HILLSBORO Star-Journal

Glassware gives a glimmer from the past

Donovan Schmidt can talk for hours about Depression era glassware. It is something that caught his interest 25 years ago and continues to inspire his collecting spirit, so much so that he just completed a 1,800-square-foot shed on his rural Goessel yard, part of which will house his new glassware sale cases. “The new building will also house my old tractors and my ’57 Ford,” he said. “But the main reason we built it is so I can showcase my glassware and a few other antiques for sale.”

Turbines could start turning this year

If the weather is cooperative, construction on a wind farm between Marion, Florence, and Peabody could begin before the year is out. “If everything goes to plan, our plan is to start construction in late 2013,” Lee Bowen of Sunwind Energy Group said Monday.

Good, Haselwood join newspaper team

Two new employees with similar first names joined the Marion County Record, Hillsboro Star-Journal, and Peabody Gazette-Bulletin team on Monday. Oliver Good will be a familiar face to many in Marion. He graduated from Marion High School in 2000 and received a bachelor’s degree in English with a focus on creative writing from Kansas State University in 2005. He just finished a year studying graphic design at the University of Kansas.

Property sale, fire district elicit council dissension

In a meeting that almost was not because of quorum difficulties, Hillsboro City Council members found plenty to discuss Tuesday regarding property sale and fire district issues. Council member Shelby Dirks never showed, and Marlene Fast arrived 20 minutes late. She was just in time, however, to get in on Economic Director Clint Seibel’s presentation of a couple’s request that the city relinquish special assessment rights on a Western Heights purchase.

Conversation, competition keep pool players moving

They meet for coffee and to visit, but when niceties have been exchanged and the weather forecast reviewed, the men of the Goessel Pool Players club go upstairs and put on their game faces. “It seems to me that men like competition, a challenge, maybe more than women do,” said Wilbert Schmidt. “We just play for the fun of it, but the competition keeps us going.”

Pearl Ayler

Former Marion resident Pearl Beaston Ayler, 94, died Thursday in Carson City, Nev., where she resided. She was born Dec. 4, 1918, in Marion to Charles and Augusta Beaston and married Charles Ayler. He preceded her in death.

Gail "Bill" Dunn

Gail William “Bill” Dunn, 96, died Sunday in Valley Center. He was born in Marion to Clyde William and Fern (Pollitt) Dunn. He married Arlene Lucille Davison on Aug. 10, 1940. He was a U.S. Air Force and World War II veteran. He retired from Sedgwick County as a welder and previously worked for Boeing, Cessna, and Beechcraft.

Walter Weber

Walter Weber, 92, died Sunday at Sedgwick Health Care Center in Sedgwick. He was born Oct. 29, 1920, to David and Elizabeth (Reh) Weber. He married Dorothy Loewen on June 13, 1947, in Hillsboro.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents

Civil cases

County jail

Criminal cases

Deeds

Emergency dispatches

Marriage licenses

Peabody police

Traffic cases

County buys SUV for EMS

Marion County Commission voted Monday to purchase a new sport utility vehicle and medical equipment for the county’s ambulance department. A Ford Expedition will be purchased from the federal General Services Administration for $25,874, about $6,000 less than it would cost from local dealers, Emergency Medical Service director Steve Smith said.

KanCare a bureaucratic maze

Anecdotal evidence suggests that in its first year, KanCare — Kansas’ new privatized system for administering Medicaid — has been a bureaucratic mess. Marion County’s ambulance service goes around and around with one of the three KanCare contractors to get reimbursed for mileage on emergency transfers from one hospital to another.

Hair today, gone to support

Red Moore, 55, has a strange look these days. In support of her daughter Jessica Moore, 31, and her good friend Cynthia Barrett, 57, she has shaved her head. Jessica was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer last year and Cynthia with stage three this year.

Kids need occupational therapy

Maggie Powers is nervous and excited to begin working next month at Greenbush Education Center in Topeka. It is the Marion High School graduate’s first job as an occupational therapist after receiving a master’s degree from the University of Kansas. She is anxious about the unknown, but has a feeling she will ease into her new position once she begins working with clients.

Athlete relies on family, nutrition

Kevin Nickel runs because it is part of who he is. A Goessel High School and Tabor College alumnus, he is successful in half iron-man and triathlon competitions because of family support and good health habits. “Because of my work, I need to portray a healthy lifestyle,” Nickel said. “My nature is to want to be the best at what I do, and I enjoy the competition.”

