Marion County RECORD

Commission finds no easy solution to road sign issues

Dennis Maggard presented a prototype to Marion County Commission on Monday showing how Road and Bridge Department could mount road name signs vertically to keep some of the larger signs from twisting in strong winds. The commission previously had requested Maggard, sign foreman for Road and Bridge Department, look into the idea of mounting signs vertically.

Guilty plea means prison in child's death

On Nov. 3, the question of whether or not Chad Carr would be found guilty in the March 27, 2010 death of 19-month old Vincent Hill in North Newton, was answered. Carr agreed to plead guilty to a charge of second-degree murder in the toddler’s death in a plea agreement that will see him serve about 20 years in prison. The agreement also resulted in Carr pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated battery and one count of child abuse.

Air Force retiree to raise flag over MES

Amy Woods could have chosen any place to raise her American flag for her military retirement. The 22 years she spent working in the Air Force earned her the right to fly it over the Pentagon or the White House.

Family sold on 'slow food,' raises turkeys

Josh and Alisha Weiser moved to a rural Marion county farm near Goessel seven years ago, with the dream of creating a sustainable existence for their family of six. In the past five years, farm-raised turkeys have played an important role in their slow food quest. “We just like to know where our food comes from, what is in it, how it’s been raised,” Alisha Weiser said. “We don’t do it to make a big profit, but we like things here to be self-sustaining and to pay their own way.”

Florence man harvests hardwood trees

Leonard Ellis, 71, of Florence has dedicated his life to black walnut trees, or at least the vast majority of the second half of it. His admiration for timber came through as he described a veneer walnut log he harvested.

Students will demonstrate talents on stage

During the slight pause between fall and winter sports seasons, Marion County high schools will feature their acting talents in the next couple of weeks, as each school takes to the stage for a play or musical. Marion High School

William Berry

William Rex “Bill” Berry II, 70, of Canon City, Colo., died Oct. 26, 2011, at Friendship House in Canon City. He was born May 20, 1941, in Valley Center to Rex and Mardell (Danner) Berry.

Elisa E. Engel

Elisa E. Engel, 64, died Nov. 5, 2011, at Kingman Community Hospital. She was born Jan. 20, 1947, in Marion to Louis Jack and Evelyn Fay Russell Engel. She was an elementary school teacher, a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honor society for women teachers, and a Christian.

William J. Nelsen

The Rev. William J. Nelsen, 95, died Nov. 2, 2011, at The Cedars Retirement Community in McPherson. He was born Feb. 29, 1916, in St. Paul, Minn., to William and Louise Fehr Nelsen. He married Marjory Gregory on Sept. 7, 1946. She preceded him in death, along with a son, David, and siblings Theodore Nelsen and Lorraine Boynton.

Criminal division cases

Civil division cases

County jail arrests and bookings

Accidents reported

Offenses reported

Emergency dispatches

Fish wins national title in meat judging

Jacob Fish of Hillsboro recently won the individual overall national champion title at the 29th Annual Cargill Meat Solutions High Plains Intercollegiate Meat Judging Contest in Plainview, Texas. He competed with the Garden City Community College meats judging team, which finished as reserve national champions at the same venue. More than 100 students from 21 colleges participated in the competition.

Let them eat spam

Say what you want about state government. We may be going broke, taxing ourselves to death, cutting vital support for higher education, lowering standards for local education, and watching our roads crumble before our eyes, but we sure have public relations down to an art. Within a 24-hour period last week, our governor managed to free up enough staff time, which otherwise could have been devoted to these and other problems, to breathlessly announce, in a series of separate e-mails, each of which we received multiple copies of:

The show must go on

This month, Marion County high school students are taking the stage for a variety of plays and musicals. This weekend includes “Cinderella” at Marion, “Hello, Dolly!” at Peabody-Burns, and “The Three Musketeers” at Goessel. Hillsboro will present “Once Upon a Mattress” next weekend, and the Tuesday after that, Centre will show “Fools.” This is my fourth year of going to rehearsals all around the county to preview the plays. In fact, one of my first big projects here was previewing the plays in the fall of 2008. I’ve probably seen seven school plays in my time here, and I’ve never been disappointed. It is great seeing how much improvement cast members make between the time I’m at rehearsals and when the curtains part on opening night.

