HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Tepee brings history to life

From the outside, it looks small and cold, but inside, Keven Hiebert’s tepee is warm and surprisingly roomy. Saturday afternoon, Hiebert of rural Goessel, set up the tepee for visitors to enjoy at Kauffman Museum’s annual Kansas Day celebration in North Newton. Complete with a small fire and furry buffalo robes to sit on, visitors enjoyed a brief escape from the biting northwest wind on that day.

Coordinator encourages reading

Marion County Parents as Teachers coordinator Lori Soo Hoo read the Gingerbread Baby book by Jan Brett to children around Marion County on Friday, stopping at several locations, including the Goessel City Library. “What we have here is a great testament to this community,” Soo Hoo said, addressing a group of 14 children plus their parents. “There is a direct link to how successful children are in school and life, from how much time they are read to and talked with by their parents when they are little.”

330th a sore spot near Tampa

Tampa residents have had a lot to complain about with 330th Road connecting the town with K-15 for about four years. Marion County tore up the blacktop road that was in place but in deteriorating condition, and resurfaced it with rock to give the road time to get a good compacted base.

Commissioners tour new jail

Marion County Commission took a break Tuesday from its regular business meeting to tour the new construction at the jail site. Commissioners Dan Holub and Randy Dallke walked through the jail with project superintendent Jared Beets of contractor Loyd Builders Inc. of Ottawa, who updated them on construction activity.

Full service survives in Hillsboro

Full-service gas stations are few and far between in a hurried society facilitated by gas cards, quick stops, and super-size options. But on the southeast corner of Ash and D streets in Hillsboro, Lowell Jost quietly goes about his business of listening to people as he pumps gas into their vehicles, cleans their windshields, checks oil, and puts air in tires, just as he has for the past 40 years at Jost Service. “I guess I’ve always felt it was important to take care of people,” Jost said. “I’ve worked here at the same spot since high school. It’s what I’ve believed in doing all my life.”

Paint shop goes green

Starting Thursday, every color of paint used at Arlie’s Paint, Body, and Glass auto body shop in Marion will be tinted ‘green,’ as the shop has converted to using environmentally-friendly water-based paints. “We’re going green,” owner Arlie Overton said. “It’s not required yet in Kansas, but we want to stay on that leading edge.”

First car is special

I was 15 years old in the summer of 1999 when I got my first car, a 1977 Pontiac Catalina. I’ll never forget that car. It wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing car. It had quintessential 1970s style, a gold paint job with a cream-colored top, and only three hubcaps.

Martha V. Brown

Martha V. Brown, 88, died Jan. 25, 2012, at Salem Home in Hillsboro. She was born Sept. 25, 1923, in Elk to Carl and Emma (Mau) Mauderly. She did domestic work.

Fern Rene Korbe

Fern Rene Korbe, 51, of McPherson, died Jan. 28, 2012, at Cedars Health Care Center in McPherson. She was born Jan. 25, 1961, to Marilyn Fern (Bruce) and Gerald Lee Winslow in McPherson.

Audrey Kukuk

Audrey Elizabeth Kukuk, 74, of Perry, Okla., died Jan. 13 at Perry Memorial Hospital. She was born May, 24, 1937, in Perry, to Chris and Anna Mae (Neureburg) Schieffer.

Clifford M. 'Bud' Lucas

Clifford M. “Bud” Lucas, 87, died Jan. 26, 2012, at the Kansas City Presbyterian Manor, Kansas City. He was born Aug. 8, 1924, in Marion to Stuart and Beulah Bueford Lucas. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Don Mize

Don Mize, 95, died Jan. 27, 2012, at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro. He was born Feb. 23, 1916, to Paul and Mable (Mulkey) Mize in Topeka. He was a watchmaker and jeweler and was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Hillsboro.

Vincent Wayne Ochs

Vincent Wayne Ochs, 78, died Jan. 25, 2012, at his home in Newton. He was born Nov. 4, 1933, to Phillip Ochs and Verna Morgan Scheurman in Timken. He married Gloria Schope on June 1, 1954, in Albert. He was the owner and operator of Ochs Cleaners in Newton from 1974 to 1997.

