2002: The year in review years ago
January
— Marion County residents braved brisk weather and a very early morning to catch a glimpse of the Olympic torch, which rolled through the area on Jan. 11.
The torch, which was en route to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, was transported on a specially designed Union Pacific Railroad car.
— A ceiling fire damaged part of the building belonging to B & B Handyman, located on North Ash across the street from Coop Grain and Supply.
— The Hillsboro Star-Journal began publishing on Thursdays again.
— The Hillsboro High School boys' basketball team won the Trojan Classic.
— Remodeling work continued inside the Alco building and at the new Central National Bank building.
February
— A fire damaged the home of William and Virginia Tarbox, 216 S. Main St. Faulty wiring was named as the cause of the fire. No one was seriously injured.
— Jeff Richmond of Marion Middle School won the 2002 Marion County spelling bee.
— The HHS wrestling squad took first place at the MCAA league tourney. They then took first place at regionals for the first time ever, upending powerhouse Eureka.
— Marion County received $100,000 to use in a micro-loan program to aid small businesses.
— A serious accident on U.S. Highway 56 left a McPherson man in critical condition. His pickup truck collided with a semi.
— The Schaeffler House was named to the National Register of Historic Places.
— The Friesen Furniture Center closed after 27 years in business. Its owners, Andy and Bonnie Friesen, decided to retire.
March
— The Hillsboro High School boys' basketball team took first place at sub-state after defeating Hoisington in double overtime. They advanced to state, where they lost to Riley County in the first round.
The girls' team lost to Hesston in the sub-state finals.
— A fire damaged the garage of an A Street house owned by USD 410. The fire began when a winter storm caused a power line to fall on the garage's roof.
— KC Development and the Marion County Commission continued to discuss possible solutions to the county's waste dilemma.
— Goessel native Lonnie Hiebert joined the Marion County Sheriff's Department as a deputy.
— For the April 2 election, two Hillsboro City Council seats were up for grabs. Current members Wendell Dirks and Mike Padgett planned to leave their seats. Byron McCarty ran unopposed for Padgett's East Ward spot, and Shelby Dirks and Daren Arndt ran for the West Ward spot.
April
— An organ and a tractor were among items being donated by Hillsboro and Goessel residents for this year's Mennonite Central Committee sale, which was held in Hutchinson.
— Shelby Dirks and Byron "Barney" McCarty each won seats on the Hillsboro City Council.
— The county commission approved a deal to buy the Marion waste transfer station from KC Development. The cost is $825,000.
— Citing lack of interest, the USD 410 board of education approved a plan to drop forensics and debate classes from the normal high school curriculum. Now, these activities will be solely extra-curricular.
— "Let the Games Begin" was the theme of the 2002 Trojan after-program party.
— Goessel resident Linda Rath and her daughter, Emma, were killed in an accident northwest of Moundridge.
Linda Rath was set to get married the following weekend. Emma was in sixth grade in the Goessel school system.
— Two USD 410 teachers — art teacher Martha Roach and ag teacher Kristi Esquibel — don't have their contracts renewed by the board. Both were in their second year of teaching at HHS.
May
— The "Impressions" hair salon gets new management. It was bought by Jeanne Penner, and its name was changed to "A Cut Above."
— Persistent rain storms slowed construction at the Grand and Washington intersection and at the alley behind Main Street between Grand and First.
— The Durham home owned by Tony Bowers was completely destroyed in a house fire.
— Hillsboro Middle School got its first therapy dog — "Remmy," or Remington, a golden retriever.
— During graduation season, 134 students graduated from Tabor and 60 students graduated from Hillsboro High School. At HHS, Holly Lindsay and Jonathan Regier wion the Wiebe Scholarship.
— The Hillsboro Family Festival opened with a new name, but it still kept its traditional activities.
— The "Health Post" fitness center opened in the building formerly occupied by the Hillsboro Post Office. It's owned by Steve and Lou Greenhaw.
June
— Hundreds of hoops players descended upon Hillsboro for the annual Mid-America Youth Basketball national tournament.
— A new USD 410 contract gave teachers a four-percent raise. Also, Hillsboro native Dustin Dalke was hired as the new high school art teacher.
— The Hillsboro Swim Team began its summer season.
— The Hillsboro branch of the Central National Bank moved into its new home on North Main. It occupies 111 S. Main, which used to house a workout center. The new building has a drive-through window.
— After only a few months of operation, state budget cuts threatened to force the end of the county's Youth Court program.
— The summer wheat harvest was in full swing, with farmers reporting average weights and yields.
July
— Going from soda fountains to computerized databases, the Greenhaw Pharmacy certainly has changed since its early days in Canton. On July 1, the pharmacy at 508 Ash in Hillsboro celebrated 50 years of business.
Don Greenhaw, the original owner, became interested in pharmacy while working in a drug store in Canton. He opened his own business on July 1, 1952. He ran the business until 1993 when his daughter-in-law, Lou Greenhaw, bought it.
