Marion County RECORD

COVID surge ebbs with 20 new cases Monday

A surge in COVID-19 cases that began at Halloween continued to ebb Monday but remained at levels unprecedented before the surge began. Twenty new cases reported Monday after a long holiday weekend bring to 454 the total number of cases reported in Marion County since the pandemic began here April 1.

Hillsboro ups ante as county folds

A day after county commissioners reluctantly approved a governor’s order requiring face coverings in public, Hillsboro council members passed their own mask ordinance, which unlike the county’s has penalties for those who don’t comply. People who do not wear masks in public places can be fined $25, $50, or $100. The owner of a business where employees don’t wear masks can be fined, too.

Scam victim learns it doesn't pay to win

When Lucille Bitner received a call that she won $1.8 million, she wanted to believe the man on the other line. “He really made it sound legitimate,” she said. “He sounded like a really religious man, and he really was concerned for me.”

Thanksgiving looms as Halloween surge wanes

Even as the number of new cases slowed this week, worried eyes turned to the next super-spreader event on the horizon — Thanksgiving. County health nurse Diedre Serene expects many people to travel outside their communities to see family.

Novak tees off on paper

Outgoing county commissioner Dianne Novak let loose a bitter tirade at the end of Monday’s meeting. Novak held up a copy of the Marion County Record and glared at a reporter.

Mother Nature's having a blast: It's boom time for quakes

Yvonne Adams Powell thought someone had backed into her garage Saturday night when she heard the loud “boom” outside her home near the football field. She looked up and saw a ceiling fan sway and wondered if this was ab earthquake.

Oh, deer! Be wary of roaming whitetail

Peak season for wandering Whitetail has technically passed, but deer-car accidents still account for a majority of crashes in the county. Only three accidents of 20 reported these past three weeks were not caused by drivers hitting deer, according to accident reports.

Wind farm foe ordered to avoid zoning chief

Wind farm opponent and failed county commission candidate Tom Britain received a court order Nov. 18 to stay away from the county planning and zoning director after he angrily confronted her at a Florence convenience store. During the Nov. 11 confrontation, Britain told Sharon Omstead that he “was going to take care of her,” adding that it “was not a threat” and it “was going to happen.”

Preliminary hearing in murder case postponed

Preliminary hearing for a man charged with murdering a Wichita woman at Canada April 8 was delayed until March. McPherson lawyer David Harger told magistrate Margaret White that the hearing, originally scheduled Nov. 18, would need more time than originally scheduled.

Restaurateur shuts dining room, finds success

Under 701 Café had been a well-liked lunch spot in Newton for nearly three years until a pandemic forced owner Mike Lewis to change lanes. Customers did not return to his dining room in the numbers they had before state-mandated shutdowns emptied it, both of which hurt his bottom line.

Hoy ranch at Cedar Point honored for conservation

Gwen and Josh Hoy’s Flying W Ranch of Cedar Point is the recipient of the 2020 Kansas Leopold Conservation Award. Given in honor of Aldo Leopold, the award honors those who inspire others with their dedication to the land and wildlife in their care.

Marion renews push to upgrade holiday lights

Marion’s Main St. Christmas lights have graced the city for decades, and now a final push is being made to upgrade them. Any lights replaced by the city these past two years were changed from incandescent to LED bulbs but not all establishments were in favor of the update, city administrator Roger Holter said.

Making his mark without being seen

Josh Allenbach repaints parking lots, streets, airports, but his task on a chilly Thursday evening last week was painting parking lines at a nearly empty Carlsons’ Grocery. Allenbach, of Moundridge, admits he often works in empty lots. Pavement marking isn’t a job that promotes social behavior.

Rain, chill to melt away

A wintry mix of rain and snow are projected to melt by the holiday weekend. “There could be some big snowflakes early,” Vanessa Pearce, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Wichita, said.

