UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
  • Toxic algae close county lake

    All of Marion County Lake is closed to swimmers and water skiers until Monday because of a blue-green algae bloom. Lake manager Steve Hudson closed the lake to water sports Thursday afternoon after the Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommended that the county prohibit all water-contact sports until the blue-green algae contamination subsides.

HEADLINES

  • Carjacked women organize their own rescue

    Two Montgomery County women weren’t injured July 5 after a bizarre kidnapping that began near Neodesha and ended at Florence with an arrest. The incident stemmed from a woman wanting to get to Manhattan for a court date and holding the women by knifepoint while they drove across the state.

  • EMT shortage causing concern

    They are a dedicated bunch — those men and women who have stepped up to serve their neighbors and strangers as emergency medical personnel. But a shortage of the hardworking volunteers is causing concern.

  • Heat takes toll on county

    Relentless, blistering heat and drought are exacting an increasingly costly toll on Marion County — a toll being paid both in human terms and in economic terms. Heat and lack of rain sent firefighters from Marion, Hillsboro, Tampa, and Ramona into burning fields six times within four hours Monday. The calls continued Tuesday morning.

  • '51 flood not forgotten after 6 decades

    When it began raining mid-July 1951, Marion County residents geared up for what they thought would be a routine flood. Flooding had become commonplace in the valleys and other low-lying areas of communities around the county.

  • Shielding inmates delayed

    Shortly after taking office in 2009, Marion County Sheriff Rob Craft pushed to have a fence constructed around an exercise yard for jail inmates. State law requires inmates receive at least an hour of natural light each day. Because the jail didn’t have internal space that met the requirement, inmates were taken outdoors without a fence.

  • Marion ponders fireworks rules

    Discussion of fireworks within the city limits became a passionate plea Monday for Marion Councilman Jerry Kline and Police Chief Josh Whitwell. Kline said he had fielded complaints from people about fireworks being allowed in the city limits.

  • Ramona parade winners announced

    Results for the Redneck in Ramona parade July 4 were: Floats — 1. Jeannie Goza, $100; 2. Tanya Ecklund, $75; 3. Stroda family, $50; 4. David Staatz family, $25; 5. Russell Moore, $20. Kids — 1. Elias Jirak and Noah Tajchman, $25; 2. Demi Ann Bollinger, $20; 3. Jordan Miller, $15; 4. (tie) Cheyenne Bailey, Kara Riffel, and Bodie Schmidt, a case of soda pop each. Teens — 1. Alex Hajek and friends, $30; 2. Kyle Riffel, $20; 3. Justin Richardson, $15. Vehicles — 1. Jessica Gilbert, $40; 2. Julie Deines, $30; 3. (tie) Jackie Richardson, Rex Russell, and Joey Brunner, $20 each. Walking — 1. Kurt Brammer, $50. Patriotic — 1. Rachel Fenske and Jennifer Davis, $50; 2. Clara Noeth, $40. Animals — 1. Karl Riffel, $30. Redneck family — Tanya Ecklund, Rachel and Ryan, and Julie Noeth, $100.

DEATHS

  • David Gaffney

    Florence native David L. Gaffney, 60, died Thursday in Pueblo, Colo., where he moved six years ago. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Florence Cemetery. He will be cremated.

  • Pauline Meysing

    Pauline Meysing, 80, of Ramona, died July 11 at Salina Regional Health Center, Salina. A life sketch will be in next week’s edition.

  • Dwain Neustrom

    H. Dwain Neustrom, 68, died Saturday at this home in Burdick. A worker at Herington Hospital until he retired in 2008, he previously was a systems operator for Iowa Beef Packers, Emporia, and delivered Coca-Cola products in Council Grove, Herington, and Marion.

  • 'Bob' Stovall

    Robert D. Stovall, 88, died June 30 in Wichita. He was born May 20, 1923, in Florence, to B.P. and Erma Stovall.

DOCKET

GOVERNMENT

  • Previous work by jail architect a success

    When Marion County Commissioner Randy Dallke first arrived at Anderson County Jail in Garnett for a tour, he was happy to see that the jail matched the adjacent brick courthouse. “You’re very pleased aesthetically by what you see,” he said of the jail.

