HILLSBORO Star-Journal

HEADLINES

Child abuse pleaded down
A felony charge of child abuse was reduced Thursday to misdemeanor battery, but the defendant contends she didn’t agree to the deal. Defendant Amy D. Stutzman, 51, formerly of Peabody, now living in Arkansas City, entered the plea Thursday, according to court records.
For small schools, winning is about more than final score
The buzzer sounded, and cheers erupted along the coaches’ bench. The players, sweaty and grinning, ran over to embrace their head coach, Chris Freeman.
Toxic algae could be a WRAP
The algae first came to the county in May 2003. Vibrant, foamy “blooms” sprang up all but overnight on the surface of Marion Reservoir.
New boiler could warm 40 degree classrooms
Last week, as temperatures around the county plummeted, Marion High School principal Donald Raymer compared the temperature in the Hill School to that of a refrigerator. Raymer visited the building when outdoor temperatures were below zero last Tuesday.
City accused of bad faith about raid texts
New legal pleadings accuse the City of Marion’s insurance attorneys of acting in bad faith when they refused to turn over incriminating texts city officials exchanged about now-disavowed raids on the Record newsroom and two Marion homes. The insurance attorneys initially denied that any relevant texts existed on city-owned phones and contended that it would be an “unreasonable burden” to ask employees and officials to turn over messages from personal phones.

OTHER NEWS

Former ambulance director loses license
A former county ambulance director under investigation when he resigned in August, 2023, lost his license Dec. 31. Curt Hasart was county ambulance director from October, 2022, until September, 2023. During this, Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services investigated him for possible failure to report criminal cases pending against him in South Dakota when he applied for a Kansas license in 2011.
Former Tabor fullback charged in 2022 fatality
A former Tabor College fullback who drove a car that crashed Feb. 27, 2022, in a fiery wreck on Indigo Rd. south of Hillsboro was charged Monday with two counts of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. According to a complaint, Jonathan M. Medina, then 19, was driving under the influence at the time of the wreck, which killed fellow football players Johnathon J. Aviles and Christopher J. Castillo.
Break prompts boil order in Goessel
A water pipe burst at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in Goessel, causing damage to S. Buller St. and the water to go out for many residents. The public works department, of which director Alex Goossen is the only full-time employee, quickly got to work.
Victim, sheriff's office disagree on thefts
An offense report released by the sheriff’s office reported theft from former Peabody resident Amy Stutzman’s burned-down rural residence near 110th and Pawnee Rds., but the offense report and messages sent to the The sheriff’s office reported that no sign of forced entry was found and items worth $24,870 were stolen.
Peabody mayor wants city administrator
Peabody mayor Catherine Weems spoke longingly at a city council meeting Monday night about hiring a city administrator. “All our other municipalities have city managers, and they make a huge difference,” she said. “I really think we need someone who, on a consistent basis, is pulling the city together. I’ve done my best in the interim to help, but we really need someone on a daily basis to be calling the shots.”
Fun run at lake approved
An around-the-lake fun run March 15 to raise money for Youth Core Ministries was approved Monday by county commissioners. Planning and zoning director Sharon Omstead showed commissioners a map of the route, which would begin north of the lake hall, proceed east around the lake, come back west, and cross the dam to the starting point.

DEATHS

Edmund Grothe
Services for Edmund Grothe, 89, who died Jan. 2 at Salem Home in Hillsboro, were Saturday. Interment was at Zion Lutheran Cemetery. Born Oct. 15, 1935, in Wichita to Edmund and Ruby (Hannaman) Grothe, he married Sylvia Hein on April 19, 1997, in Durham.
Thomas Krotz
Services will be scheduled later for Durham native Thomas R. Krotz, 72, who died Jan. 4 at his home in Newton. Born July 12, 1952, in Wichita to Frank and Petrona (Rudolph) Krotz, he graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1970, worked as an aircraft sheet metal mechanic and farm equipment assembler, and married Patricia Fink on Nov. 8, 1975. She died in 2021.
Steve Podszus
Services for Stephen “Steve” James Podszus, 76, Lincolnville, who died Thursday at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, are pending. Born in 1947 in McAllen, Texas, to Fred and Viola Podszus, his family moved to a farm near Lincolnville in 1949. He was a graduate of Centre High School and an Army veteran, having served in Vietnam.
IN MEMORIAM:
Iris Summers

