Marion County RECORD

Cool with COOL: Area grocers respond to new labeling rules

On March 17, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture began enforcing the rules on country-of-origin labeling. Known as COOL, the rules apply to muscle cuts and ground beef, pork, lamb, goat, and chicken; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; fresh fruits and vegetables; peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and ginseng.

Marion will participate in herbicide civil lawsuit

The City of Marion will join the City of Hillsboro and other Kansas municipalities in a civil lawsuit against a herbicide manufacturer. At Monday’s council meeting, following a 10-minute executive session for attorney-client privilege, the council approved to enter into an agreement with attorneys in a lawsuit.

Up in smoke: Cigarette taxes increase April 1

(Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series about tobacco use in Marion County.) If there ever was a reason for a smoker to stop lighting up, this might be it.

Cities receive federal funds for roads

Two area projects recently were selected for federal stimulus funding for road and bridge improvements throughout the state. Officials of the City of Marion and the City of Hillsboro each applied for and received funding for separate projects within their respective cities.

Catholic church plans open house

Extensive renovation has been completed at St. Mark Catholic Church of Marion, Holy Family Parish, and parishioners wish to invite the community to see the changes. A public open house is planned from 2 to 4 p.m. April 19. Refreshments will be served in the parish hall.

Dispatch, jail rearrangement: Remodel will improve functions

A proposed remodel of Marion County Dispatch probably will cost $20,000, architect Tony Rangel of Law-Kingdon Architecture of Wichita told Marion County Commission Monday. A planned remodel will switch the location of dispatch and jailer’s offices, Communications and Emergency Management Director Michele Abbott said.

Phyllis Nedeau

Phyllis Myrtle Nedeau, 90, passed away March 22, 2009, at ComfortCare Homes in Wichita. Phyllis was born Sept. 18, 1918, in Abilene, to Paul and Myrtle Kyle.

Henry Jones

Henry Leon Jones, 62, of Marion, died March 19, 2009, at his home. He was employed by Kansas Department of Transportation.

Wanda York

Wanda Marie York, 76, died March 14, 2009, in Catoosa, Okla. Born Dec. 25, 1932, in Broken Arrow, Okla., she was the daughter of Norbert Cledo and Nellie Belle (McManus) Jones.

Accidents

Civil division

Criminal division

Deeds recorded

Domestic division

Jail bookings

Marion police

Small claims

Traffic

Guaranteed tender: Direct marketer uses DNA testing to improve quality

Recent development of DNA genetic testing has identified specific genes that increase tenderness and marbling in beef cattle. Dave Ferren of Burns and his partner and brother-in-law John Sharp of Albuquerque, N. Mex., are using DNA testing to produce high quality natural beef from registered Angus cattle.

Deadline for loans for small grains is Tuesday

Marketing assistance Commodity Credit Corp. (CCC) loans for nine months for the 2008 crop year of wheat, oats, barley, and honey are available through Marion County and other county FSA offices until March 31. Two types of CCC loans are offered — farm-stored and warehouse for those commodities stored in elevator facilities. Since market assistance loans are nonrecourse, producers have the option of delivering or forfeiting to CCC the crops that were pledged as collateral at loan maturity in satisfaction of the indebtedness. Basic county loan rates, adjusted for premiums and discounts, are wheat, $3.08 per bushel, barley, $1.80 per bushel, and oats, $1.35 per bushel.

No kiddin': Meat goats are becoming more prevalent in county

The number of meat goats in Marion County has seen a steady increase during the past few years. According to Myron and Stephanie Regier of Goessel, like many others, their family acquired meat goats when they needed 4-H projects for their two children, Olivia, 17, and Matthew, 10.

Farm bill provisions ease organic transition process

Kansas farmers who are transitioning to organic agriculture or who currently are certified organic can receive special assistance for meeting their conservation goals under new provisions in the 2008 Farm Bill. Farmers may apply for financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). They can receive up to $20,000 per year or $80,000 during a six-year period. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Kansas, which administers EQIP, is setting aside a separate pool of EQIP money to help Kansas organic farmers and those who are transitioning to organic production. While EQIP has always been available for organic producers to treat resource concerns on their land, with the provisions of the new Farm Bill, specific funds are being set aside to assist organic producers.

Keep meetings open

This summer, Kansas Attorney General Steve Six is hosting open government training for public officials, citizens, and media to help them to better understand Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) and Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA). Six said these laws “hold elected officials accountable.”

Scam saga ends?

People have been asking about the latest chapter in my debit card scam, so here’s an update and hopefully, the final chapter. As it turned out, the thief/thieves duplicated my debit card. That’s right. They manufactured additional debit cards to look like the real thing. My guess is they were sold to other thieves around the country who then took them to stores and purchased items. The cards were presented in department stores in Missouri, California, and Minnesota. The purchases were small — less than $50.

Random Thoughts

I suppose you all are too young to remember Emily Post. I remember her because she wrote the book, “Etiquette,” in the 1920s. It was the book we young wives lived by in those days. If we doubted our abilities to set a proper table, Emily came through with the right answer. Well, to bring a long story short, I have been reading a book of her life. Of course, it is close to my life story as we lived in the same era. After each war, times and customs changed and she tried to answer the questions that young wives asked at that time. I could really relate to many of the things in the book. One in particular was the story of the kidnapping and murder of the Lindberg baby. I could imagine a crook climbing a ladder up to the room where my baby was sleeping. I checked her several times during the night to see if she still was there. The wars, presidents, and generals mentioned were familiar to me.

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MEMORIES:

Garrard, Topham place in NAIA Indoor Nationals

ndrew Topham of Peabody competed with 31 other long-distance runners March 6 and 7 in the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Ahtletics) Indoor Nationals at Johnson City, Tenn. Garrard is a senior at Ottawa University and Topham is a sophomore at Southwestern College at Winfield.

Zeiner, Hett honored by Topeka Capital Journal

Marion High School junior basketball players Julia Zeiner and Lindsay Hett were named this past week to the Topeka Capital Journal honorable mention 3A state basketball team. The Topeka-based newspaper named five players around the state to each first, second, and third teams, and 44 to the honorable mention teams.

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