Marion County RECORD

Mystery solved: Wal-Mart coming to Hillsboro

After months of speculation, Wal-Mart officially announced it would be opening a Neighborhood Market in Hillsboro, set to open in spring 2015. The store will feature a grocery, pharmacy, a fueling station, and “select household items,” according to the Wal-Mart press release.

Marion High in top rankings of US high schools

Marion High School received notification last week that it was one of only six Kansas high schools to make Newsweek magazine’s list of the top high schools in America. Principal Tod Gordon received the news and wanted to be certain of what he was seeing before he told anyone.

County comes to aid of child advocacy center

When county commissioners learned Monday of the dire financial plight threatening closure of a program that works with child sexual abuse cases, they reacted swiftly, approving $2,500 to help the program stay afloat. “Can we get them a check today?” asked commissioner Dan Holub. “They’re obviously in dire need.”

Origin of porcupine sighting?

A “mellow” porcupine spotted in a cedar tree Sept. 5 southeast of Aulne may well be the same prickly creature Peabody veterinarian Virginia Skinner transported to her office and gave sanctuary over Labor Day weekend. Skinner was drawn into the story when Dr. Paul Friesen, a friend and colleague of hers, called to consult about the appropriate dosage of telazol — a drug vets use to anesthetize animals.

Train can't keep Janzens from auction

Phoebe and Steve Janzen planned to arrive early for the “Crushing Cancer” benefit auction Saturday morning in Marion. “I went out there at 7:30 because I planned to be there at 7:45 to help,” Phoebe Janzen said.

Missionaries return after 4 years in Africa

God was calling. It was an undeniably big feeling, something swelling up inside, impossible to ignore that insisted on a life-changing response and a pull from the norm. Feeling a divine inspiration, Holdeman Mennonites Tim and Shelia Koehn transplanted their Durham family 9,000 miles over the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, where they traded a comfortable Midwestern life to do missionary work in Murombedzi, a small town in the impoverished district of Zimbabwe.

Valley United Methodist Church to celebrate 145 years

Marion’s oldest congregation and second oldest church will celebrate its 145th anniversary Old Settlers’ weekend with a “homecoming event” for present and former members and friends. What today is known as Valley United Methodist Church was established in 1869, nine years after the town’s first settlers arrived, as the Methodist Class.

POWs, MIAs remembered

Friday is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. It is a special day set aside to recognize all those still missing and unaccounted for from all wars. It’s been almost 50 years since Deanna Klenda’s brother, Major Dean A. Klenda, went missing in Vietnam as a fighter pilot on Sept. 17, 1965. Numerous excavations have been made to find his remains. Another is scheduled for October through December.

MHS Classes plan Old Settlers' reunions

Class of 1984 The Marion High School class of 1984 will celebrate their 30th reunion on Old Settlers’ Day weekend, Sept. 26th and 27th.

County 4-H members do well at state fair

Many 4-H members from Marion County received blue and purple ribbons at the Kansas State Fair. Listed in alphabetical order by last name are those who won the prized purple. Addie, Berens: clothing exhibitor; demonstration or illustrated talk; food product.

Marion schedules vision summit

In a relatively brief city council meeting, Marion councilman Chad Adkins presented an idea that harkens back to the ideals political campaigns are made of. “When I got elected, we talked a lot about vision, where we want to see Marion, all those kinds of things,” Adkins told council members Monday. “You get into the schedule of meetings, there’s no time to talk about what that vision is.”

EMT training class begins

Tuesday marked the first day of county EMT training. The course will meet 7 to 10 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at the Hillsboro City Building until May. EMS director JoAnn Knak said 15 pre-registered for the class, and that number is likely to fluctuate based on late additions or cancellations.

Theodora Hansen

Theodora “Sue” Hansen, 71, of Medicine Lodge, died Saturday, at Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital. She was born Nov. 15, 1942 in San Antonio, Texas, the daughter of Theodore James Ellis and Leona (Maltbie) Ellis. On May 13, 1967, she married Francis R. Hansen in Florence.

Jack R. Kerbs

Jack R. Kerbs, 84, passed away Sept. 15, 2014, at Marion Assisted Living, Marion, Kansas. He was born July 8, 1930, at Ft. Collins, Colorado, the son of Fred and Elizabeth (Vogel) Kerbs. He was a 1948 graduate of Durham High School. On July 12, 1950, he was united in marriage to Treva Mae Kelsey. For twenty years they made their home in Durham, moving to the Marion area in 1970. He was a retired Maintenance Supervisor for KDOT for nearly 44 years, and along with his family provided foster care for approximately 20 children over 16 years.

