UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE

  • 67 new COVID cases in 7 days; Bethesda, Parkside are 'clusters'

    Reports of at least 67 new cases of COVID-19 in Marion County since Wednesday provided stark evidence Monday that the county's 10-month pandemic was showing no signs of lessening. The county was one of only seven statewide exhibiting an increase in cases last week. Bethesda Home in Goessel and Parkside Homes in Hillsboro were among 28 long-term care facilities in the state labeled as COVID-19 clusters.

HEADLINES

  • Hillsboro man's path now leads to Africa

    Luke Moore is learning to trust God with life’s unexpected twists and turns. But it hasn’t always been easy.

  • Kids' fund-raiser is more about warm hearts than cold cash

    A snowy day became an opportunity for philanthropy for three Marion youngsters. Evi Baxa, Peyton Metro, and Aubrey Whiteman made snowballs and sold them to raise money for St. Luke Hospital. Evi’s mother, Amanda Baxa, presented the money Friday to hospital CEO Jeremy Ensey. Altogether, the young entrepreneurs raised $26.25.

  • Vaccine closer as surge goes on

    Even as COVID-19 cases continue an unprecedented surge and the number of vaccinations reaching Marion County is slow and unpredictable, the health department is trying to plan for how it will make vaccinations available to the public. So far, health care workers who want the shots have gotten them and pharmacies are working to give shots to nursing home residents.

  • Some chagrined the ice man won't cometh

    Cutting a hole through inches of ice and angling for crappie and wipers has long been a winter favorite at the county’s lakes. But many are noticing that winter is not what it used to be — and some can’t remember cold-weather pastimes at all.

  • Getting COVID doesn't make skeptic a believer

    Lincolnville fire chief Les Kaiser doesn’t believe masks are as effective against COVID-19 as is held out — even after being hospitalized with the virus. Kaiser, who spent a large part of 2020 fighting wildfires in other states, said firefighters were spread out even when team leaders consulted in tents.

  • County opts to pay to have ignored pay plan re-explained

    A consulting company county commissioners hired in 2018 to develop a pay plan they ignored when making policy will now be paid again to explain the plan they developed. McGrath Human Resources Group was hired Tuesday to review the 2018 study with commissioner and explain how the salary recommendations were reached. They also will answer commissioners’ questions. Commissioners agreed to pay the consulting company $300.

  • Grieving husband finds strength to continue tour business

    Posted on the refrigerator in Dan Peterson’s kitchen is this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “I must do the thing I cannot do.” Dan said his wife, Linda, placed it there to help her get through 15 years of battling breast cancer. The cancer spread to her brain, but she took an experimental drug that kept her going for another 22 months until her death Sept. 22, he said. She was 70.

OTHER NEWS

  • Hillsboro extends mask ordinance, seeks engineer

    After years of having engineering work done by EBH Engineers, Hillsboro council members voted Tuesday to seek proposals from different engineering firms. “Occasionally, we do have some struggles with timeliness, and that has been kind of a problem,” mayor Lou Thurston said.

  • Most debris gone from illegal dump site

    Bricks, boxes and random collectibles still clutter the front entrance, but a Lost Springs property once deemed an illegal dump site is no longer buried in wood pallets and piles of trash. City councilman Jessica Moenning is grateful for improvements, at 106 S. Berry that were the result of a week’s cleanup by county employees.

  • Talks over EMS building sought

    A year after beginning negotiations over the location of a Hillsboro ambulance station, the debate remains ongoing. The subject was discussed Tuesday in both county and city meetings, and neither side is ready to agree.

  • Marion ponders own guest tax

    For years, the county has drawn a transient guest tax, often known as “bed tax,” collected at lodging establishments throughout the county except for Hillsboro, which has drawn its own guest tax. Now the city of Marion will get tax money from Marion hotels for its own use.

  • Firms hired for road projects

    Commissioners took several steps to improve the county’s roads and bridges during Tuesday’s meeting. Commissioners hired Asphalt Paving and Maintenance LLC for $198,900 to crush 39,000 tons of concrete formerly used as road surfacing.

  • MLK holiday disrupts trash

    Monday trash service was canceled because trucks could not deliver to the transfer station, which was closed for the holiday. Commercial dumpsters were emptied. Trash trucks also drove the Monday route to pick up any trash that residents left at the curb. Monday’s route was run Tuesday as well.

  • Centre hires superintendent

    After interviewing several candidates this past week, Centre’s school district’s board Monday selected Larry Geist as its new superintendent. He will start July 1. Geist will receive a salary of $95,000 plus benefits. He is superintendent of Paradise USD 399 in Natoma and served as school principal for many years.

DEATHS

  • Dalmer Kaufman

    Graveside service for Dalmer Kaufman, 94, who died Jan. 14 at Newton Medical Center, was scheduled for Monday at Strassburg Cemetery, rural Marion. He was born June 16, 1926, in rural Moundridge, to Daniel and Matilda (Goering) Kaufman. He married Violet Krispense Sept. 6, 1953, at Strassburg Baptist Church, rural Marion.

  • Larence McMinn

    Graveside service for Larence Monroe McMinn, 84, who died Jan. 15, at Hillsboro Community Hospital, was scheduled for Tuesday at Haven of Rest Cemetery, rural Hillsboro. He was born Dec. 10, 1936, to Claude and Eva (Boone) McMinn in Hamlet, Nebraska.

  • Archie Schmidt

    Services for Archie A. Schmidt, 72, who died Jan. 17 at Newton Medical Center, have been delayed because of COVID-19. Born Oct. 3, 1948, in Newton to Art and Ruth (Unrau) Schmidt, he married Kristin Matthies Sept. 15, 1973, in Wichita.

  • IN MEMORIAM:

    Cate Hayen

  • IN MEMORIAM:

    Kathryn Noll

DOCKET

HEALTH

  • Caring for others requires caring for you

    Taking care of an elderly, ill, or disabled loved one comes at a price for the caregiver. Caregiving entails household assistance such as shopping, cooking, cleaning and doing laundry; physical assistance such as helping a family member dress, shower, and take medicine; transportation assistance; medical assistance; and whatever other needs arise.

OPINION

  • The two worlds of Marion County

    As we inaugurate — peacefully, we hope — a new president, much has been written about unprecedented divides in American society. Social media and our departing president have done more than their share to draw attention to, and perhaps widen, these divides. But it’s important to recognize that the divides are real and must, at some point, be bridged if society is to flourish.

  • ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

    Finding fun in 2021

  • CORRECTIONS:

    RV sites

  • LETTERS TO EDITOR:

    Protests

PEOPLE

SPORTS

  • Hillsboro wrestlers 2nd, Marion 8th

    Wrestlers from both Hillsboro and Marion High School were in action this weekend, competing at the Halstead Invitational. Hillsboro took second out of 12 competing schools with 93.5 points while Marion’s 57 was good for eighth place.

  • Area basketball teams cap a week of winning

    It was mostly a successful week in basketball for Marion and Hillsboro High Schools. Mercer heroics continue

MORE…

Email: | Also visit: Hillsboro Star-Journal and Peabody Gazette-Bulletin | © 2021 Hoch Publishing

 

 

 

BACK TO TOP