HEADLINES

  • Fire marshal to review jail decision

    The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office will review its declaration that Marion County Jail can only hold four inmates, County Attorney Susan Robson told commissioners Monday. She said the decision to review the case was based on architect Tony Rangel’s calculation that the upstairs of the jail should be allowed to hold 20 people including staff.

  • City cuts budget

    Marion City Council voted Monday to trim its proposed 3.9 percent property tax increase to 0.3 percent by eliminating $9,400 to pay for a 2 percent across-the-board pay raise for city workers and by canceling a $7,500 contribution to a reservoir watershed program. Despite warnings that the Chamber of Commerce might have to close its office as a result, the council did not restore $2,500 in funding for the Chamber cut from the budget in 2010. The city last year trimmed its annual subsidy to the Chamber from $10,000 to $7,500. The council voted Monday to continue the lower $7,500 subsidy in 2011 despite pleas that the full $10,000 be restored.

  • City clerk terminated

    Marion City Clerk Alan Meisinger was terminated by City Council Monday evening following a 20-minute executive session. Mayor Mary Olson requested city attorney Dan Baldwin and administrator David Mayfield be involved in the executive session, but Baldwin said he didn’t want to be involved in the session and left the meeting room before the council recessed behind closed doors.

  • Back to the zoning board

    After two years of hearings, a zoning dispute between Darryl and Linda Brewer and the City of Marion resulted in the judge sending the case back to the city’s board of zoning appeals for another review and to make a more detailed record of the proceedings. The Brewers filed the civil suit in August 2008 because they disagreed with the appeals board’s decision. The board found the property at 316 Grant St., owned by the Brewers, could only be used for residential purposes. The Brewers had developed the property to provide commercial truck parking. Some residents in Jex Addition, where the business had operated, had appealed to the board, asking it to review the city’s zoning map and regulations.

  • St. Luke is $70,000 under budget for construction

    After reviewing bids from Hutton Construction Tuesday evening, St. Luke Hospital Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Armstrong said that the hospital construction project is $70,000 under budget. Ideas previously jettisoned because of budget concerns were reintroduced into the construction plans, including a canopy over the Emergency Room entrance, limestone work around the emergency room, and a walk-in cooler.

  • Pastors want others in county to have lifesaving devices

    Three Peabody police patrol cars have lifesaving automated external defibrillators — AEDs — thanks to a $2,800 donation from Peabody Association of Churches. The pieces of equipment are used to shock a heart that is beating out of rhythm back into rhythm, said Steve Smith, Emergency Medical Services Director.

  • Valuable cattle shot by vandals

    Lloyd Klassen, his son, Dale, and some of their neighbors are upset, and rightfully so. On Aug. 17 and 18, an employee of Klassen Dairy at Hillsboro found six injured pregnant Holstein heifers in a pasture southeast of Durham. The heifers were among the 90 head of cattle in the pasture.

DEATHS

  • Laura Branham

    Laura Grace Branham, 77, of Peabody died Aug. 18 at Legacy Park, Peabody. She was born March 2, 1933, in Hennessee, Okla., to George F. and Elizabeth (Justice) Holm.

  • Thelma O'Dell

    Thelma M. O’Dell, 99, died Aug. 24 at St. Luke Living Center, Marion. Services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Hillcrest Cemetery, Florence. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Zeiner Funeral Home, Florence.

  • Ginger Richter

    Ginger Richter’s mother, Juanita Helmer, also is a survivor, along with Ginger’s children, Nicolas Toupin of Ponchas Springs, Colo., and Natali Toupin of Santa Rosa, Calif.; brother Galen of Marion; and sisters Greta Smith of Marion and Gena Brandt of Yankton, S.D. Ginger died Aug. 14. Her funeral was Friday at Marion County Lake Hall.

  • Cecil Rock

    Cecil D. Rock, 80, of Herington, died Aug. 21 at his home. Born Feb. 12, 1930, at Abilene, to Earl and Nina (Bunker) Rock, he graduated from Herington High School in 1948.

  • Jaden Sawyer

    Jaden Sawyer was stillborn Aug. 20 at Memorial Hospital, McPherson. Survivors include his parents, Stacey and Tabitha Sawyer of Marion; three siblings, Rebecca, David, and Cheyenne; grandparents, Cynthia Sawyer and Randy Sawyer of Marion and David and Christine Sporhase of Arizona; and a great-grandmother, Ellen Lawson of Casper, Wyo.

DOCKET

GOVERNMENT

  • City approves new airport building

    Marion City Council approved a proposal Monday for a new office at Marion Municipal Airport. The estate of Pearl Baxter gifted the airport board $75,000 for the construction of a new building to include a display case with memorabilia from Pearl’s late husband, George Baxter, who was an avid pilot.

OTHER NEWS

  • Food bank continues to give after 25 years

    Over 25 years with the Marion County Emergency Food Bank, coordinator Janet Bryant said that her greatest joy has been seeing the regular contributors and volunteers — people like Ed and Luke Siebert who give food almost every Monday. “We have people come in every week because they think it’s important,” Bryant said. “Those kind of people keep us going.”

  • Parade to honor Scouts

    Marion Kiwanis Club announced Thursday that this year’s Old Setters’ Day parade will recognize the centennial of the Boy Scouts organization with the theme of “100 years of Scouting.” The parade will be 11 a.m. Sept. 25, downtown Marion.

  • 96-year-old is best bowler among peers

    Residents at Legacy Park in Peabody bowl every other Thursday at Peabody Lanes. The star of those trips has been 96-year-old Dorothy Whistler. “She’s a great bowler,” Legacy Park Human Resources Director Melissa Parmley said. “She bowled a 190.”

