Marion County RECORD

Battle lines drawn over taxes

Battle lines as being drawn as county commissioners begin to debate whether to use a one-time reassessment windfall to cut taxes or increase spending. At stake appears to be what to do with a consultant’s report preliminarily concluding that county employees are underpaid an average of four percent.

Video may solve $4,000 robbery

Police are piecing together smashed surveillance equipment in hope of identifying one or more robbers who overpowered a clerk and got away with more than $4,000 at Ampride in Marion. The clerk thought she had locked the convenience store’s door and was heading into an office to tally the day’s receipts when someone burst in and attacked her from behind at 12:40 a.m. June 27, police chief Tyler Mermis said Monday.

Fire fighters become mudders to rescue dog

A fire hose usually is used to put out fires, but one day last week it was used to wash mud off two firefighters, who crawled along planks to rescue a dog stuck in a country pond. A trip the dog might have taken many times before turned disastrous the evening of July 4. Walking into a pond to get a drink, the animal found nothing but soggy ground. Like many other ponds in the area, the pond was dry because of lack of sufficient rainfall to fill it.

Heat triggers weekend water, power issues

High temperatures were the likely cause of water and power failures Saturday. Public works director Marty Fredrickson said a water main break in the 200 block of West Santa Fe St. required excavation and replacement of a clamp at a joint in the pipe. The main serves the valley area of town, from 5th St. to Vine St. and Willard St. to Forrest St.

Governor hopeful a different kind of Republican

Traversing one of the reddest of red states in one of the reddest of red trucks you’ve ever seen, Jim Barnett isn’t your typical Republican gubernatorial candidate, even though he’s been the Republican nominee once before. In an era in which politicians are chauffeured in extensively decorated buses and limousines and surrounded by bevies of aides, Barnett appears in a truck, the only sign on which is a standard Ford logo.

A real bell-ringer

No need to wonder for whom the courthouse bell tolls. As of now, it tolls for no one. At 11 a.m. Sunday, the clock chime seemingly performed its swan song when it rang continuously for 20 minutes before falling silent.

US-50 to be rerouted onto US-56

Highway traffic is about to pick up in central Marion County. For an estimated 35 days, starting around Aug. 20, through traffic going west on US-50 — the busiest road in the county, especially for semis — will officially be rerouted, with only local traffic allowed westbound between Florence and Newton.

County's talks seem headed for reboot

County commissioners’ attempts to accede to growing demands from department heads for more robust computer support ran into a series of system errors Friday. Two 45-minute sessions, questionably conducted behind closed doors, yielded few answers and multiple concerns.

Other actions by county

OTHER ACTIONS Transfer station estimates delayed

Grocers explain challenges

Congressman Roger Marshall heard first-hand Friday about the challenges of running a small-town food store when he visited Carlsons’ Grocery in Marion. After Greg, Linda, and Mitch Carlson gave him a history of the store, he asked what their biggest challenges were.

Cost of tablet computers hard to swallow

A proposal, apparently supported by the mayor, to equip council members with wireless tablets they could use to communicate about city business received a chilly reception at last week’s Marion City Council meeting. “I think it would be nice if you waited a little over a year until I’m gone,” council member Jerry Kline said.

Water report cites testing lapse

Marion’s required annual report on quality of city drinking water lists no contaminants above federally mandated safety limits but does indicate a lapse in testing. The city’s report for 2017, released as a link to a website within a city newsletter last week, indicates that the city failed to monitor for a chemical called bromate in May 2017 and did not provide public notice of the failure.

Park fountain still down

Finding obsolete parts has made it a challenge keeping the large fountain in Marion’s Central Park functioning. Utility supervisor Marty Fredrickson thought his crews had it fixed several times since the fountain began having trouble before Chingawassa Days.

E.T. has left the county

A report of a UFO near Peabody sent two deputies and a Peabody police officer looking Sunday night, but no aliens were found. Dispatchers told deputies a caller reported a strange light, described as “very large” and “a blue-green object about 500 miles in the sky.” The caller said the object might be a meteor, but “did not rule out anything.”

Fair gearing up for later this month

The smell of cotton candy; the sound of children laughing; animals, dust and fun — all evokes memories of a county fair. “Homegrown Heroes” will be the theme for the 88th Marion County fair, scheduled for July 21 to 29 in Hillsboro.

Historical portrayal planned at Council Grove

Professional historical performer Kitty Frank will present a special portrayal Saturday of Permelia Hubbard Curtis, proud grandmother of “Indian Charley” Curtis, the Native American from Kansas who was elected vice president under Herbert Hoover in 1928. Her performance, “From Kanza Prairie to the White House — Grandma Curtis,” will be at 2 p.m. at the Kaw Mission Education Building, 500 N. Mission St., Council Grove.

Herb Guhr

Services for Hillsboro native Herbert (Herb) Guhr, 92, who died July 3 at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice in Wichita, were Saturday at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. Born Jan. 1, 1926, to Reinhold and Anna (Wedel) Guhr, he married Doris Wiens on Oct. 5, 1948, in Hillsboro.

