Marion County RECORD

School board approves list of 24 budget cuts

The USD 408 Board of Education approved a list of 24 budget cuts for the 2010-11 school year to offset cuts made by the state. The following positions and programs will be eliminated. The computer aid position at the elementary school, saving $3,250.

City OKs deal with power pool

The city of Marion will no longer buy electricity directly from Westar Energy. Instead, the city will purchase power from Kansas Power Pool. The decision was made Monday after KPP Chief Executive Officer and General Manager Collin Whitley gave a presentation to Marion City Council.

Board wants county special ed cooperative to disband

Following an executive session to discuss personnel, USD 408 Board of Education approved a motion to draft an interlocal agreement with other county school districts to disband Marion County Special Education Cooperative. Special meetings will be held to put the plan in motion with the first one scheduled for noon March 25.

School closure approved

In a 6-1 vote Monday, the USD 397 Board of Education approved a resolution to temporarily close the Lost Springs school building at the end of the school year. The action came at the beginning of its regular monthly meeting after a 40-minute hearing with constituents. Jesse Brunner opposed approval because he thought patrons should be given another month to contact their board members and express their views.

Arson confirmed as cause of suspicious fire in Peabody

“I know the rumor mill has been in overdrive this weekend,” Peabody Police Chief Bruce Burke said Monday morning. “But everyone needs to know that no arrest has been made in conjunction with the fire Friday that destroyed a pickup and a passenger car. “The investigation is ongoing,” he added. “We can confirm several things, but the incident is still under investigation. I cannot make any further comment about the investigation.”

Help needed to solve arson in Peabody

Local and area law enforcement are asking for the public’s help in solving an arson Friday morning. According to officials, three vehicles were set on fire at a residence in Peabody. A joint investigation by Peabody Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Department, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and Kansas Bureau of Investigation continues.

Proposed plan would help with demolition costs

Marion County Commissioners hope a plan to waive fees for demolition debris disposal will encourage property owners to replace dilapidated structures. Commissioners worked out details of the plan Monday with County Appraiser Cindy Magill, Planning and Zoning Director Tonya Richards, County Attorney Susan Robson, and Transfer Station Director Rollin Schmidt.

Ag producers hear status, forecast of farming

Kansas Agriculture Secretary Josh Svaty didn’t have any easy answers for farmers March 3 when they gathered to hear the latest news in the agriculture world. With the state trying to manage a $100 million revenue deficit and more cuts on the way, what’s left?

Ella Mae Barrett

Ella Mae Barrett, 91, of Parsons, died March 4 at the Good Samaritan Society, Parsons. Born April 1, 1918, in Oakland, to Fred E. and Bertha Belle (Markley) Hopkins, she graduated from Highland Park High School in Topeka.

June Jost

June Jost was born Aug. 31, 1917, in Hillsboro. He was the eighth of nine children born to Peter and Margaret (Klassen) Jost. He grew to manhood on their family farm south of Hillsboro. June graduated from Creswell School. Upon graduation, he worked on the family farm with his parents.

Jesse Malin

Jesse Michael Malin, 29, of Parsons, died March 6, in Parsons. He was born July 26, 1980, in Austin, Texas, to Judith Malin.

James McDiffett

James A. “Jim” McDiffett, of Herington, died March 8 at Herington Municipal Hospital. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Herington United Methodist Church.

Joan Orme

Joan Orme, 77, of Rushville, Ind., died March 9 at Millers Merry Manor. Born July 9, 1932, in Florence, Ky., to Roy and Carrie (Florence) Sorrell, she graduated from Rushville High School in 1950.