This will leave you puzzled

I called Peabody Care Center late Friday afternoon to catch administrator Melissa Parmley and discuss some Fourth of July advertising in the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin. Peabody Care Center will again have a barbecue with entertainment and a fireworks display on the facility lawn July 3. Everyone in the community is invited. It is an appreciation event and is free. Hold that thought.

There should be a law about that

Watching the inane way governments operate, we almost are ready to agree with tea partiers that the only good government is a broke government, unable to do anything. Almost.

BALANCING ACT:

HOPE IN THE HEARTLAND:

LETTERS:

Shepherd's Shed closing July 1

For nearly 11 years, Shepherd’s Shed has been providing free clothing to Marion County residents. That will end July 1 unless founder Robin Dicks can find someone to take over for her.

Treblemakers bring youth to Bluegrass at Lake

The average age of the Bluegrass at the Lake crowd was about 50, with a few gray beards sprinkled in among the spectators. The elder statesman of the first featured act, KBA Treblemakers, is 14. Guitar player Dawson Tarrant of Conway Springs had the most experience of any of his five band mates; he’s been playing with different lineups of the Treblemakers since he was 10 years old.

County sets fireworks dates

Fireworks can be sold and discharged in rural areas of Marion County from June 28 through July 6, the county commission voted Monday. Fireworks may be discharged 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 28 and July 2, 3, and 5; 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. June 29 through July 1; and 8 a.m. to midnight July 4 and 6.

Flood insurance may skyrocket

Homes built in floodplains before the floodplains were mapped will lose a significant discount they have received on flood insurance, planning and zoning officer Tonya Richards told Marion County Commission on Monday. A homeowner who previously paid $700 to $800 a year may have to pay $3000 a year for flood insurance because of a change in federal rules. Floodplain maps in the county were made in the mid-1970s, she said.

Activities to fill Peabody 4th celebration

The countdown to the 92nd annual July Fourth Celebration grows more apparent as the day draws nearer. Bunting and holiday decorations are beginning to appear on homes and businesses. The “Pyro Crew” is spending quality time at the city park on Tuesday and Thursday evenings working on the ground displays. Admission buttons will be on sale by the end of the week.

MKC donates to food bank

The Mid-Kansas Cooperative donated $1,000 to the Marion County Food Bank. The company’s employees also donated 3,000 pounds of food to area food banks.

Short sale slows home-buying process

When Josh Smith of Marion began looking for a house in town to rent with his girlfriend, Samantha Jo Alvarez, he found that anything to his liking was renting for $450 per month or more. So instead of renting, he decided to look at buying his first house. “I would rather pay to own than to rent,” he said.

Man crashes ATV over cliff

A man weighing more than 300 pounds tumbled over a cliff while driving an all-terrain vehicle next to a pond Tuesday beside Country Dreams Bed and Breakfast. Harry E. Fullerton of Omaha, Neb., was visiting Country Dreams with his friend, Warren Bell, for a fishing trip. Fullerton was using the ATV, owned by Country Dreams, with the permission of Alice Richmond because he had struggled to walk to the inn’s boat dock.

Heerey named top agent in Kansas

Doug Heerey of Marion has been named Shelter Insurance’s top agent in Kansas based on overall agency operation. Heerey has represented Shelter, which is based in Columbia, Mo., since 2009.

Foster parent classes offered

A 10-week class for those interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents will begin June 27 at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 2001 Windsor Drive, Newton. The free course will cover understanding children’s needs, parenting techniques, support services, and making informed decisions.

CORRESPONDENTS:

Marion County students earn honors

Twenty-two Marion County students earned spring semester honors at Kansas State University: Florence: Jaclyn Deforest. Hillsboro: Aaron Klassen, Bryant Miller, Alex Nuss, and Candace Weinbrenner. Lehigh: Neal Kaiser. Lincolnville: Taylor Harms. Marion: Samuel Ehrlich, Patrick Hodson, Louis Holt, Tristan Snelling, Derek Stuchlik, Eric Vogel, and Julia Zeiner. Peabody: Alexandra Holm-McDowell, Broderick Kyle, Seth Methvin, Derrick Till, Courtney Traxson, and Joseph Zappone. Tampa: Matthew Klenda. University of Kansas

Swimmers show determination in win

Vacation schedules and other conflicts lowered the number of Hillsboro swimmers competing Saturday at Solomon in a tri-meet with Peabody, but the Hillsboro team came away with first place by more than 100 points. Hillsboro scored 601 points, followed by Peabody with 472, and Solomon with 361.

Hillsboro Swim Team results

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