BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
Severe winter weather has prompted the Centre, Peabody-Burns, Marion, Hillsboro and Goessel school districts to cancel classes Tuesday.
Monday morning in a hallway at Centre USD 397, a custodian found a magazine clip containing ammunition and reported it to Superintendent Jerri Kemble. Kemble reported the find to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and they responded.
Thirty-five years ago, the Marion Flood Control Project was conceived to provide a dike and ditch on Luta Creek. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received $1.3 million in 1977 to pay for the project. Now, the corps and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are requiring Marion and all other cities in the country to have aging dikes inspected and pruned.
Marion City Council and the city administrator want to be proactive with employees’ health and took the first step Monday by approving a health insurance plan that encourages wellness examinations and testing. A 10 percent increase for employee health insurance was budgeted in 2011. With health coverage and the wellness plan, premiums will be 10 percent more at $491 per employee.
The cost of digging a trench for utility lines could be a barrier to building rental cabins at Marion County Park and Lake, siblings Chris and Tamra Holub told Marion County Commission on Monday. They, along with sisters Heather and Molly, are proposing building cabins on county-owned land at the west end of the lake. Commissioner Dan Holub, the siblings’ father, recused himself from the discussion.
Gov. Sam Brownback proposed a budget for 2012 that would reduce per-pupil aid to public schools by $232, from $4,012 to $3,780 per student. School administrators and board of education members in Marion County have concerns about how that cut would affect their schools.
Noon Tuesday was the filing deadline for candidates for city and board of education elections April 5. There will be no primaries for any of the elections, in part because of a recent statute raising the threshold of candidates that requires a primary.
Newly hired Marion County sheriff’s department investigator Wilma Mueller has been interested in the law and investigations since her youth when she read “Nancy Drew” books and later true-crime books. Since earning a bachelor’s degree in social work from Bethel College in 2003, Mueller has put that interest to work with Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitative Services.
Mark Neal Bouray, 49, of McPherson, died Jan. 20 at Memorial Hospital, McPherson. He was born Aug. 26, 1961, at Superior, Neb., to Wilmer G. and Belva Kaye (Leece) Bouray.
Victor L. Ensz, 83, of Topeka, died Jan. 21 at Midland Hospice House in Topeka. He was born June 9, 1927, at Inman, to Abraham “Fred” D. and Margaret (Nikkel) Ensz.
Kelly C. Jones, 44, of Salina, died Jan. 16. He was born Sept. 7, 1966, in Topeka.
Eric L. Kline, 40, of Marion, died Jan. 23 at his home. He was born Aug. 20, 1970, to John and Karen (Keazer) Kline, in Marion.
Walter “Wally” Straub, 79, of Great Bend, died Jan. 19 at Kaye Pogue Hospice Center, Salina. Born Aug. 4, 1931, at Claflin, to Tony and Mary (Kimpler) Straub, he was a lifetime resident of Great Bend.
Paul C. Unruh, 84, of Goessel, died Jan. 19 at Kansas Heart Hospital. He was born Sept. 7, 1926, in Goessel, to Jacob E. and Hannah (Wedel) Unruh.
Robert Eugene VanBuskirk, 78, of Peabody, died Jan. 16 at Newton Medical Center. He was born April 3, 1932, in Neodesha to Harold Francis and Amelia M. (Goodwin) VanBuskirk.
Every other week I watch Marion City Council and every other week I think the same thing — the mayor, regardless of who it is, should not have a vote. If we look to other cities, the mayor only votes when there is a tie. Otherwise, he or she only conducts the meeting.
Our friend Mike Powers received an interesting letter from a man in Arizona. Enclosed with the letter was a postcard with a mailing date of 1 p.m. Oct. 24, 1930, from Marion, Kansas. The postcard featured a picture of the county courthouse with its well-manicured lawn and trees. Lowell Joerg, an 82-year-old resident of Tucson, found the souvenir in an antique store in Tucson, purchased it, and decided to send it to someone in Marion. Eighth Judicial District Chief Judge Powers’ name and address were found online by a friend of Joerg’s.
A school superintendent has finally said. At long last, someone else besides me has said the school districts in the county need to share resources. USD 408 Superintendent Lee Leiker made the comment when one of our reporters called to ask the impact of proposed state funding would have on the district. And then Leiker said it: School districts in the area need to find a way to share resources — maybe even teachers.
I believe I have mentioned in this column before my theory about things in life you just don’t ignore. Most of the things on my list have to do with being genuinely surprised by something that wells up within oneself. I’ve had a phrase bumping around in my head for a couple weeks, almost without me noticing. Like I said, I’m a believer that these little surprises are actually weightier than they may at first appear — perhaps they are guideposts along our spiritual path or our connection to the divine. In my life they have always been things that teach me something about myself, my deeper self.