Richard Stuchlik

The Rev. Richard F. Stuchlik, 67, of Wichita, entered eternal life March 5, 2010. He was ordained a Priest Forever, Dec. 20, 1968, at Basilica of St. Peter, Rome. His appointments included assistant pastor at Holy Savior Parish, Wichita Aug. 1, 1969; part-time chaplain, Veterans Administration Hospital, Wichita, Sept. 17, 1971; religious education teacher, Kapaun Mount Carmel High School, Wichita, August 1973; Re-appointed religious education teacher, Kapaun Mount Carmel, August 1974; full-time religion teacher, Carroll High School with residence at Carroll June 24, 1976; assistant pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Conway Springs and St. Martin, Caldwell, Nov. 4, 1976; assistant pastor Holy Savior Parish, Aug. 16, 1978; part-time faculty, Kapaun Mount Carmel, September 1978; administrator pro-tem, St. Paul University Parish and Newman Center, Nov. 2, 1978; continued on faculty at Kapaun Mount Carmel; pastor, Holy Savior Parish, Wichita, June 14, 1979; vice-officialis, Wichita Diocese; pastor, St. Michael, Mulvane, Aug 31, 1983; Wichita Mission in Barquisimeto, June 20, 1985 to report in winter of 1985; temporary administrator, St. Joseph, Ost, Nov. 25, 1992; also temporary administrator St. Rose, Mt. Vernon, St. Louis, and Waterloo, Jan. 19, 1993; pastor, St. Teresa, Hutchinson, Sept. 17, 1993; Director of Pastoral Care at Trinity High School and part-time teacher, Aug. 1, 1994; chaplain, with Father McKinney at Hutchinson Correctional Facility, Sept. 22, 1999; pastor of St. Margaret Mary, Wichita, July 1, 2003.

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Your right to know: County, city wage comparison

Florence Police Chief resigns

Florence Mayor Mary Shipman and Florence City Council accepted the resignation of Florence Police Chief Conroy Miller at the city council meeting March 1. The resignation will be retroactive, effective Feb. 17. “It was just too many complaints from city residents, excessive complaints,” Shipman said. “It was discussed in executive session back in December.”

City considers options to accommodate free flight event

Marion City Council discussed Monday whether or not the city should inconvenience a handful of pilots for two days to allow an event that could draw more than 50 people to the city. Marion City Council did not want to alienate tenants of the city’s airport and those pilots who use the facility by closing the municipal airport June 19 and 20.

VFW does not want to compete with city

Marion VFW Commander Warren Kreutziger told Marion City Council Monday that he was not pleased with the decision made by the council to allow the temporary sale and serving of alcohol in the city auditorium. “I have a license to serve alcohol. I want the city’s support,” he said. “I would rather people rent the VFW than use the city building.”

City will join PRIDE program

Tampa City Council adopted a resolution March 1, to join the Kansas PRIDE program. The Rev. Clark Davis of Tampa Community Association told the council that the best way to raise money for improvement projects is by joining the PRIDE program. Marion County Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman presented information from Kansas Department of Health and Environment about grants available for equipment. Huffman is willing to write grant applications if the council is interested. The council was asked if it wanted to continue a Web site.

Don't shoot the messenger

We are disappointed in how the Marion wrestling coach, superintendent of schools and two school board members reacted to last week’s news about why two student-athletes were allowed to compete in a state tournament days after being jailed. We, like the school district, are concerned about the two students involved. But we are also concerned about what message is being sent to the other students.

June Jost: One-of-a-kind

A Marion icon has died. I cannot relate as many personal stories about June Jost as lifetime residents can but I do know that he had a colorful history. He was known for his down-to-earth, common sense approach to law enforcement. When high profile crimes occurred in Marion County, he never lost his cool or demeanor — just told it like it was, whether he was talking to the press or his neighbor.

Wage survey revealing

Sometimes it’s difficult to know if you are getting what you pay for. In this edition of the newspaper, a full-page chart indicates the annual wages of local and area cities and counties to see what exactly we are paying for. Besides reporting information from Marion County and the cities of Hillsboro, Marion, Peabody, and Florence, the chart includes information from Dickinson and Rice counties and the cities of Herington and Lyons.

Random Thoughts

I’m not trying to get into politics but I get involved. Our government has to have some guidelines. When I was 7 or 8, a girl my age and I got into it. We were walking home from country school and we got into a physical bout. It must have been near voting time because we must have heard it discussed at home. Her parents were Republicans and mine were Democrats. It was just natural for us to stick up for our own.

Hope in the Heartland

(Editor’s note: This is the ninth in a series leading to Easter.) By LARRY TIMM Pastor of Peabody Bible Church The outcry from Jesus pierced the darkness, each word penetrating like a sharp sword slicing through a thick, black curtain. Quickly the midafternoon sunlight reappeared in full radiance … and the darkness was gone.