  • Seacats offer building to county

    Brad Seacat of Seacat Do-it-Best Hardware in Marion told county commissioners Monday that the store and two outbuildings are for sale. “By Marion standards it’s a very new facility, less than 10 years old,” he said.

OPINION

  • Chamber of Commerce on uncharted waters

    A community is like a ship. Even though we might live and work on different “decks,” we’re all a part of the same vessel. When sharks circle the ship, we can’t say, “I don’t care. This doesn’t concern me” because it does concern all of us on the good ship Marion.

  • Let's hear it for teachers who love to teach

    It was really refreshing when I went to Marion Elementary School last Wednesday to take pictures of students beginning another year. Parents were excited about their children’s new school year. Children were anxious, and mostly excited, about embarking on a new experience.

  • Another Day in the Country

    During this past month, I’ve been graced with the presence of my daughter and grandson. It was such a wealth of time to have them visiting from far off California for so long. I thought they would be here for 21 days — yes, we count the days so that we treasure each one and accomplish all the things we wish to do while they are with us. On about day 12, my daughter was fiddling with her calendar and I saw the date of her departure from Wichita written there on August 17.

  • Hope in the Heartland

    I keep a library on my desk. Often I carry that same library with me in my hand, in my book bag, on the passenger seat of my car, and other places. I have even been known to take the whole thing into a hospital when visiting a sick friend. I even tote it with me to my Sunday school class. Afterward, it goes with me to the worship service. I keep an identical library at home.

  • LETTERS:

    Victim wants response from sheriff's office, Undersheriff: Theft investigation is in progress, Taxpayer upset about customer service at transfer station, Transfer station director wants unloading policy

PEOPLE

  • Cook enjoys atmosphere at Hillsboro center

    When Betty Gayle began cooking March 17, 1988, at Hillsboro Senior Center, she was amazed by the difference in scale from home cooking. Even the size of the rolling pin worried her. “I thought, ‘Man, can I lift this thing?’” Gayle said Friday.

  • Wiebes take extended train vacation

    Troy and Marla Wiebe of rural Durham took what some would consider a unique mode of transportation on their summer vacation. They traveled by train from Nebraska to California, then to Idaho, and back to Nebraska, visiting relatives along the way. The Wiebes traveled with their four children: Cody, 14; Trevor, 11; Blake, 7; and Ashlyn, 3. They were gone from July 28 to Aug. 12. They took along their own food.

  • BIRTHS:

    Ryleigh Byer
  • CORRESPONDENTS:

    Burdick, Tampa
  • MEMORIES:

    10, 25, 35, 50, 60, 100, 125 years ago

SCHOOL

  • Building transition goes smoothly for Centre

    The parking lot at Centre USD two miles north of Lincolnville was quiet and peaceful at 8:15 Monday morning. But a step inside the open front door revealed a different atmosphere. The air was abuzz with the sounds of students eating breakfast and chatting together. It was the third day in the district’s transition from two facilities to one. Beginning with the first day of school Thursday, kindergarteners through fourth-grade students and corresponding staff are adjusting smoothly to their new surroundings at the integrated site.

  • School staff pick up work slack

    School administrators and teachers in Hillsboro, Marion, and Peabody have taken on duties outside of their job descriptions as a result of budget cuts. “The job title gets to be longer each year,” USD 398 superintendent Rex Watson said.

  • Marion elementary students learn like never before

    With new technology, Marion Elementary School students can experience the culture of another country without ever leaving the class room. Last year, Sarah Waddell had her sixth-grade class write a newsletter and shoot videos about their everyday lives.

  • Learning center offers flexibility to adult learners

    The Marion County Learning Center offers flexible and unique curriculum options. A parenting class taught by Parents as Teachers counts as an elective credit.

  • Principal, counselor go extra mile to keep students in school

    Marion High School Principal Brenda Odgers and counselor Phoebe Janzen do everything they can to keep a student from dropping out of school. “Nobody wants to lose a student so we’ll work with them how we can,” Janzen said.

SENIOR LIVING

  • Jewett finds fulfillment at senior center

    Finding a purpose for living is important as people grow older. For Evelyn (Corey) Jewett, 84, of Marion, the answer lay in her involvement in Marion Senior Center.

  • Flowers therapeutic for Peabody resident

    There are only a few inches of ground in the courtyard at Legacy Park that don’t feature colorful flowers. The garden includes coreopsis, geraniums, moss rose, morning glories, marigolds, zenias, and rose bushes, all planted by Esther Stuckey.

  • Hillsboro man continues New Testament translation

    Retired pastor Bob Fenstermacher of Hillsboro has completed his translation of and exposition on Revelation in his effort to translate the entire New Testament from Greek. He has also completed his translation of 1 John. He is working on his exposition on the book. When he finishes with 1 John he will begin translating 2 John — naturally.

  • An invitation to all senior citizens

    On Oct. 21, Senior Citizens of Marion County, Inc. will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a noon banquet at Marion Senior Center, 309 S. Third St., Marion. All current and former board members will receive special invitations. All other senior citizens age 60 and older are invited to attend for a $5 fee. Registration will be required.

SPORTS

  • CHS graduate named athlete of the year

    Centre High School graduate Justin Garrard, 23, was named male athlete of the year after the 2010 Sunflower State games in Topeka. Garrard won the 5-kilometer Governor’s Cup run as well as the 800-meter, 1500, and 3000 runs. He also participated in the 1500 race walk and placed third.

MORE…

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