Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

County administrators an outgrowth from cities
Six months from now, county government could be a different beast if voters give commissioners a green light Tuesday to get a county administrator. Marion County would join a minority of counties as only the 22nd one to hire someone to manage day-to-day operations.
Commissioners called corrupt by former employee
A former county bridge supervisor confronted county commissioners Tuesday about a bridge inspection trip he claimed constituted an illegal meeting. Larry Cushenbery had his say about the way commissioners do business at the end of the meeting, following a 20-minute executive session called to discuss potential litigation.
Cardiac dispatch choices questioned
It took more than an hour for a rural Lincolnville woman to reach a hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest early Saturday. At 2:56 a.m., county dispatchers called for Tampa ambulance to go to the 2500 block of 270th Rd., about 4 ½ miles southeast of Lincolnville.
Dads go back to school to help students
When Scott Thornhill joined his son, Arthur, in class Thursday as part of a program bringing fathers and father figures into schools, Arthur was not at a loss for words to describe the experience. “A fun day,” Arthur said. “Fun, awesome, special, rare.”
Victim escapes domestic abuse
A victim of domestic abuse escaped a Hillsboro home dressed only in a towel Friday afternoon. “When you leave, you leave the way you were dressed,” said Hillsboro police chief Dan Kinning.

OTHER HEADLINES

School mic frequency sold by federal regulators
By the time freshmen theatre students are seniors, Marion schools must cease operation of their wireless microphones. Wireless microphones used by Marion schools for theatrical and other performances — as well as houses of worship, sporting events, and other users — must cease operation of devices using most 600 MHz frequencies.
Market turns focus on worldwide giving
If you want to save the world but are a bit short on time, there’s an opportunity coming up Saturday to dig wells, nourish the hungry, shelter the homeless, equip a hospital, rescue children from sex trafficking, protect sea turtles, and much more in five hours or less. The Alternative Gift Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Marion Community Center isn’t a place to pick up unique goods from around the world, although a few such items will be for sale.
Stalking indicators up in 2016
The 40 court petitions seeking protection from abuse or protection from stalking filed in county court last year exceeded the number filed in any of the previous 10 years. 2014 was the lowest year, with 17 petitions filed, according to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation report released last week.
Hot chili to be served by firemen
If the chili is too hot at Tampa Saturday, firefighters will be on hand to put out the fire. The fundraiser is being held in conjunction with the first-ever Tampa Trail Fest, a celebration of Tampa’s Santa Fe Trail history. Tampa was one of the towns along the trail.
County polling places listed
Election Day polling places include Burns Community Center, Florence Masonic Center, Goessel City Building, Hillsboro United Methodist Church, Lincolnville Community Center, Eastmoor United Methodist Church, Peabody United Methodist Church, and Tampa Senior Center. Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Trump gets no respect at meeting
A Halloween visit from the president provided comic relief during Tuesday’s county commission meeting. A man wearing a Donald Trump mask stood in the door to introduce himself and talk to commissioners.
Money returned to owners by Kansas state treasurer
With over $470,000 of unclaimed property in the county, some residents were bound to walk away from the courthouse happy when the state treasurer visited Friday. Debbie Bowman was one of them.

DEATHS

Pauline Harms
Services for former beautician Pauline Harms, 87, who died Thursday at Salem Home in Hillsboro, will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Marion Christian Church. Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Jost Funeral Home, Hillsboro. She was born July 13, 1930, to Harry and Hannah (Miller) Ollenburger at Goessel. She married Verden Harms June 12, 1981, in Marion.
Rhonda Schinnerer
Graveside services for Rhonda R. Schinnerer, 60, who died Oct. 12 at Kidron Bethel in North Newton, will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Strassburg Cemetery. Attendees are invited to the home of Rodney and Diane Richmond for a time of food and fellowship following the service. She was born October 1, 1957, to Ralph and Wanda (Propp) Richmond at Marion.
IN MEMORIAM:
Paul Magathan, Barbara Svoboda

DOCKET

EDUCATION

Pilot program allows auto tech students to earn dual credit
Five Centre High School students are killing more than two birds with one stone. In place of taking classes in math, science, and English, they are studying automotive technology at Butler Community College in El Dorado this year. When they complete the course, they will have earned 39 college credits.

OPINION

When minutes matter
Speed is essential, we’ve been told time and again, when it comes to getting trained personnel to the scene of medical emergencies. Whether it’s a case of cardiac arrest, heart attack, an injury accident, or others, the general assumption held by the public is that faster is better in getting emergency responders to a scene and getting a patient to a hospital.
Yay or nay to administrator?
A decision looms for voters Tuesday about whether county government should be led by a county administrator. Commissioners have raised the question many times in the past. None until now have acted on those discussions.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Resetting the default button
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Ramona election, Love all our neighbors