In the next decade, Greenhaw will end her family's involvement with the pharmacy, as pharmacist Gina Edwards buys out the business. The plan is for Edwards to take control in seven years.
— A Hillsboro dentist fulfilled a dream he planned long ago with a college friend. At the end of the summer, Dr. Tim Woods and family moved to Wamego. There, Woods and a college friend joined forces in a dental practice. Woods practiced dentistry in Hillsboro since July of 1992.
— Reports from area grain cooperatives indicated the wheat harvest was about complete. Elevator managers said the crop came close to the 10-year average of 35 to 40 bushels per acre.
— Parents will have to dig a little deeper into their pockets this fall when it comes time to pay for school meals and textbook fees. At its monthly meeting, the school board voted unanimously to increase breakfast and lunch prices for all age groups. The board also voted to increase textbook rental fees.
— Irv Schroeder County Motors turned 40, and Irv turned 80.
— Citing health reasons, Marion County Fair Director Pam Riesen resigned her position. Vida Bartel, a former fair director, replaced Riesen.
August
— The Kansas Newspaper Foundation Bud Bruce Memorial Golf Tournament was held at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan. The event was co-sponsored by the Manhattan Mercury.
— If all goes well, the dormant AMPI building in north Hillsboro will soon be owned by the city. In a special Hillsboro City Council meeting, the council members voted to allow city attorney Dan Baldwin to draw up a contract that would purchase the Associated Milk Producers International building.
— Andrea Carlson, a member of the Lincolnville, Wide Awake 4-H Club, was selected as this year's Marion County Fair 4-H queen. Gina Andrews and Cheryl Prieb of the South Cottonwood Club were attendants.
— Dr. Lorrie Campbell is the newest doctor on staff at the Preferred Medical Association Clinic on Ash Street.
— The Tabor Bluejay football team was picked to finish fourth in the KCAC by the media and coaches' poll.
— Kerry and Kathleen Magathlan re-open Daylight Donuts at 111 W. Grand.
September
— Enrollment figures in Hillsboro United School District schools are down, just as officials expected. The largest class is the seniors with 69. The middle school has classes of 64 and 65. All other classes have between 34 and 58 students.
— A record crowd of 60,000 jammed Hillsboro streets for the 34th annual Arts and Crafts Fair.
October
— The Tabor Bluejay football team was 4-0 with its 25-6 victory in Hillsboro against the defending KCAC champion Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes.
— A new furniture store came to town. The Hillsboro Furniture Center announced it would start doing business in November in the Main Street building previously occupied by Friesen Furniture Center. The owner of the new store is John Huninghake.
— The Hillsboro City Council voted to complete purchase of the former AMPI property. The city paid $75,000 for the property and adjacent gas and sewer lines. The city has not made public any definite plans for the new acquisition.
— One of the business faculty members at Tabor College was presented with the highest post-secondary honor at the Kansas Business Educator Association convention Oct. 18. Mary Regier, assistant professor of business education and office administration, received the 21002 Outstanding Post-Secondary Educator Award.
— Marlene Fast opened Fast Realty on South Main Street.
— According to Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Marion County was one of 16 Kansas counties with confirmed cases of West Nile Virus.
— Mary Lancaster opened Mary's Mats and More at 107 E. Grand.
November
— In a span of one month, both employees at the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce office resigned, Carol Wiebe, director, was the last to leave office. Wiebe served as director of the Hillsboro Manage Board in the chamber office. She followed Rhonda Toal, who resigned from her job as administrative assistant a couple weeks earlier.
— The Tabor football team finished its season 6-4, the best finish since 1979.
— A new business, Photo Express, opened at 127 1/2 N. Main. The one-hour photo business is owned by Raymond Holler of Galva and Mike and Verna Meyer of Canton.
— New Hillsboro resident Megan Kilgore was hired as the director of the Hillsboro Management Board. Kilgore fills the position formerly held by Carol Wiebe. Kilgore moved to Hillsboro this summer with her husband, Tim, who accepted a job as the new ag teacher at Hillsboro High School.
— Marion County Commission voted unanimously purchased the transfer station from KC Development. The county purchased the station for $825,000 with a $75,000 down payment. The commission also voted to authorize the sale of bonds to finacne the purchase.
December
— Employees of the city of Hillsboro will get a slight increase in their pay next year, thanks to a small cost of living increase. The 1.4 percent increase was approved by the city council at their regular biweekly meeting.
— City of Hillsboro employees will not receive their annual December "longevity pay," the Hillsboro City Council decided. The city has offered longevity pay since 1998 to city employees who have worked for the city for more than five consecutive years.
This year, with recent budget cuts, the council voted to cancel longevity pay for 2002.
— The Hillsboro City Council voted to join litigation challenging Gov. Bill Graves' authority to cut $48,000 in demand transfer payments to cities and counties.
