PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

No one files for District 1 commission seat

The District 1 county commission seat, which includes Hillsboro, Durham, and Lehigh, will feature a blank line on ballots on Aug. 5. County Clerk Tina Spencer said no one inquired about the position or filed by the noon deadline Monday.

Memorial Day service honors veterans

Overcast skies and just enough of a breeze to keep 226 American flags gently waving around the perimeter of Prairie Lawn Cemetery provided a pleasant backdrop for the 2014 Memorial Day service Monday morning. A parade of Civil War re-enactors, the 8th Kansas Volunteer Infantry, marched from the cemetery gates to the parade grounds to the beat of a solitary snare drum.

Computer class filling quickly

Peabody Township Library has just finished its first “Computer Basic Class for VERY Beginners” with five graduates of the program now able to turn on a computer and do some simple functions. According to librarian Rodger Charles, instructor Zach Prehiem is ready to introduce more students to Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Publisher, and social media and e-reader training as the summer begins.

Summer reading program begins this week

Children from birth to grade five are invited to participate in the Peabody Township Library summer reading program, which begins at 10 a.m. Thursday. The hour-long reading and activity period, called “Fizz! Boooom!! Read!!!,” will be each Thursday morning through June 26. The program includes story time, activities and games, and a time to check out books.

Rain dampens some Memorial Day events

While no one planning to attend the fried chicken picnic Saturday in the Peabody State Bank Park was looking forward to eating in the rain, most people actually were glad to receive the much-needed moisture, picnic or no. “We hated to complain about the rain,” Historical Society President Marilyn Jones said. “Luckily the Ann Potter room was available at the library and we moved everything down there.”The crowd that took in the picnic lunch and visited the museum, the Morgan House, and the print museum was a good deal smaller than the group that attended a similar event during Memorial Day weekend a year ago.

Lakes all clear on 1st algae warnings

Kansas Department of Health and Environment released its first warnings and advisories for blue-green algae Thursday, and Marion County Lake and Marion Reservoir were absent from the list. Both lakes have had public health warnings or advisories for blue-green algae in recent summers, but after heavy rains last summer, the lakes cleared up. Contact with or ingestion of blue-green algae can be detrimental to the health of humans and animals.

Florence neighbors step up for dog left alone and in need

There’s a dog in Florence with no family. Neighbors have been feeding him over the fence for several months, since the dog’s family moved away and left him in the backyard. Ali Johnson, who lives down the street from the dog, also has been feeding him when she can, along with several other neighbors.

Doctor pledges love in Paris

Dr. Paige Hatcher’s trip to France in April resulted in more than recognition at an international forum on quality and safety sponsored by the British Medical Journal. She said “yes” to the love of her life. Hatcher began practicing in Marion in October. Her fiancé, Scott Dodson, is a park ranger for the U.S. Corp of Engineers at Marion Reservoir.

Commission discusses pay

County commissioners met Tuesday in a closed meeting for to discuss employee pay. Commissioners stayed in executive session for 3 hours and 30 minutes, discussing personnel. No action was taken upon return to open session.

St. Luke has election

Bruce Skiles was elected to the Hospital District No. 1 board Tuesday to fill Ken Vinduska’s position, and Linda Carlson and Linda Allison were re-elected to three-year terms. Carlson received 19 votes; Skiles and Allison, 18 each; and Gene Winkler, 12. Vinduska left the board after 10 years.

Cookie company sees no limits

After four years, Marty Fent has seen his business grow locally, but he does not want to stop there. “We’re going statewide,” he said.

Rifle salute memorializes Pilsen veterans

About 40 people traveled down the dusty roads to Pilsen to attend Memorial Day services at Pilsen Cemetery. The more than 70 Pilsen residents who had served and were laid to rest in the cemetery were named for their contributions. Two residents were remembered for never coming home, Father Emil Kapaun and Dean Klenda.

