Marion County RECORD

Arson charged in Aulne house fire

The owner of a 110-year-old Aulne house that burned to the ground Oct. 17 has been charged with arson. Julie Starks, 35, who since the fire has been living in Peabody, was taken into custody Thursday on a felony count of arson and a second charge of interference with law enforcement officers, also a felony. She was released on bond.

Drug arrests jolt Tabor College athletic department

A Tabor College graduate assistant football coach and student assistants for football and basketball face multiple drug-related charges after a Nov. 28 pre-dawn search of their off-campus residence. A two-month investigation by Hillsboro police culminated in a 5 a.m. search of a rental house in the 400 block of W. B St. that uncovered marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a 9mm handgun.

Inmate claims police brutality

A man serving time in Norton prison after being convicted on several Marion County charges is now seeking to withdraw his guilty pleas in two cases, based in part on the fact the Marion officer who arrested him, Mike Stone, later lost his law enforcement credentials; and in part on his allegations that Stone was brutal and threatening. Jonathan L. Mangold, 30, was sentenced Oct. 2 to 30 months in prison for possession of morphine, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while his license was canceled, and transporting an open container of alcohol. He was ordered to pay $1,298 costs, $150 attorney fee, $210 fines, with the sentence to run consecutive to an earlier case.

City gives Airstream Guy a reprieve on lease

A company that signed a five-year lease purchase agreement with the City of Marion in 2012 will get more time to pay off. When Mark Evans made an agreement with the city to purchase land at 1003 Batt St. for Airstream Guy, the original amount was $72,500. Now a balloon payment of $54,000 is due and the business cannot make the payment at this time.

Waxing and buzzing for water

If sacrificing a bit of change and one’s dignity will save lives, the youth group at Marion Christian Church is all for it, and gleefully so. Last week, cheering kids, with cell phones filming nonstop, jammed in around eighth-grader Johnny Zieammermann, whose dignity fluttered to the floor as his hair was buzzed off by group leaders Chris Ensley and TJ Reed.

Santa seeks letters, artwork

Worried that postal workers may have trouble delivering mail to his North Pole ZIP code (2IC4U) in time for Christmas this year, Santa is asking Marion County children to drop their letters off at our office or mail them by Dec. 15 to this special address: Dear Santa
c/o Hoch Publishing
117 S. 3rd St.
Marion KS 66861-1621 In between “ho, ho, hos,” Santa tells us he’s particularly interested in handwritten notes, not form letters. And he’s encouraging kids to help brighten his workshop by including original, hand-drawn art with their letters.

Commissioner crushes gravel payback bid

A commissioner and constituent locked horns Monday over a reimbursement request for rock laid on a county road, with the individual told he should pay for it as a cost of doing business. Mike Beneke, who operates a feedlot and has complained about the condition 280th Rd. in the area, came to the meeting with receipts in his hand and asked to be repaid for his expenses in putting down rock along that section.

Pro football dream jeopardized by charges

When Tabor College football player Torrey Gill put up an online fundraising site in 2015 to get money to play in an all-star bowl in front of NFL scouts, he was clear about what he wanted. “I have been playing football for 15 years and have always dreamed of playing professionally,” he wrote. “This might be my only chance to turn that dream into a reality.”

Attorney general's office looking into complaint

Two county commissioners who took a trip to McPherson together may have violated open meeting law Oct. 10, according to a complaint being investigated by the state attorney general’s office. The subject of the Kansas open meetings act complaint is a trip commissioners Randy Dallke and Kent Becker took to view a transfer station at McPherson, public information officer Jennifer Montgomery said in a Friday email.

Change the world one kid at a time

After 11 years of sponsoring impoverished children through Compassion International, Hillsboro city administrator Larry Paine, his wife, Susan, and their daughter, Brynn Paine, 31, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, made a weeklong trip to see three of the children on the occasion of one’s graduation from college. “We went to El Salvador and jumped over to Guatemala,” Susan said.

Transfer station may be moved north

Efforts to resolve the county’s deteriorating waste transfer station got a shot in the arm at Monday’s city council meeting when council members approved initial analysis of a location proposed by county officials. The county proposes building either a temporary or permanent transfer station on city-owned property across Washington St. north of the transfer station’s present location.

Marion has questions for economic group

Marion city council members want to know what’s in it for the city and a whole lot more based on questions for Marion County Community Economic Development Corporation approved at Monday’s meeting. MCCEDC board members told cities in a meeting last week that they would answer any questions they submitted. The group hopes to get several seats on its permanent board filled and lock down funding from Marion and Hillsboro.

Heirloom piano spotted in Marion home

During the tour of the home of Max and Barbara Jackson in Marion on Sunday, an heirloom upright piano was spotted in the music room. Max Jackson said the Steinway piano was built in 1907 and had been owned by the historic McLean family of Wichita.

County discusses economic development

Two county commissioners had markedly different takes on an economic development meeting last week at the Elgin Hotel. Marion County Community Economic Development Corporation met with city and county representatives to discuss ongoing challenges to becoming fully operational, including an inability to fill its permanent board, controversial bylaws changes, and continuing skepticism from member cities.

Man loses more than $800

Gordon Pendergraft of Marion is hoping that whoever found the money clip he lost Sunday evening at Warbird Pizza will return it to him. The brown leather magnetic clip held more than $800.

Lodge meeting touts reading

Advance Lodge 114, Florence, will host a “coffee” at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Florentine Center, 419 Main, Florence. Dennis J. Kear, executive director of Kansas Masonic Literacy Center at Emporia State University, will inform attendees of resources available from the center to promote reading and lifelong learning.

