Marion County RECORD

Hutchinson man drowns

Apostolic Faith Tabernacle Pastor the Rev. Carl Elder, 70, of Hutchinson, drowned at Marion Reservoir Friday after his 14-foot boat capsized because of 40 to 60 mph winds. The Marion County sheriff’s office, who conducted a three-hour search for Elder with assistance from Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Marion, Florence, and Hillsboro Police Departments at the reservoir, said the boat with Elder and two other church members was disabled at about 1:41 p.m. in French Creek Cove.

City may OK trucks on Grant

There was a verbal consensus from Marion City Council on Monday to repeal an ordinance that restricted truck traffic in Jex Addition in the southwest part of the city. Marion Board of Zoning Appeals gave Darryl Brewer of Marion approval Feb. 24 to continue his truck parking business on Grant Street after the board reviewed the use of his property and determined that the use hadn’t changed as light industrial in the predominantly residential area.

Board recommends rejecting cabins

Marion County Planning Commission voted Thursday to recommend rejecting a conditional use permit for daily rental cabins at Marion County Park and Lake. Siblings Chris, Heather, Molly and Tamra Holub applied for the permit to build cabins on land they wanted to lease from the county. County Commissioner Dan Holub, their father, had recused himself from those discussions and spoke on the siblings’ behalf Thursday, as they were unable to attend.

Ryan budget would save Medicare, Huelskamp says

On his first visit to Marion County Friday as a U.S. Representative, Congressman Tim Huelskamp of Fowler told a small group of concerned citizens that the Paul Ryan budget would save Medicare, not eliminate it. The freshman U.S. representative was elected in November to replace Jerry Moran, who now is a U.S. senator. Huelskamp provided charts showing the accelerated growth of the nation’s debt and who holds its debt. One chart showed the growth largely being driven by increases in Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security expenditures.

Vehicle fire causes herbicide spill in Ramona

A boom sprayer owned by Agri-Producers Inc. spilled a mixture of herbicides in a parking lot in Ramona after its brakes caught fire Saturday morning. According to Marion County Sheriff’s office, when the fire started, the driver pulled into a parking lot at the intersection of 360th Road and B Street. The fire melted through a hose, leading to the spill.

PRIDE will send surveys with city bills

Marion City Council granted a request Monday that would allow a community survey form to be inserted with the city utility bill in July. PRIDE chairman Diana Costello made the request, saying the survey is the next step by the PRIDE group to determine concerns and ideas for projects from residents.

Alvin Boese

Alvin Boese, 94, of Goessel, died May 1. Services are pending. Miller-Ott Funeral Home of Goessel is handling the arrangements.

Harriet Bruner

Harriet A. Bruner, 98, of Marion, died May 1 at her home at Marion Reservoir. Born Nov. 17, 1912, in Emporia, to Harry and Nellie (Reynolds) Easley, she married Daniel Warren Bruner on July 25, 1934.

John Gonzalez

John L. Gonzalez, 85, of Hillsboro, died April 29 at Via Christi Hospital, Wichita. He was born July 20, 1925, at Valley Center, to Eleodoro and Herlinda (Castillo) Gonzalez.

Leo Meysing

Leo Stanley Meysing, 81, was born June 7, 1929, in Marion County, to Joseph and Mary Margaret (Reznicek) Meysing. He died April 24, 2011, of natural causes in Portland.

Carl Penner

Carl Penner, 85, of Peabody, died April 28 at home. He was born Jan. 27, 1926, to Abraham and Elizabeth (Gaede) Penner. He was a railroad coach cleaner for 38 years.

Elmer "Gene" Schaffer

Elmer “Gene” Schaffer, 73, of Marion and formerly of Florence, died April 29 at Hospice House in Hutchinson. Born June 4, 1937, in La Crosse, to Alexander and Rosalia (Legleiter) Schaffer, he was a contract power lineman.

