Marion County RECORD

Lake renters react to rent hike proposal

Conversation among renters in the mobile home court Saturday at Marion County Park and Lake didn’t focus on the Mothers of Preschoolers half-marathon and 5-kilometer run that passed through their neighborhood. Nor did it focus on that evening’s free concert by the Fort Riley Army Band at the swimming beach. The main topic of conversation was a proposal by Marion County Commissioner Dan Holub to increase the rent for the lots, possibly by as much as $1,500 a year.

USD 408 reviews drug policy

The USD 408 Board of Education approved the budget for the 2011-12 school year Monday with a 6-1 vote Monday. Sarah Cope was the only board member to vote against the budget. She refused to comment as to her reason for her no vote.

Road projects may be delayed

The county may be forced to delay at least one road project scheduled for 2011, interim Road and Bridge Superintendent John Summerville told Marion County Commission on Monday. Supplies of material needed to chip seal roads are trickling in, and he doesn’t expect to have enough to chip seal both Nighthawk Road between U.S. 50 and U.S. 56 and 120th Road from Goessel to the McPherson County line before weather gets too cold for the projects.

Drew Knolla shares his experience with cancer

Drew Knolla downplays his bout with brain cancer as much as he can. He said he was never sick; a chemotherapy drug may have sapped his energy and forced his hair to fall out but those were only side effects. He said spending nearly three months in St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis was one of the best times of his life. He was 10 years old at the time. Today Knolla is about to begin his senior year at Marion High School at 18.

Rescuers honored for lifesaving

Without the fast action of emergency workers, the two drownings this spring at Marion Reservoir could have been tripled. On Aug. 3, the Army Corps of Engineers recognized park rangers Kyle Manwaring and Traci Robb, summer ranger Jake Riley, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism Natural Resources Officer Marvin Peterson, and Marion County Deputy Sheriff Mike Ottensmeier for their work rescuing four boaters in April and May.

St. Luke Foundation out of tax credits

The St. Luke Hospital Foundation has distributed all of the $250,000 worth of tax credits it received, foundation executive director Mike Norris said. With the tax credits, those who donated funds to the foundation received 70 percent of contributions back in the form of tax deductions. Norris thanked contributors and said the credits may be available next year.

Florence Labor Day committee announces 2011 theme

The theme for 2011 Florence’s Labor Day celebration is “Celebrating 150 Years of Kansas History.” The annual event will be held Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3 through 5. Buttons and T-shirts will soon be available locally for sale. A button is required for admission to most events. This year’s celebration will feature many of the traditional events plus a magic performance on Saturday evening featuring T.A. Hamilton, master magician, ventriloquist, and illusionist.

Virlee Bevan

Virlee M. (Lorance) Bevan, 92, died Aug. 12 in Coffeyville. She was a retired McClure Commission C. Wichita Stockyard employee. She was born July 7, 1919, to Mich and John F. Lorance. Her husband, Fred, her parents, and two brothers, Vere and Dorrell Lorance, preceded her in death.

Barbara Lehrman

Barbara J. Lehrman, 80, died Aug. 8 at her home in Newton. Born Dec. 6, 1930, in Marion County to Jonas and Clara (Hein) Mohn, she married Ralph Lehrman on April 22, 1951. He preceded her in death in 1993.

Louise Wood

Louise Wood, 81, died at her Marion residence Monday. A visitation will be 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Zeiner Funeral home in Marion. A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Strassburg Baptist Church.

Ruby Linnens

Ruby Marie (Ford) Linnens was born Aug. 18, 1919, in rural Marion County to Clee and Tressie (Blankley) Ford. During her childhood, she was joined by her brothers, Jerome, Dalphas, William, and Leslie, and her sisters, Fern and Elizabeth.

Accidents reported

County jail

Criminal division

Deeds recorded

Domestic dvision

Traffic division

Ethan Frantz takes skills to state fair

Earlier this summer, Ethan Frantz of rural Hillsboro put an appropriate final touch on a quarter-century of his family’s status as competitors in the swine showmanship competition at the Marion County Fair. In his final year competing, Frantz won his eighth consecutive grand championship, 25 years after older brother Nolan first entered the competition.

