HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Marion County gets world record

Archer aims for Rio de Janeiro

Olympic fever may be over for most folks, but the solid “thwack” of arrow into target is all Callyan Lacio of Hillsboro needs to inspire her dream to be an Olympic archery competitor at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “It’s just a lot of fun,” Lacio, age 12, said. “You really have to concentrate, focus, and follow some simple rules, and then the challenge is to get better and better.”

Stolen truck recovered in Hillsboro

A pair of pickup trucks were stolen Sunday just north of Marion, but one was quickly recovered. A metallic blue 2012 Chevrolet Silverado and a gray 2002 GMC Sierra, both ½ ton 4x4s, belonging to Jon Thole were stolen sometime between late afternoon and 11 p.m., said Wilma Mueller, investigator for Marion County Sheriff’s Department.

Much-needed rain showers county

A gentle but prolonged rain shower passed through Marion County on Tuesday morning. When Torey Hett checked a weather station at Marion Reservoir at 8 a.m., it showed .21 inches of rain received overnight. By the time the rain ended in the early afternoon, another .48 inches had fallen, bringing the total from the day to almost seven-tenths of an inch.

Rollover accident sends 2 to hospital

A one-vehicle rollover accident early Friday evening sent a mother and daughter to Via Christi St. Francis hospital in Wichita with critical injuries. Tamara Yutzy and her 8-year-old daughter Rylee Spears of Goessel were traveling east on Cheyenne Road, two miles west of Goessel, at approximately 5:30 p.m. when their vehicle left the road and rolled several times in a soybean field. Goessel school bus drivers Rannie Schmidt and Diana Schmidt were in the process of ferrying buses from summer repair in Moundridge back to Goessel for the beginning of the school year when they came upon the accident.

Fish endangered by drought

A farm pond in rural Hillsboro was the site of a fish decimation on Aug. 6. About 50 fish lined the shores of the murky green water. The smell radiated from the scene like lines of heat burning a putrid, acrid rotting stench deep into the nostrils. The aquatic animals had been dead for a while. Their killer was drought.

Paul W. Meysing

Paul W. Meysing, 85, of Pilsen died Aug. 6 at Salem Home in Hillsboro. He was a retired farmer and lifelong resident of Pilsen. He was born Feb. 4., 1927, near Pilsen to Joseph and Mary Reznicek Meysing. He grew up and attended school at Pilsen. He was a member of St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, Holy Family Parish, at Pilsen and the Knights of Columbus.

Arlene Giesbrecht Trudell

On Dec. 21, 1960, Arlene Giesbrecht came into the world. On Aug. 9, 2012, Arlene Giesbrecht Trudell left the world, leaving it a better place to be and went to be with her Lord and Savior. Arlene was born in Lawton, Okla. She was the daughter of Jonas and Justina Giesbrecht and was raised on the family farm in Hillsboro. She had three siblings on the farm, sister, Karen (Lee) Dirks of Greensburg; brother, Keith (Karen) Giesbrecht of Lakin; and brother, Ken (Shelly) Giesbrecht of Durham.

Eva K. Warkentine

Eva K. Barrett Warkentin of Palo Alto, Calif., died Tuesday. Her parents owned the Marion lumberyard years ago. She graduated from Marion High School in 1933. She married Roy Warkentin. They had two children, Barry and Sue, both of California.

Dorothy Whitcomb

Dorothy E. Whitcomb, 95, of Emporia, formerly of Cedar Point, died August 8 at Emporia Presbyterian Manor. She was born Oct. 25, 1916, to George L. and Enid Alzine Redden Whitcomb near Cedar Point. For a short time she owned and managed a general store in Cedar Point. She graduated from Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She taught science and math and spent time in California where she attended college. She was a librarian in the Kansas City, Kan., Library for 11 years. She was in charge of the farm accounting from 1936 until 1988, and returned to the family farm in 1976.

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Crossbreeding keeps productivity up

Twenty years ago, more than 56 cow dairies in Marion County were on official milk test rotations with the state dairy herd improvement registry. Now only a handful of farmers make their living with dairy cows in an area once known as the land of milk and honey. With dairy farmers dropping like flies because of low milk payments, high labor costs, and even higher feed costs, it is a wonder that Kent Sterk, Sterk Dairy Inc. southwest of Hillsboro, maintains a positive attitude about the industry.

Cover crops are valuable

Farmer Dean Suderman of rural Hillsboro began using cover crops a few years ago after hearing about them for years at conferences about no-till farming, and he is glad he did. It is difficult to determine the precise return on investment for cover crops, since they aren’t harvested. It’s a little bit easier for farmers who also raise livestock to see direct benefits from grazing.

Additional CRP land approved for use

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency has expanded emergency haying and grazing to additional land covered by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Grass waterways, wetland restoration, rare and declining habitat, and farmable wetlands pilot buffer acreages have been approved for all Kansas counties.

Mid-Kansas Coop donates to 4-H and food

Marion County 4-H Endowment Fund and Marion County Food Bank recently received donations totaling $1,600 from Mid-Kansas Cooperative Assn. Since 2006, MKC has provided funds for area 4-H Leadership Development Programs.

Grazing school taking reservations

Farmers and ranchers are invited to participate in the third annual Eastern Kansas Grazing School, Sept. 12 and 13, at Lyon County Fairgrounds in Emporia. The two-day management intensive grazing (MIG) school will be a hands-on learning experience preparing participants to start their own rotational grazing system with forages adapted to eastern Kansas.

