Marion County RECORD

Jail board disbands

Marion County Public Safety and Law Enforcement Center Committee placed the burden to decide what to do about the jail on the shoulders of the county commission last week. Nine committee members in attendance voted unanimously to disband the committee, saying the committee had met its mandate to recommend a course of action to replace the existing jail.

Jail tax could be difficult to enforce

A proposed per-taxpayer tax to finance jail construction or renovation could be difficult to enforce, state Rep. J. Robert Brookens told county commissioners Tuesday. Brookens said he would begin the process to pass legislation authorizing the tax, but said the tax likely couldn’t be enforced as a lien against property. That could make enforcement especially difficult with out-of-state property owners, he said.

Feedlot prop open for comment

Kansas Department of Health and Environment will have a public hearing Sept. 23 in Marion regarding a proposed permit to expand K-K Ranch near Marion Reservoir. The ranch, owned by Steven Krispense, is applying to expand its confined feedlot capacity to up to 565 swine weighing more than 55 pounds, 150 cattle weighing more than 700 pounds, and 650 cattle weighing 700 pounds or less.

Couple to leave family for Iraq

Josh and Brianna Moffet know the dangers of serving with the Army in Iraq. Josh will begin his third tour of duty and Brianna will begin her second tour on Sept. 23, when they will leave their Lincolnville home for training in Indiana.

Heartworm cases surge with mosquito population spike

Animal Health Center of Marion County has seen eight heartworm cases in dogs this summer, more than twice as many as the three cases in 2009, according to veterinarian Rachel Davelaar. The cause of the increase has been a thriving mosquito population, which has profited from a humid summer, according to Davelaar. Mosquitoes are the carriers of heart worms and transmit worms from one infected dog to another.

Holtsclaw returns to Florence Sunday

In a way, Sunday’s performance at Florence’s Labor Day celebration will be a homecoming for Bennie Holtsclaw of Cedar Point. The 74-year-old singer and guitarist will perform at 4:30 p.m. Holtsclaw made his first public appearance as a musician in 1972 at the Florence Centennial Celebration. His was the featured act for at least five years after that.

Canning is making a comeback

Three or four years ago, Sarah Spencer of rural Marion had more beans from her garden than she could use. That prompted her mother-in-law, Roberta Spencer of Circleville, to visit her and teach her how to can vegetables. “Without her, I wouldn’t be canning,” Spencer said.

Riley Kirkpatrick

Riley Allen Kirkpatrick, 74, died Aug. 21, in Aransas Pass, Texas. Born Feb. 28, 1936, in Lincoln, Neb., to Alfred and Pearl Kirkpatrick, he attended Peabody schools, graduating in 1954 from Peabody High School.

Marjorie Morgan

Marjorie Morgan, 76, of Peabody, died Aug. 26 at Legacy Park, Peabody. She was born June 12, 1934, in Peabody, to Gilbert and Gladys Manka.

Thelma O’Dell

Thelma M. O’Dell, 99, of Florence, died Aug. 24 at St. Luke Living Center, Marion. Born Jan. 19, 1911, to Elmer and Rowena (Rutledge) Barlow, she graduated in 1929 from Sublette.

Roy Reynolds

Roy L. Reynolds, 88, of Abilene, died Aug. 28 at Memorial Hospital in Abilene. Born June 28, 1922, in Arlington, Texas, to Weeks and Gertrude (Davidson) Reynolds, he moved to Abilene with his parents as a small child and graduated from Abilene High School.

Paul Thomas

Paul Leon Thomas, born Nov. 15, 1943, departed this life in the early hours of Aug. 27, 2010. He was buried 24 hours later in the Grant Township Cemetery on a beautiful Flint Hills morning. His body lies adjacent to the burials of a number of his ancestors. He was deeply religious and a devout Christian.

Debra Williams

Debra Sue Williams, 59, of McPherson, died Aug. 30 at her home. Born Aug. 19, 1951, to Richard G. and Virginia R. (Winter) Schulz in Benning, Ga., she lived most of her life in McPherson, graduating from McPherson High School in 1969.

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A Taste of Heaven is a labor of love

Gretchen Unruh was unsuspectingly hurled into the world of baking, a world she learned to love. She started working at Hometown Foods, now Carlsons’ IGA, when she moved to Marion nearly 26 years ago. She worked in the meat department before being moved to the deli.

Ranch has been building Christian leaders

Morning Star Ranch near Florence has been training young, Christian men for nearly 30 years. And now, ranch leaders want to share their successful Christian leadership program with the public.

Engineer to set up shop in Marion

Darin Neufeld searched in a 60-mile radius around Marion County for a new town in which to open an office for his Goodland engineering company — Evans, Bierly, Hutchinson, and Associates. Marion is where he is choosing to set up shop.

Life is a series of bumps, bruises, and broken bones?

Anyone who knows me knows I am not very graceful. Heck, I’m not just not graceful, I’m clumsy. Stubbed toes and broken fingernails are frequent.

Store cat was popular, well known

Oliver the cat was about as famous as any in Marion — maybe even Marion County. His picture was featured in advertisements, promoting sales at his owners’ business and the cat’s birthday.

Another Day in the Country

One of the lovely things about growing up in the country, surrounded by your kin, was that you always had cousins to play with. There’s a picture hanging on the wall of the cousins in my mother’s generation — 27 of them in the photograph, with my mother being one of the youngest. There were more to come. Since they mostly lived in the area and mostly went to the same church and eventually to the same school, there were always cousins for company, sometimes best friends, and often devilment. Those interactions with cousins comprised a lot of childhood memories.

Hope in the Heartland

Recently, my family and I have had the privilege of becoming acquainted with a Christian youth theater organization — a relationship that started with a trip to Wichita to see this wonderful group of kids perform, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Our daughter enjoyed it so much that she wanted to try out for their performance of “Narnia” and also take some classes and attend a summer camp.

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MEMORIES:

Culture shock?

When five Marion High School students and graduates went on a 14-day trip to Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia, they stayed busy with many activities, but two of the students were able to quickly decide what their favorite part of the trip was. “Probably seeing all the different cultures in different places,” senior Michael Kirkpatrick said.

Garden is beauty to behold

Instead of the letting it go to ruin, Pam Bowers of Marion volunteered to pick the weeds from the butterfly garden nestled at the entrance to USD 408 Performing Arts Center. Because of her work, the compass plants, asters, prim roses, purple poppy mallows, snake plants, blazing stars, and nearly 24 other types of wildflowers indigenous to Kansas plains continue to bloom in the spring, summer, and fall.

Special ed welcomes new teachers

A typical Marion commuter drives from Marion to Wichita. Marisa Neptune is heading the opposite direction.

Warriors are ‘on the air’ by video

Marion High School practice field was Anthony Allen and Cathy Carrier’s first stop Monday on a tour of Kansas football teams to gather clips for a music video. The 102.1 Kissin Country morning show hosts filmed Marion High School football team’s afternoon practice. Video from of the practice will be spliced with clips from other area high schools, colleges, and even a team of third-graders from Andover.

CHS plays Peabody-Burns Friday

Action in the new Wheat State League begins Friday. The Centre High School football team will open the season against Peabody-Burns at 7 p.m. at Cougar Field. Coach Kelly Steiner said it has been a while since Centre has played Peabody-Burns in football. He expects the Warriors to field a good team and be competitive.

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