Marion County RECORD

Quick thinking gets man off burning house roof

Quick thinking likely saved Kevin Hein, who was trapped on the roof of a burning country house roughly three miles east of Durham on Feb. 22. Dispatchers initially received a phone call from a man who said his father called him to say there was a fire and he was on a roof.

City stalls Straub's deal

Reluctance at giving up a potential commercial economic asset was reason enough Monday for a divided Marion city council to delay the county’s proposed purchase of the former Straub International dealership by sending its rezoning request back to the planning board for a new hearing. After an hour-long deliberation made tedious by repeated requests for clarifications from attorney Joshua Boehm about convoluted regulations and resolutions, council members failed to come up with four votes to override a landowners petition and approve the change to governmental use. Mayor Todd Heitschmidt and council member Jerry Klein voted against approval.

County green-lights $825,000 for economic development committee

A countywide economic development committee won the formal support of county commissioners, who approved $825,000 over five years for a proposed economic development corporation operating under an independent countywide board. The funding commitment will begin with the 2018 budget year.

High flying rent whirls pilot's prop

Rising rent for Marion Municipal Airport hangars has one tenant asking for relief. Don Hodson, a longtime hangar tenant, called a 35 percent rent increase imposed by city council in January “disconcerting.”

Rollover accident claims the life of nutrition services director

Leaving two children and a husband behind, Peabody resident Alycia M. Decker, 30, died Friday as the result of injuries she sustained in an accident that occurred because of “unknown reasons.” Decker started as nutrition services director for Opaa Food Management at Peabody schools at the beginning of the school year.

Newspaper equals 25-award record

Hoch Publishing Company, publisher of the Marion County Record, Hillsboro Star-Journal, and Peabody Gazette-Bulletin,had another banner year in the Kansas Press Association 2016 Awards of Excellence competition, equaling last year’s record haul of 25 awards. “Most gratifying of all was to reclaim the award for overall news and writing excellence,” news editor David Colburn said. “Our staff works hard every week to report news that matters, features that entertain and inspire, content that engages thought, touches feelings, and paints the stories of life in Marion County. Everything counts, and everyone here shares in the honor.”

Old Lehigh depot to become antique store

The old train depot at Lehigh found a home in Walton in 1976, when Max Davis purchased it at an auction. It was built almost 100 years earlier, when a branch line of the Santa Fe Railroad was established from Florence to McPherson. “It was a closed bid auction, and my father’s was probably the only one they received,” said Max’s son, Glenn.

Auction to benefit charities, families in need

Holy Family Parish’s 14th annual charity auction will open at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Pilsen Community Center. The money raised is given to food banks and organized charities in the county, as well as families in need. To date, the auction has raised more than $104,000 for these purposes.

Attorney general to be in Marion

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt will be in Marion on Monday for informal coffee and conversation from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at Lanning Pharmacy. His visit is in conjunction with Consumer Protection Week. Later that day, he will visit Hutchinson and Newton for free document destruction.

Volunteers sought for playground installations

Marion Elementary is looking for at least 15 volunteers for each of three workdays to save $10,000 in installation cost of new playground equipment. “We’re looking for people who are generally in good physical condition,” fundraising organizer Valerie Wasmuth of the school’s Parent Advisory Council said. “They don’t all have to be heavy lifters or need any particular skill. We’d just like to find people who really want to help.”

Thouvenells make initial court appearances

A Marion man charged with 12 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child younger than 14, and his wife, charged with three counts of aggravated intimidation of a witness, made their first appearances Monday in Marion County District Court. Jerry Thouvenell, 56, appeared with his lawyer, David Phillip Leon, of Wichita.

Warehouse sale puts childhood door back in woman's possession

For some, photographs are a great way to remember their childhood. For Peabody resident Sharon Pickens, her childhood memory was a door, which she was reunited with over the weekend.