Flying with the Thirsty 13th

Friday afternoon, in the skies over north Texas, I slid into the co-pilot seat of a C-47 transport like the ones my Dad flew in the South Pacific in World War II, in a seat where he once sat. In the pilot seat was one of his fellow pilots from the 13th Troop Carrier Squadron, Wellington Goddin, at the controls again 66 years after the last time he flew a C-47 for the “Thirsty 13th.”

Running into the hearts of Marion

When Adam Stewart asked me to write a column for the newspaper, I was excited and said, “Yes!” Then came the process of actually writing a column. It’s not nearly as easy as it appeared it might be.

What's in a name?

The day it rained all day and a cold wind blew in from the north threatening snow, Mary, my hen whom you may recall tried immaculate conception and thanks to me, became the ‘mother’ of five nondescript chicks with eggs borrowed from the neighbors, wouldn’t let those now-grown-chicks into the chicken house. Her chicks stood liked disgruntled teenagers, heads hanging down, in the rain — all day! Only Aunt Sue was allowed into the house with Mary. You can see, that chicken is definitely not a saint. I was so mad at her that I threatened to change her name to something less noble. My sister came for lunch and could hardly eat because she was so distraught at the view from my window: drizzling rain, cold wind, five chickens like wet mops forlornly clumped outside. “You’ve got to do something,” Jess said.

Earthquake excitement

The cats scampered under the couch, the dog whined, the window blinds rattled, the bed jiggled back and forth, the bathroom door vibrated — it was unnerving — and then exciting! At 10:53 p.m. Saturday, we had just crawled in from a daylong trip to the Kansas City area. Not more than five minutes after family members sprawled on the couches and bed, things started getting weird. I had no idea what was happening. However, it did not take us long to figure out we had just experienced our first earthquake.

An early start to Thanksgiving

Stores are taking down the racks of Halloween costumes, replacing them with Christmas decorations. Bins of unsold candy are giving way to musical ornaments. But hold the reindeer!

Ambulance service on pace for record-breaking year

With two months remaining in the year, Marion County Emergency Medical Service is 88 percent of the way to its busiest year on record, Director Steve Smith told Marion County Commission on Monday. “We’ve probably got a record-setting year for calls coming in,” he said.

Medical student training with Marion doctor

Fernand Samson, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, is receiving hands-on clinical training from Dr. Don Hodson at Marion Family Physicians. Samson began work with Hodson Oct. 24 and will remain through Nov. 19. The training is part of the School of Medicine’s required rural preceptorship program.

Exhibitors at textile show eager to repeat

The first annual Marion County Textile Trunk Show Saturday and Sunday in Marion was deemed a success by organizers Jeanine Thomas, Jan Davis, and Marion County Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman. At least 17 vendors had displays and many were planning to return next year. Huffman said several offered to help with organizing and marketing the 2012 event.

Blood drive is Friday

There will be a blood drive 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Friday in the Marion Middle School gym. The goal of the drive is 80 units of blood donated. To schedule and appointment, call Janice Waner at (620) 382-2168.

Wesner ordained, church service Nov. 20

Josh Wesner, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Marion, recently fulfilled the requirements for ordination by the North American Baptist Conference. An ordination service will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the church, 229 Walnut Street. Wesner has been pastor since 2005. He and his wife, Lisa, are parents of three children: Abby, Kenna, and Isaac.

Veterans Day event will honor Kapaun

St. John Nepomucene Church, Holy Family Parish, Pilsen, will have a Veterans Day Mass at 11 a.m. Friday. A wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Father Emil Kapaun statue after Mass. Additionally, Father Kapaun Guild will begin having monthly Masses to pray for the beatification and canonization of Kapaun. The first was Nov. 2 at Spiritual Life Center in Wichita.

MHS grads exchange vows in candlelight ceremony

Jill Elizabeth Hannaford and Joel Douglas Versch married on July 16, 2011, in a candlelight ceremony at First United Methodist Church in Manhattan. The Rev. Jeremiah Lange of Marion and the Rev. Andy Hargrove of Manhattan officiated the wedding.

Hajeks to celebrate 40th wedding anniversary

Paul and RaeLene (Begnoche) Hajek of Lost Springs will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011. They were married at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Miltonvale.

