BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
The baccalaureate service for Marion High School Class of 2016 has been moved to tonight (Tuesday) at 7 p.m. at Eastmoor United Methodist Church.
Rain has forced rescheduling of regional baseball and softball games at Marion to Wednesday and Thursday, necessitating the change.
A story on our website about the Elgin Hotel — “City to issue bonds for Elgin purchase” — is a corrected version of a story in our May 4 print edition titled “City to buy Elgin, lease to Enseys.”
We revised the story because the city of Marion isn’t buying anything, nor investing any money in the Elgin Hotel project.
Chicken supporters flocked to Monday’s city council meeting to crow about the benefits of keeping chickens, before council members debated an ordinance that would have limited chickens to six and the location of their housing on Marion property.
For weeks, council members have grappled with the issue of keeping chickens in city limits. The debate began after a citizen appeared a month ago to complain about his neighbor’s property and the mess made by the chickens there, as well as dogs running loose. Two weeks later the neighbor came to answer for the condition of his property and pointed out that city ordinance permits keeping the number of chickens he owns.
Marion city council provided a boost to the planned development of the Historic Elgin Hotel by agreeing Monday to issue up to $800,000 of industrial revenue bonds for the project.
IRBs are not financed by the city. Rather, the bonds will be provided to The Historic Elgin Hotel LLC, the company created by Jeremy and Tammy Ensey to purchase and operate the hotel. In turn, the company will sell the bonds to one or more buyers and use the proceeds to purchase the hotel and complete modifications and renovations.
Commencement for Marion High School’s class of 2016 starts at 4 p.m. May 21 at USD 408 Sports and Aquatic Center. Class of 2016 valedictorians Elizabeth Meyer, McKenzee Remmers, and Bailey Robson will speak.
Hillsboro High School commencement is at 4 p.m. Saturday at Joel Wiens Stadium. Speakers will be USD 410 Superintendent Steve Noble and Hillsboro Mayor Delores Dalke.
A Hillsboro man was arrested Thursday after a he allegedly threatened to shoot his roommate, a coworker, in a dispute reported involving rent money.
At 4:11 p.m., officer John Huebert and sheriff’s deputy Derek Fetrow responded to a criminal threat complaint at 119 S. Main St. in an apartment above El Lorito Mexican Restaurant in Hillsboro, Hillsboro Police Chief Dan Kinning said.
Five teenagers were arrested on suspicion of multiple drug-related charges at 1:20 a.m. after being stopped for speeding May 4 near US-56 and Ridge Rd.
At about 1:20 a.m., Marion officer Mike Stone pulled over a vehicle driven by Darrick Watts, 18, of Westminster, Colorado, who was allegedly traveling 73 mph in a 65 mph zone.
As one Marion city council member stepped away from the job, another was appointed to take his place.
John Wheeler, who came in a close third in the most recent city council election, will be sworn in at the May 23 meeting. His appointment, approved at Monday’s city council meeting, was recommended by Mayor Todd Heitschmidt after Chad Adkins, who is moving to Texas, announced his resignation effective Tuesday.
They moved almost 17 months ago with assurances they could move back once their apartments were rehabilitated, but seven residents of Homestead Senior Residences in Marion recently got a double-dose of bad news: They can’t move back now, and they will have to pay more if they want to stay where they are.
Seven residents remain from about a dozen relocated in Dec. 2014 from rent-subsidized apartments in the September II complex to units in the rehabilitated atrium building, supposedly paving the way for Homestead Affordable Housing to renovate those apartments.
Two women are nursing injuries and a man faces multiple criminal charges after a confrontation allegedly erupted May 1 inside of Ampride and Subway in Hillsboro.
Jerrod P. Rogers, 24, Hillsboro, allegedly sought out his wife, an Ampride clerk, Jennifer L. Rogers, 36, at 7:33 p.m. to talk about a separation she requested earlier that day, Hillsboro Police Chief Dan Kinning said.
More and better choices are coming as “things to do” in Marion.
A bigger array of recreation activities and better oversight of public facilities are coming to fruition because of the merger of parks and recreation into one department with two full-time employees.
Patients of longtime Marion dentist Gerald Vinduska got letters last week telling them his Marion office will close June 30.
Vinduska announced in February that he and his family would move to Hutchinson for family reasons and that he hoped to sell his dental practice in Marion. Vinduska is working in Newton as dental director at Health Ministries Clinic.
A new horsemanship camp will be available for the community starting July 18.
The weeklong event begins bright and early at Engler Farm and lasts from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day.
Ruth E. Neufeld, 93, died Thursday at Newton Medical Center.
Funeral service was Monday at Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church with interment at Ebenfeld Cemetery.
Galen Douglas Peterson, 72, died May 4 at St. Luke Hospital.
Funeral service was Monday at Hebron Lutheran Church, Burdick, with a burial following at Hebron Lutheran Cemetery.
Eldon H. Smith, 88, McPherson, died May 3 at Pleasant View Home, Inman.
