Marion County RECORD

Survey shows most Kansans support criminal charge for police chief who led newspaper raid

A new survey shows most Kansans believe former Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody should be prosecuted for raiding a newspaper office, editor’s home and city councilwoman’s home last year. When asked to comment, the respondents had choice words to describe the police action.

New Peabody cop named in brutality suit

A newly hired Peabody police officer is being sued in federal court over alleged use of unnecessary force and violation of civil rights. Robert Walker of Howard filed suit Sept. 9 against Eric Watts, whose full name is Richard Eric Watts.

Ambulance chief quits, mum on reason

Just a year after his hiring, county ambulance director Chuck Kenney resigned Monday, citing only personal reasons. Kenney is the fourth ambulance director to quit in recent years.

Czech it out! Pilsen turns 150

Festivities began early during Pilsen’s 150th anniversary Saturday. Gunshots and traditional Czech polkas began ringing out at 8 a.m., as youths and adults shot skeet. Thurston Silhan, a freshman at Hillsboro who shot skeet in the youth division, drives to Pilsen each weekend to work at the Chaplain Kapaun Museum shop.

Trash crew gets ringing endorsement

When Neal Whitaker dropped off his old couch at the Marion County Trash Transfer Station on Thursday, he didn’t think much of it. He’d checked under the cushions beforehand to make sure nothing of import was stuck in there. Unbeknownst to him, deep in the couch was something very important: wife Cathy’s high school class ring from 1978.

Cafe is baked into community

A cafe is an important part of any town, but it takes on deeper meaning when it’s the only eatery in a town of 88. Such is the case for Main Street Café and Bakery in Durham. Durham is isolated even for rural Kansas. Its main street, Douglas Ave., consists of little more than an auto-repair shop and a post office. A few pretty but vacant storefronts round out the area.

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Ex-cop pleads guilty in child porn case

Former Marion County deputy and Burns police chief Joel J. Womochil, 39, has pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child. In a plea agreement filed Oct. 9, Womochil admitted having conspired with Indiana resident Denise Sandmann for Sandmann to produce a video of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a 3-year-old child.

Dallke tosses his hat in the write-in ring

Beaten in this year’s primary election for District 3 commission seat, longtime county commissioner Randy Dallke has filed as a write-in candidate in the November general election. Dallke has been on county commission for 20 years. Opponent Clarke Dirks nudged Dallke off the ballot on a 184-152 vote.

Burns politics spills over again

A fight Saturday evening in Burns resulted in two arrests — one a longstanding opponent of Burns City Council and the other possibly related to city council member Tina Blansett. Undersheriff Larry Starkey said James S. Blansett, 65, drove past William P. Castleberry’s house, then drove past again.

Family who lost home feeling the love

A Hillsboro family whose home was destroyed in a fire Oct. 5 said they are amazed and grateful at the help people have provided. Sarah and Zac Gutierrez and their children Mariah, 17, and Elijah, 3, are renting a different home for now, but Sarah said the couple is contemplating rebuilding the house.

Hillsboro gets grant to add to walking trail

A second walking and biking trail in Hillsboro will be built with a grant from the state. Kansas Department of Transportation this week announced that it has awarded $525,100 to Hillsboro as part of a transportation alternatives grant program.

Hillsboro receives public power award

“No big check?” Mayor Lou Thurston joked. The city of Hillsboro received $500 Tuesday for winning Kansas’s annual Public Power Week trophy. Unfortunately for Thurston, the prize money came in the form of a normal-size check.

Peabody changes residency requirements

Three months after hiring a police chief who declined to move to Peabody, the city council passed an ordinance Monday removing an earlier requirement that the chief live in the city. Under the ordinance passed Monday, all appointed officers — city administrator, clerk, municipal court judge, city attorney, and city prosecutor — are required only to live in the state of Kansas.

Bob Harris

A graveside service at Hillcrest Cemetery, Florence, for Robert “Bob” Harris, 84, who died Monday at St. Luke Hospital in Marion, will follow visitation from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday at Florence Christian Church. Born Oct. 29, 1939, in Wichita to Gene and Gladys (Williams) Harris, he married Margaret Sellers on May 25, 1979, at the Christian Church in Marion.

Clifford Hett

Services for Clifford Hett, 79, rural Marion, who died Monday, will be 3 p.m. Saturday at Aulne Bible Church. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Yazel-Megli Funeral Home, Marion.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil Division cases

County jail arrests and bookings

Criminal Division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Police activity reports

Traffic Division cases

Vote as if democracy's life depends on it. It does.

You could hear the anxiety in her voice as one of Kosovo’s leading investigative reporters, a victim of police raids not unlike those experienced here a year ago, asked a plaintive question while visiting Marion earlier this month. Why stay in a field like journalism with low pay, bad hours, and misplaced hatred of media that really should be reserved for talking heads on cable TV instead of actual reporters who gather rather than spin the news?

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

CORRECTIONS:

Class learns new ways to lead

Three of five county commissioners greeted the 2024 Marion County Leadership classes at a public ceremony Thursday. David Mueller, Kent Becker, and Randy Dallke were present, along with county clerk Ashley Herpich and county administrator Tina Spencer.

Families meet for 65th reunion

Members of the Collett and Hayen families met for their 65th annual reunion Sunday at the Marion County Lake hall. After a potluck lunch, president Dennis Hammer conducted a business meeting at which 2025 officers were elected.

Event to collect toys for tots

Food, toys, and cash donations for underprivileged kids will be collected Nov. 2 at Marion County’s 31st annual Toy Run. Participants in the drive from Marion to Hillsboro, sponsored by Sons of the American Legion, Abate, and Route 56 Classic Cruisers, will be asked to donate one new toy and canned food items as their entry fee.

Burns student selected

Ellie Supple of Burns, a junior majoring in physical education and health, is among 22 Kansas State University students selected as “ambassadors” to promote K-State’s College of Education among new and prospective students.

Republicans to reorganize

Reorganization will be the topic when members of the Republican Party of Marion Countymeet at 7 p.m. Thursday at Hillsboro Civic Center.

Senior center menus

MEMORIES:

School grant to help kids' literacy

USD 410 to install new pipes, play-callers

Hillsboro’s board of education voted Monday to approve the construction of new utility services and hire new varsity coaches. DCS Services submitted four construction bids totaling $2,632,712. The board approved all four unanimously.

Centre, Herington to field joint ball teams

The Centre and Herington school districts have agreed to establish a joint baseball and softball program. Neither district have had such baseball or softball programs in the past.

Seniors help seniors at Marion food bank

Senior volunteers often work under the radar in Marion, but their work is vital to the community. Nowhere is that more apparent than at Marion County Food Bank, where roughly 60 volunteers, almost all senior citizens, prepare and distribute food for those less fortunate.

Peabody streak continues as other teams struggle

The Peabody-Burns Warriors continued to stay hot Friday, winning for the third week in a row. Other county teams were unable to match that intensity. Peabody-Burns

Trojans finish 3rd at home

Hillsboro It was a busy week for the Trojans with nine matches in seven days. Five were on Saturday at the Trojans invitational, where they placed third.

Richert breaks school record

Hillsboro Riley Richert broke a school record Thursday at Sterling, placing second with a time of 19:44.

Girls' season comes to end

The Lady Warriors completed their golf season at Monday’s 1-2-3A regional in Osage City. Georgia Madgwick, Naomi Wilson, and Sybil Bowman led the team. “We did not have any state qualifiers this year, but the girls competed and learned from their experience,” coach Max Venable said. “We have a very young team and are graduating just two of our 13 players. I am excited to see how the girls improve next year.”

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