Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

Atrazine less a peril, expert says
Atrazine, which the cities of Marion and Hillsboro are suing over, is of relatively little concern to local water quality, a K-State professor says. Philip Barnes will speak Thursday night in Marion. He says the cities have some of the best source water in the region.
Durham cafe rates high with cuisine researcher
When Roger Adams came to Kansas more than a decade ago, he was determined to find one unique food produced only in Kansas. In March, the Kansas State University librarian and food historian set out across the state to search for that one unique food. Instead, he found an amazing variety, including the cuisine at Main Street Café in Durham.
Storms flood roads, demolish buildings
A line of strong thunderstorms pelted Marion County with wind, heavy rain, and hail Monday night and Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service reported quarter to half-dollar size hail near Florence, tree and barn damage three miles southeast of Goessel, and winds measured at 60 mph five miles west of Marion.
Baker Furniture leaving after 112 years
Signs in day-glow orange and green and posters staked into the ground along the highway tell the tale. Baker Furniture is leaving Peabody after 112 years as a downtown anchor.
Florence hits the right notes
It wasn’t the crowd they had hoped for, but organizers consider the Prelude to the Symphony this weekend at Florence a success. Nearly 7,500 people attended the Symphony in the Flint Hills Saturday evening on a farm northeast of Florence.
Vet hospital in line to get $354,400 loan from USDA
It’s not official yet but all indications are Brendon Kraus, owner of Spur Ridge Veterinary Hospital, received a $354,400 loan for construction and equipment of a new facility in Marion. The low-interest loan will be provided the Rural Economic Loan Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and awarded to Butler Rural Electric Cooperative in El Dorado. RECA then will serve as a pass-through agent, lending the funds to Kraus.

DEATHS

Lois Bailey
A graveside service for Lois J. Bailey, 75, will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Hillcrest Cemetery, Florence. The Rev. Peter Banning will officiate. Visitation will be 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday at Zeiner Funeral Home, Florence.
Gladys Queen
Gladys A. “Queenie” Queen, 95, died June 14 at St. Luke Living Center, Marion. She was born Sept. 9, 1913, in Randlett, Okla., to John Wesley and Callie Dona (Moore) Legg.
Cleo M. Olsen
Cleo M. Olsen, 90, passed away peacefully with her family at her side on Thursday, June 11, 2009. She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, John W. Olsen. After being a wife, homemaker and mother raising four children on the family farm, Cleo worked along with her husband on the farm until their retirement in the spring of 1993. Cleo was born to Jennie Ruth (Kelsey) and Henry Love McFadden, Jan. 25, 1919, on the family farm north of Marion. Cleo was the youngest ofsix children: Bessie, Harriet Conrod, Lawrence, Ronald and Clifford “Tip” all preceded her in death.

DOCKET

GOVERNMENT

Marion cuts number of days for shooting fireworks
Marion City Council voted Monday to reduce from eight until five the number of days for shooting fireworks. Fireworks still may be bought starting June 27 but cannot be discharged until July 1 through 5.
Battery siren to be tested
As Marion City Council discussed battery-powered tornado sirens and heard complaints regarding flooding, a storm was brewing Monday evening. Lights flickered several times, which possibly prompting officials to move forward with plans to replace outdated electric sirens that don’t function in power failures.
Street will be paid for by residents
Street improvements in the 800 block of South Roosevelt Street, Marion, will be paid entirely by landowners with the assessment being per square foot. Roger Schwab, who lives in the block, had asked the City Council to consider paying for a portion of the project as it did in Country Club Heights.
Commissioner questions appraisal practices
Appraiser Cindy Magill was reappointed to another four-year term Monday but it was not unanimous. Commissioner Randy Dallke, who represents Marion County’s third district, voted against reappointing her because he has concerns about appraisal of homes in the southern portion of the county.
Concerns raised about jail tax
Commissioners Dan Holub and Randy Dallke have concerns about financing for a new law enforcement center. Holub, Dallke and commissioner Bob Hein met with Marion County Public Safety and Law Enforcement Center Committee last week to discuss the committee’s plans.