A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. today at First Baptist Church, McPherson. Burial will be at McPherson Cemetery with military honors.
IN MEMORIAM:
Phyllis Soyez
The decline in feeder cattle prices that began last fall has picked up the pace, according to those involved in the industry.
Bill Mathias, manager of Herington Livestock Auction, reported an 800- to 850-pound steer brought $1.37 to $1.45 per pound last week, depending on its condition. That compares with $1.80 to $1.86 for the same size animal the first week of November.
Area farmers often make use of aerial crop spraying, particularly when fields are too wet or pastures too uneven to use ground rigs.
Jim Enns, who has about 2,000 acres of farmland with wheat, corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and grass, in the northwest portion of the county, said his operation has called upon an aerial sprayer at times.
Recent rains and cool weather may have put Marion County wheat crops back on track for harvest this year.
Dick Tippin, grain coordinator with Cooperative Grain and Supply in Hillsboro, expects an average harvest.
When Matt Orth came from Ulysses to Marion last year to open his agricultural spraying service, Central Ag Air, at Marion Airport, he was a newcomer to Marion.
However, did he already have a connection to town of which he was unaware? Perhaps.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Quiver Full of Feathers
Glenn Goertz of Hillsboro was looking for lively music for the “tame German community of Hillsboro” when he came across some German polka music in Wichita 67 years ago.
He thought Hillsboro needed something like Marion’s Rube Band to liven its parades. He got an instrumental group together, and they marched in a 1949 parade wearing entertaining costumes.
Larry and Randee (Suggett) Loomis will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Saturday.
They were married May 14, 1966, in Marysville.
Twelve members and nine guests attended the Neo-Century Club’s meeting May 2 at the Whistle Stop Cafe in Walton, where new officers were installed for the 2016-2017 year.
Those installed were Suzanne Thole, president, Shirley Carlson, vice president, LaVaughn Klose, secretary, and Elaine Morse, treasurer.
Marion County Lake Chat and Dine Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Marion County Park and Lake Hall.
Bob and Judy Priest and Larry and Barb Smith will be hosts for the evening.
Glenn Ratzlaff of Hillsboro is a recipient of a $5,000 gift from the M.B. Foundation’s “Giving Challenge,” which was launched earlier this year to reward generosity by providing people with resources to pass on to others.
Ratzlaff gave away a used Buick he had purchased for long trips and special occasions.
Reservations are due May 18 for the 120th annual Florence Memorial High School Alumni Banquet to be held 1 p.m. May 28 in the Florence Gymnasium.
All alumni of Florence and Marion-Florence schools, guests, teachers, and former classmates may attend.
MEMORIES:
10,
25,
35,
50,
60,
100,
125 years agoSENIOR CENTER:
Lunch bunch visits,
Senior menu
Marion/Florence FFA participated in state FFA Career Development Events May 2 and 3 at Kansas State University.
Marion’s agricultural mechanical and technical systems team placed third overall, and all four team members placed in the top 10.
“Your favorite thing your mom does for you?” was the question 19 members answered for roll call at the May 2 meeting of Happy Hustlers 4-H. The Zieamermann family served refreshments.
Volunteers were needed for the book swap at the food bank.
In addition to renewing a three-year contract with IServe Professional Cleaning for custodial services, Centre board approved a one-year contract with Oopa Food Management to provide meals during the next school year.
Both actions were preceded by intense discussions.
Marion’s Kristen Herzet dominated the girls’ throwing events at the Hesston Invitational on Thursday, placing first in discus, shot put, and javelin.
The effort earned Herzet the honor of most outstanding female athlete at the meet.
Four Centre track athletes placed Thursday at the Steve Herrmann Invitational meet at Herington.
Xavier Espinoza placed first in the 400-meter, with a time of 54.7 seconds.
Marion County employers are invited to participate in an employer listening tour at 11:30 a.m. May 18 at Marion Community Center.
Employers are asked to come and express their employee needs at the meeting, sponsored by Marion County Economic Development, City of Marion Economic Development, and Hillsboro Development Corp.
Technology Excellence in Education Network will meet at 6 p.m. May 18 at the USD 410 district office in Hillsboro. More information is available at (620) 877-0237.
Mill levy requests top the agenda for a Senior Citizens of Marion County meeting at 9:30 a.m. May 20 at Marion Senior Center.
Lunch will be served at Marion Senior Center.
Nationally known quilter Mayleen Thiesen Vinson will speak at a quilt trunk show at 3 p.m. May 21 at Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum.
Vinson will speak about and display some of her award- winning quilts at the show. A merchant mini-mall will run from 2:30 to 5 p.m.
“Feeding Kansas Dinner and Dialogue” will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Dillon Hall at Kansas State Fair grounds, Hutchinson.
Organized by Kansas Rural Center, the forum aims to provide information on state and local food systems and opportunities and tools for civically engaging with community and policy-makers.