Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

Wind farm windfall varies widely in state
Kansas counties are on their own when negotiating payment in lieu of taxes agreements with wind farm companies looking to install turbines in their counties, and payments vary widely from one wind farm to another. The most recent figures available, from a 2017 study by Flatland, a Kansas City-based public broadcasting system, show payments to counties range from $1,000 to $6,500 per megawatt produced. Marion County’s agreements place it near the bottom for payments for wind farms in the state.
Slain woman identified after 32 years
After 32 years, a relative’s submission of DNA to an online service has led to identification of a body discovered near Pilsen. Road worker Kenneth Jost spotted a decomposed skull Sept. 21, 1987, while scooping dirt from a ditch during patching of potholes on 290th Rd.
Untreated roads draw complaints from school official, some citizens
Sparse treatment of roads during a Dec. 15 and 16 snow and ice storm has left many county residents unhappy. Centre school superintendent Susan Beeson sent county commissioners a Dec. 18 letter calling on them to improve maintenance of ice and snow-packed roads after the school had to cancel classes two days following the storm.
Former emergency manager has yet to resolve charges
Daniel D’Albini awaiting trial on purported 2018 arson of residence A Hillsboro business owner and a Salina woman have settled criminal charges filed in Saline County District Court stemming from a Jan. 28, 2018, arson of a rural Salina residence, but charges against former Marion County emergency manager Daniel D’Albini, 57, are still pending.
Rural kennel opens new doggie day care
Owners of a rural Peabody dog kennel have expanded their business to include doggie day care. South-Paw dog kennel was launched a year ago by Annette South and her mother, Carmen South. The name is a play on their last names.
Tough markets leave grain lying on the ground
As 2019 ended, many of the county’s elevators had grain piled up or stored in outdoor piles or covered bunkers. Cooperative Grain and Supply at Hillsboro has 421,000 bushels of wheat in an outside bunker and more in flat storage in Hillsboro, Lehigh, and Canton.

OTHER NEWS

A final dispatch
As is tradition, one last police radio transmission Saturday morning honored the memory of inmate transportation deputy and former Marion police chief Don Keazer, who died Dec. 2 at age 72. Sheriff: 110, Marion. Go ahead. Dispatcher: Marion sheriff to 108, deputy Don Keazer. Marion sheriff to 108, deputy Don Keazer. [Silence] 108, deputy Don Keazer, served the citizens of Marion County for over 35 years from the Marion police department to the Marion County sheriff’s department. Go rest high on that mountain and be at peace while knowing that, while you are gone, you will never be forgotten. We’ll take the watch from here, 108 Don Keazer. 10-7. Marion concluding, 10:47.
No foul play suspected
Goessel water rates ratchet up
New water and sewer rates are announced for Goessel residents and customers in the surrounding area who are served by the city. Customers with ¾ inch water meters will pay $12.25 a month for the first 1,000 gallons of water; $4.42 for each additional 1,000 gallons up to 5,000 gallons; and $4.77 for each 1,000 gallons after that. They will also be charged a surcharge of $8 per month for water service improvements.

DEATHS

Dave Atkins
Services for maintenance carpenter David Ray Atkins, 64, who died Dec. 23 at his home in Wichita, will be arranged at a later date. Born Dec. 23, 1955, in Wichita to William and Barbara Vantuyl Atkins, he married Debbie Johnson April 21, 1983, in Wichita.
'Mose' Lirley
Private family services will be held for Marvin “Mose” Lirley, 65, who died Dec. 26 at Via Christi St. Francis hospital in Wichita. He was born Feb. 6, 1954, in Wichita, to Paul and Grace (Summers) Lirley.
IN MEMORIAM:
Tony Steele

DOCKET

NEW YEAR'S

Farewell, 2019: Crisis, controversy dominated top stories
Many positive developments notwithstanding, 2019 may have been a year many in Marion County want to forget. Crisis and controversy dominated headlines to almost unprecedented levels, as demonstrated by this list of the top stories of the year, determined by the number of habitual readers each story attracted on our websites, the most heavily read news sites in the county:
And farewell to the 2010s
As with 2019, the other years of the 2010s were filled with civic improvements, community triumphs, and uplifting tales of personal achievement. What proved most attractive to readers, however, were unexpected stories — things that took them by surprise, sometimes in pleasant ways but often because developments represented sad news.
WE ASKED:
What would make the county an even better place to live?

