HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Fire destroys abandoned farm house near Hillsboro

An abandoned farm house southeast of Hillsboro caught fire Monday and burned to the ground, possibly the result of an electrical short. Hillsboro Fire Department and Hillsboro Ambulance were dispatched at 12:42 p.m., responding with the full complement of emergency vehicles.

Neighbors disagree over dog attack details

At first glance, one has to assume it could have happened. A large cattle lot with a fenced alley and concrete catch area could have been the scene of a terrible attack two weeks ago, five miles north of Hillsboro. A sheriff’s report filed by Richard Enns of Hillsboro the week of Jan. 4, reported a 600-lb. calf was cornered in the lot at 2566 Goldenrod Road, taken down, and killed by a dog.

Patchy road may see increased traffic in future

Dina Vogel of rural Marion is frustrated by how long it has taken Marion County to genuinely fix Remington Road between Pilsen and U.S. 56. It has been more than a year since the county accepted approximately $430,000 as TransCanada’s fair payment to repair the road after construction of the Keystone Oil Pipeline, and Vogel wants to know what has happened to that money. According to Marion County Road and Bridge Department, nearly $329,000 remains in a fund earmarked for the road. In the interim, the department has patched potholes in the road.

U.S. 56/77 intersection rated most dangerous

The intersection of U.S. 56, U.S. 77, and K-150 highways near Marion is the most dangerous intersection in Kansas as determined by crash frequency and crash severity, according to a study of accidents from 2007 through 2009. Kansas Department of Transportation conducted the study to meet Federal Highway Safety Administration requirements.

Laura Edwards

Laura E. Edwards, 98, of Herington, died Jan. 16, 2012, at Medicalodges of Herington. She was born Nov. 8, 1913, the daughter of William Paul and Mary Ann (Hammer) Gutsch of Lincolnville. She graduated from Diamond Valley High School, Burdick, in 1932.

Elizabeth A. Veltman

Elizabeth A. “Beth” Veltman, 62, formerly of Enterprise and Junction City, died Jan. 11, 2012, at Via Christi-St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Wichita. She was born June 18, 1949, to George and Letha Wolf Nelson. She was employed for more than 20 years at Foot Locker Distribution Center in Junction City.

Sarah Ens Friesen

Sarah Ens Friesen, 92, died Jan. 13, 2012, at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro. She was born June 9, 1919, in Tulare County, Calif., to C.C. and Anna (Quiring) Harms. She was a housewife.

Roberta Winter

Roberta Ann Winter, 50, died Jan. 9 in an automobile accident on U.S. 50 near Walton. She was a cashier for Walmart in Newton for the past five years and worked at McDonald’s in Hillsboro prior to that. She was born Nov. 25, 1961 in Goessel to Ivan and Bernice Winter. She was a lifetime resident of Marion County.

Accidents reported

Civil cases

Criminal cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency responses

County jail

Marion police report

Peabody police report

Tampa City Council seeks grant for signs

Mayor Tim Svoboda informed the Tampa City Council on Jan. 10 that there is a good chance of obtaining a grant to replace the city’s street signs. Some of the signs are rusted enough to make them difficult to read. “Do we want to pursue this?” he asked.

County approves shift of zoning costs from taxpayers to users

Significant fee increases for Marion County Planning and Zoning Department services will shift the cost burden to those who actually use the services, and away from general taxpayer support, as a result of action Tuesday by the Marion County Commission. The fee structure is the result of analysis of surrounding counties, as well as departmental operations, Commission Chairman Dan Holub said.

Senior citizens board distributes funds to centers

At the Dec. 16 meeting at Marion Senior Center, The senior citizens of Marion County board of directors voted to distribute $600 a piece to the nutrition sites in Goessel, Hillsboro, Marion, and Peabody and award $200 to the remaining five senior centers. The funds consist of $3,400 left over from the 2011 budget. Board Chairman Lila Unruh told the board about a Kansas Day Supper at Eastmoor united Methodist Church Jan. 29. The cost of the supper is $12.50.

EMS broke county record in 2011

Marion County Emergency Medical Service had its busiest year on record in 2011. Ambulance crews were called out 1,176 times. The next highest year was 2008, with 1,151 calls.

County commission proposes dog bite rule

Marion County may soon have rules in place requiring confinement of dogs that have a history of biting people. Marion County Commission Chairman Dan Holub raised the possibility Tuesday after hearing reports of a dog that bit several people near Marion.

