PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Veteran killed in Texas spent childhood in Burns

Before Chris Kyle was the most accomplished sniper in U.S. military history, before he was a bestselling author, before he started helping veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, he was a boy playing on his grandmother’s farm in Burns with Jason Callahan and other local children. Although it was only a few times, Burns City Clerk Carol Callahan remembers Kyle being funny but respectful. He would emphasize his Texas twang for a laugh.

American Legion repairs coming soon

Peabody City Administrator Shane Marler announced at the Monday evening city council meeting that Peabody American Legion had settled the claim with its insurance carrier and work on the façade repair would begin as soon as the contractor can schedule the job. “Obviously everyone is glad to be looking at the end of this project,” Marler said. “All the paperwork is signed and the checks have been issued. It is now just a matter of getting on the contractor’s calendar.”

State Main Street program restarting

Executive directors from 23 Kansas downtown programs gathered Friday in Hutchinson to revitalize the Kansas Main Street organization that was shuttered through Kansas Department of Commerce budget cuts in September. During the four-hour session the directors, under the guidance of Ron Kelley, a successful Hutchinson businessman and longtime Kansas Main Street and Downtown Hutchinson activist and volunteer, worked through articles of incorporation that had been drafted by Kelley.

Girl Scout cookie sales change

There has been a change to the way Peabody Girl Scouts are selling Girl Scout cookies this year. There is no waiting time between ordering and receiving cookies, unlike in the past, unless a Girl Scout has run out of a particular variety. Another change is that the Girl Scouts can accept credit cards for payment, although only troop leaders and cookie managers will be able to process credit card payments.

Lois Ediger

Lois Ediger, 86, of Hillsboro died Saturday. She was born Oct. 17, 1926. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joel.

Mildred 'Micki' Holub

Mildred “Micki” Holub, 82, died Saturday in Manhattan. She was born Feb. 13, 1930, in Marion to John and Antoniette Oborny Huna and was raised in the Pilsen community.

Carol A. Johnson

Carol A. Johnson, 63, died Feb. 4 at home in Bel Aire. She was born May 18, 1949, in Marion to Harold and Jessie (Higgins) Bowers. She earned a doctorate in family medicine, practicing with Family Physicians of Kansas.

Accidents reported

Civil cases

County jail

Criminal cases

Deeds

Emergency dispatches

Marriage licenses

Offenses

Peabody police

Traffic cases

Farm replicas keep wheels turning

No challenge is too big, or too small-scale for the engineering mind of Wes Duerksen of Goessel, especially when it concerns intricate working parts on wooden farm toy replicas. From tractors with turning wheels, a baler with a working auger, and threshing machines with belt driven channels, to a pull-type old-fashioned road grader with rotating blade and sliding rear axle, Duerksen has created at least 40 replicas with working parts, from wood, just because he likes the challenge.

Laser therapy stimulates animal health

Riley is a happy little dog. He licks and wiggles, and seems to smile with joy when taking his turn on veterinarian Amber Toews’ laser therapy table at the Hillsboro Animal Clinic. “Riley wasn’t always this happy,” Toews said. “He used to have back problems and ear problems. He had a chronic ear infection, probably caused by allergies, but he was miserable.”

Consumers buy fresh milk

Trisha Schmidt smiles every morning when her alarm clock sounds, knowing that she is only moments away from drinking her favorite beverage: a cold glass of milk. “There’s nothing better than watching the sun rise and drinking a tall glass of whole milk,” the Goessel resident said. “I like milk. It tickles your tastes buds and each sip brings a renewed sense of happiness. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have some in my fridge at all times. Life just wouldn’t be the same.”

Cattle are family to Hillsboro rancher

Every once in a while an idle listener will pick up a tidbit of conversation between Dana Wolford and a friend after church at Hillsboro United Methodist. He or she will quickly be confused when Wolford starts talking about his kids and pastures and feed all in the same sentence. Wolford said he has to step back and explain that by kids he means the seven Hereford cattle he tends to on a small piece of rented property at 2542 Jade Road. He does not have children of his own.

