Marion County RECORD

Heitschmidt, Adkins, Kline win election

Todd Heitschmidt won the race for Marion mayor Tuesday, defeating incumbent Mary Olson 329-187. Steve Unruh finished in third place with 29 votes. Chad Adkins was the leading vote-getter for two open council positions with 319. Incumbent Jerry Kline was re-elected with 219 votes, finishing ahead of Melissa Mermis, 178; Duane McCarty, 170; and David Mayfield, 87.

Mayor delays city clerk appointment

Disagreement over selection procedures has delayed appointment of a new city clerk for Marion until after Tuesday’s election. “I am not going to be appointing him at this next meeting,” Mayor Mary Olson said Monday. “I’m not going to do that before the election; we agreed to that.”

City elections will be Tuesday

Historic Elgin Hotel listed for sale

One of Marion’s most revered landmarks, the Historic Elgin Hotel, is for sale. The property is listed with J.P. Weigand & Sons Realtors of Wichita. Owners Jim and Nancy Cloutier bought the Elgin in 2006 when it was an apartment building. They restored it to its 1870s glory, converting the first and second floors into a bed and breakfast and the third floor into their family residence.

6 towns battle 16-mile-wide pasture blaze and other fires

Multiple controlled pasture fires — including one that grew as large as 16 miles wide — raged out of control this past week as multiple fire departments were required on at least two occasions. The largest fire, near where Marion, Chase, and Morris counties meet, required the combined efforts of six fire departments Thursday.

Reopened restaurant runs out of food

After months of being closed to remodel, the Wagon Wheel Express restaurant reopened this past week to serve a pack of hungry customers. Owners Keith and Sherry Hess thought they had bought enough food to last four days after receiving two large shipments days before opening, but they were wrong.

Chingawassa picks contemporary country duo to headline

Chingawassa Days is continuing its trend toward attracting more contemporary acts for its headline show with Love and Theft as the main act for 2014, the committee announced Monday. Love and Theft is a country duo, formerly a trio, formed in 2006 in Nashville composed of members Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles. Their first album, 2009’s

Bathrooms, stage would replace gazebo

A new plan to combine park restrooms with a stage that would also include a memorial wall as a backdrop was discussed by Pride Committee members on Thursday at Marion City Library when City Administrator Roger Holter visited. If approved by city officials, the finished structure would be behind where the current gazebo now stands, Holter said. The gazebo would be removed, allowing the stage and memorial wall to become a focal point of the park.

Marion council discusses how to stay on budget

Marion city is on pace to exceed its budget authority for the year, and the City Council met March 19 in a work session to discuss how to prevent that. As it stands, the city is projected to be short about $152,000 in the general fund by the end of the budget year.

Subway may open by end of April

Although it seems like the Carlsons have a lot of work left to do before the restaurant’s grand opening, diners could be able to feast on sandwiches at the new Subway in Marion by the end of April if all goes according to plan. “The tentative opening date is April 23,” Linda Carlson said Monday. “But we still have to install all of the décor. We ordered it today and should receive it in two weeks. It should take about one week to install it all once it gets here.”

Whooping cranes spotted near Aulne

Those traveling down Quail Creek Rd. near 140th Rd. may have noticed some large strange looking white birds. Those who noticed the birds for what they were could not get home to get their cameras fast enough. There are only around 600 wild whooping cranes according to Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, nine of which stayed to rest in a disked milo field near Aulne. The landowner, Eugene Just, had sowed oats in the field.

Ace expects to open mid-May

Marion Ace Hardware owner Kent Carmichael and Ulysses store manager Larry Altis spoke to and answered questions from Marion Chamber of Commerce members Friday about merchandise they plan to offer once the store opens. “We plan to open the middle of May,” Altis said. “If not then, then at least by Memorial Day weekend. We are not afraid to work.”

City back in talks with company that had misunderstood zoning regulations

Marion is back in talks with a company that previously passed over the city as a potential site for a new store because of a misreading of zoning regulations, city administrator Roger Holter said Tuesday. Specifically, the company’s site selector misread rules for outdoor merchandise displays and illuminated signs, he said. The site selector thought that the rules prohibited such things throughout town, while in fact they only apply on Main St. between Elm and Walnut Sts.

High winds change burn ban

Marion Fire Chief Mike Regnier ignited a discussion about changing the parameters of the county’s burn ban protocol Monday when he met with county commissioners. Because of controlled burns that had gotten out of control from Thursday through the weekend, Regnier notified commissioners that the majority of fire chiefs within the county were in favor of a ban. He said dry weather and changing of wind direction has led to many of the recent fires.

Wandering skunks seen in park

Marion Police Chief Tyler Mermis said there have been multiple skunk sightings around town, but residents should not be alarmed. “If people see them during the day they call sometimes,” he said. “We check them out in case they’re rabid.”

Couple preparing for mission to Czech Republic

Justin and Brooke (Johnson) Lenhardt of Marion are preparing for a mission trip to the Czech Republic and will give a presentation April 6 about past mission trips to the Central European country. Brooke, a 2010 Marion High School graduate, went on a mission to the Czech Republic in the summer of 2011 with Josiah Venture, an organization that focuses its mission efforts on Central and Eastern Europe.

Beverly Goering

Beverly Ann (Benson) Goering, 76, of Galva died March 10. A celebration of life service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Eastmoor United Methodist Church in Marion. A private burial service was at Lone Star Cemetery of Pretty Prairie.