PEOPLE

Case closes out TV sideline reporting gig
A 24-year mainstay of Marion football broadcasting will no longer pace the sidelines with a microphone. Casey Case reported on his last regular season Warriors football game for MCTV on Thursday.
Clements native's art to be featured at Pioneer Bluffs
Margie Dyck of Lawrence, a textile artist who grew up on the Gold Standard Fruit and Stock Farm at Clements, has handmade quilts and doll clothes on display at Pioneer Bluffs near Matfield Green. Pioneer Bluffs is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Nov. 25.
Marion, Hillsboro wage food fight
A friendly fight is being waged between Marion and Hillsboro to see which can collect the most food through Nov. 17. Grocery donations will be weighed and credited to each community. Each dollar of cash donations will count as a pound of food.
Commodities arrived Oct. 25
Government surplus commodities arrived at county senior centers Oct. 25. Distribution schedules are available by contacting individual sites.
P.E.O. hears about convention
Lisa Eidman of Cottonwood Falls P.E.O Chapter BZ talked about the organization’s recent Convention of International Chapters in Charlotte, North Carolina, with 16 P.E.O. Chapter DB members who met Oct. 23 at Eastmoor United Methodist Church. A business meeting and committee reports followed the presentation.
SENIOR CENTER:
Meals on Wheels driver needed, Menu
MEMORIES:
10, 25, 35, 50, 60, 100, 125 years ago

SPORTS AND SCHOOLS

Spelling tests aren't what they used to be
Everyone remembers the spelling tests they took in grade school. The teacher spoke the word to the whole class, read a sentence containing the word, and students wrote the word down on a piece of paper. That’s not how it is done today, at least for students in the upper grades.
Lewis, Vinduska receive American FFA degrees
Kevin Lewis and Kristin Vinduska, members of the Centre FFA chapter, received American FFA degrees during the National FFA Convention Oct. 25 to 28 in Indianapolis, Indiana. They each received a gold American FFA Degree key and certificate after being recognized on stage.
Kindergartners slime principal with pumpkin guts
With principal Justin Wasmuth kneeled in an orange kiddie pool, kindergartners at Marion Elementary School lined up to dump pumpkin guts on his head. Students took turns showering their principal with cupfuls of orange Nickelodeon slime mixed with pumpkin guts as part of a fundraiser Thursday.
Warriors beat Dragons to advance
Marion moves on to the second round of playoffs after beating Halstead 54-30 in bi-district. Junior running back Evann Heidebrecht led the Warriors with four touchdowns and 255 yards on 30 rushes.
Swathers send seniors out with loss
Three drives, three scores. Three drives, one score.
Centre Cougars end season with a bang
The wind was fierce, with gusts up to 45 miles per hour, but that didn’t stop the Centre Cougars from defeating archrival Rural Vista, 60-12, Thursday at Bud Peterson Field. The teams were tied 2-1 in league play and 3-2 in district play, so fans were expecting a competitive matchup, but it proved to be an easy victory for the Cougars.
Three Lady Warriors earn league honors
Three seniors on Marion High School’s volleyball team earned Heart of America all-league honors. Kourtney Hansen was named to the all-league first team. Jessi Lewman was named to the second team. Alli Molleker earned honorable mention.
Williams races at state
Marion senior Colin Williams placed 31st at 2A state in Wamego on Saturday, finishing the 5K race in 18 minutes, 40 seconds.
Bowling results
SCHOOL MENUS:
Centre, Marion

UPCOMING

World Community Day is Friday at Eastmoor
Women in the community will be “Kindling New Fires for Peace” at World Community Day on Friday at Eastmoor United Methodist Church. A soup luncheon will be served at noon. Sue Clough will be song leader and Lydia Gates will be pianist. The program will include prayer and candle lighting.
Group to hold fundraiser dinner
A chicken barbecue fundraiser meal for a playground and church will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Tabor Mennonite Church, 891 Chisholm Trail Rd., rural Newton. The Tabor Mennonite Men are holding the donation dinner to raise money for a “whale” playground structure at Camp Mennoscah and the Tabor church building fund.
Marion library to hold Lunch and Learn
Marion City Library will hold a Lunch and Learn from noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 8. Presenter Elaine Morse will show and demonstrate fun things to do and make with children for Christmas.
Childhood screenings offered
Free childhood development screenings will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 14. Screenings include cognitive, motor, speech/language, and social/emotional development for children up to 5 years old. Vision and hearing also will be screened. The process usually takes at least one hour for a child to complete. All children are welcome, but an appointment is necessary. Appointments can be made by calling (620) 382-2858.
Prehistoric dragonflies subject of Monday talk
Dainty-winged dragonflies that flit around Kansas gardens and ponds today are miniature descendants of huge ancestors with 2½-foot wingspans, fossils of which have been found in a ridge of rocks that pass through Marion and Harvey counties. Author and retired engineer Roy Beckemeyer will unravel a complex story about these Goliath-like insects when he presents “Giant Dragonflies, Australia, and a Small Town in Kansas — Investigating a 1920s Mystery” at 7 p.m. Monday at Remington High School, 8850 NW Meadowlark Rd., Whitewater.
Toy Run from Marion to Hillsboro slated for Saturday
The 24th annual Marion County Toy Run will be Saturday. Motorcycles and cars are welcome with one new toy per entry. Riders and drivers will leave at 1 p.m. from Willy J’s 9th Lane, 131 S. Thorp, Marion, then travel to Hillsboro.
Blood drive upcoming
A blood drive for the American Red Cross will be held 1:15-6:15 p.m. Nov. 13 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 415 N. Cedar St., Marion.
Calendar of events

Marion County RECORD

Six months from now, county government could be a different beast if voters give commissioners a green light Tuesday to get a county administrator. Marion County would join a minority of counties as only the 22nd one to hire someone to manage day-to-day operations.

