BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
A blue-green algae warning at Marion County Lake was lifted after 14 weeks, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.
The lake was not converted to a watch status.
Both the driver and a passenger in a van that hit a semi head-on a mile west of the US-50/77 roundabout at 7:36 p.m. Wednesday were killed while the driver of the semi escaped with minor injuries.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Cecil Gill Jr., 84, Hazel Crest, Illinois, was driving a 2005 Dodge Caravan westbound on US-50 but on the eastbound shoulder and lane of the roadway.
Officers of a company that went into bankruptcy while running Hillsboros Community Hospital now run a firm that has submitted a $6.9 million bid to buy it back — for much less than the $9.8 million mortgage through Bank of Hays.
Larry Arthur, Jim Shaffer, Trent Skaggs, and Dennis Davis, officers of Rural Hospital Group Consolidated, which formed in 2017, previously ran Rural Community Hospitals of America, the firm that managed Hillsboro’s hospital before it was taken over by a receiver that filed for bankruptcy.
The sole survivor of a tragic head-on collision that claimed the lives of Cecil Gill Jr., 84, and Dwayne J. Scott, 20, this past week has been stranded in Marion — unable to retrieve anything but his medication from the cab of the semi he was driving as authorities investigate.
Worse still, Kevin Thompson, 57, also faces a possible $35,000 bill for towing and recovery. And his $65,000 cargo of nut butter is in danger of spoiling.
Sexual battery and many other intimidation crimes are not listed in Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s annual crime index — an omission that law enforcement in Marion County say makes it difficult to get an accurate picture of crime in their towns.
“There are certain things I wish were in there that aren’t,” said Hillsboro police chief Dan Kinning. “I wish things like simple battery and that showed up, especially if they’re domestic violence.”
Marion County has spent $22,725 in attorney’s fees related to Expedition Wind, and county commissioners have voted to hire yet another lawyer to help negotiate a contract with the wind farm company planning to develop a wind farm in the southern portion of the county.
Talks between the county and Expedition Wind have been taking place out of the public eye, through letters sent between attorneys for the wind farm and county counselor Brad Jantz.
Limestone Rd. in northern Marion County is blacktopped from 290th to Tampa, but a four-mile stretch that meets up with Dickinson County north of Tampa is not. It is muddy when wet and dusty when dry.
The road continues north to K-4 under a different name.
A couple who bought a home east of Aulne last year filed a lawsuit Oct. 9 against the property sellers and the title company they claim failed to disclose an Expedition Wind Farm lease on the property.
The title company and the seller say the lawsuit is frivolous and allege a lawyer for the couple sent them a letter attempting to extort $15,000.
Marion County’s students are being awarded scholarships and recognized for their academic achievements.
Hillsboro’s Matthew Denholm, as well as Emily Meier and Madeline Meier of Goessel were among 170 students to receive $1,000 Kansas State Alumni Association’s Legacy Scholarships, which were presented Sept. 7 at K-State’s home football game.
A community Bible study will begin at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 24 in the health room at the Mennonite Brethren Church in the Prairie Point addition.
The group will be using the study guide, “The Mysteries of Heaven,” by David Jeremiah.
Elections are a lot like British movies — an abundance of intriguing plot twists with endings that often are less than satisfying.
The cast for our local electoral drama this fall is big enough to allow for multiple dramatic themes.
Life took a dangerous turn for Ethan W. Campbell, 27, Newton, when he was ejected from the rear window of his vehicle this past week after being rear-ended by a semi on K-15 near 130th Rd.
Campbell was southbound, turning into a driveway in his 1993 Chevrolet C1500 at 3:32 p.m. Friday when a 2015 Freightliner driven by Martin K. Melton, 54, Grain Valley, Missouri, hit the truck.
Sheldon Weisgrau, senior policy advisor at Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, will discuss possible Medicaid expansion at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 26 at Marion Community Center.
