BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
Embattled 1st District county commissioner Lori Lalouette announced her intent to resign at this morning’s commission meeting, effective March 20.
In a letter presented to commissioners, Lalouette cited competing priorities and illness as factors in her decision to resign.
USD 408 Marion-Florence board of education will be interviewing candidates this week to replace outgoing superintendent Lee Leiker,
A series of receptions beginning today (Monday) at Marion Community Center will give the public opportunities to meet the four candidates to be interviewed.
It may not be today, and it may not be tomorrow, but the day that Marion teens Tyler Arocha and Grant Leffler melt faces with their bone-shattering music draws nigh.
But first, their band, “Exist, Exist,” just has to finish recording an ambitious EP that has hints of torment and triumph pouring from its metalcore soul.
Hillsboro police worked with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on two unrelated arrests last week.
Police arrested Agustin I. Ariza, 26, of Miami, Florida, at 10 a.m. Jan. 11 at a house in the 700 block of S. Washington St. after ICE officers reported they were searching for him.
County commissioner Lori Lalouette, threatened with a possible recall petition, expects to make a decision to resign or face possible recall by next week.
Lalouette has been embroiled in controversy since a committee formed to seek a recall election over the number of times she has been absent, arrived late, or left commission meetings early. She said Tuesday she is still contemplating and discussing the matter with people she trusts.
A man who police believed “wasn’t functioning properly” was arrested after he was allegedly found in possession of a stolen vehicle with stolen property inside Sunday near Durham.
At approximately 12:34 p.m., Durham First Responders, Tampa Ambulance, and sheriff’s deputy Mike Ottensmeier responded to a report of a man slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle at 290th Rd. and K-15.
Despite the fact they might have been penalized as much as $51,000 more, a construction company hired for improvements to East Park asked Marion city council on Monday to reverse its stance on penalizing them $9,000 for delays in finishing the project.
The council in October voted to enforce a liquidated damages clause in its contract with Trinium, Inc., of Manhattan, docking the company $9,000 for finishing the job 15 days late.
When Zark the talking parrot of Florence was first introduced to readers in May, she was emerging from a fowl case of identity crisis.
Zark had lived with Junior and Ginny Grimmett of Florence for 27 years when, to their utter surprise, she laid an egg. A bird that was thought to be male became female overnight.
Weather forecasters last week predicted that Marion County could be encased in up to an inch of ice by Saturday,
with widespread power outages and hazardous roads.
Schools changed or canceled Friday basketball games to keep buses off anticipated ice-covered roads, weekend events were canceled, and people scrambled to prepare for the worst.
While no reports of a similar nature have surfaced in Marion, Hillsboro businesses were recent targets of a swindle claiming they needed a certain form of business license that Hillsboro does not offer.
Hillsboro city administrator Larry Paine said that the city does not offer the kind of licenses the callers claimed businesses needed.
Hillsboro police believe that two vehicle burglaries that were reported last week may be related.
Chief Dan Kinning said a 13-inch television and dash-mount computer display were stolen from an unlocked RV parked in the driveway of 105 S. Ash St. sometime last week.
A deadbeat dad years behind on child support can no longer evade payment after a Jan. 6 ruling in Marion County District Court garnishing his workers compensation.
Firstcomp Insurance Co., Omaha, Nebraska, was ordered to make weekly payment to Kansas Payment Center up to $40.85 per week of workers compensation benefits and up to $11,976.19 of a lump-sum settlement due to Paul M. Heslop, who failed to pay $177 per month in child support since 2011.
An new program providing work internships for young adults with disabilities has found a home at Tabor College.
Marion County Special Education Cooperative received funding last fall to bring the Ohio-based Project SEARCH program to the county, but needed to find an employer partner to provide work experience as participants receive job skills training. Tabor agreed to be that site last week.
Both her love of taking care of people and the diversity of her prior work in nursing contributed to Tracy Grafton’s decision to become a nurse practitioner.
Grafton is the newest nurse practitioner at St. Luke Hospital and St. Luke Medical Clinic. This is her first nurse practitioner assignment, though she has worked for 17 years as a nurse, including her most recent position as a charge nurse at Via-Christi St. Francis, Wichita. In those positions, she has experienced a myriad of different aspects of medical care.
A bullet recently shattered a large window east of the main entrance doors on the south side of the building at Centre schools.
Superintendent Susan Beeson said officials became aware of the damage Monday morning and called Marion County Sheriff’s Department.
The Indigo Rd. home of Eric and Clarissa Dutton of Peabody was consumed by smoke and fire Jan. 10, and three local women want to help the family get back on its feet.
Cora Bloomer, Sharon Pickens, and Deanna Baker are putting on a come-and-go home shower from 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 28 at Peabody Christian Church.
Former salesman Kenneth Decker, 78, died Jan. 11 in Lehigh.
Born Dec. 16, 1938, to Clyde and Esther (Bergman) Decker in Roxbury, he married Velma Nightengale at Canton, who preceded him in death.