Larry Bartel

Services for retired construction contractor Larry G. Bartel, 71, who died Friday at Salina Regional Medical Center, will 10 a.m. Thursday at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. Visitation will be 5 to 7 tonight at Jost Funeral Home, Hillsboro. Burial will be in French Creek Cemetery.

Nettie Daily

Private family services for former banker Nettie Daily, 92, who died Friday at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, were today at Resthaven Mortuary in Wichita. Born May 12, 1924, to Jonathan Sr. and Lena (Vogel) Ehrlich at Marion, she graduated from Marion High School and attended Brown Mackie Business College. She married John Daily on June 24, 1950.

Clifford Lucas

A graveside service for Clifford Lucas, 69, who died Nov. 13 at Peabody, will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Marion Cemetery. Born Dec. 5, 1947, at Hillsboro to Clifford and Mildred (Bezdek) Lucas, he grew up in Marion and served in the Army in 1965 and ’66.

Donald Pracht

Services for Donald “Don” Pracht, 86, of Cottonwood Falls, who died Friday at Chase County Care and Rehabilitation Center in Cottonwood Falls, will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Cottonwood Falls United Methodist Church. Inurnment will follow in Prairie Grove Cemetery. He was born April 27, 1931, to Orval and Agnes (Bechelmayr) Pracht at his parents’ home in Chase County. He graduated from Americus High School in 1950.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Criminal division cases

County jail bookings

Deeds recorded

Domestic division cases

Emergency dispatches

Fish and game division cases

Municipal court cases

Police incident reports

Traffic division cases

Retiring co-op manager concerned for young farmers

Mike Thomas will retire at the end of this year after 25 years as an employee of Cooperative Grain and Supply in Marion. He was manager for 15 years. Thomas said he has enjoyed dealing with producers and trying to help them with their concerns.

South Korean principal and teachers visit Pilsen

Father Michael Donghyun Chang, principal of Salesian High School in South Korea, visited Pilsen on Nov. 26. He was accompanied by two teachers from the school. They were joined by David and Raymond Kapaun, Father John Hotze’s assistant Scott Carter, and two Korean students.

Colletts meet for annual reunion

Marion County Lake Hall was the setting for 67 Collett descendants who gathered Oct. 8 for an annual family reunion. President Kathy Meierhoff and husband Chris organized the event, which featured a potluck lunch, auction, and business meeting.

Celebration held at Thomas home

The home of Gayle Thomas was the setting Monday evening when 20th Century Club met for its annual holiday celebration. Fourteen members and one guest enjoyed an array of Christmas goodies and joined in a gift exchange.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

4-H CLUB NOTES:

SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

Pay for your own roads?

Farmers and ranchers reaching for their wallets this Christmas season may want to hold a little in reserve in case they start paying out of pocket for gravel that goes on the roads they use. That’s the underlying premise in an exchange that took place Monday when Mike Beneke of Lincolnville asked county commissioners about being reimbursed for gravel he’s put down on roads used by trucks for his cattle business.

Corrections and clarifications

On the Centre Cougars poster page in last week’s issue, the names of the players in the back row of the boys’ team were omitted. They are, from left, Austin Peterson, C.J. Thompson, Cole Srajer, Max Svoboda, Tanner Peterson, Zach Barney, and Cody Svoboda.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

SENIOR CENTER:

Centre Elementary to present Christmas concert

Pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students at Centre Elementary School will present a Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the high school gymnasium. Fifth and sixth grade bands will perform, followed by the different age groups. Each group will play instruments and dance for one selection.

Centre scholars place second

Centre varsity scholars’ bowl team finished 7-2 Nov. 28 at Tescott, for second place in the meet. Winning matches were against Miltonvale, 70-0; Wilson, 70-20; Glasco, 60-50; White City, 50-30; Osborne, 50-40; Tipton, 30-20; and Sylvan Lucas, 50-30.

Warriors split season opener with SES

While shooting 39 percent from the 3-point line is often enough to win a basketball game, it can prove costly at the free-throw line, especially in a tight game. The Marion Warriors boys’ basketball team found that out the hard way in Friday’s season opener against the visiting Southeast of Saline Trojans.

Marion grapplers snag fourth at Burlington

The wrestling season got off to a solid start Friday night for the Marion Warriors with a fourth-place finish at the Burlington tournament. Marion posted a 3-2 record, toppling 5A Washburn Rural 42-32, perennial 3-2-1A power West Elk, 39-21, and 49-21 over 4AI Circle.

Centre girls win, boys lose season openers

One Centre team went home happy, the other sad after basketball games Friday at Central Christian High School in Hutchinson. Despite limited to a roster of eight and with several freshmen playing varsity competition for the first time, the Lady Cougars defeated Central Christian, 46-42.

MENUS:

County seniors to meet Dec. 15

Senior Citizens of Marion County will hold its monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 15. Lunch reservations are due Dec. 13 and can be made by calling (620) 382-2942 or (620) 382-3580. Requests for transportation are due Dec. 14.

'Messiah' to be presented at new arts center

An oratorio and alumni chorus and a community orchestra will perform Handel’s “Messiah” at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 in the new Shari Flaming Center for the Arts at Tabor College. A 35-member hired ensemble, comprised mostly of players from the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, will join more than 90 alumni voices and 50 Tabor choir members for the performance.

Calendar of events

Return to current issue