OPINION

Looking for a New Year's resolution?
Rifling through old file folders a couple of days ago, we ran across a note written maybe a decade and a half ago — one of those “really great ideas” we all get from time to time but never manage to find time to actually do. It was bit of a gimmick, inspired by (the postmodern way of saying “copied from” an approach that used to be called public journalism, back before nearly every newspaper in the country was sold by heirs of civic-minded local publishers to hedge funds that gutted them for their real estate.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Long live octogenarians
CORRECTIONS:
Corrections and clarifications

PEOPLE

Sister act: Stylish boutique opens on Main St.
A love of clothes, crafts, and comfy but classy home décor spurred enterprising sisters to fill a niche in the Main St. retail district with a chic boutique. West Main Company, the brainchild of Megan Semer and Grace Overton, is one of few Main St. shops that offer clothing.
Production manager retires after 51 years
One of the most familiar faces at the Marion County Record, Melvin Honeyfield, 66, retired Tuesday after 51 years with Hoch Publishing Co. Honeyfield learned to cope with major technological upgrades in publishing during his career — from hot type, to cold type, to desktop publishing.
Elgin set for roarin' New Year's
The Elgin Hotel’s Roarin’ ’20s New Year’s Eve bash will be from 8 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 31. The night will feature appetizers, the annual Elgin ball drop, fireworks and a champagne toast.
Cards requested
A card shower is requested for Anita Sly of Salina, who will celebrate her 85th birthday Jan. 7. She grew up in the Youngtown community as Anita Collett and married Kenneth Sly of Marion. She worked at School Specialty Supply in Salina and later retired from the Instructional Media Center at USD 305. She has five children — Hollyce, K.D., Colleen, Justin, and Ernestine.
Club to meet
Joanna Friesen will give at talk on the history of garden design during the Town & Country Garden Club’s meeting, 7 p.m. oJan. 23 in Goessel Community Room. More information is available from Luanne Soukup (620) 747-2618.
SENIOR CENTER:
3rd graders make meals-on-wheels gifts, 'Elvis' coming, Marion menu, Peabody menu
MEMORIES:
10, 25, 40, 55, 70, 100, 140 years ago

SPORTS

Hillsboro girls ranked 10th
Hillboro’s girls basketball team vaulted into 10th place this week on the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association’s top 10 list for the Class 2A division. The Trojans were off to their best start in six years until a 49-35 loss at Southeast of Saline put them 5-1 for the season.

Marion County RECORD

After 32 years, a relative’s submission of DNA to an online service has led to identification of a body discovered near Pilsen. Road worker Kenneth Jost spotted a decomposed skull Sept. 21, 1987, while scooping dirt from a ditch during patching of potholes on 290th Rd.

Owners of a rural Peabody dog kennel have expanded their business to include doggie day care. South-Paw dog kennel was launched a year ago by Annette South and her mother, Carmen South. The name is a play on their last names.

As 2019 ended, many of the county’s elevators had grain piled up or stored in outdoor piles or covered bunkers. Cooperative Grain and Supply at Hillsboro has 421,000 bushels of wheat in an outside bunker and more in flat storage in Hillsboro, Lehigh, and Canton.

Services for maintenance carpenter David Ray Atkins, 64, who died Dec. 23 at his home in Wichita, will be arranged at a later date. Born Dec. 23, 1955, in Wichita to William and Barbara Vantuyl Atkins, he married Debbie Johnson April 21, 1983, in Wichita.

Private family services will be held for Marvin “Mose” Lirley, 65, who died Dec. 26 at Via Christi St. Francis hospital in Wichita. He was born Feb. 6, 1954, in Wichita, to Paul and Grace (Summers) Lirley.

IN MEMORIAM:

WE ASKED:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

CORRECTIONS:

A love of clothes, crafts, and comfy but classy home décor spurred enterprising sisters to fill a niche in the Main St. retail district with a chic boutique. West Main Company, the brainchild of Megan Semer and Grace Overton, is one of few Main St. shops that offer clothing.

One of the most familiar faces at the Marion County Record, Melvin Honeyfield, 66, retired Tuesday after 51 years with Hoch Publishing Co. Honeyfield learned to cope with major technological upgrades in publishing during his career — from hot type, to cold type, to desktop publishing.

The Elgin Hotel’s Roarin’ ’20s New Year’s Eve bash will be from 8 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 31. The night will feature appetizers, the annual Elgin ball drop, fireworks and a champagne toast.

Joanna Friesen will give at talk on the history of garden design during the Town & Country Garden Club’s meeting, 7 p.m. oJan. 23 in Goessel Community Room. More information is available from Luanne Soukup (620) 747-2618.

SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

Hillboro’s girls basketball team vaulted into 10th place this week on the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association’s top 10 list for the Class 2A division. The Trojans were off to their best start in six years until a 49-35 loss at Southeast of Saline put them 5-1 for the season.