HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Kapaun awarded Medal of Honor

Father Emil J. Kapaun received long-overdue recognition Thursday when President Barack Obama presented the Medal of Honor to Kapaun’s nephew, Ray Kapaun, at the White House. Obama remarked that when the Korean War ended 60 years ago, there was one group of soldiers — prisoners of war — who returned home carrying a carved wooden cross in honor of Kapaun, who served and saved them on the battlefield and in the prison camp.

Librarian creates children's area

Children and their parents will benefit from money given by the community foundation to the Hillsboro City Library in the near future, as painting and remodeling efforts near completion for a new children’s area. “This library has been here since the ’70s, for about 40 years, and this is the first time we have ever repainted and created a special area for children,” said librarian Delora Kaufman.

Hillsboro-area official election results

Delores Dalke won Hillsboro Mayor with 113 votes. Louis Harrison, Pete Richert and Glen Thiessen each had one write-in vote. Clint Seibel had two. The first Hillsboro council position went to Robert L. Watson with 51 votes. Glenn Goertz had one write-in vote. The second Hillsboro council position went to Marlene Fast with 63 votes. Jim Baker had three write-in votes. Michael Sorensen won the City of Durham Mayor election with 16 votes as a write-in. Dorene Joy also received 2 write-in votes. The five City of Durham council positions went to R. Gene Duke, 19, Edward Flaming, 19, Gary Gerringer, 14, Verlin Sommerfeld, 21, and Gary D. Unruh, 19. Kenneth Giesbrecht, Tom Harm, and Arnold Sommerfeld each received one write-in vote. Gaylen Youk received five.

City approves taxidermy request

Hillsboro City Council members heard concerns at their meeting Tuesday from neighbors living near a home-based taxidermy business at 308 East A Street. However, the council approved a conditional use permit for Sean Bechtold, Bechtold Taxidermy, to continue his business in town with a single stipulation. “The planning commission went through these questions and concerns and recommended we approve the permit with the specification that the applicant dispose of animal remains at an off-site burn pit, not in the Dumpster,” City Administrator Larry Paine said. “This was actually Sean’s recommendation and he added that he would keep accurate records of disposal to avoid any problems.”

Burning fulfills contracts

Plumes of smoke dotting the horizon have been a regular sight for Marion County residents through March and April, but with the timeline for state regulated Crop Reduction Plan burning ending Monday, landowners, like Greg Washmon of rural Hillsboro, are glad to have had the option to burn. “If I didn’t burn, I would have had to lightly disk all those CRP acres and that takes a lot of time and fuel,” Washmon said. “I’ve never managed my acreage that way.”

Riffel goats draw buyers to Hillsboro

When buyers from 12 different counties show up at a first-time prospective meat goat sale there must be something special about the offering. When Riffel brothers Karl, 17, and Kyle, 15, of rural Tampa offer goats for sale, buyers can be assured a lot of hard work and knowledge went into the event. Friday evening the Riffels, along with their parents, James and Beth, sister Kara, and several friends and relatives, offered 26 wethers for sale in a laid-back auction format at the Marion County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro.

Wanda Maxine Baker

Wanda Maxine Baker, 94, died on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, in Perkins, Okla. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Wanda was born Jan. 31, 1919, in Wichita, Kan., to Earl and Leah Frances (Runyan) Galusha. On Jan. 5, 1937, she married the love of her life, Harold Morrell Coleman, in Newton, Kan. She later married Hartman Baker of Peabody, Kan.

Eldon Beneke

SALINA — Eldon Beneke was born June 8, 1924, at Walton, Kan. He was the son of William and Marie (Krause) Beneke. He was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church of Newton. At the age of 6, the Beneke family moved to Lincolnville. He attended the St. John’s Lutheran School for eight years. He was confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in May 1939. He graduated from Lincolnville High School in May 1943.

Florence Irene Dimock

Florence Irene Dimock, 89, died in Pasadena, California on April 7, 2013. Born Florence Pleiser on May 24, 1923, in Tampa, Kan., she moved to Los Angeles during World War II and worked the swing shift at Douglas Aircraft where she met her husband, Ted.

