Marion County RECORD

HEADLINES

County apologizes, will pay $3 million+
In a major and increasingly infrequent victory for freedom of the press, Marion County agreed Monday to pay more than $3 million for its role in disavowed raids on the Record newsroom and two homes. The county agreed to apologize, concede that wrongdoing likely occurred, and accept a formal court judgment against it for helping plan and participating in raids Aug. 11, 2023, that contributed to the death of Record co-owner Joan Meyer.
How big a bite will taxes take?
Property tax bills being mailed this month will reveal wide disparities in taxation among county communities. Depending on the recognized community in which you may live, you likely will owe somewhere between 1.7% and 2.7% of the appraised value of your home in property taxes.
Kids play chicken with train
BNSF Railway is investigating an incident in which a few kids played chicken with a train coming at them in Peabody. Three kids came very close to being hit by a train, according to Police Chief Matthew Neal.
Re-enactment offers Mass appeal
Seventy-five years ago, Father Emil Kapaun, when serving as an U.S. Army chaplain in Korea, presided over a service using the front of his Jeep as an altar. Saturday at Pilsen, with more than 100 people attending, the Wichita diocese re-created that day with Father Eric Weldon using a Jeep, donated by the Novak family, as his alter.
Kapaun's nephew to speak
Father Emil Kapaun’s congressional medal of honor will be on display, and his nephew, Ray Kapaun, will present a tribute at 6 p.m. Saturday to those confined with his uncle in a Korean War prisoner-of-war camp. The event will begin with a chili feed at 4:30 p.m. at the former Herington Army Airfield chapel that was moved to 106 Main St., Latimer, where it served as a Lutheran church until 2021.

OTHER NEWS

Volunteers feed the masses at Hillsboro church
Cars lined up for nearly half a mile on D St. as more than 700 turkey meals were served at a church fundraiser. Inside at Hillsboro United Methodist Church, the kitchen was a beehive of volunteers as 52 volunteers spent the morning, afternoon, and evening preparing turkey dinners for hungry diners.
United Way to give to food banks
United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties plans a $10,000 emergency donation to support food banks and pantries across both counties as they work to keep up with a sharp rise in community need. Marion County Food Bank is included among the food banks to get checks.
Marion gets new decorations
Eighteen new Christmas decorations, purchased by the city at bargain-basement prices, are being installed on taller light poles at downtown Marion intersections. The new decorations will be tested later this week and turned on for the season the week of Nov. 24.
Candidate to speak
State Senate president and Republican gubernatorial candidate Ty Masterson will speak at a public Patriots for Liberty meeting from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Marion County Lake hall.
'Side hustles' to be honored
Four prizes, from $50 to $400, will be awarded to Tabor College students and Hillsboro community members who showcase their “side hustle” businesses this week at a contest modeled after science fairs. Applications are available at http://www.tabor.edu/ckec, and poster boards for presentations is available in the career services office at the Tabor library. Presentations will be from 10 a.m. to noon Friday in the Heritage Lobby of Shari Flaming Center for the Arts, 311 E. B St.
Marion students are off to see the Wizard
People attending Marion High School’s musical, “The Wizard of Oz,” this weekend will be taken on a trip to a land of munchkins, witches, jitterbugs, flying monkeys, and a wizard. Director Megan Jones said the stage production, adapted by the Royal Shakespeare Co., would be very similar to the classic 1939 movie but with an additional cast of characters.
Hillsboro students to present 'Little Mermaid'
Hillsboro High School’s winter musical this year will feature Disney’s “Little Mermaid.” Dillon Boldt, choral director for Hillsboro Middle / High School, said the winter play had been going on for almost 45 years.

GOVERNMENT

Wait-and-see approach for damaged bridge
A lot of bridges and roads in Marion County need repairing or replacing, but the condition of a bridge has caught the attention of Durham residents. Doug Kjellin, administrative controller in the county’s road and brdige department, briefed county commissioners about bridges and roads a few weeks ago.
New Peabody mayor looks for a new direction
The town of Peabody will have a new mayor in a little more than six weeks, and he promises change and a new direction. Kevin Burke, who has served on the Peabody City Council the last two years, soundly defeated incumbent Mayor Catherine Weems Nov. 4.
Peabody hires another officer
The Peabody Police Department Monday hired its third officer over the last two weeks. When going through bills, Council member Julia Ensminger wanted to know why the city was paying a bill for Isaac McIver, a person she did not know.
Back to drawing board on Peabody shop
After spending weeks talking to a designer and a contractor and even considering buying an old dollar store, county commissioners gave in to time pressure Monday and decided to keep the Peabody-area road and bridges shop where it is. The move will cost the county $15,000 to purchase the existing building.
School group to meet
Directors of Technology Excellence in Education Network, which provides online services to area school districts, will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Hillsboro school district offices, 416 S. Date St., Hillsboro. More information is available from Lena Kleiner at (620) 877-0237.
Disability group to meet
Video conferencing will be available at https://harveymarioncddo.com/meetings when directors of Harvey-Marion County Developmental Disability Organization meet at 4 p.m. Monday in Suite 204 at 500 N. Main St. in Newton.