Our voice in Topeka

These past two weeks, Goessel Superintendent John Fast has been in Topeka to testify before the education committee on the subject of small schools, large schools, and consolidation. His testimony was not only well received, but I believe it helped other legislators understand the commitment to quality education we find in the 70th District. HB 2407 advocated the restriction of funding to schools with less than 400 students, unless they have more than 200 square miles in their district. The issue is one of community pitted against economy of size. Recalling my education in a high school of about 120 students, I understand first-hand the challenges of small schools and I am not ready to watch our smaller communities empty.

LETTERS:

Marion woman's music performed

In honor of her 30-year career as a choral director in the Olathe School district, Sandy Jaggard chose to direct a piece written by Marion resident Amanda Ayers and Sherri Porterfield as her final song. The lyrics of the piece, “Music,” are a poem written by Ayers at the age of 15 as a tribute to her then-choir director, Porterfield, and their shared love of music. Porterfield, also a composer, put the poem to music.

Solving problems peacefully is all in a day's work

The most gratifying part of being a law enforcement officer is solving somebody’s problem, Marion County Deputy Sheriff Michael Ottensmeier said Friday while on patrol. He was given a chance to solve a problem when he responded to a reckless driving complaint. The caller was driving north on U.S. 77 when he tried to pass a slower car, he said. The driver of the other car sped up so he couldn’t pass. The incident left him flustered to the point that his hand was shaking when he gave Ottensmeier his driver’s license.

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MES students win engineering contest

Three Marion Elementary School students swept the sailboat race Feb. 26 at the University of Kansas Engineering Expo. Fourth-grader Devin Hamm’s ship was the fastest, while fifth-graders Nathan Baldwin and Tori Smith took silver and bronze respectively.

Centre exchange students are American cousins

Khusrav Mirov and Justin Tang come from different cultures that are thousands of miles apart, but while they are in America as foreign exchange students, they are cousins. Their respective hosts, Ronnie and Marcus Carlson, are brothers. Khusrav, a senior, hails from Tajikistan, a former Soviet state that received its independence in 1991. Tajikistan is a central Asian country bordered by Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China.

Centre school board hears from constituents

Approximately 50 district residents showed up Monday for a hearing at Centre High School regarding the closure of the elementary school building at Lost Springs. Board president Brent Methvin monitored a slide show depicting the reasons for the closure. These included an enrollment decrease of 65 students in 10 years and a reduction of $190,000 in budget authority this year because of cuts in state aid, with more cuts possible. Methvin said the local option mill levy would have to be raised by more than 11 mills to make up for the $190,000 shortfall.

Marion girls advance to state

In a rematch of the first game of the season, Marion High School girls basketball team defeated Eureka, 52-41, to win sub-state and advance to the state tournament. Marion won the season opener, 59-33, but the Tornadoes improved dramatically since that time, Warriors coach Randy Savage said.

Warriors enter wide-open state tournament

The Marion High School girls basketball team finished 18-5 just like three other teams on their way to Hutchinson. The Warriors ended up as the sixth seed in the tournament facing Beloit via the flip of a coin.

MHS basketball player receives education award

Lindsay Hett, a senior at Marion High School, has received the Dale Dennis Excellence in Education Award sponsored by the United School Administrators of Kansas. Marion High School Principal Brenda Odgers said that Lindsay Hett has demonstrated the characteristics necessary to receive this annual award given in honor of one of Kansas’ educational leaders.

Oakley wrestler has local following

A group of Marion County people went to Hays Feb. 26 and 27 to watch Ethan Jirak finish his high school wrestling career in the 321A State Wrestling Tournament. Ethan won the 215-pound weight class. He finished the season with a 39-0 record.

Fishing derby covers two Saturdays at lake

The third annual John Waner Memorial Crappie Derby will be split between Saturday and March 20 at Marion County Park and Lake. Trophies will be awarded for most cumulative inches caught and largest crappie caught. The derby will be 7 to 11 a.m. An awards ceremony and lunch will be at noon March 20 at the lake hall.

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