Ag boom to end

The seven-year agriculture boom, driven by record-high commodity prices and tight supplies, is expected to peak this and then come to an end as high costs come to fruition, the government projected on Monday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said farm income would reach a record $127.6 billion this year, up 15 percent, thanks to high market prices and crop insurance payments that will offset losses from the worst drought in more than 50 years.

Marion County gets rain

The Wichita office of the National Service reported that parts of Marion County received more than 1.5 inches of rain Feb. 6. A weather forecaster reported the Marion Reservoir rain gauge read 1.58 inches. The gauge in Peabody recorded 1.46 inches of rainfall.

MARION COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT:

County opts for certified kitchen

Marion County took a step Monday toward opening a certified commercial kitchen that would help give a leg-up to entrepreneurs who want to start food-based businesses in the county. The county commission gave Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman approval to pursue grants to convert one of the kitchens at the county lake hall into a certified kitchen — that requires substantial replacement, installation, and updating of fixtures and equipment, including no less than five sinks, Huffman said.

Durham places atrazine money

Durham City Council member Tom Harmon took action months ago to involve the city in a class action lawsuit against the makers of atrazine, a chemical prominently used in farm operations. The city received more than $5,000 in the settlement and council members voted Feb. 5 to put it in their water fund. City clerk Joyce Medley served her last session presenting the annual financial report. All funds showed a larger balance at the end of 2012 than at the beginning.

One of the first steps to being old

I have decided that AARP — formerly the American Association of Retired Persons — is stalking me. At any rate, I think the organization has gone from informative to obnoxious. I turned 66 in November, and they turned up the heat. I am not one of those people who was approached at, say 50 or even 55 and invited to join that happy group of older Americans who were offered discounts to movies, motels, restaurants, and lumber yards across the country. I attributed that to the fact that I didn’t have grey hair.

Chingawassa Days moves in right direction

Chingawassa Days has a well-established pattern regarding the headliners it selects for the main stage the Saturday night of the celebration. It’s classic rock most years, occasionally with a little bit newer country band. But that is changing for 2013. This year’s selection, FireHouse, is the first rock band to get its big break in the 1990s to headline Chingawassa Days. They had seven top 100 hits in the U.S., all between 1991 and 1995. I was just a kid back then and didn’t pay much attention to music, but I recognize some of their songs, and not from classic rock radio stations.

DAYS OF YORE:

HOPE IN THE HEARTLAND:

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

Chingawassa Days to headline FireHouse

FireHouse, a rock band that had seven top-100 hits between 1991 and 1995, will be the Saturday headline act at this year’s Chingawassa Days festival June 8 in Marion. The band’s debut album in 1990, also named “FireHouse,” sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S. and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Its singles included “Don’t Treat Me Bad,” “All She Wrote,” and “Love of a Lifetime,” which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Gardening event is March 9 in Hutchinson

Hutchinson Horticulture club is hosting a free gardening event called “A Gathering for Gardners” from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 9 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Chruch, 407 E. 12th St., west of the Cosmosphere. There will be presentations on topics, such as: compost, plants that need less water, top 40 prairies star annuals for color, most common plant problems, container gardens, and front-yard landscaping.

Peabody 4-H club met

The monthly meeting of the Peabody Achievers 4-H Club was held Sunday in the Peabody-Burns Elementary music room. The roll call was answered by a candy-counting contest. There were 22 members, 13 parents, two leaders, and six guests at the meeting.

Tabor College to dedicate hall

Tabor College will unveil a new, 16-unit residence hall at 502 E. B Street in Hillsboro. Harms Residence Hall will be officially dedicated on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013 at 11 a.m. The public is welcome to attend the dedication and ribbon cutting. Following the ceremony, guided tours of the facility will be available for the public.

Lifelong Learning schedule released

The spring 2013 semester of Lifelong Learning, the community enrichment programs sponsored by Tabor College begins Feb. 22. The sessions start at 9:45 a.m. and are held in the Wohlgemuth Music Education Center Lobby. Cost is $4 per session or $15 for the entire semester. Rates for couples are $29 for the semester. The entire series schedule is as follows:

Celtic celebration is March 2

Marion will host a Celtic Celebration for the second year March 2 at the Marion Community Center. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for an Irish meal served at 6:30 p.m. The program for the event includes performances by Cory Academy of Irish Dancing and Knocknasheega Celtic Band.

