HILLSBORO Star-Journal

HEADLINES

City Council to re-examine atrazine issue
Hillsboro City Council plans to meet with an attorney from Baron and Budd, a Dallas-based law firm litigating with the manufacturer of atrazine, regarding the city’s membership in a class-action lawsuit. The meeting will most likely be in late March. City Administrator Larry Paine said Tuesday the meeting would be valuable because council members never heard directly from the firm before the decision to join the lawsuit. Paine presented the information that he received from the firm, and the council acted on that information.
Hillsboro student named county spelling bee champ
Some of the words were unusual — not words used regularly — as 20 Marion County students vied for the title of county spelling bee champion Feb. 10. “Ineffable.
Ex NFL player speaks at HMS
Steve Fitzhugh learned that he had the power to hold the attention of young people while speaking to kids for the Denver Broncos. As a former NFL player, he found that he was in a position that immediately garnered respect and interest from children. Fitzhugh decided to harness this admiration to talk to middle school students across the U.S.
Storm spotters 'chase' danger
“I think it’s in my blood,” Durham Fire Chief Roy Davis said. When Davis was 12 years old, he saw a tornado when he was walking out of a church while visiting his family in Greensburg. He was mystified by the cyclone and he has been a storm spotter since joining the Durham Fire Department.
Opinions mixed on possible smoking ban
Businesses in Kansas may become smoke-free, whether they want to or not. The Committee on Health and Human Services in the Kansas House of Representatives is considering a bill that would ban smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces, with some exceptions. Some businesses welcome the bill.
Tabor College hosts Special Olympic tournament
The faculty and students of Tabor College, in cooperation with the Hillsboro Kiwanis, will be hosting a basketball tournament Saturday for Special Olympics. Tabor College volunteers will referee and run the clock and scoreboard. Hillsboro Kiwanis will provide sack lunches for the competitors.

DEATHS

Edward Penner
Edward E. Penner, 88, of Hillsboro, died Feb. 10 at Parkside Homes, Hillsboro. Born April 6, 1921, in Henderson, Neb., to Jacob and Helena (Epp) Penner, he was a farmer and factory worker.
Daniel Penner
Daniel C. Penner, 81, of Albuquerque, died Feb. 3 of complications from cancer. Born in Reedley, Calif., to Cornelius and Tina (Martens) Penner, he was raised on a farm in the San Joaquin Valley.

DOCKET

FARM

It's calving time on the ranch
For many farmers with cowherds, this is the time when their cows begin to calve. It’s a time they look forward to with excitement and also with some trepidation, never knowing what the weather will bring or how much trouble they will have.
A century of rainfall recorded
Al Gantz came to Marion in 1967 as the conservationist for Marion County Conservation District. He was rummaging through a desk drawer when he came upon a partial record of official rainfall in Marion, beginning in 1908. This sparked his interest. He sent a request for the missing data to the state weather office in Topeka. They complied by sending a complete list of rainfall totals for Marion.
Dody grandson teaches homesteading skills learned on his grandparents' farm
Although the Homestead Act, passed in 1862, is no longer in force, many people continue to pursue homesteading as a way of life in which they seek to live as independent and self-reliant as possible. Almost 20 years ago, Jack Dody and his wife, Marilou, of Rush, Colo., began homesteading on the plains of eastern Colorado.
KSU Extension service conducts practical research
As weeds develop resistance to commonly used herbicides, farmers seek new ways to rid their fields of those hard-to-kill weeds. Despite cold and wind, Kansas State Research and Extension agent Rickey Roberts and agronomist Doug Shoup laid out a control plot Thursday in a field south of Hillsboro.
Author of 'The Learning Post' to speak Saturday at MCCD banquet
Most agriculturalists in Marion County know of Gordon Morrison of Concordia. He writes a weekly column, “The Learning Post,” for Grass and Grain, an area farm publication. The former agriculture educator will be the guest speaker Saturday at the 64th annual meeting of Marion County Conservation District.
Ag blog
The evolution that has occurred on our nation’s farms in the last century boggles the mind. Looking back, mechanization ranks very high on the list of changes. About a century ago, fossil fuel and internal combustion power units gradually moved the horses and mules to the edge of the field. Fewer people could easily farm additional land and produce more bushels or tons per acre.

GOVERNMENT

Commissioners oppose forming extension district
It appeared unlikely Tuesday that Marion and Dickinson counties will form an extension district, as commissioners Randy Dallke and Dan Holub said they would not support such a move. The extension boards in both counties have voted in favor of forming the district, which Marion County extension agent Rickey Roberts said would provide budget stability to extension services.