DEATHS

IN MEMORIAM:
Dan Catlin
IN MEMORIAM:
Stephen Cranston
IN MEMORIAM:
Betty Partridge
IN MEMORIAM:
Francis Steiner

FOR THE RECORD

OPINION

A victory not just for the press but for democracy
The New York Times is on Line 1. CNN is on Line 2. The Associated Press is on Zoom. Tuesday was one of those days. Media requests for interviews were pouring in faster than leaves were falling from the huge 200- or 300-year-old mulberry tree in the backyard I grew up in and on a fateful day in August of 2023 inherited. You might think all this media attention about a bunch of cops rifling through newsroom drawers, seizing computers and cell phones, was a bit unwarranted. Maybe you think the $3 million that the county agreed to pay in the first and less significant part of lawsuits brought because of the raid was some sort of windfall for those of us at the paper.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Peas, please

PEOPLE

Writer is published in Chicken Soup series
Jennifer Broadstreet Hess of Marion has a featured story in Amy Newark’s latest book in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. This book focuses on pets and includes 101 personal short stories from different writers about more than 20 different types of pets — snakes, pigs, cats, dogs, rabbits, etc.
Senior center menus
MEMORIES:
15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 110, 145 years ago

SPORTS

Peabody at home for sectionals
Peabody-Burns is the last county team standing in post-season for high school football after both Marion and Hillsboro lost Friday night. Peabody-Burns
Who says football isn't for girls?
Hillsboro was host for powderpuff football Saturday with three teams; freshmen, juniors, and seniors (plus one sophomore). The seniors were coached by Jesiah Gooch but lost both of their games. The juniors came out on top over the freshmen.
Pair honored as athletes of month
Marion High School has named Kael Dameron and Shelby Summervill its Championship of Character student athletes of the month. Kael was singled out for a strong work ethic, unwavering commitment, coachable attitude, and respect for coaches, teachers, and peers.
League honors players, coach
Wheat State League last week named Goessel’s Isabelle Alderfer, Delaney Duerksen, Jenna Flaming, and Bella O’Neill to its all-league first team in volleyball. Coach Crysta Guhr was named co-coach of the year.

Marion County RECORD

Property tax bills being mailed this month will reveal wide disparities in taxation among county communities. Depending on the recognized community in which you may live, you likely will owe somewhere between 1.7% and 2.7% of the appraised value of your home in property taxes.

BNSF Railway is investigating an incident in which a few kids played chicken with a train coming at them in Peabody. Three kids came very close to being hit by a train, according to Police Chief Matthew Neal.

Cars lined up for nearly half a mile on D St. as more than 700 turkey meals were served at a church fundraiser. Inside at Hillsboro United Methodist Church, the kitchen was a beehive of volunteers as 52 volunteers spent the morning, afternoon, and evening preparing turkey dinners for hungry diners.

United Way of Harvey and Marion Counties plans a $10,000 emergency donation to support food banks and pantries across both counties as they work to keep up with a sharp rise in community need. Marion County Food Bank is included among the food banks to get checks.

Eighteen new Christmas decorations, purchased by the city at bargain-basement prices, are being installed on taller light poles at downtown Marion intersections. The new decorations will be tested later this week and turned on for the season the week of Nov. 24.

State Senate president and Republican gubernatorial candidate Ty Masterson will speak at a public Patriots for Liberty meeting from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Marion County Lake hall.

Hillsboro High School’s winter musical this year will feature Disney’s “Little Mermaid.” Dillon Boldt, choral director for Hillsboro Middle / High School, said the winter play had been going on for almost 45 years.

The town of Peabody will have a new mayor in a little more than six weeks, and he promises change and a new direction. Kevin Burke, who has served on the Peabody City Council the last two years, soundly defeated incumbent Mayor Catherine Weems Nov. 4.

The Peabody Police Department Monday hired its third officer over the last two weeks. When going through bills, Council member Julia Ensminger wanted to know why the city was paying a bill for Isaac McIver, a person she did not know.

Directors of Technology Excellence in Education Network, which provides online services to area school districts, will meet at 6 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Hillsboro school district offices, 416 S. Date St., Hillsboro. More information is available from Lena Kleiner at (620) 877-0237.

Video conferencing will be available at https://harveymarioncddo.com/meetings when directors of Harvey-Marion County Developmental Disability Organization meet at 4 p.m. Monday in Suite 204 at 500 N. Main St. in Newton.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

MEMORIES:

Peabody-Burns is the last county team standing in post-season for high school football after both Marion and Hillsboro lost Friday night. Peabody-Burns

Hillsboro was host for powderpuff football Saturday with three teams; freshmen, juniors, and seniors (plus one sophomore). The seniors were coached by Jesiah Gooch but lost both of their games. The juniors came out on top over the freshmen.

Marion High School has named Kael Dameron and Shelby Summervill its Championship of Character student athletes of the month. Kael was singled out for a strong work ethic, unwavering commitment, coachable attitude, and respect for coaches, teachers, and peers.

Wheat State League last week named Goessel’s Isabelle Alderfer, Delaney Duerksen, Jenna Flaming, and Bella O’Neill to its all-league first team in volleyball. Coach Crysta Guhr was named co-coach of the year.