Farmers market vendors need to know regulations

Farmers markets are growing in popularity across Kansas and in Marion County. They are an outlet for local farmers and gardeners to sell healthy local produce and other foods directly to consumers. Retail food sales, including at farmers markets, are regulated by the Kansas Department of Agriculture for food safety. KDA and Kansas State University Research and Extension publish guidelines for what is appropriate at farmers markets.

Artists to share passion

Gerald Wiens has a passion for nature. He has a master’s degree in wildlife biology to prove it. When he took his first job as director of Chaplin Nature Center near Arkansas City he began taking photos of animals and nature to help teach visitors of the center.

Accidents reported

Civil division cases

County Jail arrests and bookings

Criminal division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Fish and Game division cases

Marriage licenses issued

Offenses reported

Peabody Municipal Court

Police incident reports

Traffic division cases

Monroe Suderman

My Mom and Dad always sang in the church choir. Each had a good sense of humor. Years ago I received a letter from my dad that started like this: “When your mother and I join that Great Heavenly Choir in the Sky, your mom and I will be toe-to-toe on the sixth floor of the Oak Lawn Mausoleum in Conroe, Texas.” It actually didn’t work out that way. Instead, they moved to Oshkosh to be closer to family. However, if they needed a good bass, Dad surely joined that Heavenly Choir when he passed away on May 21, 2014, at the age of 93.

Sorosis Beta winds up club year

Sorosis Beta Club met May 15 at Pop’s Diner for a meal and end of club year meeting. Fifteen members were present. President Marilyn Cox opened the meeting. Sharon Pickens gave the devotional thought and prayer before the meal. The minutes were read and approved. The treasurer’s report was given with the reminder that dues and birthday money were due. There were no bills presented. There was no old business.

Democratic Women meet

Marion County Democratic Women heard reports from the district meeting and the reception for Jill Docking on April 26 at their monthly meeting on May 23. Those who attended the district meeting were Eileen Sieger, Connie Fisher, and Janet Bryant.

Farmers market vouchers available

Farmers market vouchers are available for seniors through the Department on Aging. To receive a $30 voucher, a senior must earn a monthly gross income of $1,800 or less, or $2,426 for a family of two.

BURNS:

Peabody-Burns track season comes to a close

Only taking a boys’ team Friday to the regional track meet in Hillsboro, the Peabody-Burns track team could not qualify any athletes for the state meet. Coach Brian Lightner said the competition in the events the team competed in were ultimately too tough for anyone to crack the top four.

Tabor baseball team wins first ever World Series games

The Tabor College baseball team made history last week, winning its first NAIA World Series games ever. Their 1-0 win against Southern Polytechnic State University also was the first World Series win by a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference team. In the game, starting pitcher Junior Mustain went 7 1/3 innings scoreless, striking out five and allowing five hits and three walks. Tabor scored its only run on a fielder’s choice at shortstop when junior Pete Lelich scored Kevin Seeger from third.

Honor Roll

County students graduate from HCC

Ceremonies for the practical nursing program at Hutchinson Community College took place on May 8 at Central Christian College in McPherson. Three of the 54 students who received their pins were from Marion County. They included Linda Bach of Peabody, Michelle Hajek of Lost Springs, and Melia Vinduska of Marion.

An invisible epidemic

Last week we received a press release about rape and sexual assault statistics, but statistics are too impersonal and sterile to adequately reflect reality. A study in 2011 found that nearly one out of every five women in the United States has been the victim of rape or attempted rape. Do you know five or more women? If so, you probably know someone who has been raped. Are you related to five or more women? If so, you probably have a family member who has been raped. There is a very good chance you don’t know it, though. Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes, largely because of the stigma attached to it and its victims, and the society’s tendency to find some way to blame the victim.

Appreciation for young volunteers

Days of Yore

The Harvey House Restaurant-Hotel museum is a “monument to Florence” in a day and age when many community ventures are being financed by taxpayer-funded grants. Materials and labor were provided by the Florence Historical Society and volunteers who donated time and money. Legacy Park residents enjoyed a visit in May by Dr. Skinner and her animal friends. She brought turtles, snakes, kittens, dogs, a baby opossum and an owl.

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