OPINION

Our voice in Topeka
Last week the House passed a relatively short bill, but it’s one that will affect you if the Senate passes it and the Governor signs it into law. It will permit the Secretary of Revenue to send you a postcard telling you when your driver’s license is up for renewal, rather than the current envelope. Hold on, you’re thinking, “How will I get the test I must take?”
LETTERS:
Information requested

PEOPLE

CORRESPONDENTS:
'Round the Town, Northwest of Durham

SCHOOL

Teacher of the month
Hillsboro High School math teacher Bruce Major uses real world problems to help students understand concepts he teaches, student Daniel Kenney said Thursday after geometry class. The practical applications help the junior become comfortable with abstract mathematical principles, he said.
HHS places 4th in forensics
Hillsboro High School forensics team placed fourth overall Thursday at Marion. Hayley Pankratz placed second in both poetry and dramatic solo acting. Amanda Roble earned second place in prose and fourth in dramatic solo acting.
HHS scholars team competes at state
Hillsboro High School scholars’ bowl team finished its season with a 1-4 record at 3A state tournament Saturday in Cimarron. The team’s five matches were decided by a combined 50 points, an average of one question per match. HHS defeated Thomas More Prep, 30-25. The team’s losses were against Burlington, 30-10; Jefferson County North, 40-30; Douglass, 40-30; and Conway Springs, 55-50.
State high court rejects reopening school lawsuit
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SPORTS

5th-ranked Yoder paces Trojans at Remington
Just when it looks like the Trojan wrestling team is getting back on track, a humbling meet knocks them back down to reality. Hillsboro can appear like its headed in the right direction one meet, then turn around and go back to square one the next, as was the case Thursday.
Lady Trojans rally to top Nickerson
Any combination Lady Trojan basketball coach Nathan Hiebert put on the floor Friday night the visiting Nickerson Lady Panthers stymied, while using a big second and third quarter to take a 31-21 lead. Hiebert finally got his answer in the fourth quarter in the shape of his starting five as Hillsboro pieced together a 25-6 run to claw out a 46-37 win.
Panthers too strong for sliding Trojans
Hillsboro High School Trojans are suffering their toughest season ever under coach Darrel Knoll. The Trojans have been struggling all year, and Friday night against the visiting Nickerson Panthers was no exception. The Panthers held the Trojans to a season-low nine field goals while 6-foot-6 standout Troy Smith’s 25 points alone outscored Hillsboro in the 55-22 contest.
Goessel boys battle Wildcats and Broncos
Friday’s game demonstrated the difference between two halves as the Goessel boys lost at Remington, 60-51. Goessel began to pull away midway through the first period. Sophomore Corey Buller ended the quarter scoring 6 points in a row, leading the Bluebirds to a 13-5 lead.
Goessel girls nearly topple Moundridge
The Goessel High School girls basketball team scored 22 points in the fourth quarter Feb. 9 to nearly overcome an 18-point deficit against Moundridge. Goessel traded points with the Wildcats during the first quarter, with Moundridge leading, 11-8. Moundridge jumped out to a 30-15 lead at halftime.

HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Some of the words were unusual — not words used regularly — as 20 Marion County students vied for the title of county spelling bee champion Feb. 10. “Ineffable.

“I think it’s in my blood,” Durham Fire Chief Roy Davis said. When Davis was 12 years old, he saw a tornado when he was walking out of a church while visiting his family in Greensburg. He was mystified by the cyclone and he has been a storm spotter since joining the Durham Fire Department.

Businesses in Kansas may become smoke-free, whether they want to or not. The Committee on Health and Human Services in the Kansas House of Representatives is considering a bill that would ban smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces, with some exceptions. Some businesses welcome the bill.

The faculty and students of Tabor College, in cooperation with the Hillsboro Kiwanis, will be hosting a basketball tournament Saturday for Special Olympics. Tabor College volunteers will referee and run the clock and scoreboard. Hillsboro Kiwanis will provide sack lunches for the competitors.

Edward E. Penner, 88, of Hillsboro, died Feb. 10 at Parkside Homes, Hillsboro. Born April 6, 1921, in Henderson, Neb., to Jacob and Helena (Epp) Penner, he was a farmer and factory worker.

Daniel C. Penner, 81, of Albuquerque, died Feb. 3 of complications from cancer. Born in Reedley, Calif., to Cornelius and Tina (Martens) Penner, he was raised on a farm in the San Joaquin Valley.

For many farmers with cowherds, this is the time when their cows begin to calve. It’s a time they look forward to with excitement and also with some trepidation, never knowing what the weather will bring or how much trouble they will have.

As weeds develop resistance to commonly used herbicides, farmers seek new ways to rid their fields of those hard-to-kill weeds. Despite cold and wind, Kansas State Research and Extension agent Rickey Roberts and agronomist Doug Shoup laid out a control plot Thursday in a field south of Hillsboro.

LETTERS:

CORRESPONDENTS:

Hillsboro High School math teacher Bruce Major uses real world problems to help students understand concepts he teaches, student Daniel Kenney said Thursday after geometry class. The practical applications help the junior become comfortable with abstract mathematical principles, he said.

Hillsboro High School forensics team placed fourth overall Thursday at Marion. Hayley Pankratz placed second in both poetry and dramatic solo acting. Amanda Roble earned second place in prose and fourth in dramatic solo acting.

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Just when it looks like the Trojan wrestling team is getting back on track, a humbling meet knocks them back down to reality. Hillsboro can appear like its headed in the right direction one meet, then turn around and go back to square one the next, as was the case Thursday.

Friday’s game demonstrated the difference between two halves as the Goessel boys lost at Remington, 60-51. Goessel began to pull away midway through the first period. Sophomore Corey Buller ended the quarter scoring 6 points in a row, leading the Bluebirds to a 13-5 lead.

The Goessel High School girls basketball team scored 22 points in the fourth quarter Feb. 9 to nearly overcome an 18-point deficit against Moundridge. Goessel traded points with the Wildcats during the first quarter, with Moundridge leading, 11-8. Moundridge jumped out to a 30-15 lead at halftime.