O'Letta Mae Dover

O’Letta Mae Dover, 73, died April 15, 2013. The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 19, 2013, at Peabody Christian Church, 2nd and Sycamore, Peabody, Kan.

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County wants road ready for pilgrimage

County Commissioner Dan Holub asked Road and Bridge Superintendent Randy Crawford if the stretch of Remington Road between Pilsen and 290th Road could be made into a hard surface before June 2. That is the date of a pilgrimage to Pilsen in honor of Father Emil Kapaun. Kapaun was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Thursday, and the crowd in Pilsen is expected to be even larger than usual for this summer’s pilgrimage.

Marion County included in disaster aid request

Gov. Sam Brownback sent a letter April 10 to President Barack Obama requesting a federal disaster declaration to assist 23 affected counties in recovering damages and cleanup costs associated with the severe winter storm that swept across most of the state Feb. 20 to 23. Marion was one of the counties named, along with neighboring Dickinson and McPherson counties.

Put one foot in front of the other

Joy Spence spends each Saturday morning walking around the Marion County Lake for one reason: her health. “My whole body just feels better when I’m out here,” the 69-year-old lake resident said. “Who could not be re-energized by taking a stroll out here? It’s gorgeous; the sun’s shining and the birds are singing. It makes you feel glad just to be alive.”

Wheat bread is not created equal

Mary Beth Bowers has one mission: to tell consumers that all wheat bread isn’t created equal. “Unless it says whole wheat bread on the label, it’s not authentic,” the Wheat Commission member said. “They use all the wrong flours and then have to add all the good stuff back in – and in order to make it look like whole-wheat bread, they add caramel color to it.”

Radishes are a superfood

One of the earliest vegetables harvested from the home garden in spring is radishes. They come up fast, grow fast, and add a dash of color and pep to a meal. Radishes are high in vitamin C, which boosts bone health and helps wounds heal faster. They also contain folate and blood-pressure-lowering potassium, and they may even protect against cancer, according to some sources.

Peabody native creates, markets Omega 3 meat

Bernie Hansen grew up in Peabody, spending many formulative hours under the tutelage of then high school agriculture adviser Gary Jones. Now a Flint Hills resident with a pioneering history of meat industry success, Hansen is surprised at how far his interest in agriculture has taken him. What comes as no surprise is Hansen’s pursuit of success as he embarks on a national marketing campaign to promote his latest product — beef with elevated levels of Omega 3 and dietary benefits rivaling that of wild salmon or the Mediterranean diet.

Cats make entertaining companions

Tomfoolery aside, Tom and Velcro enjoy their life as mascots of the Animal Health Center in Marion, sometimes a little too much according to veterinary technician Steph Jensen. “Tom, the darker one, he is 15-years-old and kind of grumpy sometimes. Someone has to help him get up and down off the counter these days, but he loves visitors,” she said. “Now, Velcro, he really likes to tease the bigger dogs that come in. He gets all fluffed up and growls at them like he is a big shot.”

Believe it or not, you have the power

Too often, people learn about silly ideas but feel powerless to do anything to stop them. It’s one of the reasons fewer and fewer people vote, volunteer, donate, or join civic groups. In recent weeks, two great ideas — honoring heroic Chaplain Emil Kapaun and providing modern restrooms in Marion’s Central Park — have been imperiled by uncertainty over whether the institutions that will implement them are strong enough to resist silly ideas being floated about them.

BALANCING ACT:

Conference to celebrate 75th anniversary

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the Latin America Mennonite Brethren Conference, the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies at Tabor College has invited Rolando Mireles of Rio Grande City, Texas, to give the keynote address April 27 at the CMBS annual meeting in the Wohlgemuth Music Education Center. Mireles has been active within the conference for 41 years and has served in many leadership positions. He also has served on the U.S. Conference board of church ministries, as the U.S. Conference chairman, on the Tabor College board of directors, and as a committee member for the National Youth Convention and the International Community of Mennonite Brethren.

Florence to host Spring Fling April 28

Florence’s annual Spring Fling is scheduled for Sunday, April 28. All events will be held in Grandview Park. In case of inclement weather the event will be relocated in the Florence gym. Kids’ games begin at 3 p.m. featuring horse rides and a petting zoo. The Florence Fire Department is sponsoring water games for children of all ages.

