Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

Camper evades 10 cops, plane, dog for 5 hours
What began with a camper trying to sneak into Hillsboro Cove without paying ended in a fruitless five-hour search involving at least 10 law enforcement officers, a tracking dog and a highway patrol airplane. A woman who was at the camper’s site, however, was arrested on unrelated charges.
Becker wins big, Schroeder ousted, Colyer takes county
Interim county commissioner Kent Becker, with 452 votes, won Tuesday’s election by a 2-1 margin over the next contender, Larry Cushenbery, who garnered 219 votes. Coming in only 28 votes behind Cushenbery was Craig Dodd, with 192 votes. All are Republicans.
Victims' trailer is getaway vehicle
It wasn’t bad enough that thieves stole almost $30,000 worth of equipment and tools from Chad Cannon. They had the gall to use his own boat trailer to cart it away. Cannon stored a boat on the trailer. The thieves pulled the boat off and then used the trailer as their getaway vehicle.
Power failure costly to downtown businesses
Most of downtown Marion was forced to close for much of the day Thursday after a series of power failures blew out one of the city’s prime electrical circuits. Many businesses lost almost an entire day’s worth of revenue.
Silage dispute spills over onto city streets
Contention between Lincolnville feedlot owner Mike Beneke, who owns the former Straub’s International location at 601 W. Main St., and city officials has ratcheted up since Beneke was cited July 24 for a nuisance issue over piling silage on the property. Now Beneke is parking semis and farm equipment downtown and on Friday parked his six-door limousine on 3rd St. across from Central National Bank with the words, “Up yours, Mayor H” written in the dust on the car.

OTHER HEADLINES

Florence backs down on seizing springs
What a difference three days makes. The decision to renege on the eminent domain case made at the city council meeting on Thursday was turned on its ear at Monday’s follow-up meeting. Now council hopes to negotiate a contract with the DeForest family. By the end of Monday’s meeting, Gayle, and councilmen Ken Hoffman and Reilly Reid said they no longer wanted to exercise eminent domain. The council will hear further discussion Friday.
Florence budget rejected at hearing
Monday evening’s Florence city budget hearing was a three-hour event that sent the council back to the drawing board. Councilman Matthew Williams was absent, but mayor Bob Gayle and the three other members were under fire from the start.
Lights installed at ballfield
Local parks and baseball fields provide great family entertainment, but it is more difficult when the facilities are not up to date. For Florence city councilman Trayce Warner, that means getting new baseball field lights at minimal cost to residents.
Caster to be headliner
Brody Caster will be the headliner at the annual Florence Labor Day celebration Sept. 1, 2, and 3 in Florence. This year’s celebration will feature a co-ed slow-pitch softball tournament on Sept. 1.
Elgin to feature craft beers
Music and at least five different breweries will be featured at Elgin’s second craft beer and live music event 6:30 to 10 p.m. Aug. 25. The band, Box Turtles, will perform in the courtyard at 7:30 p.m. Special VIP tickets include an Elgin memorabilia glass and admission at 6 p.m. VIP and general tickets include 15 tastings, live music, and entertainment. Childcare will be available.
Chat 'n' Dine to meet Saturday
The Marion County Lake Chat n’ Dine Club will meet 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Marion County Lake North Shelter. Jim and Karen Egts, and Larry and Barb Smith will host. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to share, and the club will provide buns, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and hot dogs.
Relay for Life to be Saturday
Opening ceremonies and a walk sponsored by Marion County Relay for Life will be 5 p.m. Saturday at Marion High School Warriors Stadium. The event will include a caregiver ceremony at 7 p.m., free pizza at 7:30 p.m., and a lighting ceremony at 9 p.m.
Workshop finale displays young talent
The final day at Marion’s two-week opera workshop highlighted family, in both a literal sense and a figurative one. Sunday’s audience was a mix of the performers’ families and members of the Marion community, all of whom were welcomed by the city’s director of economic development, Randy Collett.

COUNTY

Commission splits on transfer station
Thursday’s special county commission meeting had one item on the agenda, the Marion’s transfer station for recyclables. The project passed 2-1, but commissioner Randy Dallke had major reservations, he said.
New immunizations coming to county
Those allergic to regular flu shots could now have a flu vaccine to help them ward off the illness. A three-component flu vaccine and a vaccine against shingles are coming soon to the county health department.
County Democrats to meet
Marion County Democrats will meet 10 a.m. Saturday in the Marion Community Center downstairs conference room for their mandatory re-organization meeting. District residents and county Democrats are welcome. More information can be obtained from Eileen Sieger at 670-382-2032.

