PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

HEADLINES

EMS head tired of contention with commission chairman
Ongoing conflict with commissioner motive for resignation By PHYLLIS ZORN Staff writer After two years as head of Marion County Emergency Medical Services, director Ed Debesis’ last day is Thursday. He and his wife, Melissa, are moving to South Carolina, where he will work as a paramedic.
Weekend wrecks across county injures eight people
Eight people were taken to hospitals over the weekend after sustaining injuries in three accidents involving seven vehicles. US-56 south of Lehigh
Drought persists despite recent rains
Rains that fell in August regenerated vegetation and lifted everyone’s spirits. “A little water does wonders for people,” farmer Monty Stuchlik of Lost Springs said. “Everyone feels better.”
Study says county employees underpaid
Consultants hired to do a county salary study recommended a new pay plan to county commissioners Monday. Close to 50 percent of employees are behind the market on minimum starting pay, and 80 percent of employees are under the market pay rate, Malayna Maes and Victoria McGrath, of McGrath Human Resources Group said.

OTHER HEADLINES

Judge nominations sought
Geary County, a part of the 8th Judicial District that includes Marion County, has a judge vacancy created by the retirement of judge Maritza Segarra. A nominating commission is seeking nominations to fill the vacancy.
Arts in the Park successful despite obstacles
Judy Christensen, 77, has been chairman of the Art-in-the-Park committee for 30 years. She said this year’s event showcased almost 100 vendors, down from last year.
County commission hires interim EMS director Tuesday
The county commission announced Robert Church as interim director of Emergency Medical Services Tuesday. He comes to Marion with 18 years experience as a paramedic. For the past year, Church worked in St. Luke Hospital. He spent the last eight years as a nurse, working for Via Christi Hospital in Wichita.
St. Luke Hospital offers new way to save on medical expenses
Patients in need of hospital imaging services such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, can save money by arranging payment through MDsave, an online health care marketplace now collaborating with St. Luke Hospital. It’s a way for patients with high-deductible insurance plans, or no insurance, to save money on the price of those tests, St. Luke marketing director Roger Schroeder said.
Countryside Feed to merge with Midwest Ag Service
Countryside Feed LLC, Hillsboro, and Midwest Ag Service LLC, Seneca, will merge operations and begin serving customers as one company effective Nov. 1. The new company will operate as Countryside Feed LLC from its headquarters in Seneca, a town in northeast Kansas. Midwest Ag chief operations officer David Rethman will be the company’s chief executive officer.
Coffee with award-winning director
Local POW camp to be topic of meeting
Friday’s Lifelong Learning program at Tabor College will feature a historical report by Peggy Goertzen, director and archivist at the Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies. She will present her research on the German prisoners of war who were housed at Peabody during World War II. The session will begin at 9:45 a.m. in the Heritage Lobby of Shari Flaming Center for the Arts.
Youth to compete at livestock show
Seventeen area youth will be showing animals Oct. 5-7 at the Kansas Junior Livestock Show at state fairgrounds in Hutchinson. They will be showing cattle, lambs, swine, and goats. Cash will be awarded for the top five animals in market and breeding categories of all four species.
Moran to be in Marion on Saturday
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran will be at Marion Community Center 9:10 a.m. Saturday as part of his annual listening tour. The public is invited to share feedback on the critical issues facing Kansas and the nation.

HEALTH

Coach balances cross-country, medical practice
At first glance, it is easy to tell Kodi Panzer is a runner. She has the build and gait of someone who has logged thousands of miles on open roads. Directing her runners at Hillsboro high school, she looks right at home as the new cross-country coach.
Surgery gives woman new outlook
Vickie Jirak of Ramona was obese and had been contemplating stomach reduction surgery for years but was afraid of dying on the operating table. Then she realized she might die without it. She was physically healthy and most of her children were grown, but she had a 13-year-old son, Elias, who needed her to be there for him.
Director receives training
Management and leadership are different things, but a little of both is needed for effective leadership. That is what registered nurse Peni Ens learned while attending a leadership institute sponsored by Kansas Hospital Association this summer.