OPINION

Everyone should pay and know
When discussing ways to fund a new jail, the county jail committee discussed a tax just for homeowners because it believed it was unfair to tax business owner twice — at home and at the store. The problem is, many businesses are owned by people living outside the county. We commend Commissioners Dan Holub and Randy Dallke for responding to public comments and proposing fair taxation for everyone — including out-of-town business owners. It’s a good example of what happens when people talk about public issues.
Where were you?
Marion County and Florence can be proud after hosting Prelude to the Symphony this weekend. Downtown was clean and orderly. Volunteers were cheerful and eager to greet visitors as they arrived. Vendors with interesting items lined the street, eager to show their wares and demonstrations on wool spinning and being a mountain man. Historian Kevin Hiebert entertained the crowd, as did musicians and gunslingers.
LETTERS:
Restoring the Elgin, Prelude in Florence
COLUMNS:
Random Thoughts

PEOPLE

The Ol' Coot: He keeps going and going . . .
It’s not unusual for Dick Pracht of Marion to pick up the phone and hear, “Are you the ol’ coot?” “Yes, I am,” he replies without hesitation.
Minister changes jobs, keeps faith
Phil Smith is leaving the ministry, including his posts at Valley United Methodist Church in Marion and Lincolnville United Methodist Church, but his faith is stronger than ever. “This has nothing to do with my faith,” he said. “As crazy as it sounds, it may have strengthened it.”
BIRTHS:
Belshe twins, Luke Lamb
CORRESPONDENTS:
Burdick, Living Center, Senior Center, Tampa
MEMORIES:
10, 25, 35, 50, 60, 100 years ago