Public suicide attempt averted

At 10:10 a.m. Feb. 22, Marion police, Marion EMS, and county sheriff’s deputies investigated a report of a man who was “cutting his wrists at the parking lot in front of Carlsons’ Grocery Store,” according to radio transmissions. Marion police chief Tyler Mermis confirmed the incident was a suicide attempt and an incident report, provided by assistant chief Clinton Jeffrey, noted the man used a knife to cut his wrist.

Got a 100-year-old farm? Talk to KFB

Kansas Farm Bureau is launching its 15th year of a program to honor family farms that have remained in a family for more than a century. A family farm whose current owner/operator is related to the owner/operator in 1917 qualifies for the award.

Mary Ann Ecker

Mary Ann Ecker, 77, of Wichita, died Feb. 22 in Wichita. Mary was born Sept. 23, 1939, to June and Betty Herzet in Florence.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division

County jail

Criminal division

Deeds reported

Emergency dispatches

Marriage licenses issued

Offenses reported

Police reports

Traffic division

Things Marion County's mystery millionaire might consider

Even the manager of the Hillsboro store that sold a winning $1 million lottery ticket doesn’t know the identity of the winner, who wished to remain anonymous after claiming his prize Thursday in Topeka. “We probably sold at least 1,000 tickets,” Casey’s manager Sarah Irvin said. “It’s like that at every Casey’s.

Being energy-smart saves money all year

Although taking steps to lower energy costs can sometimes prove expensive, there are things one can do to cut the cost of utilities. Peabody city treasurer Jonna Munson said a couple of common culprits behind increased water bills are easy to figure out.

Everyday changes can bring finances under control

Living beyond one’s means can result in an assortment of problems, from being unable to get a loan to being denied a rental contract. The first sign of a problem can be having too much month left at the end of your money, Don Noller, president of Marion National Bank, said.

Client organization helps tax preparers

Ken Koslowsky has been involved in accounting ever since he graduated from Tabor College with a degree in business administration in 1959. He began processing income tax returns in 1980 and has been at it ever since. The 70-year-old tax preparer works full-time including evenings during tax season. He said his workload has grown every year, and he can still take on new clients.

And we're paying for what?

Last week, county commission chairman Randy Dallke asked an $825,000 question, and the answer is one all county taxpayers should be looking for. $825,000 is what the commission’s economic development task force wants as a 5-year financial commitment from the county for its proposed Marion County Community Economic Development Corporation.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

Fifth annual Ladies Fair helps promote local businesses

Over the weekend, women from as far as Wichita flocked to the Marion County Ladies Fair at Marion County Park and Lake Hall to shop, dine, and chat. “This is the fifth year we’ve had it, and the vendors that display are at home businesses,” economic development director Teresa Huffman said. “Independent distributors and those types. Ones that people don’t normally promote.”

Filming the graces of life

When Makenzie Deines rented her first video camera from Kansas State University, she thought capturing beautiful moments in video would be a great hobby. But it didn’t take long before it turned into more. After she videotaped several weddings, her mother suggested she turn the hobby into a business.

Couple to share experiences in China

Jeremy and Krista Matlock, associate pastors at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church, will speak about their time serving in China at Friday’s Lifelong Learning. The program will begin at 9:45 a.m. Friday in the Wohlgemuth building on the Tabor campus.

Genealogy seminar to be March 11

Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies will conduct a genealogy seminar at 10 a.m. March 11 in the library conference room at Tabor College. The seminar will be a repeat of content explored in a fall workshop, “Deciphering Old German Text and Hand-written Script,” and will be presented by Steve Fast.

MEMORIES:

SENIOR CENTER:

Students educated on their special place in the Flint Hills

In a dedication ceremony at Centre High School Feb. 21, rancher’s wife Annie Wilson of Elmdale provided an overview of the information available on three Flint Hills maps given to Centre schools a few months ago. The maps were sponsored by the Flint Hills Discovery Center, Manhattan. “It is really fun to visit schools and help kids get excited about being in the Flint Hills,” Wilson said. “Many of our students think they are ‘from nowhere.’ The map exhibits help them realize they are actually from a very special place.”