  • Tampa road plans narrowed, delayed

    Marion County Commission instructed an engineer Monday to prepare a narrower design for 330th Road between K-15 and Tampa and to delay construction to spring 2012. The road was slated for resurfacing this year. Jon Halbgewachs of engineering firm Kirkham Michael told the commission that paving the road 24 feet wide with 2-foot gravel shoulders on each side would require a lot of ditch work.

  • Plans to mitigate algae pondered

    Marion County Commission heard plans Monday to alleviate the presence of blue-green algae at Marion County Lake. There is a “finger” extending from one of the coves at the lake into a pasture, said Rickey Roberts, Kansas State University Research and Extension agent.

HEALTH

  • Pain is part of progress at St. Luke Hospital

    Renovations and expansions typically are not convenient for patrons, but the end result makes it worth it. Currently, some of those growing pains are being experienced at St. Luke Hospital, Marion.

  • New Hillsboro hospital still a priority

    Gordon Docking, chief operating officer of HMC/CAH Consolidated Inc., recognizes why people might be skeptical about the chances of a new hospital being built in Hillsboro’s near future. After the company purchased Hillsboro Community Hospital in the summer of 2008, people were told a new hospital was just around the corner. But the economy led to setbacks in that plan. In December 2010, the company’s capital partner for the project had to back out “at the 11th hour,” Docking said.

  • Wellness class to begin

    A wellness class will be offered by Marion County Department on Aging once a week for six weeks at 1:30 p.m. beginning July 25 at Hilltop Manor Community Room, Marion. The last class will be Sept. 12.

OPINION

  • Leaving is not easy

    Age is a funny thing. When I was in my 20s, I thought I could do anything. There was no fear of failing because if I did, I’d just pick myself up and do something else. When I was in my 30s, I became more serious about a career and making a living.

  • What's next for your paper?

    It takes a special person to lead a community newspaper. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, holidays included, you are The Editor. You not only must respond to news whenever and wherever it happens. You must aggressively go out and find it, providing readers captivating stories that go far beyond merely documenting the week’s events. Not only must you be a strong and fast writer with a great sense for what readers will find interesting. You also must mentor others — and not just reporters, either. A newspaper office is filled with people who do a thousand essential though sometimes invisible tasks — from helping advertisers grow their businesses to making sure myriad business and legal requirements are met by the paper and by other institutions in the community.

  • Another Day in the Country

    My daughter was born on July 3. As I was anticipating her arrival, I really thought it was a good idea for her (although in those days I didn’t know if it was a boy or a girl) to be born on the Fourth of July. A fitting day for such an amazing child, as this was sure to be. A wonderful day of celebrating independence: the country’s, mine, and hers. But, it didn’t happen that way. By the time she was born on the afternoon of July 3, I was very glad for her early arrival and too shagged out to care about the day of the week. She had arrived, independent from birth, with or without it being a national holiday. This year, after 10 years of missing her birthday, I purposed to be in California to celebrate the day of her birth — 42 years ago.

  • Seeds of Something Fine

    It’s happening, right this second. As I sit here and write I am neck-deep in thoughts I swore I’d never indulge in as a mom. I am everything I promised myself I wouldn’t be. It’s well past Lyla’s bedtime on the Fourth of July. Outside it sounds like our street is no-man’s land. Our backyard is worse. We did our noisy celebrating last night, knowing tonight we’d be needed to cuddle and assure a little girl that all was well despite the din.

  • Hope in the Heartland

    I read a story about a man who received a collection letter from a company to which he owed money. He wrote back and said, “Dear Sir, Every month I take all the bills I have and put them on the table, shuffle them, and pick out six, which I pay. Now, if I have any more trouble out of you, next month you’ll be out of the shuffle entirely.” For many, the church has been left out of the shuffle. No Bible-believing Christian would deny that God expects us to give of our resources to support the church, but many of those same believers see it as a suggestion rather than a command. Or they see giving as something that they should spend their excess cash on; but the problem is that there is never any cash left over for the offering. In essence, we’ve created tippers rather than tithers.