Deadline is Sept. 1 for some crops

The deadline to apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program is Sept. 1 for certain crops. Those crops include aquaculture, canola, Christmas trees, spelz, turf grass and sod, and all small grain crops harvested by grazing or for forage.

FSA extends grazing, CRP hay usage

The Federal Farm Service Agency is permitting farmers and ranchers in the drought stricken states of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to extend the emergency grazing period, from Sept. 30 to Oct. 31, without an additional payment reduction. Emergency haying of Conservation Reserve Program acreage was approved through Aug. 31 for Butler, Chase, and Marion counties. Participants must leave 50 percent of each field.

Soybeans, milo recover with rain

For now, Kansas State Research and Extension agent Rickey Roberts has switched out of crisis mode, subduing his nerves about the state of Marion County crops. “As bad as July was, August has started out great,” Roberts said. “It gives us some reason for some hope; it’s been a Godsend.”

Replacing signs a major task, expense

There are about 1,000 road intersections that Marion County is responsible for marking with signs, and the county will eventually have to replace all of the signs with larger ones, Traffic Sign Supervisor Dennis Maggard told the county commission on Thursday. A change in federal regulations will require road name signs to have letters 6 inches tall. County signs currently have 4-inch letters.

Tampa City Council

Mayor Tim Svoboda reported to the Tampa City Council Aug. 1 that he had attended a County Commission meeting but received no satisfactory answers to questions about roads leading to Tampa. The commission said there were complications in obtaining materials to chip and seal the Tampa-Lost Springs road, and no decisions have been made about the road from Tampa to Highway 15. The only other issue considered at the meeting was the refrigerator at the senior center, which has broken down several times and is no longer working. After some discussion, the council decided to buy a new refrigerator.

A secret topic

Marion County’s knee-jerk decision to switch from plain English to convoluted codes when dispatching ambulances is the latest example of how government responds when citizens attempt to look over its shoulder. Fearing scrutiny by those who pay the bills, government increasingly resorts to secrecy — a tactic more characteristic of totalitarianism than democracy.

Another Day in the Country

My 4-year-old grandson thinks that coming to Kansas is just as exciting as visiting Disneyland in California. His 40-year-old mother does not exactly share his opinion. While she enjoys coming to Ramona to visit us, she’s a little skeptical about the things that Kansas offers in the summertime. First of all, Jana hates chiggers — those little infinitesimal red bugs that raise such havoc with her sensitive skin. While chiggers have decided to ignore me to the point that I don’t even register their existence any more, they hone in on Jana like a bomber landing on the Mother Ship.

Hope in the Heartland

I’ve never seen so many people in my life. I heard my dad tell my mom that there were five thousand men who brought their families out here. Lots of sick people came to see this miracle worker. People are getting very excited and saying that this man is talking to everyone who comes to him and is healing them too! I’ll bet this is a day that we will remember for the rest of our lives. The family that lives next door to us had been very sad because their new baby was born sick and no one has been able help her until this man healed her. And now her parents are dancing and laughing. It really makes me feel good inside. I am so happy for them.

LETTERS:

Volunteers keep community garden alive

Phoebe Janzen and Janice Waner have had to overcome many obstacles to coax the Florence community garden to produce any vegetables or fruit. The Florence Historical Society donated the lot across from the Harvey House at Marion and Second streets to the project. Once a spot for a house 100, the lot had been overcome by alfalfa and filled with rocks.

Algae levels decrease, but advisory remains

Samples of water taken Aug. 8 from Marion County Lake show blue-green algae concentrations continuing to decline, but a health advisory for the lake remains in effect, Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Thursday. A sample taken at the boat ramp by the dam showed a 40 percent decline in algae concentration compared with July 25. A sample taken at the swimming beach showed an 11 percent decline.

Statue of liberty from unlikely character

Sometimes the background players in a place’s history can be forgotten; a person who was influential in the construction or revitalization of something yet did not try to be instrumental can fade from memories. One of these people in Ramona’s history is Horace Shaw. He never lived in the community but he played a key role in shaping it.

Doctor getting acclimated in community

As he prepared to take time off for training and to spend time with his children, Dr. Richard Brown said he has enjoyed his first few months seeing patients at St. Luke Physician Clinic in Marion. Brown’s first experience with Marion came in 2006, when he filled in for other physicians who were attending a conference for a week.