DEATHS

Alice Bartel
Former missionary Alice Edna Bartel, 92, died Aug. 3 at Salem Home in Hillsboro. She was born Sept. 28, 1925 to Daniel and Katherine (Ediger) Wiens in Marion County.
IN MEMORIUM:
Edward Barnett

DOCKET

OPINION

State of the newspaper
Forgive a moment of introspection, but as another summer draws to a close and home-that-isn’t-home once again beckons, it’s time to take stock of how your newspapers and the communities they serve are doing. Yes, it may be presumptuous of someone who, until retirement, will spend only four months of the year here, but sometimes it’s easier to see things when you aren’t staring at them every day.
State of the community
Tax and spend, snipe and yell, boycott and conspire — then complain that everything gets worse and do absolutely nothing to make it better. It’s a game we as a community have become caught up in. We can spend more than a million on a revamped way-station for trash. We can spend thousands to come up with statistics “proving” why the best-paid people in the county need even more money. We can talk about beautifying streets but can’t seem to keep the power on for the stores on them. We can get caught up in what sort of big-dollar administrative structure is best for economic development — and spend years developing nothing by disagreement. We can even mess around with piles of silage and limos parked in protest. And all the while we can kill the messenger for conveying the message.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Helga the hen to the rescue
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
When government takes, we all lose

PEOPLE

It's all about Hett-itude
“People who remember coming as children are returning with their own families, seeking to strengthen the family bond,” Wendy Hett of Marion said. More than 240 descendents of Heinrich and Katharina Hett will be in Marion this weekend for the 100th Hett family reunion.
Durham woman is Sunflower honoree
Senior Citizens of Marion County chose member Joyce Medley of Durham as their Sensational Sunflower honoree July 20. She will be Marion County’s representative at the Sept. 18 Sunflower fair. Board members approved paying Medley’s registration as well as any board member planning to attend.
Warnekes to celebrate 74 years
Daughters of Harlow and Edith (Albright) Warneke are requesting a card show to celebrate their parents’ 74th wedding anniversary. Harlow and Edith were married Aug. 10, 1944 in El Dorado. Daughters include Connie Warneke and Gerry Lundy of McPherson, and Pat Elling of Crossville, Tennessee. The Warnekes have two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Hartzlers to celebrate 40th anniversary
Byron and Doreen Hartzler of Wichita will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary Aug. 25. They were married at Meridian Baptist Church in Newton. The Hartzlers have one daughter, Christen Funk. She and her husband, Jason, live in Park City.
Commodities available
August government surplus commodities will be distributed 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 16 at Marion Senior Center.
UPCOMING:
Calendar of Events
SENIOR CENTER:
Seniors observe Day of Cowboy, Marion Senior Center menu
MEMORIES:
10, 25, 40, 55, 70, 110, 140 years ago
MEMORIES IN FOCUS:
Old glory, new glory

SCHOOL

New MHS principal from Wichita West
After living and teaching in Wichita for 11 years, Travis Rogers, the new high school principal at Marion-Florence school district, feels like he is returning to his roots. “I always had that desire to get back to a smaller town and be a head principal,” he said. “I also have two small kids and wanted them to be raised in a smaller town with more opportunities.”
Centre's new principal played football at K-State
When Centre’s new junior high and high school principal talks about school pride, he isn’t just a Kansan, he’s a Wildcat. Donald Raymer played on the K-State football team for 2½ years while studying for a degree in secondary education and math.
Food bank assembles back-to-school materials
For Peabody resident Kristina Roussell, the Marion County Resource Center Food Bank is a valuable resource with friendly service. “It helps us monthly, it helps with extra food,” Roussell said.
Basketball coming to special ed co-op
Students at Marion County Special Education Cooperative will have more opportunity for outdoor sports when school begins this month. A multi-purpose concrete sports pad will be used for basketball and other sports.
Tabor names interim athletic director
Tabor College announced that head women’s basketball coach, Shawn Reed, was named interim athletic director. Reed will oversee day-to-day athletic department operations for 2018-19. “I am excited to serve Tabor and our excellent coaching staff, trainers and support staff in this role,” Reed said.
TEEN meeting set
Technology Excellence in Education Network will meet 6 p.m. Aug. 15 at USD 408 district office at 101 N. Thorp, Marion.

