BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
Power to 446 Marion County residences and businesses failed for two hours Friday because of equipment failure on one of several transmission lines serving the area, a Westar Energy spokesman said.
Power failed around 9:45 a.m. Friday in portions of Marion, Florence, and the area around Marion Reservoir. It was restored around 11:45 a.m. Westar originally estimated that 1,308 homes and businesses — nearly half the total served in that area — were without power but lowered the estimate after repairs were made.
Swimming continues to be banned at Marion Reservoir after state health officials on Thursday extended a blue-green algae warning in effect since June 26.
Humans, pets, and livestock should not drink or come in contact with reservoir water, and pets should not be allowed to eat dried algae.
Hillsboro City Council appointed a new member immediately after accepting Marlene Fast’s resignation Tuesday. Fast resigned because she won’t be available for council meetings.
Mayor Delores Dalke appointed David Loewen to the position. He was approved unanimously.
For anyone planning to show support of a political campaign, the Kansas Department of Transportation reminds constituents that signs or billboards placed on highway rights of way are illegal.
Kansas law says all rights of way on state highways is exclusively for public highway use — for regulatory, guide, and warning signs.
Marion County Fair will offer classic events as well as a carnival this year.
The carnival will be open from July 23 through 26 and offer a variety of games, food, and rides.
Whitney Dirks said she and partner Lauryn Unruh have had full days working since the opening of Shear Ambitions hair salon June 11.
Dirks and Unruh, both 25, met while working at a McPherson salon, deciding to go into business together in Hillsboro.
Despite the lack of air conditioning, a handful of dedicated volunteers at the Father Kapaun Museum is going to dedicate their time to open the museum on a regular basis to serve the high volume of people trekking down the rural roads to Pilsen.
Since Father Emil Kapaun received the Congressional Medal of Honor last year, attendance at the museum has nearly tripled, volunteer Rosemary Neuwirth said.
State funding to a local mental health disability organization was again a subject discussed Monday by county commissioners.
Harvey-Marion County Community Developmental Disability Organization director Elizabeth Schmidt said her organization took a cut of nearly $20,000 to its administrative funds, despite an “unprecedented” caseload of 237 individuals during the past year.
Monday’s seemingly abrupt firing of Marion County’s ambulance director created both a storm of protest and an uneasy calm of official no-comments Tuesday.
While all three county commissioners refused to explain their reason for dismissing longtime EMT and former Marion City Council member Steve Smith, Smith’s supporters were quick to condemn the commissioners.
It’s not uncommon for citizens to attend Marion County Planning and Zoning Commission meetings to voice concerns regarding proposed zoning issues.
What is uncommon is when Bob Gayle of Florence showed up at the April committee meeting with a 21-page, single-spaced briefing book with 59 pages of supplemental materials to articulate his concerns about the proposed wind farm under development by Windborne Energy LLC.
A dog is home safe and sound with her family after an adventure that found her traveling from near Florence to Sterling.
Jazz, an Australian shepherd, went missing from the home of Jeff Wyss in rural Florence on Saturday.
Marion County residents will have several places to choose from when looking for a good time on Fourth of July.
Peabody
Using fireworks on our nation’s birthday is American as apple pie. It is equally safe if a few and common-sense rules are followed.
The annual celebration is an exhilarating event that brings joy to everyone but also has the possibility to be hazardous. Preparing for a safe holiday is as important as preparing for all potential disasters. If you create a plan that everyone knows you will lessen dangers of the event and create a safe environment.
Drivers could see flames shooting out from under a piece of equipment Monday on a road construction project between Lincolnville and Marion on U.S. 56/77.
A contractor is heating up the highway, grinding off the top layer, and re-laying the material as recycled asphalt, all in one go. The result is an active construction zone only a couple hundred yards long that leaves a completed surface in its wake.
Marvin Peterson, state game warden for Marion County and half of Morris County since 1992, retired in June after a 32-year career.
He said the people he met made his district a good place to work. In return, he was always friendly back, said Neal Whitaker, who worked with him for 20 years as a ranger at Marion Reservoir.
Rain throughout much of the day Saturday severely cut into attendance at Marion City Library’s annual garden tour fundraiser.
“The gardens were lovely, but due to the weather attendance wasn’t great,” librarian Janet Marler said. “It was very nice even with the small attendance. Everything was so green and lush.”
Brandi Bosley said she cannot tell four of her five baby raccoons by their looks, but by their personality.
One often is reserved and shy, one constantly whines, another eats excessively, and another remains calm, while the runt of the litter does not leave her side.
Former Marion resident Delores M. Stroda, 81, died Friday at the Medicalodges of Herington. Funeral Mass was Tuesday at St. John Catholic Church in Herington.