Marilyn Montgomery

Former Centre school district clerk Marilyn L. Montgomery, 83, of Lincolnville, died Thursday at Wesley Medical Center. She was born near Lost Springs on Oct. 14, 1930, the daughter of Chris and Emma (Herbel) Deines. On June 27, 1953, she was married to Merrill “Monty” Montgomery.

Gertrude Ray

Piedmont area native, rancher’s wife, and former high school teacher Gertrude W. Ray, 91, died Friday at St. Luke Living Center in Marion. Services were Monday at the Valley United Methodist Church in Marion followed by a committal service at Piedmont Cemetery.

Esther J. Stucky

Esther J. Stucky, 87, a lifelong resident of the Peabody and Burns area, died at Elm Haven East in Parsons, Kansas at 2:30 a.m., Monday, Sept. 15, 2014. She had been in failing health. Esther was born near Peabody on July 17, 1927 to Harry and Olga (Zleh) Hess.

Accidents reported

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Criminal division

County jail

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Marriage licenses

Offenses reported

Police reports

Traffic division

Old Settlers' Day honors heroes

The 103rd edition of Marion’s Old Settlers’ Day on Saturday, Sept. 27 will give a nod to military veterans and emergency responders with the theme “Marion Heroes, Past and Present.” Marion Kiwanis Club sponsors the annual event, and chairman Macky Taylor said the grand marshals will be heroes.

Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair

In the dawn air of the Colorado high country, Van Martin scours the timberline, looking for branches of dead trees older than history. He looks at the bristlecone pine wood and sees eagles, bears, wolves. “I have to see it in the wood before I’ll do it,” Martin said of his work. “I have to see the flows and the forms.”

Lake activities bring people, dollars to county

Marion County Park and Lake Superintendent Steve Hudson isn’t only a caretaker of the facility, he’s a salesman. “It’s a hidden gem out here,” Hudson said. “We need to really promote our lake. My goal is to try to bring out-of-county revenue into the county.”

Tours available of Pilsen church and museum

Groups and individuals from Marion County are invited to take a tour of the Father Emil Kapaun Museum and St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church at Pilsen. Kapaun is a candidate for beatification by the Roman Catholic Church. The museum has displays related to Kapaun and his service as a priest and an Army chaplain in a North Korean prisoner-of-war camp. Books, CDs, and other items about Kapaun are available for purchase.

Women rope for national berth

One by one, teams of four women on horseback entered the rodeo arena Saturday at Marion County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro, vying for a spot in the Women’s Ranch Rodeo Association national finals. Six teams from Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas competed. As riders exited the arena, they offered encouragement to competitors entering the ring. Such things are common among WRRA riders, who compete from February through September for a shot at the October finals in Loveland, Colorado.

Lincolnville's Octoberfest goes hillbilly

Octoberfest is a German tradition, but it will get a hillbilly twist for Lincolnville’s 38th annual Octoberfest on Oct. 4. Hillbilly golf is a new addition to the festival. It is played using bolas tossed at ladders with three rungs. A bola is a two-foot-long rope with golf-ball-sized balls attached to each end.

Longtime volunteers still in service at Lincolnville

Lester and Barbara Kaiser have been involved in Lincolnville’s city festival almost every year since it began 28 years ago. Back then, it was sponsored by Tiemeier’s Store, and all activities took place on Main Street. It featured a parade, rube band, Alex Stuchlik Band, and country singers. The city later took over the annual event, and activities eventually were moved to the park.

An outsider's perspective on the new Wal-Mart

Hi again, it’s me, the 22-year-old degree-toting outsider who moved here despite knowing nobody because I saw an opportunity in this community. You know, like the archetypical person Marion County is looking to attract. News broke this week that the Hillsboro mystery business is a Wal-Mart. That it’s Wal-Mart as opposed to, say, Dillon’s or Love’s, is of deceptively large consequence. They may offer similar services, but Wal-Mart is what every “box store” is aiming for.