Adolph Holub

Adolph Mathias “Ed” Holub, 73, of Wamego died March 17 at Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka after a brief illness. He was born July 4, 1940, in Marion to Louis and Mary (Tajchman) Holub. He was raised on the family farm near Tampa. When he was 9, he was stricken with polio, which left him wheelchair dependent.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County Jail arrests and bookings

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Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Marriage licenses issued

Offenses reported

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Traffic division cases

Olson, Heitschmidt or none of the above

It’s obvious, even to someone who spends eight months of the year 551 miles away, that there long has been a concerted effort — well beyond normal electioneering — to unseat Marion Mayor Mary Olson. In many regards, next week’s election isn’t so much a battle between Olson and Councilman Todd Heitschmidt, with dark horse Steve Unruh thrown in to liven things up, as it is a battle between pro- and anti-Olson forces.

Fire conditions require faster action

I’m watching snow fall outside my office as I write this, just a couple hours after listening to emergency dispatches about large grass fires that took multiple fire departments to extinguish, then had to be re-extinguished after being reignited by a single hot spot, and I’m glad to hear the county is trying to devise a better system for limiting burning when conditions are ripe for fires to get out of control. Currently, when a farmer, rancher, or road and bridge crew wants to have a controlled burn, they are supposed to call the county communications office to notify the county — notify, not ask if fires are allowed. Dispatchers can let callers know that there is a fire weather warning if conditions are dry and windy, but they can’t stop someone from burning unless the county commission has approved a burn ban ordinance.

A tale of two cities

Being greeted by snowflakes upon arriving here for spring break was hardly the most auspicious sign that luck hasn’t changed much since my house fire in October. In an attempt to avoid a lesson in cultural immersion and quarter counting at a coin laundry in Illinois, I eschewed packing and instead hauled several weeks of soiled clothes with me.

City's peculiar structure adds to squabbles

Marion’s city government is unusual, and I’m not talking about the people involved but the structure of the government itself. Many cities have a mayor-council form of government, but not many have it structured quite the way Marion does. Many people mistake Marion’s government structure for being like a school board, where there is an elected school board with a presiding officer and a hired, professional superintendent — in this metaphor the council would be the school board, the mayor would be the council president, and the city administrator would be the superintendent.

IN MY OPINION:

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: MAYORAL CANDIDATES SHARE THEIR VISIONS FOR TOWN:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Legion member gets 60-year certificate

William G. Higgins of Marion recently was awarded a certificate recognizing him for 60 years of membership and service in the American Legion. He served in the Navy during World War II and is a current member of James William Miesse American Legion Post in Marion. Post Cmdr. Richard Soyez presented the certificate to Higgins at a meeting March 3.

Coach tells Kiwanis about wrestling

Marion High School wrestling coach Chad Adkins spoke to Marion Kiwanis Club on Tuesday. When he moved to Marion about 15 years ago — planning for it to be just a one-year stop — wrestling was a new sport in town, but over the years it has grown by leaps and bounds. This year the team won a regional championship and finished in the top 15 percent at the state tournament. Adkins said he expects next year will be another strong season for the team. Adkins is also running for Marion City Council.

Hank Collett engaged

Gary and Karen Nelson of Lincoln and Keith and Anne Collett of Chapman announce the engagement of their children, Sara Nelson and Hank Collett. The bride elect is a 2008 graduate of Smoky Valley High School in Lindsborg. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 2011 with a degree in exercise science and is currently a student in the physical therapy program at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Democratic Women collecting tuna

Marion County Democratic Women will meet at noon Friday at Marion Senior Center. Members are asked to bring canned tuna for the Marion County Emergency Food Bank.

MARION SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

Cadettes working with food bank

Girl Scout Cadette Troop 30061 of Marion is working with Marion County Emergency Food Bank for their Silver Award, the highest award available to Cadette scouts. Last week they volunteered at the food bank, helping stock shelves and learning from other volunteers what items the food bank tends to run short of. The volunteers said the food bank could use more pasta, cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, pancake mix, and syrup.

Concert to raise money for destroyed orphanage

Two worship bands are coming to Marion to rock the sanctuary and help raise money and awareness for an orphanage that burned in September 2013 and left a number of orphans not only without parents but also without a home. Worship bands Road 23 and Glenn Park Worship Arts will be donating their time and musical talent for the fundraising event, “Worship to Build.”

Spring play to be this weekend

Humor contributes to health?

As part of Tabor College’s Lifelong Learning program Friday, Al Schmidt, a behavioral educator at Via Christi, will show attendees how humor contributes to good health. Schmidt and Tabor director of alumni Marlene Fast will play guitar and keyboard as part of the program. It will begin at 9:45 a.m. in Wohlgemuth Music Education Center.

Screenings offered in Lincolnville

Free screening for children birth through 5 years old will be from 12:30 to 3 p.m. April 8 at Lincolnville Community Building. The screenings will test development in learning, motor, language and social areas. Vision and hearing will also be screened. Screenings usually take an hour and an appointment is required. To make an appointment call (620) 382-2858.

Tabor to present 'Glass Menagerie'

Tabor College students will present a production of “The Glass Menagerie” at 7 p.m. April 10 through 12, and 2 p.m. April 13 in the Lab Theater in the H.W. Lohrenz Building. General admission is $6 or $4 for students. To reserve tickets contact Kaylene Unruh at (620) 947-3121 ext. 1033 or e-mail her at kayleneu@tabor.edu.

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