BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
Marion County Lake remains under a blue-green algae warning for a third consecutive week, but it was better news Thursday for Marion Reservoir, which got an all-clear for the first time in 10 weeks.
“It’s been a long run,” reservoir manager Kevin McCoy said. “We’ve been removing signs and barriers today. This is a welcome break.”
At a meeting hastily called last week by Dianne Novak, county commissioners reluctantly eliminated half a mill of a proposed two-mill overall property tax increase by reducing the amount budgeted to pay for full-time ambulance attendants.
The proposed budget, published in this week’s issue, calls for an overall increase of $17.50 in property taxes on a typical residence with a market value of $100,000.
Firefighters put out fires, but it took a commissioner to douse sparks of contention ignited this past week between the county’s emergency management director and city responders and officials.
At a meeting last week, county emergency management director Randy Frank outlined a county-led emergency plan for Marion and Hillsboro arts festivals next month, but some city officials took exception to his style and questioned his authority.
Landowners curious about the county’s plans for 330th Rd. west of K-15 packed Durham Community Center and peppered officials with questions Thursday, but commissioners still were searching for timelines and solutions Monday.
Often referred to as the Roxbury road, the eight-mile stretch from K-15 to the McPherson County line was gravel from 2007 to 2012, when a 2” asphalt overlay was put down. It has deteriorated badly since then.
When commissioners opened Monday’s meeting for public comment, they probably didn’t know what they were opening themselves up to.
Former road and bridge supervisor and ex-county employee Larry Cushenbery had plenty to say about his discontent with hiring decisions in the department.
Marion-Florence students will kick off the new school year with a party 6 p.m. Friday in Central Park.
Burgers and hot dogs will be sold to benefit the park stage roof project and baked goods for future projects. Marion Historical Museum will sell ice cream.
Marion County Food Bank was given $2,000 from Alternative Gifts International to help feed needy families.
“Because Marion hosts a gift market annually we are eligible to apply for pantry and food bank funds raised at markets all over the nation,” said Jackie Volbrecht, one of the coordinators of Marion’s gift market.
A siphon valve for Central Park’s antique fountain was stuck over the weekend, allowing the water to overflow because of a plugged pipe.
Parks and recreation maintenance supervisor Scott Heidebrecht said the combination of the siphon and plugged drainpipe caused the water to flow out on the ground.
Although store employees are mum, Peabody’s new Dollar General store is clearly about to unlock its doors.
Norm Claassen of Peabody pulled up to the front of the store on a four-wheeler Tuesday to ask store employees on break when the store would open.
It’s not unusual to see helicopters from Fort Riley or medical helicopters taking patients from one hospital to another, but a chopper with a dangling string of whirling saws suspended from it is what people along Union Pacific railroad tracks saw Thursday and Friday.
A pilot and ground crew for Rotor Blade, a South Carolina company that does aerial sidewall trimming for railroads, utility companies, and pipelines, was trimming a section of trees in railroad right of way.
This year’s sometimes-severe weather has meant a lot of work for tree cutters.
Dutton Tree and Handyman Service owner Bill Dutton said his crew had kept busy this year, with storms bringing down even large trees.
People driving on Nighthawk Rd. between Peabody and 190th Rd. have been wondering what’s going on with large patches of gravel along the mid-county corridor.
Road and bridge superintendent Jesse Hamm said his department is trying to deal with asphalt problems that have been cropping up.
Services for Neva M. Applegate, 90, who died Tuesday at St. Luke Living Center in Marion, were Saturday at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Marion. Burial was at Lewis Cemetery in Ramona.
Born Oct. 14, 1926, to Solomon and Hanna (Longhofer) Brunner in Hope, she married Jack M. Applegate in 1948 at Ramona. They moved to Marion in 1965.
A private memorial service for former Marion resident James Weston Cowan, 41, of Clearwater, Florida, who died June 10, will be at Prairie Lawn Cemetery in Peabody.
He was born Jan. 22, 1976, in Albany, Georgia. He served in the Marine Corps.
A service for retired public school employee and Army veteran Lee Roy Palmer, who died Aug. 1, was Sunday at Community of Christ Church, Chapel for Peace, Springfield, Missouri.
Burial will be later in Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield.
IN MEMORIAM:
Iris Bayes,
Betty Seibel,
Carl Walter
Leonardville farmer and antique tractor enthusiast Charles Dugan, who farms 1,200 acres of cropland, brought his two yellow John Deere industrial tractors to Goessel’s Country Threshing Days over the weekend.