Weisgrau will share information about planned legislation in Kansas to expand Medicaid, which Kansas calls KanCare.
The July 4 flood in Durham destroyed the community center, and it is still awaiting repairs.
Lila Unruh, president of Durham’s senior citizen organization, said they lost two stoves and two refrigerators and have no means to replace them. They haven’t met since.
Hillsboro Recreation Commission is offering a pumpkin carving class for third through sixth grader children from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26.
The class is limited to the first 20 participants, and each will receive a carving kit, several patterns to work with, and a pumpkin. Tips will be offered for carving and preserving pumpkins, as well as recipes for homemade pumpkin seeds.
Pastoral couple Jason and Nicole Quiring of Greenhouse Community Church in Salt Lake City will present information at Friday’s Lifelong Learning session at Tabor College about the Latter Day Saints and will share the challenges and rewards of living in a Mormon community.
The young couple was instrumental in starting the church in 2013. It is located in Saratoga Springs, a youthful community with a median age of 20. In the past two years, the congregation has begun a youth sports camp and vacation Bible school.
The 26th annual Marion County Toy Run will be Nov. 2. The event has become a major benefactor for underprivileged children of Marion County.
Each participant is asked to donate a new toy as his or her entry fee. These toys, as well as donations and money raised at an auction and chili feed after the toy run, are donated to community Christmas Trees, area ministerial organizations, and Marion County Food Bank, as well as county children’s service organizations to provide a better holiday season for many kids.
CALENDAR:
Calendar of eventsGOESSEL GOAL-GETTERS:
Goessel Goal-Getters 4-H clubSENIOR CENTER:
Hillsboro Senior Center menu
Peabody seniors who frequent Peabody Senior Center are enjoying a renovated facility for socializing and eating noon meals.
The renovation was required after a big thunderstorm early on the morning of July 22 caused flooding in Peabody.
When senior Beverly Dawn heard a painting class was available Saturday in Peabody, she knew she wanted to participate.
“It was on my bucket list,” she said. “One thing I wanted to do was get some painting classes.”
Teams with very different goals met on a freezing Friday night in Hillsboro in a battle between the Trojans and the Warriors for supremacy in Marion County’s Class 1A football.
While 4-2 Hillsboro was looking to keep rolling after putting up at least 30 points in its last two games. Marion was working to snap a three-game losing streak.
The Hillsboro High School cross-country team got a final tune-up for the postseason Thursday, competing at the Sterling Invitational in the regular season finale.
After the Central Kansas League meet Thursday at Larned, all that’s left is regionals at Hutchinson before the state meet at Wamego.
Hillsboro volleyball had a tough pill to swallow last week, going winless Thursday in two matches at Emporia.
The Trojans’ best result came in the first set against Emporia. Hillsboro won the set 25-23, but the other sets were less fortuitous, as the team lost both, 25-15, 25-17.
Last week was Goessel’s final showing for league play, and the Bluebirds won both matches.
“I was pleased with the steady play tonight,” coach Crysta Guhr said. “This team has had its ups and downs, but at this time of the year we need to be consistent.”
Goessel’s defense could not stop Canton-Galva’s offense from rampaging to another win Friday, while Goessel’s offense was held to 75 total yards.
Canton-Galva, ranked highly in the eight-man division, beat the Bluebirds 60-0. Goessel lost two fumbles to Canton-Galva and was intercepted twice.
Goessel cross-country had a strong showing last week, as Jerah Schmidt and Elyse Boden each won their races at Harvey County West Park.
Schmidt pulled away from the competition in the last half of the race. The 41 degrees and wind slowed his pace, but the 18:35 time was impressive.
New computers will be coming to Hillsboro Elementary, with 80 Chrome Books being supplied to students in kindergarten through second grade.
The $23,840 purchase was approved at Monday’s school board meeting, and was already accounted for in the school’s budget. The purchase will supply 10 Chrome books for each classroom, which will replace the school’s iPads.