Kansas launches water initiative

The Kansas State Conservation Commission has allocated $500,000 for immediate assistance to Kansas livestock producers through a cost-share program to improve existing livestock water supplies. Pastures that currently have limited or no existing water supplies are the primary targets for this initiative. Project applications should focus on restoration of existing ponds, well development, spring development or other water storage projects.

County to rent equipment

Marion County Commission approved a rental agreement with Van Koppel for a street grinder on Monday. The agreement is for $4,000 a week. The grinder is needed because the Road and Bridge Department grinder owned by the county needs to have a motor replaced. Work is set to begin on Remington Road and a grinder is a necessary tool for that job, Road and Bridge Superintendent Randy Crawford said.

Durham council discusses recycling

Two Durham citizens, Harry Wedel and Gary Gerringer,attended the Aug. 7city council meeting. Wedel addressed the council concerning city recycling bins. “I’ve been taking care of the recycling bins behind the cafe and G & R,” he said. “I want to retire from that.”

Development screenings on Tuesday

Marion County Early Intervention Services will provide free screenings for children through age 5 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at Hillsboro Methodist Church, 905 E. D St., Hillsboro. The screenings will check learning, motor, language, and social development, as well as hearing and vision. The process usually takes at least an hour per child.

Hillsboro Senior Center plans ice cream social

Hillsboro Senior Center will have an ice cream social with live music at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the center. Ice cream and desserts will be served and Bob Delk & the Boys will perform. The event is a fundraiser for the center, and admission will cost $5.

Photo safari showing at opera house

“Photo Safaris” by Mark Hunter will be at the Heritage Gallery in the McPherson Opera House, 219 S. Main, McPherson. The photos will be on display August 4 through September 29. Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. For more information call (620) 241-6131 or
http://annharitatos@sbcglobal.net.

Womens' Bible study starts Sept. 6

A nondenominational Bible study for women will begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 6 at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. The group will study the names of God, guided by videos from author Kaye Arthur. Baby-sitting will be available.

Chamber gives business tour

Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce had a “Stroll to Know” tour of several Hillsboro businesses Aug. 7. Fourteen participants went to involved businesses and learned a bit about what products and services those businesses offer.

TEEN board to meet

The Technology Excellence in Education Network will have its regular meeting at 6 p.m. tonight at the USD 408 district office, 101 N. Thorp St., Marion. Call Brandi Hendrix at (620) 877-0237 for more information.

CPR class is Saturday

Training in bystander CPR, first aid, and automatic external defibrillator operation will be available Saturday in the St. Luke Clinic basement in Marion. St. Luke Hospital and Marion County Emergency Medical Service are sponsoring the class, which will begin at 8:30 a.m. It will last about six hours, plus a one-hour break for lunch.

Settle appointed to state propane council

Craig Settle of Hillsboro, president of Cardie Oil and vice president of Shawmar Oil and Gas Company, has been appointed to the Kansas Propane Education and Research Council by Gov. Sam Brownback, the governor’s office announced Monday. The council develops programs to promote consumer and employee safety and training, as well as providing research to improve propane technology.

Card shower requested for Janzen

Friends of Gladys “Esther” Leppeke Janzen are asked to honor her 97th birthday Friday with a card shower. Janzen was born Aug. 17, 1915. Cards may be sent to Gladys E. Janzen, 410 S. Birch St., Hillsboro 67063.

Open house planned to honor Ivan Miller

Ivan Miller of Hesston and formerly of Goessel will celebrate his 90th birthday with an open house 2 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 26 in the Garden Room of the Hesston Wellness Center, 701 S. Main St., Hesston. No gifts are requested, but cards are welcome and may be sent to 439 S. College Drive, Hesston, KS 67062. Miller’s daughter, Phyllis Miller, will be the host of the open house.

CORRESPONDENTS:

USD 410 approves 1.9% tax hike

USD 410 Board of Education approved the district’s 2012-13 budget Monday with a tax increase of 1.9 percent from 2011-12. The board made the decision after debating whether to increase taxes now to avoid a bigger jump in the future or to try holding the line because of the tough economy. Board President Eddie Weber suggested trying to hold the tax level the same for a year in case Gov. Sam Brownback’s projections of increasing state revenue while reducing state income tax come true.

Tabor music school enters tenth season

2012 marks the tenth season of the Tabor College Music Preparatory School. The school was formed under the guidance of Dr. Sheila Litke, Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Tabor College. “We started the school in 2002 because there was a need in the community with so many local music teachers retiring,” Litke explained.

Hillsboro schools set orientation and parent night

Hillsboro High School will have an orientation meeting for parents of freshmen and other new HHS students at 7 p.m. Monday in the high school auditorium. The meeting will give parents a chance to ask questions about what to expect with their child attending the school, and to review HHS procedures and policies.

Goessel board sets budget, discusses fees

Goessel students will benefit from more laptop computers and seamless wireless Internet service when they return to school Aug. 23. USD 411 Board of Education approved July statements of $89,000 for these and other expenditures at their meeting Monday. The board also approved the 2012-2013 budget with a slightly lower tax rate, down less than one-tenth of 1 percent, for the coming year. “If you look at the numbers we have here in front of us, we look to be in good shape,” board president Dan Miller said. “Next year might be another issue, but for us the next fiscal year looks to be a positive one.”

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