As a farmer, he’s accustomed to using modern equipment, but still loves having the old equipment around.
With last year’s corn still piled on the ground and another harvest looming, producers and sellers are looking for ways to move the surplus into markets.
Two solutions could be increasing grain and ethanol exports.
There are two relatively new faces at the Kansas State University/Marion County Extension Office. Tristen Cope and Jana Miller have joined 16-year veteran Rickey Roberts in running the department.
“The transition is going good,” Roberts said. “My board hired good people, and that made the transition smooth.”
Mild weather to start August could lead to a bountiful harvest, as long as rains follow.
“If we think about what mild temperatures do, things maybe aren’t burning up out there and we’re not losing as much moisture,” said county extension agent Rickey Roberts. “When we think about its impact upon the agriculture, certainly we’re going to call it a positive.”
A “Women in Agriculture” event will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Marion City Library.
Sarah Moore and Eric Gunther of Marion Farm Service Agency will talk about farm service and loan programs.
Thanks to concerted efforts of Chat and Dine Club members, Marion County Park and Lake will soon have new bench seats for its concrete and stone picnic tables. Movable picnic tables and a merry-go-round also will have some boards replaced.
Club members have raised $1,800 to put into the project, and club president Donna Kaiser secured an additional $1,000 from county commissioners Monday to cover the balance of the costs. Kaiser said the club hopes to have the work completed for Labor Day weekend lake patrons to enjoy. Kudos, indeed, to them.
After a thousand miles separated us over the summer — Kaitlyn in Wichita and Jason in Washington, District of Columbia, one of the first items on our to-do list was to watch a sunset in Marion County.
We chose Marion Reservoir for our first sunset together in two months. The trees, water, and open land provided a stark contrast to sky-blocking skyscrapers, mountainous monuments, and hordes of busybody people.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Immigration in the news again
Josh Funk, a junior at Tabor College, received a Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship for his plans to teach special education classes after he graduates.
The scholarship, which the Kansas Board of Regents awards, provides financial assistance to students who plan to pursue hard-to-fill teaching positions, including math, science, and special education.
More Centre FFA members will be able to attend national convention this year thanks to a $2,500 donation by Francis and Mary Jirak through Monsanto’s America’s Farmers Grow Communities program.
Giving the money to Centre FFA was a no-brainer for the Jiraks. They have been lifelong supporters of Centre FFA. Four of their five children went through the program. All of them were chapter president and all held regional offices.
The family of Harold and Edith Johnson request a card shower in honor of the couple’s 75th wedding anniversary Aug. 28.
Harold is a former Peabody mail carrier and handyman. Their children are Harold Johnson Jr., Carolyn Johnson, Fred Johnson, and Alan Johnson.
The family of Joseph G. and JoAnn (Svoboda) Nowak of Pilsen request a card shower in honor of the couple’s 60th wedding anniversary Aug. 20.
The Nowaks met at a public polka dance at the Starlight Dance Hall in Pilsen when Joe, a native of Muscoda, Wisconsin, was stationed at Schilling Air Force Base in Salina.
Saturday’s Marion County Relay for Life raised $19,451.58 for American Cancer Society.
Surviving Angels, Burns Pacers, and Moore Hope were the top three fundraising teams. Margie Sandwell, Loretta (Tootsie) Snelling, and Mary Olsen were the top three individuals.
The family of former Marion teacher Patsy Waner requests a card shower for her 85th birthday Saturday.
Cards can be sent to 3947 N. Kickapoo Ave., Apt. 117, Shawnee OK 74804.
SENIOR CENTER:
The lunch bunches,
MenuMEMORIES:
10,
25,
35,
50,
60,
100,
125 years ago
Runners from throughout central Kansas will flock to Marion County Park and Lake on Saturday for the ninth annual Mothers of Preschoolers Run for Your Momma.
The half-marathon, half marathon relay, and 5k run/walk follow a course of pavement and gravel roads through hills and flat lands, passing through Marion, by Marion County Lake, and with prairie, tilled fields, and grazing cattle in between.
Lake repairs, school supplies, and games will share the agenda at a Marion County Lake Chat and Dine Club meeting at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the north shelter house.
Attendees should bring a sack meal and school supplies for children in need. Drinks will be provided. Kathy Berry will serve as host.
Technology Excellence in Education Network (TEEN) will meet at 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Marion-Florence school district office, 101 N. Thorp St., Marion.
CALENDAR
OF EVENTS