It took more than an hour for a rural Lincolnville woman to reach a hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest early Saturday. At 2:56 a.m., county dispatchers called for Tampa ambulance to go to the 2500 block of 270th Rd., about 4 ½ miles southeast of Lincolnville.

When Scott Thornhill joined his son, Arthur, in class Thursday as part of a program bringing fathers and father figures into schools, Arthur was not at a loss for words to describe the experience. “A fun day,” Arthur said. “Fun, awesome, special, rare.”

A victim of domestic abuse escaped a Hillsboro home dressed only in a towel Friday afternoon. “When you leave, you leave the way you were dressed,” said Hillsboro police chief Dan Kinning.

The 40 court petitions seeking protection from abuse or protection from stalking filed in county court last year exceeded the number filed in any of the previous 10 years. 2014 was the lowest year, with 17 petitions filed, according to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation report released last week.

If the chili is too hot at Tampa Saturday, firefighters will be on hand to put out the fire. The fundraiser is being held in conjunction with the first-ever Tampa Trail Fest, a celebration of Tampa’s Santa Fe Trail history. Tampa was one of the towns along the trail.

Election Day polling places include Burns Community Center, Florence Masonic Center, Goessel City Building, Hillsboro United Methodist Church, Lincolnville Community Center, Eastmoor United Methodist Church, Peabody United Methodist Church, and Tampa Senior Center. Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

A Halloween visit from the president provided comic relief during Tuesday’s county commission meeting. A man wearing a Donald Trump mask stood in the door to introduce himself and talk to commissioners.

With over $470,000 of unclaimed property in the county, some residents were bound to walk away from the courthouse happy when the state treasurer visited Friday. Debbie Bowman was one of them.

IN MEMORIAM:

A decision looms for voters Tuesday about whether county government should be led by a county administrator. Commissioners have raised the question many times in the past. None until now have acted on those discussions.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

A 24-year mainstay of Marion football broadcasting will no longer pace the sidelines with a microphone. Casey Case reported on his last regular season Warriors football game for MCTV on Thursday.

Margie Dyck of Lawrence, a textile artist who grew up on the Gold Standard Fruit and Stock Farm at Clements, has handmade quilts and doll clothes on display at Pioneer Bluffs near Matfield Green. Pioneer Bluffs is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Nov. 25.

A friendly fight is being waged between Marion and Hillsboro to see which can collect the most food through Nov. 17. Grocery donations will be weighed and credited to each community. Each dollar of cash donations will count as a pound of food.

Government surplus commodities arrived at county senior centers Oct. 25. Distribution schedules are available by contacting individual sites.

SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

Everyone remembers the spelling tests they took in grade school. The teacher spoke the word to the whole class, read a sentence containing the word, and students wrote the word down on a piece of paper. That’s not how it is done today, at least for students in the upper grades.

Kevin Lewis and Kristin Vinduska, members of the Centre FFA chapter, received American FFA degrees during the National FFA Convention Oct. 25 to 28 in Indianapolis, Indiana. They each received a gold American FFA Degree key and certificate after being recognized on stage.

With principal Justin Wasmuth kneeled in an orange kiddie pool, kindergartners at Marion Elementary School lined up to dump pumpkin guts on his head. Students took turns showering their principal with cupfuls of orange Nickelodeon slime mixed with pumpkin guts as part of a fundraiser Thursday.

Marion moves on to the second round of playoffs after beating Halstead 54-30 in bi-district. Junior running back Evann Heidebrecht led the Warriors with four touchdowns and 255 yards on 30 rushes.

Three drives, three scores. Three drives, one score.

Three seniors on Marion High School’s volleyball team earned Heart of America all-league honors. Kourtney Hansen was named to the all-league first team. Jessi Lewman was named to the second team. Alli Molleker earned honorable mention.

Marion senior Colin Williams placed 31st at 2A state in Wamego on Saturday, finishing the 5K race in 18 minutes, 40 seconds.

SCHOOL MENUS:

Women in the community will be “Kindling New Fires for Peace” at World Community Day on Friday at Eastmoor United Methodist Church. A soup luncheon will be served at noon. Sue Clough will be song leader and Lydia Gates will be pianist. The program will include prayer and candle lighting.

Marion City Library will hold a Lunch and Learn from noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 8. Presenter Elaine Morse will show and demonstrate fun things to do and make with children for Christmas.

The 24th annual Marion County Toy Run will be Saturday. Motorcycles and cars are welcome with one new toy per entry. Riders and drivers will leave at 1 p.m. from Willy J’s 9th Lane, 131 S. Thorp, Marion, then travel to Hillsboro.

A blood drive for the American Red Cross will be held 1:15-6:15 p.m. Nov. 13 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 415 N. Cedar St., Marion.