Waners to celebrate 60th anniversary

Vernon and Henrietta (Stika) Waner will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday with a come-and-go reception at the Marion VFW Post, 420 W. Santa Fe St. Vernon and Henrietta were married Nov. 14, 1951, at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Pilsen.

Bina granddaughter wins cross-country race

Shania Ford, daughter of Eule and Angela (Bina) Ford of Linden, Texas won the No. 17 AA Junior High School cross-country meet Oct. 22 in Mount Pleasant Texas. Shania is a seventh grader at Linden and won with a time of 13 minutes, 49 seconds on the two-mile course.

4-H-er wins award in dog show

Cassidy Hill, daughter of Kevin and Teresa Hill, of rural Marion, competed in the Johnson County 4-H Dog Show at the American Royal Building in Kansas City. She is a member of the Tampa Triple T’s 4-H club. Cassidy and her dog Cheyenne earned purple ribbons in Intermediate Showmanship Saturday and Agility I off-lead Sunday.

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Marion scholars end Sedgwick meet 3-6

Marion High School competed in the varsity scholars’ bowl meet Thursday at Sedgwick High School. The team finished with a record of 3-6. The Warriors defeated Great Bend, 20-0, Garden Plain, 50-20, and Valley Center, 50-30.

Honor roll released for Marion high and middle schools

WWII veteran survived fire fight, POW camp, and escape

Leo Scharenberg, formerly of Cedar Point, now lives with his wife Dorothy in a house at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro. At 90, Scharenberg is sick and frail. He does not move well and his vocal capacity has been limited.

Goessel resident bakes traditional treats on request

Lois Janzen, age 79, of Goessel, has baked pies, zwieback, turnovers, verenika, and new year’s cookies for business meetings, church functions, farmer’s markets, and family gatherings, for over 62 years. “I’ve always enjoyed baking,” Janzen said. “Once, someone asked me if I ever say no. But why should I? It occupies my time and there really isn’t anything I would rather be doing than baking.”

Drivers Safety Program offered to veterans

The American Association of Retired Persons is offering a Drivers Safety Program free to all veterans during the month of November. The Marion VFW Post and Richard Riemer will offer the class between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Nov. 19 for all veterans residing in the Marion County area. The post is located at 420 W. Santa Fe. Parking is available.

Dance teacher wants students to have fun while learning basics

The 7- and 8-year-old dancers in Lana Miller’s Monday class worked on their hip-hop dance routine as Ke$ha played in the background. As the girls strutted to the middle of the hardwood floor, Miller asked them to walk with more attitude. When there was a jump stop in the performance, she asked the girls to hit the floor demonstratively.

MHS football meets expectations

Blowout football games? They had it. Nailbiters? Check. Heartbreaking losses? Yes. Great plays to be talked about for years? Absolutely. Just about anything a football fan could ask for, save for a playoff run, was part of the Marion High School football season that ended with a 5-4 record and a disappointing loss to rival Hillsboro that shut the Warriors out of postseason play.

Warrior cross-country team achieves most season goals

It’s natural for a new coach to have high expectations for his or her athletes, but following in the footsteps of a successful coach carries its own expectations, as first-year Marion High School cross-country coach Rebecca Hofer found out this fall. “I felt quite a bit of pressure before the season started, because the boys team made it to state last year under coach (Bethany) Carlson,” Hofer said. “I was really hoping that the change in coaching wouldn’t affect the team in a negative way. I had hopes for state as a team again this year, however, overall, I just wanted all the runners to improve.”

Marion volleyball looks to improve defensive skills for 2012 season

Marion High School head volleyball coach Jim Versch knew the Lady Warriors’ second year in the competitive Heart of America league would be challenging, a fact the team’s 13-21 record this season bears out. “I knew it was going to be a competitive year,” Versch said. “Overall we had some teams ranked throughout the season, and I think it’s been a pretty strong league for volleyball historically.”

Gordon named all-league player

The Heart of America League announced volleyball all-league teams selections Friday, and Marion High School senior Whitney Gordon was among the eight players named to the first team. Other first-team all-league selections were seniors Jessi Green of Remington, Ashley Zrubek of Trinity Catholic, MaKayla Ladwig of Berean Academy, Alyson Bressie of Canton-Galva, and Quin Tillotoson of Remington; junior Emily Bebermeyer of Sedgwick; and sophomore Aubrey Wilson of Ell-Saline.

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