Marion County RECORD

County takes engineer to task: Approves 1 of 2 midyear hires

Requests coming in the middle of a budget year to add two full-time employees to the county payroll were met with mixed reaction Monday. Planning, zoning and environmental health sought an additional employee to focus on environmental health, especially well issues.

Looks to expand its footprint

If space is indeed the final frontier, Marion County commissioners are boldly going where no commissioners have gone before, undertaking massive expansions of county space through a series of projects. A week ago, even as the overflow tenants from planning and zoning were poised to move out of a building the county temporarily was renting, commissioners took ownership of the property, paying two-thirds more than the building’s assessed value to get it.

3 cited at Tabor 'party house' in Marion

A Marion house that’s rapidly developing a reputation for being a “party house” for Tabor College athletes was scene of another police intervention early Sunday. Three people, all apparently athletes at Tabor, were cited for alleged violations involving underage drinking and excessive noise.

Fire destroys lake trailer, damages another

An electrical malfunction is believed to be the cause of a 4:31 p.m. Monday fire that destroyed a trailer on Pine Tree Dr. at the county lake. Marion fire chief Chris Killough said the fire tripped the electric service to the trailer.

Missing teen found in drug-dealing arrest

Marion County deputies returned a 17-year-old Wichita girl to her unsuspecting father early Saturday after a 28-year-old man she was with was arrested on suspicion of multiple drug-dealing charges. “Her father had no idea where she was,” Sheriff Jeff Soyez said.

Driven crazy: Kids, cars keep cops hopping

The radio earworm “1-877-KARS-4-KIDS” may have been echoing through the heads of law enforcement officers this weekend. Around 6 p.m. Saturday, dispatchers received a call from a woman who apparently had been enjoying the warm evening by watching a group of elementary school children playing at a park in Lehigh.

Ambulance runs into trouble

A 74-year-old woman, gasping and convulsing at a Cottonwood Point campsite at Marion Reservoir, began receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation on dispatchers’ instructions at

Newspaper wins 40 awards in statewide contest

Competing against midsize dailies as well as weeklies, Marion County Record won 40 statewide awards — including all major awards for overall news coverage — in the 2022 Awards of Excellence competition by Kansas Press Association. The Record learned this week that it won first place for:

Secrecy over search triggers complaint

A closed-door meeting Monday by Marion City Council to begin its search for a new city administrator drew a complaint to the attorney general’s office. The meeting was an initial discussion with Don Osenbaugh, a recruiter hired to help the city find a replacement for administrator Roger Holter, whose last day will be June 30.

Planners argue, compromise on parking

In an often contentious, nearly two-hour meeting, Marion planning and zoning commission members reached a compromise on parking regulations they think will make city council members happy. Council members Ruth Herbel and Zach Collett and mayor David Mayfield attended the meeting.

On the line: Tractor snags wire

Sections of Marion County Lake lost power at 2:35 p.m. Friday after farming equipment snagged a recently installed Vyve cable line along Turkey Creek Rd., threatening the driver with electrocution from a neighboring Evergy line. The driver, Danial Hett, has been transporting farm equipment for five years. He usually has no issues with Turkey Creek Rd. despite low-hanging lines.

County sues over truck wreck

An insurance company squabble over which company should pay for a July 6 wreck involving a county road and bridge truck and a flatbed truck owned by Star Lumber & Supply will have to be decided in court. The wreck happened at 160th and Pawnee Rd. when Star Lumber’s truck, driven by Bel Aire resident Jonathan Hyslop, entered the intersection headed eastbound and was struck on the rear axles by a northbound county-owned dump truck driven by Glenn George.

Planned dorm to get $1.5 million grant

A new, 86-student Tabor College residence hall — regarded as vital for recruiting students — received a boost last week with announcement of a $1.5 million challenge grant. If Tabor, which already has raised $2.7 million, can raise an additional $2.3 million in the next year, it will receive the money from a frequent donor, the John and Lottie Mabee Foundation of Tulsa.

Fallen chief to be honored

Former Burns police chief and Butler County sheriff’s deputy Stephen Evans, who died Oct. 25 in a crash just north of El Dorado, will be honored during a series of events in May. He will be remembered May 5 during a candlelight vigil at Kansas Peace Officers Memorial on the grounds of the state capital.

Reservoir walleye regulations change

Fishermen may keep shorter walleye caught at at Marion Reservoir. The change came in response to a four-year study to improve walleye fishing opportunities. Anglers may harvest three walleye 18 inches and longer, with no more than one fish 21 inches or longer, per day.