SCHOOL/SPORTS

Swimming makes a big splash
The Marion Blue and Red swim teams finished first and third, respectively, Saturday at Abilene. Girls 8 and YOUNGER 100-yard medley relay – 1. Cameron White, Chloe Burkholder, Kennedy Fahey, Grace Overton; 2. Emma Calhoun, Grace Winter, Lily Lundy, Tristan Williams. 25-yard butterfly – 1. Fahey; 2. Overton. 25 backstroke – 2. Overton. 25 freestyle – 2. Fahey; 3. White. 25 breaststroke – 1. Lundy; 2. Fahey; 3. Burkholder. 100 freestyle relay – 2. Kennedy Fahey, White, Cassie Meyer, Overton; 3. Lundy, Sigel, Winter, Williams. Boys 8 and YOUNGER 100 medley relay – 1. Hunter Helmer, Cade Alleven, Luke Lanning, Luke Dawson; 2. Cameron Kimbrough, Will Alleven, Gabe Ruder, Seth Lanning. 25 butterfly – 1. Cade Alleven; 2. Luke Lanning; 3. Will Alleven. 25 backstroke – 1. Luke Lanning; 2. Cade Alleven; 3. Will Alleven. 25 freestyle – 1. Luke Lanning; 2. Cade Alleven; 3. Dawson. 25 breaststroke – 1. Luke Lanning; 2. Cade Alleven; 3. Dawson. 100 freestyle – 1. Cade Alleven, Helmer, Lanning, Dawson; 2. Will Alleven, Ruder, Johnny Zieammermann, Seth Lanning. Girls 9 and10 100-yard Freestyle – 2. Sarah Hendrix; 3. Alli Molleker 100 medley relay – 2. Molleker, Hendrix, Courtney Herzet, Emily Schafers; 3. Phoebe Hett, Lilly Collett, Jade Lammon, Jessi Lewman. 25 butterfly – 3. Courtney Herzet. 25 backstroke – 2. Herzet; 3. Molleker. 25 freestyle – 3. Lindsey Sigel. 25 breaststroke – 2. Herzet; 3. Hendrix. 100 freestyle relay – 1. Molleker, Hendrix, Herzet, Schafers; 3. Lewman, Collett, Lammon, Hett. 100 individual medley – 2. Herzet; 2. Tori Shults. boys 9 and 10 100 freestyle – 2. Cooper Garman. 100 medley relay – 1. Evan Calhoun, Cooper Garman, Janson Garman, Jacob Vondenkamp; 3. Logan Waner, Ryan Bradford, Jacob Ruder. 25 butterfly - 2. Janson Garman. 25 freestyle – 1. Janson Garman. 25 backstroke – 1. Cooper Garman; 3. Evan Calhoun. 25 breaststroke – 2. Janson Garman; 3. Cooper Garman. 100 freestyle relay – 1. Cooper Garman, Vandenkamp, Janson Garman, Calhoun; 3. Riley Hake, Waner, Ruder. 100 individual medley – 1. Janson Garman; 2. Braden Vogt; 3. Cooper Garman. Girls 11 and 12 100 freestyle – 1. Shyla Harris; 3. Kristen Herzet. 200 medley relay – 1. Herzet, Taylor Pontious, Bailey Robson, Harris. 50 backstroke – 1. Herzet; 3. Emily Timmermeyer. 50 freestyle – 1. Harris. 50 breaststroke – 2. Herzet; 3. Timmermeyer. 200 freestyle relay – 1. Harris, Herzet, Robson. 100 individual medley – 1. Herzet; 3. Pontious. boys 11 and 12 100 freestyle – 3. Remington Putter. 200 medley relay – 2. Mason Pedersen, Adam Kjellin, Aaron Riggs, Putter. 50 backstroke – 1. Pedersen. 50 freestyle – 2. Putter. 50 breaststroke – 1. Adam Kjellin. 200 freestyle relay – 1. Pedersen, Putter, Kjellin, Riggs; 2. Nathan Baldwin, Austin Molleker, Cody Shipman, Peyton Heidebrecht. 100 individual medley – 1. Kjellin; 2. Pedersen. Girls 13 and 14 200 medley relay – 2. Ericka Herzet, Julia Hall, Samantha Davies, Kaelyn Thierolf. 50 butterfly – 3. Davies. 50 backstroke – 3. Thierolf 50 freestyle – 3. Thierolf 50 breaststroke – 1. Hall; 2. Davies. 200 freestyle relay – 2. Thierolf, Herzet, Hall, Davies. 100 individual medley – 1. Thierolf; 2. Davies; 3. Hall. Boys 13 and 14 200 medley relay – 2. Josiah Meador, Zac Lewman, Garrett Alleven, Nick Meyer. 50 butterfly – 2. Alleven; 3. Meyer. 50 backstroke – 1. Alleven. 50 breaststroke – 1. Alleven; 2. Lewman. 200 freestyle relay – 2. Meyer, Lewman, Braden Fahey, Alleven. 100 individual medley – 1. Alleven. Girls 15 to18 200 medley relay – 1. JayDee Schafers, Whitney Christensen, Briana Hall, Kaycee Robinson; 2. Annie Whitaker, Bridget Lundy, Emily Hett, Lakisha Hammond. 50 butterfly – 1. Hall; 2. Schafers. 50 backstroke – 1. Schafers; 3. Whitaker. 50 freestyle – 1. Robinson; 2. Schafers; 3. Hall. 50 breaststroke – 1. Hall; 2. Christensen; 3. Lundy. 200 freestyle relay – 1. Schafers, Hall, Christensen, Robinson; 3. Hammond, Lundy, Hett, Whitaker. 100 individual medley – 1. Schafers; 2. Hall; 3. Robinson. Boys 15 to 18 200 medley relay – 1. Randy Carlson, Andrew Kjellin, Zach Hammond, Michael Kirkpatrick. 50 butterfly – 1. Carlson; 3. Hammond. 50 backstroke – 1. Carlson; 3. Ryan Jones. 50 freestyle – 1. Carlson. 200 freestyle – 1. Kirkpatrick, Hammond, Kjellin, Carlson; 2. David Helmer, Brody Carroll, Ethan Pontious, Jones. 100 individual medley – 2. Carlson.; 3. Jones.
Fishing tourney lands big ones
Fantastic weather Saturday helped the eighth annual Craig White Fishing Tournament to be the best ever, tournament organizers said. “We had 30 teams this year and they really hauled in the fish,” Todd Henderson said. He is a member of the Sons of the American Legion and White’s brother.
Youth center fund exceeds $20,000
Marion Youth Advancement Committee has raised more than $20,000 to establish a youth center, organizer Amy Kjellin said. That is enough to purchase a building, but MYAC needs more to renovate and furnish it. The organization’s goal is $30,000.
Youth is first Kansan to win spot on expedition
Nellie Kassebaum of Burdick recently spent 10 days in Peru on a National Geographic expedition. The 12-year-old daughter of Bill and Jennifer Kassebaum was among 15 young people from across the nation who won the trip. Her father accompanied her.
Area college students recognized
Several Marion County students have received honors from area colleges. Tabor College