She was born March 8, 1933, in Lincolnville to Albert Frank and Albina Elsie (Melcher) Bezdek. She graduated from Lincolnville High School in 1951.
Former Western Associates employee Joan B. Thompson, 84, of Cedar Point died Saturday at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Services were to be at 10 a.m. today at Elmdale United Methodist Church.
She was born July 28, 1929, in Emporia to Robert and Grace Smith Bartlett.
Hillsboro resident Rachel Friesen, 88, died June 9 at Hillsboro Community Hospital.
She was born Jan. 15, 1926, to George and Sara (Harms) Kornelsen in Greensburg. She married Vernon Friesen. He preceded her in death.
At this stage of the wheat-growing phase this year farmers were very pessimistic about the crop quality, however it is the exact opposite with corn.
“I’ll say it with guarded breath because we’re still a long way from the bin, but the corn is looking awesome,” Marion County extension agent Rick Roberts said. “In my opinion we’re set up to have a special kind of harvest, but again it’s not in the bin so it can still go south.”
Spring and early summer has been an interesting — and frustrating — time for many hay growers in Marion County.
Farmer Brad Wiens said he usually starts harvesting a first cutting of alfalfa early in May, but March and April were so dry there was nothing worth cutting. Fortunately alfalfa recovers well when it does get moisture.
It is hard to fathom what 1,800 lbs. of cheese would look like, but it is what Jason and Sheri Wiebe can make with one day’s worth of milk from their dairy cows outside Durham.
The Wiebes have been making cheese at Wiebe Dairy and distributing it for more than 10 years. They make several varieties and ship out several thousands of pounds of cheese a month in 40-pound blocks across the country and locally.
Larry Britton of Florence isn’t usually found far from a horse, in fact nearly every day he can be found riding one of his three horses around Florence.
“It’s the only place my family will let me ride by myself,” he said. “They get worried when I ride outside of town alone in case something were to go wrong.”
Marion County students ages 12 through 19 as of Jan. 1 can compete in an agriculture Challenge of Champions at 7 p.m. July 16 at the Marion High School agriculture education building.
The program is to recognize outstanding Marion County 4-H and FFA members and students interested in agriculture. Students 16 through 19 are eligible for cash prizes with the winner advancing to compete for a scholarship at the state fair.
Lifelong Marion County resident Carol Makovec will celebrate her 70th birthday Saturday at a family cookout in her honor at Central Park in Marion. Birthday wishes may be mailed to her at 3232 Quail Creek Rd., Ramona, KS 67475.
She was born July 8, 1944, to John and Irma Reznicek. She graduated from Centre High School and married Robert Makovec in 1963. They have five children, 16 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
People who complete Circles of Hope’s anti-poverty training can now receive small low-interest loans.
For example, someone could receive a loan to buy a vehicle, which can be very important to getting or keeping a job, said Ashlee Gann of Families and Communities Together, the financial agent for Circles of Hope.
Howard Baker, husband of Burdick resident and former U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum, passed away June 26 in his hometown of Huntsville, Tennessee after complications from a stroke.
Baker was born in Huntsville to Dora Ann and Howard Baker Sr., who was a U.S. Representative.
ROUND THE TOWN:
Residents celebrate Father's Day
Hillsboro Recreation Commission and Skywalkers Gymnastics are pairing up for an introductory gymnastics class.
The class is for people ages 5 through 18. It started today and will continue for the next two Wednesdays at the 4-H Building at the fairgrounds.
When McPherson College released its honor roll listings for fall and spring semesters, four area students were honored.
Freshmen Johanna Hoffman and Maci Schlehuber and senior Karis Janzen, all of Hillsboro, were named to the fall and spring honor rolls. Matthew Richards, senior from Goessel, was named to the honorable mention roll in the fall.
Hillsboro Family Aquatic Center is introducing more material to younger swimmers in lessons this year as it transitions away from a Red Cross program.
Water safety instructor Emily Bebermeyer said the pool developed its own lessons after the American Red Cross raised the price for its program. She said the change was made to avoid increasing prices for families.
A 40-day meditation on verses from Psalms led to a group of paintings that Shin-hee Chin, associate professor of visual art at Tabor College, exhibited Saturday at The Gallery at Pioneer Bluffs in Matfield Green.
“If you practice something for 40 days, you can master it,” Chin said. “Forty days for me is a magical word, but it’s also a Biblical time.
The Hillsboro swim team defeated Hesston and Marion at a shortened meet Saturday in Hesston.
Conditions were cold and rainy and the meet was suspended after 50 events because of lightning.