Marion County RECORD

Commissioners heat up again

Although county commissioners had a short agenda they moved through quickly, discussion of Emergency Medical Service stations became heated. Commission chairman Dianne Novak said she put EMS stations on the agenda because she’d been hearing “rumblings” about having a full-time staffer on duty in the Peabody station.

Courthouse windows project rewarded

The county’s courthouse window restoration project, begun in August 2016 and completed in March 2017, has been chosen for a merit award from Kansas Preservation Alliance. The alliance sent county clerk Tina Spencer a letter inviting her to attend its annual award presentation May 18 in Topeka.

Lake to get new water hydrants, but what kind?

Planned work to replace water hydrants at the County Park and Lake hit a bump in the road when state regulations entered into the picture of what sort of hydrants can be installed. Engineer Darin Neufeld told county commissioners four companies bid on the proposed hydrant replacement work. Two bids were substantially higher than the county anticipated because the type of hydrant was different.

City ponders offer to purchase industrial park building

Marion city council members Monday declined a bid to purchase a building formerly under an industrial park lease-purchase agreement now in default. The property at 828 N. Roosevelt St. was formerly under a $269,238 10-year lease-purchase agreement with John and Amy Minor, doing business as JALM Business Group. The city filed a lawsuit against the Minors after payments fell into default and the Minors apparently abandoned the premises.

Dem candidates target Kobach at lake event

A crowd of party enthusiasts at Marion County Lake Hall reacted with applause and chuckles Saturday when state representative and Democratic candidate for governor Jim Ward stepped up to the microphone during a public forum to express why he would be the party’s best choice in the August primary. “I can beat Kris Kobach,” he said simply.

Opera workshop dignitaries meet local event sponsors

City dignitaries and project sponsors for a summer opera workshop in Marion met people who are bringing the event to town Thursday evening. “Opera Workshop in the Flint Hills” will run two weeks in July and culminate in performances Aug. 3, 4, and 5 at Marion Community Center.

Man dies despite EMS response

A 21-year-old rural Florence man died Monday after he was discovered unresponsive in his yard by his father. Dale Buller, who lives at 739 Vista Rd., about a 7½-mile drive southwest of Florence, called dispatchers at about 9:30 p.m. to report that upon returning home, he found his son, Brent, on the ground in the yard and unresponsive.

US-50 overlay project begins Monday

Drivers who take US-50 to Newton will find the going slower beginning Monday when contractors start work on two mill and overlay projects stretching from the Marion/Harvey County line to I-135. A 1½-inch overlay will be laid from the county line to Walton, and a 3-inch overlay will be placed from Walton to the I-135 junction.

Farm disaster aid available

County farmers and ranchers with losses caused by recent drought conditions may qualify for emergency Farm Service Agency loans. Applications for disaster loans to cover a portion of actual losses will be taken through mid-December.

Disaster loans available for businesses

Small nonfarm businesses may qualify for lowinterest Small Business Administration disaster loans to offset economic losses because of reduced revenues related to drought. Small businesses directly affected by drought and businesses that depend on farmers and ranchers who have been affected by drought may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

Through the flags; beyond the poppies

This Memorial Day weekend, like many before it, will hold the traditional display of the Avenue of Flags at Prairie Lawn Cemetery north of Peabody. However, if one can pull their gaze away from the flags with lights and nameplates honoring those that have served in our military, they’ll see another long-standing tradition that oftentimes goes unnoticed.

George King

Graveside services for George Irwin King, 89, Wichita, who died April 28 at Founders Crest Nursing Home, Wichita, were May 2 at Washington City Cemetery. Born Dec. 19, 1928, to Irwin S. and Leona (Baldwin) King at Delphos, he graduated from Linn High School in 1945. He and Ruth Gladys Dodd were married Nov. 19, 1950. The Kings lived in Park Forest, Illinois, before relocating to Wichita in 1973.

FUNERAL NOTICE:

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County jail bookings

Criminal division cases

Deeds recorded

Domestic division cases

Emergency dispatches

Marriage applications

Offenses reported

Police incident reports

Traffic division cases

Sears and Roebuck barn re-purposed

Mark Harms and Kim Buethe were married in 1990 and then moved to the Buethe farm in 1992 to a farmstead owned by her parents, Don and Peggy Buethe, one-fourth mile east of Kim’s home place. The farm had been established by Kim’s great-uncle and was known in the Buethe family as Cedar Hill Farms. It had a picturesque barn that had been ordered as a Sears-Roebuck kit around 1910.

Locally-sourced: From farm to fork

While Dale Buller is putting in another day’s work tending to cattle and checking fields on his farm east of Peabody, Lindsey Marshall, owner of Coneburg Inn, can be found in the kitchen slinging up a specialty burger as twangy bluegrass floats out of speakers. Buller, a longtime farmer, begins the cycle that ends when Marshall serves the plate carrying a burger made with locally-grown beef.

Industrial hemp topic of open forum

State officials will take public comments on a new industrial hemp research initiative in three two-hour sessions Friday in Manhattan. The Alternative Crop Research Act, passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Jeff Colyer in April, establishes a hemp research program to be overseen by Kansas Department of Agriculture.

Ag invisibility

You can’t drive through the county without seeing the work of farmers and ranchers all around you, from fields of wheat refreshed by recent rains to cattle scratching their necks on barbed wire fences. Everywhere you look, agriculture is up close and personal. That makes it all the more puzzling that when four of seven Democratic candidates for governor participated in a forum Saturday at the county lake, agriculture appeared to be an afterthought. So much so that if not for a certain news editor interjecting “What about agriculture?” as they added a final question about criminal justice right at the end, nary a question would have been asked about it.