Intersection needs a roundabout

In doing its homework required by the Federal Highway Safety Administration, Kansas Department of Transportation came to the same conclusion as many people locally: the junction of U.S. 56, U.S. 77, and K-150 is dangerous, and something needs to be done about it. All it took was three years to collect the data and another two years to analyze it. I’ll admit, I was surprised at just how dangerous. Ranking it using three different criteria, the intersection is either the most dangerous or second most dangerous in the whole state, relative to quantity of traffic. I would think flashing lights, stop signs, rumble strips, and signs warning that traffic on U.S. 77 doesn’t stop would be enough, but experience says that isn’t the case.

Dreams need legs

Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I have to admit I did not think much about it until I pulled up to the bank to make a deposit and it was closed. Our family appreciated not having to get up in time to make the bus that day because there was no school. As the phrase, “I have a dream,” echoed through my subconscious several times later that same day, I wondered if I, as a middle-class white person in the middle of a mostly Caucasian county, was missing something.

Car accident disrupts Internet in Marion County

A vehicle accident involving two pickup trucks in Ellis County near Victoria damaged an Eagle Communications fiber optic splice box. The collision cut the fiber optic line the box connected, disabling Eagle Communications Internet in Marion County at 5 p.m. Service was not restored until 1:30 a.m. when the line was fixed, Eagle general manager Travis Kohlrus said.

Late Night Catechism coming to McPherson Opera House

A one-woman interactive comedy, Late Nite Catechism, is coming to the McPherson Opera House at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Diana Alioto stars as Sister, the quintessential 1960s Catholic teaching nun. The setting is a period Catholic classroom, and the students are the audience.

Northwest of Durham - visitors head home

Dinner guests of Ken and Sandy Wiebe on Jan. 7 were Roy and Nadine Davis, Jason and Sheri Wiebe and family, Carlyn and Jackie Wiebe and Teresa Wiebe. Getting together at the Clayton Wiebe home for a family dinner on Jan. 8 were Nelson and Bev Wiebe and family, Calvin and Janene Wiebe and family, Wayne and Loralee Wiebe and family, and Travis and Sharon Wiebe and family. They honored Wayne Wiebe’s birthday, which was Dec. 29.

Board votes to close Goessel center

The board of the Agape Senior Center in Goessel voted Jan. 9 to close the center. They met Monday to finalize closing process details. Jenny Girard, Agape director, said the month of January would continue as planned with birthday celebrations, foot health care, pool tournament, and medical insurance news as previously scheduled.

Round the town

Howard Hiebert of Arizona spent the holidays through New Years with his mother, Velda Hiebert. Gus and Mildred Hamm of Hillsboro visited Arlene Pankratz on Jan. 11.

Goessel couple Miller/Voth weds

Bryant Miller and Chrystiana Voth, both of Goessel, married on May 27 at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church, rural Goessel. The wedding was officiated by Scott Miller, pastor of Kingdom Life Ministries in Hesston and the groom’s uncle.

Farewell receptions planned for Elliott at Tabor

The Tabor College and Hillsboro community is invited to a farewell reception for Jim Elliott, Tabor College vice president of advancement. Elliott, who has served in that role since September 2002, has accepted a similar position at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Ill.

USD 410 sees increase in students with English second language

In the past few years, Hillsboro schools have seen an influx of students whose first language isn’t English, English-as-a-second-language (ESL) coordinator Ellynne Wiebe told USD 410 Board of Education on Jan. 9. This year, the district has 16 ESL students, ranging from preschool to seventh grade. In that range, every grade has at least one ESL student, and first grade has five, Wiebe said.

Trumpet soloist prepares for orchestral concert

In seven years of playing trumpet in front of audiences, Braden Unruh has learned how to get a handle on his nerves. However, on Jan. 22, the recent winner of the Kansas Young Soloist Contest will play his trumpet in a whole new venue, with a complete orchestra as back-up, and he anticipates having to deal with some pretty intense nervousness. “I’ve never played a solo with an orchestra before,” Unruh said. “I hope it all goes okay.”

Tabor weekend includes theater, basketball, and brunch

A special family weekend will take place at Tabor College Feb. 17 and 18. The theater department will be putting on “Steel Magnolias” throughout the weekend.

Fitness expert shares simple health tips

Every morning, Becki Yoder of rural Peabody gets up at 3:30 so she has time to get in a four-mile run before going to work as the Director of Health and Fitness at Pine Village in Moundridge. Her dedication to fitness and training does not seem unusual to her. “This is something I have always been interested in, a lifelong thing,” she said. “Even as a young child I was always reading nutritional labels and finding ways to eat and live healthy.”