Marion County RECORD

What began with a camper trying to sneak into Hillsboro Cove without paying ended in a fruitless five-hour search involving at least 10 law enforcement officers, a tracking dog and a highway patrol airplane. A woman who was at the camper’s site, however, was arrested on unrelated charges.

Interim county commissioner Kent Becker, with 452 votes, won Tuesday’s election by a 2-1 margin over the next contender, Larry Cushenbery, who garnered 219 votes. Coming in only 28 votes behind Cushenbery was Craig Dodd, with 192 votes. All are Republicans.

It wasn’t bad enough that thieves stole almost $30,000 worth of equipment and tools from Chad Cannon. They had the gall to use his own boat trailer to cart it away. Cannon stored a boat on the trailer. The thieves pulled the boat off and then used the trailer as their getaway vehicle.

Most of downtown Marion was forced to close for much of the day Thursday after a series of power failures blew out one of the city’s prime electrical circuits. Many businesses lost almost an entire day’s worth of revenue.

Monday evening’s Florence city budget hearing was a three-hour event that sent the council back to the drawing board. Councilman Matthew Williams was absent, but mayor Bob Gayle and the three other members were under fire from the start.

Local parks and baseball fields provide great family entertainment, but it is more difficult when the facilities are not up to date. For Florence city councilman Trayce Warner, that means getting new baseball field lights at minimal cost to residents.

Brody Caster will be the headliner at the annual Florence Labor Day celebration Sept. 1, 2, and 3 in Florence. This year’s celebration will feature a co-ed slow-pitch softball tournament on Sept. 1.

The Marion County Lake Chat n’ Dine Club will meet 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Marion County Lake North Shelter. Jim and Karen Egts, and Larry and Barb Smith will host. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to share, and the club will provide buns, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and hot dogs.

Opening ceremonies and a walk sponsored by Marion County Relay for Life will be 5 p.m. Saturday at Marion High School Warriors Stadium. The event will include a caregiver ceremony at 7 p.m., free pizza at 7:30 p.m., and a lighting ceremony at 9 p.m.

Thursday’s special county commission meeting had one item on the agenda, the Marion’s transfer station for recyclables. The project passed 2-1, but commissioner Randy Dallke had major reservations, he said.

Those allergic to regular flu shots could now have a flu vaccine to help them ward off the illness. A three-component flu vaccine and a vaccine against shingles are coming soon to the county health department.

Marion County Democrats will meet 10 a.m. Saturday in the Marion Community Center downstairs conference room for their mandatory re-organization meeting. District residents and county Democrats are welcome. More information can be obtained from Eileen Sieger at 670-382-2032.

Former missionary Alice Edna Bartel, 92, died Aug. 3 at Salem Home in Hillsboro. She was born Sept. 28, 1925 to Daniel and Katherine (Ediger) Wiens in Marion County.

IN MEMORIUM:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

“People who remember coming as children are returning with their own families, seeking to strengthen the family bond,” Wendy Hett of Marion said. More than 240 descendents of Heinrich and Katharina Hett will be in Marion this weekend for the 100th Hett family reunion.

Senior Citizens of Marion County chose member Joyce Medley of Durham as their Sensational Sunflower honoree July 20. She will be Marion County’s representative at the Sept. 18 Sunflower fair. Board members approved paying Medley’s registration as well as any board member planning to attend.

Byron and Doreen Hartzler of Wichita will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary Aug. 25. They were married at Meridian Baptist Church in Newton. The Hartzlers have one daughter, Christen Funk. She and her husband, Jason, live in Park City.

August government surplus commodities will be distributed 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 16 at Marion Senior Center.

UPCOMING:

SENIOR CENTER:

MEMORIES:

MEMORIES IN FOCUS:

When Centre’s new junior high and high school principal talks about school pride, he isn’t just a Kansan, he’s a Wildcat. Donald Raymer played on the K-State football team for 2½ years while studying for a degree in secondary education and math.

For Peabody resident Kristina Roussell, the Marion County Resource Center Food Bank is a valuable resource with friendly service. “It helps us monthly, it helps with extra food,” Roussell said.

Students at Marion County Special Education Cooperative will have more opportunity for outdoor sports when school begins this month. A multi-purpose concrete sports pad will be used for basketball and other sports.

Technology Excellence in Education Network will meet 6 p.m. Aug. 15 at USD 408 district office at 101 N. Thorp, Marion.