a new victim last week.
Challenger seeks to 'restore' reputation of sheriff's office
Seeking to “restore” the reputation of the sheriff’s office, Peabody Police Chief Travis Wilson filed Monday for election as county sheriff. The Aug. 11 raid of the
Record wins 24 statewide awards
The

OTHER NEWS

County offices moving in
Three county departments are moving to a building on US-56 that used to house a beauty salon. On Friday, planning and zoning director Sharon Omstead oversaw moving part of furniture for the three rooms that the planning, zoning, and environmental health department will occupy in the building at 1240 Commercial Dr. north of US-56.
Prom becomes global affair
Italian exchange student Matilde Gaspari, a junior at Marion High School, would get the “farthest-distance prom date” award if one were given. Her date, Luca Viscione, whom she has known for years from their home in Italy, also is an exchange student who attends school in Arizona.
Intentional fishtailing leads to wreck
A wreck Friday that a deputy’s report said was caused by reckless driving didn’t injure four young occupants of a pickup that overturned into a ditch and came to rest on the driver’s side. Kaleb M. Blank, 20, Herington, was driving a 2012 GMC Sierra owned by Barbara J. Schlessener of Hope on 240th Rd. west of Old Mill Rd.
Global journalists to discuss Record raid
Seven journalists from around the world will meet April 12 in Lawrence to discuss last summer’s police raid on the The event is being sponsored by the U.S. State Department and Kansas Reflector editor Sherman Smith.

DEATHS

Norma Bird
Private services are planned for longtime Ramona resident Norma Jean Bird, 85, who died March 28 at her home in El Dorado. Born in Springfield, Missouri, to Mack and Mable Whitlock, she moved around the country and overseas while her husband, Don Bird, was in the military until they settled in Ramona, where they lived for almost 30 years.
Ethel Cox
Services for Ethel Louise Cox, 62, Wichita, who died April 1 at her home, will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Florence United Methodist Church. A small lunch will follow. There will not be any gravesite services.
JoAnn Heinrichs
Services for JoAnn Heinrichs, 87, who died last Friday at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro, will be 11 a.m. this Friday at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. Pastor Jeremy Matlock will officiate. Relatives will receive friends 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church.
Vic Jost
Services for Victor Lloyd Jost, 90, who died Saturday at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro after his second bout of COVID-19 in three months, will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church, rural Hillsboro. Relatives will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Jost Funeral Home in Hillsboro.
Dick McLinden
Mass for Dick McLinden, 81, who died Thursday at his home in Florence, was Tuesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Florence. Born Oct. 23, 1942, in Hillsboro to V.L. “Bud” and Roseva (Melson) McLinden, he was a 1960 graduate of Florence High School, attended Kansas State University for 2½ years, and became a licensed pilot in 1968.

PFINANCE

Making dough for charity, 1 vernicka at a time
More than 130 Mennonites from Hillsboro and beyond gathered Saturday at Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church to make enough verenika to feed the masses at the 2024 Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale. The sale, Friday and Saturday, will be the 56th annual benefit for the Mennonite Central Committee. All money raised goes to MCC’s work to provide relief, development, and peace worldwide.
Some businesses now charging bank card surcharges
Companies that process credit card charges for businesses have increased their rates, and several local businesses have responded by passing fees along to customers. Merchants are not allowed to charge more than 4% as a card processing fee.

OPINION

It may be artificial, but it sure isn't intelligent
We journalists keep getting asked how artificial intelligence will help report the news. Behaving a bit like a machine ourselves, we keep answering the same way: It won’t, not for most things. That’s not how AI answers the same question. We asked a leading AI engine, and it told us: “AI can revolutionize the way news is reported in several ways.”
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
A California adventure
CORRECTIONS:
Corrections and Clarifications
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Let's have a conversation

PEOPLE

Hillsboro senior wins full-ride scholarship
Hillsboro High School senior Annaliese Jorgenson is one of 15 students chosen for a full-ride scholarship at Wichita State University. Each of the state’s 45 Rudd Foundation scholars receive tuition, fees, on-campus housing, and networking and coaching support.
Centre plans open house for 4- and 5-year-olds
Children who will begin school at Centre in the fall are being encouraged to attend an open house Friday. Open house for kindergarten will be 3:30 p.m. Preschool open house will be 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. the same day.
FFA students place at district
Marion FFA students competed in two district competitions April 3 in Arkansas City. Ella Mackey placed second in a floriculture event that included a written test, identifying 50 plant samples, and completing two practicums. Marion placed sixth as a team in the greenhand division of a meat evaluation event that required participants to identify 30 retail cuts, the species of livestock, and recommended cooking methods.
Senior center menus
MEMORIES:
15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 110, 145 years ago

SPORTS

Marion boys 2nd, girls 3rd at relays
Fifteen schools descended onto Marion Friday for the annual Marion Relays. Included were teams from Peabody-Burns, Goessel, and Centre. Marion boys placed second place as a team while the girls were third.
Ball teams looking for victories
County baseball and softball teams have got off to a slow start this season with two still looking for their first victories. Hillsboro
Noah Schrag wins by 7 strokes
On the day of the solar eclipse, Noah Schrag completed his 18 holes of golf one under par (70) and won the Central Christian Invitational tournament at Carey Park Golf Course in Hutchinson. With little wind and pleasant temperatures, Schrag posted a score seven strokes better than second place.