Gary V. Riedy

Gary V. Riedy, 62 of rural Chapman was born April 9, 1949, in Abilene, the son of Edwin V. and Beatrice “Betty” M. (Silhan) Riedy. He passed away Jan. 29, 2012, at Memorial Hospital in Abilene. After completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial arts at Fort Hays State University, Gary began his teaching career at Junction City Junior High School. His career changed from teaching general shop to teaching technology at the school’s new technology lab, all the while coaching junior high/middle school football, basketball and track. He retired from teaching in May 2004.

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Energy applications available

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking to assist to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to complete a variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Funding is available from USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill.

Commodities available Feb. 9

U.S. Department of Agriculture food commodities will be available at the senior centers in Marion County on Feb. 9. Each senior center will distribute them according to its own schedule. The commodities are available to individuals and families who are income eligible and should be picked up from their local distribution site.

Have you ever set a world record?

Odds are, there aren’t a lot of people in Marion County who have set a world record. I know I haven’t. When I was in grade school, I tried a few times at different records, but something always got in the way. I didn’t have the endurance, or the attention span, or the time, or the organizational skills.

Bad roads create good memories

Bad roads have been with humans since the beginning of time … only then folks called them deer trails, rabbit paths, or wagon ruts. More than likely, even if all the bad roads currently classified as such in Marion County were fixed, more would deteriorate to take their place on the never-ending list. I have lived in Marion County pretty much all my life and cannot really say the roads are any better or worse than they ever have been. The funny thing about bad roads is that they are a lot more memorable than good ones. When I think about what makes growing up and living in Marion County special, well, bad road moments make the list.

Brookens examines governor's proposal

In the last two weeks I have written about tax issues. I said in my column last week I would emphasize this week what I’m for, so here goes. In a policy statement on “The Brownback Pro-Growth Plan,” Gov. Sam Brownback mentions 5 principles guiding his proposals:

Hope in the Heartland

There is a powerful truth revealed in scripture that is a two-sided coin. On one side is safety and comfort. However, on the other we encounter intimidation and shame. Here’s the truth: “… there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13).

Quilters piece together solutions

Nellie Schmidt, Betty Seibel, Susie Schmidt, and as many as 35 other Peabody area volunteers quietly piece together solutions, meeting community needs with their quilting projects. And they have been doing it for almost 12 years. “I started the Peabody Community Quilt Project years ago with the premise that I didn’t want hand quilting to become a lost art,” group coordinator Susie Schmidt said. “We also wanted to support our local community, so we donate our projects to fundraisers, giving the money raised to whatever organization our group picks.”

Round the town news

Tim and Donna Diener and Arlene Pankratz visited Kent and Emily Nichols on Jan. 22 in Hesston and celebrated Emily’s birthday. Neil and Sarah Ollenburger of Alaska spent a week visiting family and friends in the Hillsboro area.

Learning in Retirement moves to Fridays

The Learning in Retirement lecture series at Tabor College will move to Friday beginning this semester. “It is with much consideration that we have decided to make this change to our historic meeting day,” LiR director Connie Isaac said. “By moving to Friday mornings, it will offer a much more relaxed atmosphere in the cafeteria.” Lunch is $4 for LiR participants.

Northwest of Durham ladies celebrate

Ladies who went out to dinner on Jan. 18 in Hillsboro were Wanda Koehn, Nadine Davis, Sandy Wiebe, Cheryl Dirks, Betty Wiebe, Linda Wedel, Charolette Wiebe, Sheryl Rhodes, and Jane Unruh. They honored Koehn’s Jan. 19 birthday and Davis’ Jan. 22 birthday. Cheryl Dirks had coffee with Dora Unruh on Jan. 18 at her home.

HHS sends robotics competitors to Oklahoma

Hillsboro High School isn’t engaged in a titanic sci-fi battle of machines taking over the planet, but six Trojan students and their advisers got a taste Saturday of the real world of robotics competition at the VEX Wildcat Robotics Roundup in Ponca City, Okla. Robotics is the newest focus for a department that has already established a track record of success in technological competitions for high school students, including a national championship in radio-controlled transportation in 2008, technology instructor Creigh Bell said.