Schmidtberger grandson engaged

Patrick and Lori Loney of Derby announce the engagement of their son, Jeremy Ryan to Jessica Marie Johnson, daughter of Kent and Margie Johnson of Derby. Jeremy is a 2003 graduate of Kapaun Mount Carmel High School and is employed by Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. in Wichita. He is completing his degree at Wichita State University.

McFarland, Wituk complete course

Massage therapists Carolan McFarland and Carol Wituk of St. Luke Integrated Health Care have completed a continuing education course on myofascial release, instructed by Dr. Sandy Lane from Kansas City. The technique includes skills in dealing with chronic pain, myofascial dysfunction, and postural distortion biomechanics. Myofascial techniques can be integrated successfully with physician referrals, chiropractic care, and physical therapy treatments.

Cousins gather for J.E. Plett reunion

Descendants of the late J.E. and Mary Plett met for a cousins’ reunion Aug. 5 through 7 at Cross Wind Conference Center. It was the first reunion since J.E.’s death in 1981. Attending from Kansas were Roger and MaryAlice Hiebert, Marion; Jerry and Rowena Plett, Lincolnville; Willis and Joan Duerksen, Newton; Lawrence and Roberta Foth, Topeka; Ruth Friesen, Wichita; John and Pat Plett, Cathy Plett, and Travis and Anna Plett, Andover; Tim and Patti Plett, Cassoday; Mike and Jeanne Plett, Ellsworth; Jeff and Liz Harms, Hillsboro; and Brian and Anna Kleinsasser, Kansas City.

Rezniceks plan reunion

Descendants of Thomas and Antonia (Pallas) Reznicek are invited to a reunion Aug. 28. The reunion is planned around a visit to Marion by Paul Reznicek of Colorado.

Hannaford elected president of state association

Hannaford Abstract & Title Company, Inc. President Roger W. Hannaford III was elected president of the Kansas Land Title Association. Hannaford is the fourth generation of family members to serve as president of the company. He began work as a licensed abstractor and title insurance agent in 1980.

Hajek family holds reunion

The descendants of Frank and Frances Pallas Hajek gathered for a family reunion Aug. 6 at Marion County Lake. About 75 members of the Frank J. Hajek, Stanley Hajek, Raymond Hajek, and Martha Hajek Chizek families were represented.

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MEMORIES:

Centre High School hires new ag teacher

Mark Hager, the new ag teacher at Centre High School, is a latecomer to the academic field. He fulfilled his dream of becoming a teacher six years ago at the age of 34. Hager replaces longtime teacher Cary Granzow, who retired last spring.

Teachers change positions at MES, MMS

There will be a pair of familiar faces in new positions at Marion Elementary School and Marion Middle School this year. After one year teaching fifth grade at MES, Jona Neufeld will be teaching English at MMS.

Centre approves intercom bid

The Centre USD board of education met in special session Tuesday at the district office. The meeting was necessitated when the board was informed that the bid they had accepted for a new intercom system did not include installation, which, when included, was higher than the next lowest bid.

Centre facilities receive a makeover

Centre USD students and staff are returning this week to school facilities with many changes. Teachers reported to work Monday, and students will be returning tomorrow. The first thing they will see is a resurfaced parking lot. Plans are to number each parking space. Each student who drives and each staff member will have an assigned parking space.

Local students on BCC honor rolls

Butler Community College announced its honor rolls for the spring 2011 semester Friday. Students on the President’s Honor Roll earned a 4.0 grade point average. Students on the Dean’s Honor Roll earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. President’s Honor Roll (4.0 GPA) Burns Lucas Hadley Rebecca Spinden Matthew Wedel Florence Treva Janzen Lincolnville Holly Stenfors Marion Andrew Kelsey Peabody Caden Middleton Kendall Wiebe Dean’s Honor Roll (3.5 GPA) Burns Denise Percival Marion Victoria Buckner Matthew Fine EmmaLee Hett

Congregation prepares school for children

For nearly 30 years, members of Morning Star Church have gathered late in the summer to clean up the school their church founded near Durham to prepare it for the coming school year. Everyone in the congregation takes responsibility for keeping Cottonwood Grove Christian School up and running, school board member Ken Giesbrecht said.

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