10 YEARS AGO

january 9, 2002

Alexis Mustang Craney is the winner of this year’s First Baby Contest sponsored by the Marion County Record and St. Luke Hospital. Alexis was born Jan. 6, 2002, at 6:21 a.m. to Junior and Anna Craney of Pilsen.

The 2002 Olympic flame will pass through Marion County early Friday. The route of the train carrying the flame will pass through Marion probably between 5 and 6 a.m. Union Pacific Railroad officials say.

VFW Auxiliary officer Donna Kreutziger is pictured congratulating middle school students Misti Richmond, Lee Ownbey, and Rachel Davidson for their award-winning essays on “Is Freedom Really Free?” The students received savings bonds as their awards.

Albert and Evelyn Ollenberger will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary Jan. 17. A belated family celebration is planned for late summer.

Red, white, and blue were the colors of choice Dec. 31 at the ball drop celebration on the lawn of Marion County Courthouse. Davey Hett wired the metal ball and set the “2002” above the west entry of the courthouse. A large crowd gathered early, which was good, since the courthouse clock’s bell sounded about five minutes early.

Yavuz Akat of Istanbul, Turkey, is an exchange student at Centre High School. His host parents are Phil and Jamie Peterson of Burdick. Yavuz was originally scheduled to go to Topeka, but his host family canceled at the last minute so when the opportunity presented itself, the Petersons accepted Yavuz into their home.