Dickinson imposes stricter mask mandate

Marion County residents traveling to Dickinson County will need to make sure they wear a mask — or face a stiff penalty if they don’t. County commissioners last week imposed a mask mandate complete with penalties of up to a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail.

Trash schedule confuses residents

Many Marion residents were confused about what day their trash would be picked up this week. Residents in the area where trash is ordinarily picked up Monday left their bags on the curb expecting it to be picked up as usual.

Foundation to give teachers awards

The Peabody Community Foundation will award $1,125 Tuesday to three Peabody junior high and high school counselors. The grants are for an FFA outdoor lab, a rhythm bucket band, a graphic design program, and student leadership opportunities.

Dee Duggan

Dee Duggan, 87, Tampa, died Monday evening of pneumonia. A full obituary will be provided in Dec. 2’s edition of the Marion County Record.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County jail arrests

Criminal division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police activity reports

Traffic division cases

What kids are thankful for

I’m thankful for the police because they help out the town a lot, keeping us safe from things like high water and bad people. Maddix Wilson I am thankful for candee. Deacon Chattam

Students thankful for animals, family, feasting

When Liam Hermann-Kesinger makes a list of what he’s thankful for, one of the first things he mentions is hunting with his father. Liam, a first grader at Hillsboro Elementary School, enjoys hunting dove, duck, and coyote with a bow or rifle.

Unmasking the real issues

Digging out from a blizzard of bluster of a non-meteorological nature, Marion County has come down firmly on the side that face masks are necessary — just so long as no one actually has to wear them. We can hardly wait until next week. Will county commissioners be voting not to impose penalties for theft, violence, drug possession, or drunken driving?

'Buy local' begins with 'sell local'

Digging out from a blizzard of bluster of a non-meteorological nature, Marion County has come down firmly on the side that face masks are necessary — just so long as no one actually has to wear them. We can hardly wait until next week. Will county commissioners be voting not to impose penalties for theft, violence, drug possession, or drunken driving?

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Nativity collection 40 years in the making

Shirley Bowers doesn’t remember how she got started collecting nativity scenes, but she realizes there is little stopping her after 40 years. “If someone brings me one, of course I take it,” she said. “I’m not going to turn it down, but most people know I have a whole bunch of them.”

Holly Jolly events planned for Saturday

With Thanksgiving at the doorstep, several Marion establishments are finishing preparations for Saturday’s Holly Jolly Christmas, though it will be a scaled back version. The day’s events will start with a Christmas story walk at 8 a.m. in downtown Marion.

$1,000 to be given away at parade

Mike Beneke’s giveaway of 10 $100 prizes during Saturday’s Holly Jolly Christmas originally wasn’t intended to be a drawing. The money was supposed to pay for carriage rides around Commercial Dr., but the person Beneke had scheduled canceled, and Beneke was left to find an alternative.

Hillsboro to be 'down home'

Hillsboro’s annual Down Home Christmas Dec. 5 will be an all-day event with activities running from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. Hillsboro Hardware will have grab-and-go bags with children’s crafts for the first 100 people to stop by the store between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Peabody plans showcase

Peabody American Legion Auxiliary’s annual Christmas Vendor Showcase will be Dec. 5, along with several other holiday activities that day. The auxiliary’s showcase is planned for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a parade down Walnut St. by Santa and Mrs. Claus at 11:15 a.m. and photo availability from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Christmas raffle to benefit families in need

A Christmas raffle for three gift baskets will benefit Marion’s Community Christmas Project, which helps with food baskets and children’s gifts for families in need. The baskets are valued at $625, $225, and $125, with items ranging from a 45-piece drill set to a $100 grocery store gift card.

Senior center menus

MEMORIES:

Bowling league results

Sisters net state honors

Sisters Jessica and Sammie Saunders demonstrated their top level of play all season on the volleyball court, and they showed it again last week when they were selected to Class 2A’s all-state volleyball team. Jessica was picked for Class 2A’s all-first team, while Sammie received honorable mention.

Classifieds

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