OPINION

Agree, disagree, or maybe both
Love him or loathe him, Donald Trump has accomplished at least one thing in his first few days back in office. He’s swelled the number of letters to the editor we receive each week. We won’t let this become a lasting legacy of Trump II, however. Many people have many things to say, good and bad. We’re just not sure anyone — supportive or opposed — is listening to points others might make.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Needing to be needed
LETTERS:
Seeking a net gain, The parties are over, Is Trump defensible?, Lake security

PEOPLE

Can homecoming be a bit of a royal pain?
Ten seconds are left on the clock. The auditorium is buzzing. The crowd appears to be inching forward, but as the last second ticks from the clock, a shot bounces off the rim. Girls line up to high-five the other team for a good game and then head back to their locker room. But the night is far from over for some.
'Asking for a disaster to happen'
Talking on a cell phone, texting, or just taking your eyes off the road while driving are considered distracted driving, and all can have serious consequences. Kansas Department of Transportation data show that a quarter of the state’s 52,043 crashes during 2024 were caused by distracted driving.
Free food available
Free food will be distributed to residents with low incomes the week of Feb. 16. New rules require that recipients have monthly household income of no more than $2,322 plus $830 for each household member beyond the first.
College degrees and honors
Senior center menus
MEMORIES:
15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 110, 145 years ago

SPORTS

Marion girls win Cougar Classic
With four county girls teams left, three competed at the Cougar classic. Marion won it all, securing their coach’s 100th career victory in the process. Marion The Warriors swept last week’s competition aside at the Cougar Classic, winning the championship game 47-34 Saturday over Herington to secure coach Jason Hett’s 100th career win.
Warrior boys 2nd at Cougar Classic
Four of five county boys teams competed in the Cougar Classic in Centre over the weekend while Hillsboro played host at its own tournament. Marion The Warriors finished as runners-up Saturday, falling 56-41 to Rural Vista in the championship game.
Wrestler places in top 5
Both county wrestling teams traveled to Eureka on Saturday, with a Marion wrestler placing fifth. Marion Brian Nguyen led the Warriors with a fifth-place finish, ending the day 2-2.

MORE…

HILLSBORO STAR-JOURNAL

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

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Contributors: Delbert Peters, Pat Wick

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HILLSBORO Star-Journal

A felony charge of child abuse was reduced Thursday to misdemeanor battery, but the defendant contends she didn’t agree to the deal. Defendant Amy D. Stutzman, 51, formerly of Peabody, now living in Arkansas City, entered the plea Thursday, according to court records.

The buzzer sounded, and cheers erupted along the coaches’ bench. The players, sweaty and grinning, ran over to embrace their head coach, Chris Freeman.

The algae first came to the county in May 2003. Vibrant, foamy “blooms” sprang up all but overnight on the surface of Marion Reservoir.

Last week, as temperatures around the county plummeted, Marion High School principal Donald Raymer compared the temperature in the Hill School to that of a refrigerator. Raymer visited the building when outdoor temperatures were below zero last Tuesday.

A water pipe burst at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in Goessel, causing damage to S. Buller St. and the water to go out for many residents. The public works department, of which director Alex Goossen is the only full-time employee, quickly got to work.

Services for Edmund Grothe, 89, who died Jan. 2 at Salem Home in Hillsboro, were Saturday. Interment was at Zion Lutheran Cemetery. Born Oct. 15, 1935, in Wichita to Edmund and Ruby (Hannaman) Grothe, he married Sylvia Hein on April 19, 1997, in Durham.

IN MEMORIAM:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS:

Talking on a cell phone, texting, or just taking your eyes off the road while driving are considered distracted driving, and all can have serious consequences. Kansas Department of Transportation data show that a quarter of the state’s 52,043 crashes during 2024 were caused by distracted driving.

Free food will be distributed to residents with low incomes the week of Feb. 16. New rules require that recipients have monthly household income of no more than $2,322 plus $830 for each household member beyond the first.

MEMORIES:

Four of five county boys teams competed in the Cougar Classic in Centre over the weekend while Hillsboro played host at its own tournament. Marion The Warriors finished as runners-up Saturday, falling 56-41 to Rural Vista in the championship game.

Both county wrestling teams traveled to Eureka on Saturday, with a Marion wrestler placing fifth. Marion Brian Nguyen led the Warriors with a fifth-place finish, ending the day 2-2.