Billie Huckriede

Services for Billie M. Huckriede, 94, who died Saturday at her home in Marion, will be scheduled later. Born Jan. 21, 1924, to Clarence and Mabel (Rosenberger) Cook in Greensburg, she married Edison Huckriede on March 28, 1943, in Ellinwood, Kansas.

Edmund Steiner

Services for retired farmer Edmund Steiner, 102, who died last Thursday at Salem Home in Hillsboro, will be 10 a.m. this Thursday at St. John Nepomucene Church in Pilsen. Rosary will be recited at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

IN MEMORIUM:

IN MEMORIUM:

Accidents reported

County jail arrests and bookings

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police incident reports

Girls gear up to...crash

“Hit them really hard and hope to be the last car moving” is the reason demolition derby driver Carla Hamm of Hillsboro competes. “My husband and many of his family have been involved for years. I’ve always been on the sidelines, and now it’s my turn to show them girls can do it, too,” she said.

Sharps into flats, Not music to your ears

People who often drive country roads or live in rural areas know how hard such travel can be on tires. Flat tires are common and can be caused by the most unexpected things, like a brake pad in the roadway.

Top Tier gas includes cleaner

\Not all gasolines are created equal, according to some local fuel sellers. The Cenex brand of gasoline contains an additive known as Top Tier.

Townships get used pumper

For the first time in its history, Marion Fire Department will have a four-door pumper to use in fighting country fires. Paid for by four rural townships – Centre, Grant, Wilson, and Gale – the 1995 diesel automatic Freightliner was purchased from Plano, Illinois, about 40 miles south of Chicago.

Fire crews to get fund

County firefighters will benefit from $77,154.92 soon to be distributed by Kansas Insurance Department. The money is designated for firefighter relief funds, used to purchase accident, health, disability, and life insurance for firefighters in the event of injury or death in the line of duty.

Pointing the gun back at politicians

Those of us still occasionally watching old-fashioned local television instead of streaming everything through computers or phones have begun wondering whether we’ve suddenly time-warped back to Bleeding Kansas. Watching one gubernatorial wielding what appears to be an assault weapon, then riding around in a military vehicle with what looks like a .50 caliber machine gun mounted in the back, is a bit over the top, even for the biggest of gun hobbyists. To see that commercial followed back to back by one from an opponent who wields as much mud as his adversary does weaponry leaves the average citizen yearning for a candidate who will address the issues that are important to real people —issues like these:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

CORRECTIONS:

Church to mark 125 years

Centenarian Frieda Bentz was baptized, confirmed, and married at St. John’s Lutheran Church at Tampa, which will celebrate its 125th anniversary Sunday. At that time, the church building was four miles north of Tampa on Limestone Rd.

Chat 'n' Dine cookout planned

Past and present Marion County Lake residents are being invited to a Chat ’n’ Dine club cookout at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Larry and Linda Beck’s residence at 1885 Upland Rd. The club will furnish hamburgers and hotdogs. Those attending are being asked to bring table service and a dish to share.

Saving lives a pint at a time

Marion resident Andy Ash answered an urgent call by donating blood Monday at the Eastmoor United Methodist Church. “I give blood regularly. I donate platelets, too, but have to do that in Wichita, which I do, or Salina,” he said.

Past is future for collector

Bud Radtke of rural Marion doesn’t worry about things to do now that he is retired. A walk through his shed and yard reveals many things that he sees as possibilities for items people might want to use as décor in their yards and gardens. The 68-year-old Radtke looks the part of an old-timer himself, with his oil-stained felt hat, curled-up white mustache, and white sideburns.

Gravity pushes water for garden

Dennis Adkins never worries about leaving town and having his garden die from lack of water. “I fill the barrels with water from the well and hook up soaker hoses. Then they do all the work,” Adkins said.

UPCOMING:

SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

MEMORIES IN FOCUS:

Legion 3rd at top tourney

Marion’s resurgent American Legion baseball team ended its season last week, finishing third against top regional 17-and-younger teams at the Kansas Grand Slam wooden-bat tournament in Salina. Marion defeated teams from Wichita and Clay Center but lost to teams from Topeka and Omaha (twice).

FFA Students learns about leadership

Local students joined more than 200 other state FFA members are a state conference for chapter leaders last week at Rock Springs Ranch, near Junction City. Among those attending from Marion schools were Devin Soyez, Peyton Ensey, Cassie Meyer, and Tabor Workman, along with chapter adviser Mark Meyer.

Centre replaces air conditioning, buys new laptops

In a shorter than usual meeting Monday, Centre board of education approved purchase of a new 5-ton air conditioner for the school kitchen from Herington Heating and Air Conditioning for $8,857. The board discussed other areas of the school, including the main gymnasium, that may need new air conditioning in the future.

Ag students earn competency certificates

Three Centre FFA students — Zach Barney, Jacob Bittle, and Grace Peterson — have qualified to receive certificates that document skills and competencies gained by them in agricultural education. The certificates are meant to enhance their job resumes, leading to higher pay.

College degrees and honors

TEEN to meet

Educators representing their school districts with the Technology Excellence in Education Network cooperative will meet at 6 tonight at the Marion school district office, 101 N. Thorp St., Marion.

Classifieds

Photos / top stories