Mom's day

It’s going to be a different sort of Mother’s Day for me this year. For the first time in 60 years, my Mom won’t be around to celebrate it. Many of you already know that last week, after 90 years on the planet, most of them good ones, my mother, Louise Colburn, peacefully said goodbye and moved on to the next great unknown adventure.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

Photographer bets on herself to lose weight and keep it off

Would you be willing to pay $40 to join in a walking game? That is what Treena Lucero of Hillsboro is doing to help lose excess pounds and get in shape.

Seniors sought for 'First Pitch' honor

Individuals over the age of 70 once again will be honored through “Keeping Seniors in the Game! First Pitch” at feature games of the National Baseball Congress World Series from July 27 through Aug. 11 at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in Wichita. Those selected will throw out honorary first pitches celebrating their contributions to their communities.

20th Century installs new officers

New 20th Century Club officers for the 2018-19 club year were installed May 7. They are Peggy Blackman, president; Cathy Henderson, vice president; Belinda Skiles, secretary; Jami Mayfield, treasurer; and Gayle Thomas, corresponding secretary. The club met at Arletta’s Catering in Burns for an end of the year celebration. Vicki Hoffer, Helen Reznicek, and Marge Schwartz were hostesses.

May Friendship Day celebrated

May Friendship Day was celebrated with Tea at Three at Marion Presbyterian Church on Friday. A pantomime, “Hungry and Homeless,” was performed by Lydia Gates and Margaret Wilson.

Moennich to celebrate 95th birthday

The family of Gertrude (Bezdek) Moennich requests a card shower in honor of her 95th birthday May 14. Moennich was married to Walter Moennich on May 25, 1946, in Lincolnville. Her children are Dennis Moennich of McPherson and Cheryl Tull of Salina. She has five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Granddaughter to graduate

Codi Ehrlich of Dodge City, granddaughter of Robert and Margaret Harris of Florence, will receive her doctor of medicine degree from University of Kansas Medical School on Sunday. Ehrlich will complete her family medicine residency at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas.

SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

MEMORIES IN FOCUS:

MHS grad is third-generation valedictorian

When Collin Williams walks across the stage Saturday at Marion High School commencement, he will be the third in his immediate family to graduate as a valedictorian. His grandmother, Darla Schramm, and mother, Jami Mayfield, share the honor with him. An aunt, Stephanie Williams, also was a valedictorian. Mayfield said Collin plans to major in math at Kansas State University. She thinks he may have gotten his passion for math from her and his father, Stan Williams.

Warrior track teams compete at Hesston

Former Warrior throwing great Nick Klenda captured two state discus titles in 2009 and 2010. By breaking records set by Marion greats Gary Melcher and John Wheeler, Klenda’s throw of 182 feet, 10 inches has been the one to beat for eight years.

Third-graders learn about beef industry

How much money a cow or steer can bring at market, how to care for the animals, what diseases to watch for, and more were presented to third-grade students from Marion and Hillsboro when their classes took advantage of an opportunity to learn about the agriculture industry by attending Marion-Florence FFA’s annual Ag Awareness Day on Friday. Marion seniors Tyler Makovec and Jarret McLinden showed a year-and-a-half-old heifer to students and talked about raising, showing, and selling cattle.

Espinoza, Basore lead Centre track at Herington

Centre track teams competed in an invitational Thursday at Herington. Xavier Espinoza placed first in the 100-meter dash and long jump. Kate Basore placed first in javelin. Results Boys 100-meter — 1. Xavier Espinoza, 11.2 seconds. Long jump — 1. Xavier Espinoza, 19 feet, five inches. 1600-meter run — 5. Aidan Svoboda, 5:16.2. Girls Discus — 6. Kate Basore, 97’11”. Javelin — Basore, 124’2”. 800-meter — 5. Emma David, 2:56.6. Triple jump — 6. Alyssa Espinoza, 30’7.5”. 4x100 relay — 4. 55 (Cailey Barney, Alyssa Espinoza, Emma David, Samantha Espinoza. 4x400 relay — 6. 5:01.6 (Samantha Espinoza, Cailey Barney, Gracie Luna, Alyssa Espinoza).

Warrior ball teams post 6-1 week

With regional action beginning Monday, momentum is heavily favoring the Warrior baseball team, which will enter the Lyons regional as the top seed. Three days after repeating as the sole champion of the Heart of America League, the Warriors closed out the regular season on the road, destroying the Canton-Galva Eagles.

College Degrees

Marion-Florence FFA strikes gold at state event

Competing against the best in the state, Marion-Florence FFA members achieved gold division placements at a state agriculture mechanical and technical competition April 30 at Manhattan Area Technical College. Peyton Ensey placed fourth and Antone Vinduska sixth in a field of more than 130 competitors to earn gold division honors.

Students named governor's scholars

County seniors at the top of their classes were honored Saturday by Governor Jeff Colyer at the Governor’s Scholar banquet in Topeka. Each of the 554 awardees finished in the top one percent of their graduating classes.

Warrior golfers compete in county invitational

The Marion High School golf team was in action Friday competing in the Marion County Invitational with 18 holes being played at Hillsboro and Marion courses. Due to only three competitors playing, Marion was unable to register a team score.

Bowling results

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Chronic pain class offered

Individuals with chronic long-term pain lasting longer than three to six months can learn management and coping techniques through a series of classes beginning May 22 at Hilltop Manor in Marion. Chronic pain conditions include such things as neck, shoulder, back pain; fibromyalgia; whiplash injuries; repetitive strain injuries; pelvic pain; and post-surgical pain.

Chat and Dine to meet Saturday

Marion County Lake Chat and Dine will meet at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the east shelter. Larry and Barb Smith will serve as hosts. Attendees should bring table service and a dish to share. The meeting is open to past and present lake residents and guests.

Calendar of events

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