I have heard from many of you with questions and comments about the Kansas Arts Commission, what it means to Kansas and, specifically, to our District. I’ve been researching the issues, and I also spoke directly to Governor Brownback Jan. 19. My research isn’t done, but here’s what I know about the matter right now. Governor Brownback stated he intends to continue funding the arts. He stated the cut is designed not to impact arts funding, but to eliminate funding a paid staff — totally — and have the arts funding run through a charitable corporation (an Arts Council) designed to enhance the arts. It’s what we in the tax world call a Section 501(c)(3) organization. He wants to take advantage of the idea that people who support the arts are passionate and will likely volunteer to run it.
One of the loveliest things about the holiday season was the letters that suddenly began to appear in my mailbox. No longer were we relegated to receiving mostly junk mail and long No. 13 envelopes which tried to look like they were something personal — but weren’t. We’re getting cards! Not quite a letter, but the envelopes are different colors and amusing shapes! I love getting letters from friends. I even like getting cards and try not to begrudge that they wrote nary a word, just signed their name. But, to get a letter! A real letter filled with news and funny stories is as much fun as an ice cream cone in July.
Marion County Commission voted Monday to allow the City of Hillsboro to correct the legal description of a tax increment financing district to include Hillsboro Business Park, with one major condition. The city must sign an agreement that it will not finance any additional projects beyond the one already completed in the district with TIF unless the commission gives its approval in writing. Commissioners delayed a decision Jan. 18 at Commissioner Randy Dallke’s request.
Marion City Council discussed Monday whether an existing secretarial position could be combined with a proposed new city economic development and tourism position. The primary functions of the position will be to assist Kjellin with economic development endeavors and promote and accommodate use of the Community Center.
It is not often the Hospital District No. 1 of Marion County Board of Directors approve the update of a machine and save money. They accomplished this rare feat Tuesday when the purchase of a new Siemens chemistry machine — a laboratory machine that runs tests — was approved for $85,175. St. Luke Hospital is currently paying $99,836 a year for the current Siemens machine.
911 dispatchers often talk with people in their worst moments on their worst days, and that job requires a particular kind of person, Marion County Communications Interim Director Linda Klenda said Monday. Dispatchers have to remain calm and obtain the needed information from callers, then relay that information to appropriate emergency responders.
Judi Stewart knew about the Heart to Heart International mission to orphanages in Romania but never imagined she would have the opportunity to be a part of it. The organization was established in 1992. It recruits volunteers to provide medical education and deliver medical aid and crisis care in numerous countries around the world.
BIRTHS:
Cooper Cyr,
Charity KlassenCORRESPONDENTS:
Burdick,
Senior Center,
TampaENGAGEMENTS:
Montroy-Moore,
Manwaring-BebermeyerMEMORIES:
10,
25,
35,
50,
60,
100,
125 years ago
Marion High School special education teacher Thane Schwartz received a $600 grant from the Target foundation he will use to take students to the Sedgwick County Zoo in mid-April. Schwartz, Ann Holt, and Karen Konarik teach a small class of intellectually delayed students at MHS, but he is also taking students with limitations enrolled in the Marion County Special Education Cooperative on the trip.
Marion High School will be the site of a 16-team 3A regional scholars’ bowl meet Feb. 3. Competition will begin at 4 p.m. in the middle and high schools. Teams will be divided into two pools of eight teams and compete in a round-robin format tournament. The top three teams from each pool will advance to the final round robin. The top three teams in the final round will advance to the 3A state tournament, Feb. 12 at Rock Creek.
The Marion High School boys basketball team defeated Hope Saturday in the championship game of the Centre Invitational Tournament, 43-40. “It feels good to win three games in a row,” all-tournament performer Jordan Versch said.
The Marion High School girls basketball team defeated Elyria Saturday, 43-29, to take fifth place in the Centre tournament. The Warriors outscored Elyria 17-2 in the third quarter. They ended the period on a 15-0 run, turning a 6-point halftime deficit into a 37-28 lead.
Four Marion High School wrestlers placed Saturday at the Eureka Invitational tournament. Brody Carroll won the 130-pound class, defeating Michael Vander Linden of Burlington, 6-3, in the championship match. He defeated his first three opponents by pin. Carroll is now 19-3 for the season.
Although track and field has been her favorite sport since middle school, Julia Zeiner did not have any experience throwing a shot put or a javelin when she joined the Kansas State University track team this fall. She had not high jumped since junior varsity meets in high school. The 800-meter run is also an event where Zeiner lacks experience.
The Marion Kids Club wrestlers competed Saturday in a tournament in Manhattan Gunner Brown finished second in the 8-and-younger, 48-pound weight class.
CENTRE:
Burhoop leads Centre to 3rd-place in home tourney,
Lady Cougars defeat Hope, finish 2nd in home invitational