Retired Raytheon electrical engineer Edwin J. Tajchman of Garland, Texas, died Dec. 19.
Born March 2, 1934, to Joseph T. and Rose (Oborny) Tajchman of Pilsen, he graduated from Ramona High School and served in the Army. He received a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and a doctorate from Denver University, both in electrical engineering.
IN MEMORIAM:
Sheila McGuireIN MEMORIAM:
Peggy Summerville
The older people get, the more difficult personal care routines can become.
Marion County Home Care understands this issue, and has been offering help to those in need, including a toenail trimming service at senior centers across the county.
By the time Julie Pagenkopf of Lincolnville gave birth to her second child, son Weston, in December 2014, she looked a good deal different from the woman husband Mark had married eight years earlier.
Pagenkopf was a slim 120 pounds when she married him in 2006. As is common to many young wives, she gradually gained weight. Within six years, she had put on another 60 pounds, or 50 percent of her original body weight.
“Stay Strong, Stay Healthy” is a new strength-training program that will be offered this spring by Marion County extension agent Renae Riedy.
The eight-week program will feature two sessions a week for people 50 years and older.
Perhaps. Or maybe Randy Trump. Take your pick. Personally, I like the ring of Donald Dallke.
If you’re following along, and our readers generally do, yes indeed, I’m mixing the names of our President-elect, Donald Trump, and our less-flamboyant county commission chairman, Randy Dallke.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Wonderful things about life
With tickets priced at $50 per person, “Warrior Steak Out,” a new fundraiser featuring a steak feast and student entertainment will fire up in February for the benefit of USD 408.
If all goes according to plan, the event also may help usher in a new approach to school fundraisers in the future.
Marion Senior Center recently hired a new head cook, but senior center patrons will not have to learn a new name.
Lucille Bitner will be taking over the position from her daughter-in-law Barbara Bitner, who has worked at the center for nine years.
Marion County Park and Lake revenue was down by $6,600 in 2016 compared to the previous year.
Last year’s total revenue was $108,109 down from $112,721 in 2015.
Help with the cost of winter heating is available to qualifying applicants through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, which will accept applications this week through March 31.
To qualify for the program, household income must fall below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, and applicants must be responsible for paying the utility bill, either directly to a utility company or to the landlord.
Lifelong Tampa area resident Frieda Bentz, who lives near her 1918 birthplace, will turn 99 years old Jan. 27.
Her family has asked for a card shower to celebrate the occasion. Cards may be sent to 3454 Limestone Rd. Tampa KS 67483.
Eleven member of P.E.O. Chapter DB met Jan. 9 at Marion Presbyterian Church.
Hostesses were Lenore Dieter and Mary Almaguer.
20th Century Club members gathered Jan. 9 to watch the movie “Mother’s Day” at the home of Jami Mayfield.
Mayfield and Marge Schwartz provided snacks. A short business meeting was held.
MEMORIES:
10,
25,
35,
50,
60,
100,
125 years agoSENIOR CENTER:
New cook is family,
Senior menu
High school students can apply for scholarships online from the Kansas Masonic Foundation.
Ten $1,000 scholarships to each of the following schools are available: Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Washburn University, Pittsburg State University, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, and University of Kansas.
Lincolnville Wide Awake
On Jan. 8, Lincolnville Wide Awake club met with 10 members, four parents and two leaders present. Roll call was, “What is your favorite pie?”
Predicted bad weather moved game times earlier when Marion traveled to Bennington on Friday, but the biggest chill came in the boys’ game, where the Warriors’ offenses never got on track in a 68-37 loss. The girls fared better, using an early run to establish a lead they never relinquished in a 34-26 win.
The Bulldogs took the opening tip of the boys’ game, and J.J. Allen scored underneath the bucket. It was a harbinger of things to come, as all game long Bennington worked free in the lane and down low for high percentage easy baskets.
It was a bullfight Friday as the Centre Cougars battled archrival Rural Vista at home. They defeated the Heat, 47-41, to remain undefeated in league play.
After a slow 4-2 first-quarter start, Centre increased its defense. That, combined with good scoring by Cody Svoboda, Dylan Deines, and Cole Srajer resulted in a 24-12 halftime lead.
It was an exceptional weekend for Marion High School wrestling as the team placed second among 16 teams with four Warriors winning their weight brackets at a Halstead tournament.
Scoring 162 points, the Warriors missed first to Douglass by 46 points.
An agribusiness development workshop is slated for Feb. 2 in Emporia.
Speakers will include Kansas Department of Agriculture staff, Lyon County Economic development, USDA Rural Development, Kansas Department of Commerce, Network Kansas, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Kansas Small Business Development Center, an agriculture business, and a financial institution.
The public is welcome to attend a Prairie Lawn Cemetery board meeting at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at Peabody City Hall. Topics include payroll and payables, burials, and any cemetery related concerns.
A mobile services van from Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs will be at Hillsboro American Legion post from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Feb. 10 and 11 to help veterans and relatives with questions about veteran benefits and programs.