Accidents

Civil division

County jail

Criminal division

Deeds recorded

Domestic division

Hillsboro police

Incident reports

Marion police

Peabody police

Traffic division

County sales tax revenue up 21.6 %

Marion County sales tax receipts in April were $47,303. Marion County Commission reviewed the information Friday. That is an increase of 18.5 percent from April 2010. Total sales tax receipts for 2011 through April were $214,561, up 21.6 percent from the same period in 2010.

Too many roads, too little money for county

It’s the same problem Marion County has nearly every year — there are more roads in need of repair than there is money to repair them. The commission met April 27 for a work session with road and bridge superintendent Jim Herzet to discuss which roads would receive attention this year and which roads could wait.

Insurance for roller skating approved by Florence

When it came time for the Florence City Council to approve new insurance coverage for special events — at a cost of $100 added to their regular annual payment for the gymnasium — three council members expressed second thoughts Monday about the idea of allowing roller skating at the gym. Council member John Swarm made the motion to approve the insurance but Ed Robinson, Randy Mills, and Trayce Warner waited for someone to second the motion.

Lincolnville installs new council members

Two new members and one re-elected member were sworn in Monday at the Lincolnville City Council meeting. Sherri Pankratz replaces Dawn Kaiser, and Dennis Burch replaces Pat Combs. Joe Vinduska is starting another term. Other members of the council are Kristen Ebaben and Cristina Peterson.

Mother finds solace in children in the midst hectic days

“I kind of feel like every day is Mother’s Day,” Lesli Beery said. Beery said this with complete honesty, but she admits that some days in her household with four children younger than the age of 7 are easier than others.

Seeds of something fine

My grandmother’s last Mother’s Day before she died of Alzheimer’s was my first Mother’s Day as a mom. This traditional day of celebration has a bitter-sweetness to it in our family. My grandpa lost his battle with cancer on Mother’s Day when I was still in pre-school. It is a cloud of loss that hangs behind the food and family and the heavy scent of lilacs every year around this time. Growing up, I remember Grandma’s house in Iowa had huge lilac bushes that filled the entire block with their perfume this time of year. I’ve been told that, as a boy, my father used to cut bunches of lilacs from those bushes and give them to Grandma on Mother’s Day. She has always loved their smell, and the way she says the word “lilacs” sounds like she’s telling secrets of the universe — her voice like water tripping over small stones.

We will succeed together or we'll fail together

I was somewhat surprised and disappointed when the county planning commission turned down the proposed development of cabins at Marion County Lake. I don’t blame the commission members; they were following the county’s regulations based on state statute. It made me realize that development — or the lack thereof — isn’t just a city or county problem. It’s the attitude of the entire state.

Another Day in the Country

For as long as I can remember there’s been a little country church just outside of Ramona. Started by a group of Kansas immigrants who believed that farming the land, being honest citizens, and educating their children in their religious traditions were pretty much the same. A couple of years ago that landmark was disbanded and the lovely little building stood empty. That is, until my friend heard about it. He bought it and proceeded to bring it back to life. On Easter Sunday, he opened the doors of that little church and invited people back inside. Cleaning up Rosebank was a little like the Easter story with a death and resurrection. In its neglected interim, the once lovely church had filled with mold, making it unsafe for anyone to go inside. With a lot of determination, elbow grease, disinfectant, good clean air and sunshine, the place was resurrected. My sister made cinnamon rolls. Jay made coffee and the sign said, “Welcome.” We don’t know the destiny of the building or if there ever will be a congregation; but it was saved! Saved for the glory of possibilities.