Goessel scholar's bowl team prepares for tests

Success has followed the Goessel High School scholars’ bowl team again this year. Both the varsity and junior varsity teams won the Wheat State League scholars’ bowl meet on Jan. 11. Goessel’s varsity team, consisting of seniors Braden Unruh, Alex Schmidt, Jeff Hall, Stephan Goertzen and juniors Johanna Hoffman and Garrett Woelk, compiled a record of 7-0 at the meet hosted at White City.

Local students listed on K-State honor roll

Marion County was well-represented on Kansas State University’s semester honor roll. To qualify for semester honors, a student must earn a grade point average of 3.75 or better with at least 12 hours of graded course work. Honorees Durham: Julianne Renee Chisholm. Florence: Danielle Elizabeth Cope and Jaclyn Elizabeth Deforest. Hillsboro: Lance Elliot Kliewer. Lehigh: David Ratzloff. Marion: Adam Svoboda, Derek Michael Stuchlik, Eric William Vogel, Julia Marie Zeiner, Louis John Scott Holt, Patrick John Hodson, Tonya Hodson, and Travis Shockley. Peabody: Shelby Renee’ Elliott and Joshua Allen Klarman. Shelby Renee’ Elliott was not included in a previous story about the semester honor roll because, while she has a Peabody address, her residence is in Harvey County.

Hiebert and Evans make McPherson honor roll

Two students from Marion County are on McPherson College’s honor roll for the fall 2011 semester. To qualify for the honor roll, a student must earn a grade point average of 3.55 or higher as a full-time student. Senior Kory Hiebert of Goessel and sophomore Ashley Evans of Marion were among the students on the honor roll.

Smith wins Goessel spelling bee

Lydia Smith of Goessel correctly spelled “simulcast” to win the Goessel Junior High Spelling Bee last week. She will advance to countywide competition Feb. 8 in Marion. “I really didn’t study much,” Smith said. “I just go slow and spell the words like they sound.”

HMS spellers advance

Reece Berens won the Hillsboro Middle School spelling bee on Thursday to advance to the Marion County round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Second-place winner Elli Weisbeck and third-place winner Hannah Funk will join him at the county round Feb. 8 at USD 408 Performing Arts Center in Marion.

Tabor announces Steel Magnolia cast

Tabor College will be performing “Steel Magnolias” during Family Weekend, Feb. 17 through 19, and an additional performance is planned for Feb. 24. The group of loveable and spunky characters are played by Becky Steketee, Hillsboro; Alisa Lynn, Olathe; Hannah Vogt, Newton; Hannah Evans, Wichita; Sydney Coughlin, Visalia, Calif; and Sarah Wyckoff, Blackwell, Okla.

Delk impresses wrestling coach

Sophomore 145-pound Hillsboro High School wrestler Cody Delk was the grappler of the week for the Trojans. Delk went 4-1 on Friday in Hoisington, losing his first match to state ranked Chance Demel from Hoisington.

Goessel junior high girls win league title

The Goessel junior high girls’ basketball team won the Wheat State League Championship Saturday in Centre. Going into the tournament, they sported a 10-3 record and hoped to stop a disappointing two-game skid at the end of the season. The girls rose to the challenge in a tight game against Peabody-Burns, winning by one point, 21-20, on Thursday to advance to Saturday’s competition.

Bluebird girls win one at tournament

The Goessel High School girls’ basketball team finished the Berean Academy tournament with a win after losing the first two games. Word of Life 66, GHS 29

Trojan girls win close call

The Hillsboro High School girls basketball team defeated Hesston, 46-44, Tuesday in Hillsboro. The game was a physical battle from the outset. The Swathers employed a strategy of driving hard into the lane and drawing Trojan fouls.

Thiessen thrills crowd in victory

The Hillsboro High School boys’ basketball team defeated Hesston 47-40 Tuesday in Hillsboro. The Trojans showed little malaise after 10 days off from a scorching hot stretch during the Hillsboro Tournament.

Knights of Columbus sponsor contest

All boys and girls ages 10 to 14 are invited to participate in the local competition for the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship. The competition will be Sunday at the Marion Middle School gym on South Lincoln Street (next to the performing arts center.) Registration will be from 12:30 to 1 p.m., and the contest will begin at 1 p.m.

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