  • LETTERS:

    A community at its best, Beware of door-to-door salesmen

PEOPLE

SCHOOL

  • Program boosts Centre senior's interest in science

    Theo Kassebaum of rural Burdick spent two weeks in June conducting experiments related to altimeters and to how caffeine and energy drinks affect heart rhythms. Theo, a senior at Centre High School, participated in Newman University’s investigative summer science program. She applied for the program after science teacher Kara Luce recommended it to her.

  • Centre school board prepares for new year

    Many routine actions were taken Monday by the Centre USD Board of Education in preparation for the 2011-12 school year. Changes from the previous year include a 7 p.m. starting time for monthly school board meetings, designation of The Herington Times as the official newspaper, substitute teacher pay of $85 for a full day, and a mileage reimbursement rate of 51 cents per mile. Brent Methvin and Mark Heiser were re-elected to serve as board president and vice president, respectively.

SPORTS

  • Marion swimmers finish second in league meet

    Marion Swim Team took second place at the Mid Kansas League championship meet Saturday in Lindsborg. Final team standings were: 1. Lindsborg, 475; 2. Marion Blue, 376.5; 3. Hillsboro Swim Team, 164.5; 4. Solomon Swim Team, 148; 5. Hesston Wahoos, 126; 6. Peabody Super Swimmers, 124; 7. Abilene Wave Runners, 69; 8. Herington Whalers Swim Team, 62; and 9. Council Grove Dolphins, 49. Girls 8 and younger 100-yard medley relay: 3. Emma Neal, Macy Sigel, Emma Calhoun. 100 freestyle relay: 3. Neal, Calhoun, Sigel. Boys 8 and younger 25 backstroke: 1. Will Alleven; 2. Seth Lanning. 25 breaststroke: 1. Alleven. 25 butterfly: 1. Alleven; 3.Lanning. 25 free: 1. Alleven; 3. Lanning. 100 free relay: 1. Lanning, Cameron Kimbrough, Alleven. 100 medley relay: 1. Lanning, Alleven, Kimbrough. Girls 9 and 10 25 butterfly: 1. Grace Neal. 25 free: 1. Neal. 100 free: 1. Neal. 100 individual medley: 1. Neal. 100 free relay: 2. Neal, Drew Helmer, Tori Shults. 100 medley relay: 2. Michaela Regnier, Shults, Neal, Helmer. Boys 9 and 10 25 back: 3. Luke Lanning. 25 fly: 2. Lanning. 100 free: 2. Lanning. 100 individual medley: 2. Lanning. Girls 11 and 12 50 breast: 1. Phoebe Hett; 3. Taylor Pontious. 200 free relay: 3. Falon Crawford, Lindsey Sigel, Courtney Herzet, Pontious. 200 medley relay: 1. Herzet, Hett, Pontious, Sigel. Boys 11 and 12 50 back: 2. Mason Pedersen. 50 breast: 3. Devin Regnier. 50 free: 1. Pedersen. 100 free: 2. Pedersen. 100 individual medley: 2. Pedersen; 3. Logan Waner. 200 free relay: 1. Pedersen, Peyton Heidebrecht, Waner, Garrett Alleven. 200 medley relay: 1. Pedersen, Regnier, Alleven, Waner. Girls 13 and 14 50 back: 2. Kaelyn Thierolf; 3. Kristen Herzet. 50 breast: 2. Thierolf. 50 fly: 1. Samantha Davies; 3. Julia Hall. 100 free: 2. Thierolf. 100 individual medley: 2. Thierolf. 200 free relay: 1. Herzet, Davies, Hall, Thierolf. 200 medley relay: 1. Herzet, Hall, Davies, Thierolf. Boys 13 and 14 50 back: 1. Garrett Alleven. 50 fly: 3. Alleven. 100 free: 2. Alleven. 100 individual medley: 1. Alleven. 200 medley relay: 2. Remington Putter, Adam Kjellin, Austin Molleker, John Nordquist. Girls 15 to 18 50 back: 1. JayDee Schafers. 100 individual medley: 2. Schafers. 200 free relay: 2. Schafers, Whitney Christensen, Briana Hall, Kaycee Robinson. Boys 15 to 18 50 fly: 3. Patrick McCarty. 100 individual medley: 3. Zach Hammond. 200 free relay: 2. McCarty, Zac Lewman, Hammond, Jordan Versch. 200 medley relay: 1. McCarty, Lewman, Hammond, Versch.

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