USD 408 seeking fall kindergarteners

Parents of Marion-Florence school district children who will be 5 years old by Aug. 31 are being urged to schedule a kindergarten enrollment appointment March 27 at Marion Elementary. More information is available from Deb Shipman at (620) 382-3771.

Free child developmental screening is March 14

Free developmental screening for children, birth through 5 years or age, will be from 3 to 5:30 p.m. March 14 in Marion. Development of cognitive, motor, speech/language and social/emotional areas will be checked. Vision and hearing also will be screened. The process usually takes at least one hour.

Kindergarten screening April 6,7

Parents with preschool-age children, who will be five-years- old on or before Aug. 31, may attend a kindergarten screening April 6 and 7 at Hillsboro Elementary School. Those interested in screening their children may set up an appointment by calling (620) 947-3184 ext. 1.

Wide Awake 4-H report

A roll call question of “What is your favorite animal?” was answered by 11 members, two leaders, and three parents attending Lincolnville Wide Awake 4-H meeting on Feb. 12. The meeting was called to order by Becca Casey.

Area school menu

Tenacious duo claims top tier spots at 321A state wrestling

With two of five athletes claiming top tier spots and the team placing 10th of 75, the Warriors made a strong showing Saturday at 321 state wrestling tournaments in Hays. “This small but mighty team did awesome,” coach Tyler McMichael said. “With five wrestlers we placed 10th and beat everyone from our regional but one. It was an awesome team effort to end a great season.”

Marion girls advance in substate; boys out

The Marion Lady Warriors rode Kourtney Hansen’s 27-point performance Monday into the second round of substate play, easily dispatching Central Heights 52-34 at the Sports and Aquatic Center. While seven other Marion players scored, Hansen accounted for more than half the team’s points. She did so in familiar style, capitalizing on steals and fast-break layups and elusively weaving her way through packed in defenders for short-range buckets.

Centre girls advance to substate semi-finals

The Centre Lady Cougars defeated Peabody-Burns 37-24 Monday to advance to the semi-finals of the Goessel substate tournament. Centre led 11-0 at the end of the first quarter after Katie Marler made a 3-pointer, and Shelby Pankratz, Emily Schlesener, and Summer Espinoza combined for 8.

Calendar of events

Fitness program to 'pump it up' March 19

Signups are being accepted at the county extension office for an eight-week fitness program in which teams of six document their minutes spent walking, biking, exercising, or playing sports weekly from March 19 and May 13. Registration for the program, called Walk Kansas, costs $8 and offers various challenge levels equivalent to walking across or around the state.

Attorney general to be in Marion

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt will be in Marion on Monday for informal coffee and conversation from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at Lanning Pharmacy. His visit is in conjunction with Consumer Protection Week. Later that day, he will visit Hutchinson and Newton for free document destruction.

Shared reading discussion planned

“Hillbilly Elegy,” featured since Feb. 2 in Marion City Library’s “one book, one community” program, will be discussed at 7 p.m. Monday at the library. The book humorously chronicles the journey of author J.D. Vance’s family from poverty, abuse, and alcoholism in Kentucky to upward mobility in Ohio.

Library plans quilt show

More than 30 quilts, wall hangings, and table runners will be on display starting Monday at Marion City Library. The library’s 14th annual quilt show will continue during regular library hours through March 18.

Noted singer to give recital

Mezzo-soprano Mary Brown-Bonacci, who has performed in Southern New England, New York, and Boston, will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. Friday at Tabor College in the chapel building. Brown-Bonacci has sung with Opera Company Brooklyn, Salt Marsh Opera, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. She also has appeared in New York with the EnCanta Collective and National Broadway Chorus.

String band to perform

Area string band Tallgrass Express will perform “authentic Flint Hills music” at its second annual Spring Green concert at 2 p.m. March 12 at Prairie PastTimes, an arts and crafts cooperative at 220½ Broadway, Cottonwood Falls. Admission will be free, but donations will be solicited.

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