Harms Residence Hall dedication is April 27

Tabor College will dedicate its newest residence hall, Harms Residence Hall, 502 E. B Street, at 11 a.m. April 27. Following the ceremony and ribbon cutting, guided tours of the 16-unit facility will be available.

Historic tour starts at Tabor College April 27

A tour of historic Mennonite sites will begin at 12:15 p.m. April 27 at the historic church on the Tabor College campus. A light, ethnic lunch known as Faspa will be served before departure. Stops during the tour will include the Brunk cemetery; Canada cemetery; Gnadenau Krimmer Mennonite Brethren village, orphanage, and cemetery; Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren church and cemetery; Peabody historic threshing stone marker; and cemetery; and Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church. The tour is scheduled to return to Hillsboro by 5:15 p.m.

Lofland to speak about the Middle East

Betty Baerg Lofland will be speaking Friday at Lifelong Learning about her 35-year teaching experience in the Middle East and China. She evacuated twice from Beirut and fled from Tehran when Khomeini returned. The session begins at 9:45 a.m. in the Wohlgemuth Music Education Center at Tabor College. The fee is $4 per session or $15 per semester, payable at the door.

CORRESPONDENTS:

Hillsboro High School prom slideshow

Hillsboro High School held its prom Saturday evening. Students met first in Memorial Park for pictures. There was then a promenade along the eastern entrance of high school.

Goessel High School prom slideshow

Some came by tractor, others in horse-drawn carriages. But each Goessel High School student had smiles on their faces April 13 as they promenaded down the half-mile stretch between the elementary and high schools. Family and friends had cameras in hand, hoping to document this milestone in their children’s’ lives. The event started at 7:30 p.m., with other prom activities following.

Hillsboro hosts academic awards on Monday

Hillsboro High School Site Council will host the 2012-13 Academic Awards Night at 7 p.m. Monday in the Hillsboro Middle School gymnasium. Hillsboro students with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher will be awarded an academic letter for their academic achievements for the year.

Kleiner brings experience to TEEN position

Lena Kleiner of Hillsboro will not begin her new position as Marion County TEEN director until July 1, but that is not keeping her from planning and dreaming about how to use her experience to help students and teachers in the county. “My hope for this position is that I can be of assistance to all the teachers in the five districts to integrate technology into their classrooms and that students can utilize the Interactive Distance Learning network to its fullest potential,” she said.

Gray has good week for Hillsboro tennis

The Hillsboro tennis team received three third-place finishes Friday at the Sterling invitational tournament. No. 2 singles player Tyler Funk defeated Andrew McPherson of Sterling, 8-7, with a 10-8 tiebreak. He lost to Trey Toews of Hesston, 8-4.

Golfers improve at Sacred Heart

Hillsboro golfer Andrew Meier medaled in 10th place at the Sacred Heart Invitational. Overall, Hillsboro coach Scott O’Hare said he was pleased with the progress the team made so far.

Trojans pile up wins in individual events

In the finals of the high jump and pole vault Friday in Goessel, Hillsboro seniors Shaq Thiessen and Tyler Proffitt were competing against no one. Thiessen had already won the high jump by clearing 6 feet on his second attempt at that height. Peabody-Burns jumpers Braxton Kyle and Seth Topham both topped out at 5-10.

Bluebirds compile points at Goessel

Goessel hosted a track meet Friday, rescheduled from Tuesday because of bad weather, and compiled more total points than previously recorded for several years. In boys competition, Bluebird junior Brian Hiebert earned 12 points for his team with a first place finish in shot put at 39 feet and a half inch. Hiebert also took third in discus with a throw of 112 feet, 7 inches.

Hillsboro softball sweeps Kingman

The Hillsboro softball team swept Kingman. The Trojans won the first game, 13-2, and the second game, 8-0. The Trojans were led by the top of the order in the first game. Tena Loewen, Allison Weber, and Danae Bina combined to go 8-for-11 with seven runs and two RBIs.

Trojans split games with Smoky Valley

Like the 4-4 team they are, the Hillsboro baseball Trojans had ups and downs Monday against Smoky Valley. It was a promising sign when the Trojans won the first game with a seventh inning rally; however, they needed a lot of help.

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