DEATH

Isaiah Gabriel Andres
Services for Isaiah Gabriel Andres, 16, Peabody, were Saturday at Peabody-Burns High School. He died Sept. 8 at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, from injuries sustained in an accident. He was born Nov. 21, 2001, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Kristin Davis and Craig Andres.
Brad Jewell
Services for Brad Jewell, 65, who died Sept. 12 at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, were Sept. 14 at Hillsboro United Methodist Church. He was born March 8, 1953, to Don and Laverta (Hoover) Carlson Jewell at Abilene.
Anna Loewen
Services for Anna Loewen, 88, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church in Hillsboro. She died Thursday in Wichita. She was born December 28, 1929, to George and Susie (Franz) Kliewer in Henderson, Nebraska.
Billy Widler
Services for Billy Irving Widler were Saturday at Zeiner Funeral Home in Marion. He died Sept. 10 at Cedar Point.
IM MEMORIAM:
John Kline

DOCKET

OPINION

A Significant Milestone
Next week marks a significant milestone — the beginning of Volume 150 of the Marion County Record — a century and a half of service. So, yes, the Ol’ Thing really is an old thing.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
Changing seasons
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
More questions than answers
UPCOMING:
Calendar of events
SENIOR CENTER:
Peabody Senior Center menu
WONSEVU:
Langs celebrate granddaughter's birthday

SCHOOL

Warriors snap two-game slide
You’d have to go back nearly a year to find the last time the Peabody Warrior football team tasted victory. And outside the 2017 season finale against Cedar Vale when the Warriors came within 62-58, competing has been a struggle let alone winning with Peabody being held to just 14 points in two games.
Board hears re-design ideas
A school re-design presentation and discussion occupied most of Thursday’s Peabody-Burns board of education meeting. Superintendent Ron Traxson said the meeting was an opportunity to address expectations and outcomes for the re-design plan.

PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Ongoing conflict with commissioner motive for resignation By PHYLLIS ZORN Staff writer After two years as head of Marion County Emergency Medical Services, director Ed Debesis’ last day is Thursday. He and his wife, Melissa, are moving to South Carolina, where he will work as a paramedic.

Eight people were taken to hospitals over the weekend after sustaining injuries in three accidents involving seven vehicles. US-56 south of Lehigh

Rains that fell in August regenerated vegetation and lifted everyone’s spirits. “A little water does wonders for people,” farmer Monty Stuchlik of Lost Springs said. “Everyone feels better.”

Geary County, a part of the 8th Judicial District that includes Marion County, has a judge vacancy created by the retirement of judge Maritza Segarra. A nominating commission is seeking nominations to fill the vacancy.

Judy Christensen, 77, has been chairman of the Art-in-the-Park committee for 30 years. She said this year’s event showcased almost 100 vendors, down from last year.

Seventeen area youth will be showing animals Oct. 5-7 at the Kansas Junior Livestock Show at state fairgrounds in Hutchinson. They will be showing cattle, lambs, swine, and goats. Cash will be awarded for the top five animals in market and breeding categories of all four species.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran will be at Marion Community Center 9:10 a.m. Saturday as part of his annual listening tour. The public is invited to share feedback on the critical issues facing Kansas and the nation.

At first glance, it is easy to tell Kodi Panzer is a runner. She has the build and gait of someone who has logged thousands of miles on open roads. Directing her runners at Hillsboro high school, she looks right at home as the new cross-country coach.

Management and leadership are different things, but a little of both is needed for effective leadership. That is what registered nurse Peni Ens learned while attending a leadership institute sponsored by Kansas Hospital Association this summer.

Services for Isaiah Gabriel Andres, 16, Peabody, were Saturday at Peabody-Burns High School. He died Sept. 8 at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, from injuries sustained in an accident. He was born Nov. 21, 2001, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Kristin Davis and Craig Andres.

Services for Brad Jewell, 65, who died Sept. 12 at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, were Sept. 14 at Hillsboro United Methodist Church. He was born March 8, 1953, to Don and Laverta (Hoover) Carlson Jewell at Abilene.

Services for Anna Loewen, 88, will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church in Hillsboro. She died Thursday in Wichita. She was born December 28, 1929, to George and Susie (Franz) Kliewer in Henderson, Nebraska.

Services for Billy Irving Widler were Saturday at Zeiner Funeral Home in Marion. He died Sept. 10 at Cedar Point.

IM MEMORIAM:

Next week marks a significant milestone — the beginning of Volume 150 of the Marion County Record — a century and a half of service. So, yes, the Ol’ Thing really is an old thing.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

UPCOMING:

SENIOR CENTER:

WONSEVU:

A school re-design presentation and discussion occupied most of Thursday’s Peabody-Burns board of education meeting. Superintendent Ron Traxson said the meeting was an opportunity to address expectations and outcomes for the re-design plan.