Tabor to host Special Olympic basketball

The faculty and student of Tabor College, in cooperation with Hillsboro Kiwanis will host a Special Olympics basketball tournament from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the main gym and student activity center. Teams from four counties will be participating. Divisions are made up of teams with similar ability levels. The tournament is designed to give teams experience before the Kansas Special Olympic State Tournament in March at Fort Hays State University.

Florence seniors send cards

The Florentine Seniors met Friday at a local café in Florence for the monthly meeting. Connie Omstead brought cookies. Betty Ireland brought an angel food cake for dessert. Harold Grinstead won the traveling prize.

Custodian decorates building

It is not just the white bear in a red satin dress flanked by a red and white sparkly heart bouquet that catches the eye. There are currently heart-shaped lights draped with white spiral garlands around the city of Hillsboro office window in city hall, and according to the women in the office, there are roses in the bathroom too. “Mary Klenda decorates for us,
city clerk Jan Meisinger said. “We appreciate it so much. She makes the holidays so festive around here.”

Janzen submits finalist photo

Phoebe Janzen of Florence has been notified that a photograph she took in the summer of baby owls perched on a branch in Florence has been selected by the Wichita Eagle as one of 15 finalists in their “Great Outdoors Photo Contest.” Online voting for the winning picture began Tuesday and will end on Saturday. Voting also will take place in person at the Kansas Sport Boat and Travel Show Feb. 14 to 16 at the Kansas Pavilion.

Mother's nightmare comes true

Jessica Snyder’s heart leapt into her throat when she heard the news: Her 6-year-old daughter, Deanna, had a brain tumor. “It was my worst fear,” the Marion mother said as tears rolled down her cheek.

Merrell wins county spelling bee

Hillsboro Middle School eight-grader Mesa Merrell approached the Marion County Spelling Bee competition with a stay-calm, lead-on mentality. “I just prepared all I could, then calmed myself with a few deep breaths and went for it,” she said. “Determination gets you much farther than nervousness.”

CORRESPONDENTS:

USD 398 discusses crisis plan

USD 398 Superintendent Ron Traxson discussed an emergency plan for intruders for Peabody-Burns schools Monday at the board of education meeting. One suggestion he offered was that every adult at Peabody-Burns Elementary School would need to wear a badge for identification. Visitors are already required to wear tags but teachers and staff would also be required to don badges.

Students make Hutchinson honor roll

Hutchinson Community College recently released the names of Presidential and Honor Roll recipients for the 2012 fall semester and interterm session. Students on the Presidential Honor Roll earned a 4.0 grade point average. Those named to the Honor Roll held grade point averages between 3.5 and 3.999. Presidential Honor Roll awards went to Leslie Cook and Elizabeth Unruh of Goessel; Kathryn Ens, LeaAnn Knaak, Wendy McCarty, Charles Miller, and Rachel Plenert of Hillsboro; Tyler Wildin of Marion; Mikayla Hiebert and Tyler Wenger of Peabody.

Petting zoo new to FFA week

FFA week is Monday through Feb. 22 at Peabody-Burns High School. The week starts on President’s Day with a parents and teacher Appreciation Breakfast of biscuits and gravy at 7:30 a.m. at the vocational agriculture shop.

TEEN to meet Feb. 20

The Technology Excellence in Education Network will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Marion USD office, 101 N. Thorp, Marion.

Girls win homecoming game

Two home games for the Peabody-Burns girls’ basketball team produced one win and one loss this past week. On Feb. 5, the squad was defeated by Remington, 42-33. On Friday, the team earned a homecoming victory over Goessel, 35-29. The Warriors played Little River Tuesday on senior night at home. Friday the team will travel to Moundridge. Remington

Warriors blow out Goessel

The Peabody-Burns boys’ basketball team competed at home twice this past week and earned one win and one loss. The Warriors lost to Remington, 57-30, on Feb. 5 but got a homecoming win Friday, 54-37. The Warriors played Little River on senior night Tuesday. On Friday, they will travel to Moundridge. Remington

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