Marion County RECORD

Atrazine, which the cities of Marion and Hillsboro are suing over, is of relatively little concern to local water quality, a K-State professor says. Philip Barnes will speak Thursday night in Marion. He says the cities have some of the best source water in the region.

Signs in day-glow orange and green and posters staked into the ground along the highway tell the tale. Baker Furniture is leaving Peabody after 112 years as a downtown anchor.

It wasn’t the crowd they had hoped for, but organizers consider the Prelude to the Symphony this weekend at Florence a success. Nearly 7,500 people attended the Symphony in the Flint Hills Saturday evening on a farm northeast of Florence.

A graveside service for Lois J. Bailey, 75, will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Hillcrest Cemetery, Florence. The Rev. Peter Banning will officiate. Visitation will be 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday at Zeiner Funeral Home, Florence.

Gladys A. “Queenie” Queen, 95, died June 14 at St. Luke Living Center, Marion. She was born Sept. 9, 1913, in Randlett, Okla., to John Wesley and Callie Dona (Moore) Legg.

Marion City Council voted Monday to reduce from eight until five the number of days for shooting fireworks. Fireworks still may be bought starting June 27 but cannot be discharged until July 1 through 5.

Street improvements in the 800 block of South Roosevelt Street, Marion, will be paid entirely by landowners with the assessment being per square foot. Roger Schwab, who lives in the block, had asked the City Council to consider paying for a portion of the project as it did in Country Club Heights.

Appraiser Cindy Magill was reappointed to another four-year term Monday but it was not unanimous. Commissioner Randy Dallke, who represents Marion County’s third district, voted against reappointing her because he has concerns about appraisal of homes in the southern portion of the county.

Commissioners Dan Holub and Randy Dallke have concerns about financing for a new law enforcement center. Holub, Dallke and commissioner Bob Hein met with Marion County Public Safety and Law Enforcement Center Committee last week to discuss the committee’s plans.

LETTERS:

COLUMNS:

It’s not unusual for Dick Pracht of Marion to pick up the phone and hear, “Are you the ol’ coot?” “Yes, I am,” he replies without hesitation.

Phil Smith is leaving the ministry, including his posts at Valley United Methodist Church in Marion and Lincolnville United Methodist Church, but his faith is stronger than ever. “This has nothing to do with my faith,” he said. “As crazy as it sounds, it may have strengthened it.”

BIRTHS:

CORRESPONDENTS:

MEMORIES:

Fantastic weather Saturday helped the eighth annual Craig White Fishing Tournament to be the best ever, tournament organizers said. “We had 30 teams this year and they really hauled in the fish,” Todd Henderson said. He is a member of the Sons of the American Legion and White’s brother.

Marion Youth Advancement Committee has raised more than $20,000 to establish a youth center, organizer Amy Kjellin said. That is enough to purchase a building, but MYAC needs more to renovate and furnish it. The organization’s goal is $30,000.

Nellie Kassebaum of Burdick recently spent 10 days in Peru on a National Geographic expedition. The 12-year-old daughter of Bill and Jennifer Kassebaum was among 15 young people from across the nation who won the trip. Her father accompanied her.

Several Marion County students have received honors from area colleges. Tabor College