Marion County RECORD

Stray cats scratch at Hillsboro's patience

Hillsboro is fielding increasing complaints about feral and stray cats damaging property and straining relations between neighbors. But city administrator Matt Stiles told city council members Tuesday that the city has limited capacity to respond.

$600,000 to help build firehouse

Hillsboro will receive $600,000 from the federal government to help build a new fire station. The money was included in a, federal appropriations bill approved by Congress and is awaiting signage by the president.

Remembering an old friend, welcoming a new one

When Marion preschoolers returned from winter break, a familiar sound was missing. Whistling Dixie, the class guinea pig who greeted children each morning from her hutch near the door, had died over the holiday. Rather than quietly replacing her, teacher Lesli Beery chose to slow down and let her students confront something many adults try to shield young children from — loss.

Marion to add yield signs

In an effort to make streets safer, seven more yield signs are likely to be installed in Marion. Two signs would be placed on Weldon St. at Roosevelt St., two would be on Denver St. at Freeborn St. and another two would be on Nickerson St. at Freeborn St. At Mayor Mike Power’s urging, two also would be placed on Melvin St. at Roosevelt St.

New legislator tells Patriots what they want to hear

Six days after the start of his first legislative session, newly appointed State Representative Greg Wilson of Abilene wasted no time touching base with his political base Sunday. Appearing before 32 people at a meeting of Patriots for Liberty at Marion County Lake hall, Wilson reaffirmed his commitment to a wide array of fundamentalist conservative principles and his intense distrust of Democrats.

'Take back the county'

While not commenting on issues raised at Sunday’s Patriots for Liberty meeting, County Commissioner Clarke Dirks challenged those in attendance. “I’m concerned that we have lost Marion County,” he said. “Until we stand up and tell them what we want them to do, they’re going to do what they want to do. In the past two years, I’ve seen that play out numerous times.

Moratorium on battery storage systems delayed

County commissioners Tuesday delayed a decision on imposing a moratorium on commercial battery energy storage systems to add language proposed by Commissioner Clarke Dirks offering reasons for the moratorium. County counsel Brad Jantz, who was not at the meeting, drafted the same resolution for Harvey County but did not include rationale mentioned by Dirks.

Hospital district considering election changes

St. Luke Hospital is considering whether to change how hospital board elections are conducted. “We have historically pretty low participation in our elections from the general public, unless there’s something controversial going on,” chief executive Alex Haines said.

Marion replacing downtown flags

Sometime in the spring, the Marion will install 24 flags downtown. They have yet to be purchased Over several years flags have been affected by weather.

Reservoir funds advance

Marion Reservoir will receive more than $8 million for operation and maintenance if legislation passed by the U.S. Senate is signed into law. The money would be administered through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is part of more than $29 million in federal water infrastructure investments statewide that now awaits the president’s signature.

Historic building reopens as event center

A landmark building in Hillsboro has a new purpose. Newly renovated, The House opened Jan. 7. As an events center, the House is meant to offering a space for events, celebrations, and group activities.

Ambulance calls unchanged

Calls for county ambulances in 2025 were similar to those in the previous two years. In 2023, the county received 1,216 calls for service. In 2024, 1,360 calls were logged, EMS director Mickey Price said. Last year the total was 1,290. The county ambulance has been understaffed for a while. More of its workers live elsewhere and look for opportunities closer to home with better pay, Price said.

Gertrude Morgan

Visitation for Gertrude Ellen (Strutt) Peacock Morgan, 87, Marion, who died Jan. 14 at Parkside Homes, Hillsboro, was Saturday at Jost Funeral Home, Hillsboro. She was born June 4, 1938, to Theodore and Sarah (Cadoret) Strutt in rural Osborne County.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

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County jail arrests and bookings

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Deeds recorded

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Traffic Division cases

Need to come together trumps Trump talk

Each week, this newspaper’s email is flooded with “content sharing” from other members of the Kansas Press Association. For the most part, it’s a host of editorials, nearly all of them condemning whatever latest head-scratching, foul-smelling threats to civility, common sense, freedom, and democracy seem to be emanating from Washington or Topeka. We’d love to chime in on some of these editorials, like the ones expressing wonderment at our wanting to seize Greenland, our labeling of a fatally shot peaceful protester as a terrorist, our censoring of the Stars and Stripes newspaper, and our punishing of Norway for failing to give our president a Nobel Prize.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

Dogs running loose can be expensive for owners

Marion recently set aside $2,049.93 to pay Animal Health Center for boarding for stray dogs picked up and sent there but not claimed by an owner. “The situation is in court at the moment,” city administrator Brian Wells said. “Last we knew the owner has interest in getting the dogs back.”

Grant expands literacy tools

Marion Elementary School will expand hands-on reading instruction this year after receiving a literacy grant from Flint Hills Community Fund. The grant will support about 80 students with multisensory phonics materials that help children learn by seeing, hearing, and moving as they read.

Museum house's history to be discussed

Kris Schmucker will give a public presentation on the Voth-Unruh-Fast house after Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum’s annual meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday at Alexanderwohl Church north of Goessel on K-15 The three-room wooden Voth house was moved from east of Goessel to the Kauffman Museum in 1974. Schmucker, collections manager for the museum, will discuss how the house illustrates a typical Mennonite home of the 1870s in the Goessel area.

Senior center menus

MEMORIES:

Trojan girls win 5th straight as tourneys begin

Hillsboro’s girls picked up their fifth consecutive victory Friday, going up a class to beat Class 3A Hesston in a close-fought 43-38 battle at home. Hillsboro and Centre both will be hosts for tournaments this week, with the three remaining county teams — Goessel, Marion, and Peabody-Burns — all participating in the Centre tournament.

Peabody-Burns is lone victor

Peabody-Burns’ boys were the lone winners among county teams Friday night, defeating Wakefield 40-26 on the road. “I had no one to keep the book, but I know Jameson Miles led us in scoring,” coach Bobby Kyle said.

Wrestlers compete at Halstead

Hillsboro and Marion wrestling teams ventured to Halstead for girls’ and boys’ events this weekend. On Friday, the Hillsboro girls placed 16th out of 21 while Marion’s girls placed 20th.

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