Wal-Mart: The sky isn't falling; it's just some raindrops

Wal-Mart’s arrival here will, as Eliot Sill suggests, be both the best of times and the worst of times for Marion County. Yes, it will mean more competition for some businesses, but we’re confident the business leaders most challenged are the exact type who aren’t about to let price rollbacks roll over their businesses.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

Swansons celebrate 60th anniversary

Wesley and Jean Dody Swanson, of San Diego, celebrated their 60th anniversary Wednesday. The Swansons were married September 17, 1954 in San Diego. Wesley was in the Navy, and upon completion of his service the couple returned home to Kansas. Wesley taught high school and was a Social Security claims representative. Jean worked in manufacturing plants in Newton.

Card shower requested for Edward Hein

The family of Edward Hein will be celebrating his 90th birthday from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 28 at Hillsboro Senior Center, 212 N. Main St. They have requested that no gifts be sent. However, those unable attend who would still like to extend birthday well wishes may send cards to 1281 E. 170th, Hillsboro KS 67063.

Dyrness, Jones to wed Sept. 26

Kayla Marie Dyrness and Keith William Jones will join in matrimony Sept. 26 at Catherine Catholic Church in the bride-elect’s hometown of Valley City, North Dakota. The bride-elect’s parents are Ralph and Jean Dyrness of Valley City, North Dakota. She graduated from Valley City High School and the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.

20th Century Club plays bingo

Eighteen members and two guests played “Getting to know you Bingo” at a 20th Century Club meeting on Sept. 9 in a Marion restaurant. Carol Laue created and coordinated the game.

Neo-Century Club elects officers

Neo-Century Club elected officers on Sept. 8 at a restaurant in downtown Marion. Bea Kelsey presided over the installation of officers presenting president Lenore Dieter, vice president Shirley Carlson, secretary Donna Fruechting, and treasurer Suzanne Thole red carnations during the meeting.

VanBuren turns 80

The family of Delores (Yoakem) VanBuren requests a card shower to help celebrate her 80th birthday on Sept. 26. She grew up in the Wonsevu and Burns areas. Cards may be sent to 661 40th Rd., Burns, KS 66840.

WEDDINGS:

MARION SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

Chromebooks impacting Marion schools in 1st year

As the school year’s first month concludes, Marion principals are pleased with how well Chromebooks have been integrated into the daily flow of education. “It’s going probably smoother than we were, at some point, concerned about,” middle school principal Missy Stubenhofer said. “We’ve had very few problems. The ones we’ve had have been resolved very quickly.”

Centre USD terminates contract of Centre ag teacher

In a special meeting Thursday, the Centre board of education passed a resolution to terminate the contract of ag teacher Cherie Trieb. Superintendent Brian Smith said afterward that Trieb would be notified by mail of the action and could ask for a hearing, after which the board will take final action.

Warriors win Centre Tournament

After his first full Saturday tournament as head coach of Marion High School volleyball, Brady Hudson was arguably more tired than his players. “I want to take a nap right now,” he said after his team’s fifth and final win of the day. “Like, I’m ready for bed.”

Marion falls to Hutch Trinity

If all goes well for the Marion Warriors from here out, the second quarter of Friday’s contest against Trinity Catholic will go down as the worst of their season. The teams were even in three quarters, but a 24-0 second period gave Trinity all the advantage it needed to cruise to a 30-6 victory.

MHS Cross Country

Coming away with three medals, six new personal bests, and four season bests, Marion cross-country runners performed admirably in a 52-team race at Hesston on Thursday that included 1A - 6A schools. “I am a very happy coach,” coach Rebecca Hofer said. “Everyone had a great competition. There were hundreds of runners and tons of fans.”

Country club hosts couples tourney

Aaron Hett and Lindsay Hett paired to win the 21st annual couple’s invitational tournament Sept. 7 at Marion Country Club. 36 teams participated in the crossfire format, 18-hole tournament. Ties were broken using a scorecard playoff.

Lady Cougars show improvement

The Centre volleyball team failed to get past pool play Saturday in its home invitational tournament, but it wasn’t from lack of effort. Of the two tough matches they lost, their opponents had to play them three times to claim victory. Coach Yvonne Burhoop said she is pleased with the advances her team is making.

Centre blown out by Little River, loses 52-0

The Centre football team lost at Little River 52-0 on Friday. “It was a rough night,” coach Tye Remy said. “We’ve got to hang on to the ball.”

Centre cross country

Two of the three members of the Centre High School cross-country team medaled Thursday at the Hesston invitational. C.J. Thompson finished 10th in the freshman boys’ division, and Nellie Kassebaum finished 18th in the senior girls’ division. Sophomore James Spohn finished 26th.

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