MORE…

HILLSBORO STAR-JOURNAL

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STAFF

Editor and publisher: Eric Meyer

Sales manager: Debbie Steele

Reporters: Nicholas Kimball, Rowena Plett, Ryan Richter, Phyllis Zorn

Office manager: Cheri Bentz

Contributors: Delbert Peters, Pat Wick

SUBMISSIONS: Letters, articles, images and other materials submitted for publication become property of Hoch Publishing for purposes of publication and are subject to editing. The newspaper welcomes brief letters to the editor (generally no longer than 400 words) that express an opinion on a currently newsworthy topic. The writer’s contact information must be included for verification. Letters that contain defamatory comments, open letters, third-party letters, letters sent to more than one publication, and letters that more appropriately would be advertisements, including Cards of Thanks, are unlikely to be published. One letter generally is allowed per writer per calendar month.

CORRECTIONS: The newspaper’s policy is to promptly publish any factual corrections or clarifications that might create an incorrect impression of any news story. Corrections for content appearing online only typically are acknowledged in end notes or highlighted sections of the original story text. Other corrections typically are anchored for readers’ convenience in the Opinion section of the printed and online paper. Requests for corrections or clarifications should be sent to the appropriate contacts listed above.

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OWNERSHIP: Marion County Record, Hillsboro Star-Journal, and Peabody Gazette-Bulletin are published weekly, every Wednesday, by Hoch Publishing, the county’s only fully accredited member of Kansas Press Association and are the only newspapers qualified to publish official notices in Marion County. Hoch Publishing has no lienholders and is 91.4% owned in trust by the editor and publisher. The remainder is owned by former employees who serve as directors. Directors are Eric Meyer, president; Donna Bernhardt, secretary; Melvin Honeyield; and Jean Stuchlik.

HILLSBORO Star-Journal

An April Fool’s Day fender-bender turned into a drug bust. But the driver may have had the last laugh, being released from jail less than a day later on her own recognizance.

What may be a vendetta against legitimate news organizations claimed a new victim last week.

Seeking to “restore” the reputation of the sheriff’s office, Peabody Police Chief Travis Wilson filed Monday for election as county sheriff. The Aug. 11 raid of the

The

Italian exchange student Matilde Gaspari, a junior at Marion High School, would get the “farthest-distance prom date” award if one were given. Her date, Luca Viscione, whom she has known for years from their home in Italy, also is an exchange student who attends school in Arizona.

Seven journalists from around the world will meet April 12 in Lawrence to discuss last summer’s police raid on the The event is being sponsored by the U.S. State Department and Kansas Reflector editor Sherman Smith.

Services for Ethel Louise Cox, 62, Wichita, who died April 1 at her home, will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Florence United Methodist Church. A small lunch will follow. There will not be any gravesite services.

Services for JoAnn Heinrichs, 87, who died last Friday at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro, will be 11 a.m. this Friday at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. Pastor Jeremy Matlock will officiate. Relatives will receive friends 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church.

Companies that process credit card charges for businesses have increased their rates, and several local businesses have responded by passing fees along to customers. Merchants are not allowed to charge more than 4% as a card processing fee.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

CORRECTIONS:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Hillsboro High School senior Annaliese Jorgenson is one of 15 students chosen for a full-ride scholarship at Wichita State University. Each of the state’s 45 Rudd Foundation scholars receive tuition, fees, on-campus housing, and networking and coaching support.

Children who will begin school at Centre in the fall are being encouraged to attend an open house Friday. Open house for kindergarten will be 3:30 p.m. Preschool open house will be 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. the same day.

MEMORIES:

Fifteen schools descended onto Marion Friday for the annual Marion Relays. Included were teams from Peabody-Burns, Goessel, and Centre. Marion boys placed second place as a team while the girls were third.

County baseball and softball teams have got off to a slow start this season with two still looking for their first victories. Hillsboro

On the day of the solar eclipse, Noah Schrag completed his 18 holes of golf one under par (70) and won the Central Christian Invitational tournament at Carey Park Golf Course in Hutchinson. With little wind and pleasant temperatures, Schrag posted a score seven strokes better than second place.