Diann Cline

Delayed services for Marion High School graduate Diann Fern (Wiens) Cline, who died Feb. 3, 2020, at age 70, will be 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Crick-Christians Funeral Home, Lindsborg. Interment of her urn will follow at the Cline family farm.

Ruth Dall

Services for Marion native Ruth Anette (Morse) Dall, 69, who died Saturday at her home in Emporia after a long battle with cancer, are scheduled for noon today at Calvary Baptist Church, Emporia, with a graveside service at 2 p.m. at Marion Cemetery. Born March 6, 1953, to Earl J. and Hattie (Klenk) Morse in Marion, she graduated from Marion High School in 1971 and attended cosmetology school in Wichita before moving to Emporia, where she met and married Gary G. Dall Sr. in 1973.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County jail arrests and bookings

Criminal division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Police activity reports

Offenses reported

Intended for house, lot becomes garden

When Chuck and Teri Ehmann moved to Marion from Phoenix in July 2020, they were planning to set a pre-fabricated house on a vacant lot they had purchased at Denver and Freeborn Sts. COVID-19 restrictions made it difficult at the time.

Want a home? Be prepared to act fast

Supply and demand is making home-buying a game of “capture the flag.” There is more demand for homes than there is supply, Marion real estate agent Lori Heerey said.

Tour to highlight area's natural springs

Marion County has more natural springs than any other Kansas county. Flint Hills Counterpoint of rural Peabody is sponsoring a bus tour May 14 of six natural springs in southern Marion County. They include Summervill Springs, Crystal Springs, Allison Springs, Cayne Spring, Spring Creek, and Marion Central Park Spring.

A sip of silliness

Relax, dear readers. We at times may question the wisdom of Marion’s exalted city council, as we do with its apparently illegal secret sessions this week. But rest assured that the mayor, council, and administrator haven’t yet gone completely off the deep end. Contrary to what an ordinance summary they are publishing in this week’s paper implies, beer sales haven’t been universally approved in Central Park.

Why it matters

For the past 15 years, maybe 20, Marion residents have been polarized by whether they love or hate whoever serves as city administrator. Two different administrators — our current one and a former one, who now is mayor — both came within a single vote of being removed from office by the city council. So what’s the first thing the council does when it begins considering how to select a new administrator? With discussion scheduled to focus on such things as desired education, experience, and personal attributes along with what taxpayer-paid salary to offer, the council retreats behind closed doors instead of reaching out to citizens and seeing what they want in the person who most likely will be their main point of contract for public business in the town they call home.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS:

Peabody has new liquor store

The grand opening of Walnut Wine and Whiskey will be Saturday in Peabody. The store is at the northwest corner of the Peabody Market building at 208½ N. Walnut St. Business hours will be noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Peabody Market will remain open until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, beginning Saturday.

Spring Fling set for Burns

Peabody-Burns school district will sponsor a Spring Fling from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Burns Community Building. Hot dogs, chips, and cookies will be provided, along with bingo, board games, and yard games.More information is available by calling (620) 983-2188 or emailing rwattson@usd398.com.

Church to offer carryout

An annual smothered burrito dinner at Peabody Christian Church will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. May 4. Call-in orders can be made by contacting Joan at (316) 772-6558 by 10 a.m. that morning.

Senior centers menus

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MEMORIES:

Prom: Dancing in the dark and reminiscing

Just as juniors and seniors lined up on stairs to be tested for alcohol before they entered Marion’s Sports Aquatic Center for prom, the lights went out — not just in Marion but throughout the county. Although the blackout made it a bit dangerous to climb up steps, it didn’t dampen spirits.Students also got a lesson in courtesy as they went through the door. Police chief Clinton Jeffrey told each student whether he or she passed or failed the alcohol screening, but if boys entered before the girls, Jeffrey opened the door and called out, “Hey, come back here.”

Special education in transition

Marion County Special Education Cooperative has been in transition since losing its longtime director, David Shepherd, three years ago. Ron Traxson came out of retirement as a school administrator to take over the helm on an interim basis in December. He had retired as Peabody-Burns superintendent in June.

Student wins magazine awards

Hutchinson Community College student Myranda Stika of Burdick won three awards earlier this month from Kansas Collegiate Media for her work on the college’s student magazine, Dragon’s Tale. Stika won first place for profile writing, second place in portrait photography, and third place in infographics.

2 state champions top week in sports

A busy week in sports was topped by Marion County students winning state championships in powerlifting. Peabody-Burns junior Jefferson Glover won the combined title in the boys heavyweight class, and Goessel freshman Abbigail Funk won in the 105-pound girls class in an event sponsored by Kansas Eight-Man Football Association.

Bowling league results

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