Dietitian advises making favorite foods healthy

When dealing with stubborn nursing home residents, stuck in their ways, refusing to eat differently, Salem Home Diet Manager Joyce Weinbrenner does not make demands; she does not fight. Instead, she works around a resident, or patient’s, diet to suit their tastes but still meet a physician’s prescribed dietary conditions.

Refreshed hospital facilities help recruit providers

Laura Bevis, advanced registered nurse practitioner and doctor of nursing practice, remembers walking through St. Luke Hospital in Marion while it was being renovated and expanded last year. Stopping at a hallway intersection, she could see the difference being made. Looking one direction, she saw a hallway that looked old and uninviting. Looking the other way, she saw the new construction, modern and pleasant.

Misconceptions abound about ancient alternative healing method

Over 4,000 years ago a Chinese soldier with a bad cough was accidentally stabbed in the lung. The cough went away, and the theory of acupuncture — when certain points of the body are stimulated, healing for other parts takes place — was born. “There are 12 channels in the body through which energy and blood flow,” said Kodi Panzer, Hillsboro chiropractor and acupuncture expert. “Acupuncture stimulates points in those channels, reduces inflammation, and helps energy and blood flow in the body as it should.”

Doctor changed plans based on ER experience

Dr. Shauna Kern planned to work in the Via Christi system after finishing her medical school residency in Wichita, until she spent weekends filling in at Hillsboro Community Hospital. She saw the setting as a chance for a more fulfilling career. “I like the relationships in a small-town setting,” she said Monday, her first day seeing patients at Hillsboro Clinic. “You really get to know them (patients) as a whole person, more than in a big and busy place.

Trojan boys pull off nail biter, 51-48

Down 25-21 at halftime, Hillsboro High School head coach Darrel Knoll asked the boys’ team to clean up their effort on the defensive end, cut harder on offense, and attack the boards at both ends of the floor if the Trojans wanted to win the game. “We needed to make the hustle plays. That’s what coach talked about at halftime,” senior forward Jesse Allen said.

HHS girls crush Nickerson

More good news for the Hillsboro girls’ basketball team; in a 56-24 victory over Nickerson Friday in Nickerson, neither of the Trojans two most important players were not the team’s normal top scorer and rebounder. Tena Loewen still scored 8 points and led the team in rebounds, 4, and steals, 3, but Addie Lackey and Callie Serene were more instrumental to the victory.

Goessel boys win 2 in a row

An offensive explosion against a team lacking confidence turned into a lopsided win for the Goessel High School boys’ basketball team Jan. 10. Argonia got on the scoreboard first, but Goessel went on a 19-0 run with Braden Unruh scoring 11 and Nic Buller, Peter Voth, Shane Goerzen, and Davis Cook each getting 2 points. The Bluebirds led, 23-10, at halftime, as the Raiders were very hesitant crossing the half-court line against the Goessel pressure defense.

Goessel girls basketball start slow in losses

Quick hands and scrappy defense allowed the Raiders from Argonia to streak to a 22-6 lead at the end of the first quarter against the Goessel High School girls’ basketball team Jan. 10. The Bluebirds trailed by 14 at halftime and 15 at the end of three quarters. In the fourth quarter, Goessel got some stops on defense to allow them to cut into the deficit. A field goal by Johanna Hoffman, two free throws by Alex Hiebert, 5 points from D’Ambra Kruger, a basket by Ali Buller and a free throw by Aimee Flaming ended the scoring for the Bluebirds with a 12-point loss, 49-37.

Lady Trojans seeded first in Trojan Classic

The Hillsboro Lady Trojans are seeded No. 1 in the annual Trojan Classic with a record of 8-0. Other teams listed in order of seeding are Riley County (7-0), Republic County (7-1), Wamego (5-1), Hays-TMP (5-2), Hesston (5-2), Winfield (1-5), and Goodland (0-6). Boys’ teams include, in order of seeding, Republic County (7-1), Hays-TMP (5-2), Hillsboro (5-3), Hesston (4-3), Riley County (4-3), Goodland (2-4), Winfield (2-4), and Wamego (1-5).

Mueller, Jones pace Hillsboro wrestlers at Halstead

After suffering losses on Friday, Hillsboro High School wrestlers Bret Mueller and Tanner Jones made furious comebacks to place Saturday at the Halstead Tournament. Mueller finished fourth in the 138-lb. weight class. He advanced to the third place match by winning a 6-4 decision in the semifinal round. The senior wrestler was down 4-1 with 20 seconds remaining in the match when he went on the offensive. He scored a takedown and near fall points to secure victory. He lost a hard fought match to finish fourth.

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