Hope in the Heartland

Thursday is the 60th observance of the National Day of Prayer. In honor of the many prayer gatherings that will take place, following is a quote from the 2011 honorary chairman of this event, Joni Eareckson Tada: “It is a different world than the one in which I grew up. Schools, courts, and communities are bitterly divided by an entrenched partisanship, both personal and political. Our national identity is as unsecured as our borders, and we can’t even agree as to who are our enemies. We happily embrace diversity in the name of tolerance, while scoffing at the very Judeo-Christian foundations on which our country was founded. Nothing is safe — not even the Pledge of Allegiance. During this time of great uncertainty and turmoil, we must enjoin our neighbors, coworkers, and friends to lay aside differences and come together for a day of prayer for our nation. Neither political nor partisan, the Nation Day of Prayer is a solemn occasion to seek the favor or Almighty God on behalf of the United States of America.”

Legislative update

The wrap-up session has begun. We now have the slow, incremental process of fashioning a budget and completing work on a number of “substantive” bills through conference committees that are trying to iron out differences of opinion between the House and Senate, but the biggest task is the work of the conference committee crafting a budget for the next fiscal year that both Senators and House members will support. While the House/Senate conference committee is to meet and reconcile differing views on their respective budgets, the House Appropriations Committee chairman has called separate House committee meetings to craft a different House budget proposal.

LETTERS:

Photographer's works in demand

At nearly 94 years old, you would think master photographer Les Broadstreet of Marion would slow down — just a little bit. By his standards he has slowed down, but the nonagenarian keeps a steady pace and continues to show his life works of photography and other displays.

BIRTHS:

CORRESPONDENTS:

ENGAGEMENTS:

MEMORIES:

Musicians receive high marks

Marion High School musicians competed Saturday in the State Solo and Small Ensemble Music Festival at Southeast of Saline, Gypsum. Vocal soloists Landon Leiker, E.J. Obermeyer, and Caroline Collett; trumpeter Landon; trombonist Sarah Guetersloh; the Marion Singers; and the Men’s Ensemble all received I ratings. A I rating is the best rating possible.

Daisies plant daisies at MES

Marion Daisy Girl Scouts gathered April 27 at Marion Elementary School to help “make the world a better place,” as required by the Girl Scout Law. Volunteer Kathy Parrish led daisies Madison Arocha, Nolie Chrisjohn, Angellina Creel, Amber Miller, Faye Snyder, Rose Sprague, Shae’Lynn and Ta’Leah Stegman, Shannon Taylor, and Carley Wilhelm in planting flowers — including daisies — and trimming ornamental grass in front of the school entrance.

MHS track takes second at Beloit meet

The Marion High School boys track and field team finished second Friday at the Beloit Relays. The team earned multiple placements in the pole vault and javelin. Dillon Richmond won the pole vault with a jump of 12 feet, 6 inches; Randy Regnier placed second with a jump of 12-6; and Zach Hammond placed fourth with a jump of 12-0. Regnier and Hammond set personal bests in the pole vault.

MHS baseball loses doubleheader

The Marion High School baseball team lost both games to undefeated Ell-Saline Friday in Salina, 12-10 and 13-3. The Warriors fell behind 12-5 after committing three errors in the third inning of game one behind pitcher Jacob Harper. Harper was relieved by Ethan Hett after acquiring one out in the third. Harper surrendered 9 runs, six earned on seven hits. Hett stepped in and allowed 3 runs, two earned, while striking out four.

Warriors hit hard by Ell-Saline

The Marion High School softball team lost both games Friday to Ell-Saline. The Warriors lost the first game, 8-1. The Warriors only committed two errors in the contest, one of which occurred on a fly ball that was pushed back into the infield by 40 mph winds.

Marion golf takes 5th Friday

The Marion High School golf team finished third Friday in the Sacred Heart Invitational Golf Tournament in Salina. Landon Leiker finished fourth with a score of 90. Adam Molleker finished 14th with a 99.

Marion to host regional baseball

Marion High School will host a regional high school baseball tournament May 16 and 18. Beloit, Bennington, Southeast of Saline, Hillsboro, Minneapolis, and Ellsworth high schools will compete with Marion High School for a state championship birth.

CENTRE:

Return to current issue