PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Marion County gets world record

Bowling to reopen with new owners

Did you hear the one about the two guys who loved to bowl? They bought their own bowling alley! Not funny? Perhaps not, but for Dick Alcorn and Tim Peterson, it is a true story. The two men have purchased Peabody Lanes, which has been closed since winter, and they will have it open for fall leagues in a week or two.

Residents complain of wasting water

Peabody City Administrator Mac Manning told Peabody City Council on Monday that the city’s practice of flushing water lines has generated more complaints recently. Manning said flushing is necessary for two reasons: to keep the correct amount of chlorine in the water lines and to try to alleviate complaints about smelly and discolored water.

Much-needed rain showers region

A gentle but prolonged rain shower passed through Marion County on Tuesday morning. When Torey Hett checked a weather station at Marion Reservoir at 8 a.m., it showed .21 inches of rain received overnight. By the time the rain ended in the early afternoon, another .48 inches had fallen, bringing the total from the day to almost seven-tenths of an inch.

Stolen pickup recovered in Hillsboro

A pair of pickup trucks were stolen Sunday just north of Marion, but one was quickly recovered. A metallic blue 2012 Chevrolet Silverado and a gray 2002 GMC Sierra, both ½ ton 4x4s, belonging to Jon Thole were stolen sometime between late afternoon and 11 p.m., said Wilma Mueller, investigator for Marion County Sheriff’s Department.

Paul W. Meysing

Paul W. Meysing, 85, of Pilsen died Aug. 6 at Salem Home in Hillsboro. He was a retired farmer and lifelong resident of Pilsen. He was born Feb. 4., 1927, near Pilsen to Joseph and Mary Reznicek Meysing. He grew up and attended school at Pilsen. He was a member of St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, Holy Family Parish, at Pilsen and the Knights of Columbus.

Arlene Giesbrecht Trudell

On Dec. 21, 1960, Arlene Giesbrecht came into the world. On Aug. 9, 2012, Arlene Giesbrecht Trudell left the world, leaving it a better place to be and went to be with her Lord and Savior. Arlene was born in Lawton, Okla. She was the daughter of Jonas and Justina Giesbrecht and was raised on the family farm in Hillsboro. She had three siblings on the farm, sister, Karen (Lee) Dirks of Greensburg; brother, Keith (Karen) Giesbrecht of Lakin; and brother, Ken (Shelly) Giesbrecht of Durham.

Eva K. Warkentine

Eva K. Barrett Warkentin of Palo Alto, Calif., died Tuesday. Her parents owned the Marion lumberyard years ago. She graduated from Marion High School in 1933. She married Roy Warkentin. They had two children, Barry and Sue, both of California.

Dorothy Whitcomb

Dorothy E. Whitcomb, 95, of Emporia, formerly of Cedar Point, died August 8 at Emporia Presbyterian Manor. She was born Oct. 25, 1916, to George L. and Enid Alzine Redden Whitcomb near Cedar Point. For a short time she owned and managed a general store in Cedar Point. She graduated from Kansas State Teachers College of Emporia with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She taught science and math and spent time in California where she attended college. She was a librarian in the Kansas City, Kan., Library for 11 years. She was in charge of the farm accounting from 1936 until 1988, and returned to the family farm in 1976.

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Crossbreeding keeps productivity up

Twenty years ago, more than 56 cow dairies in Marion County were on official milk test rotations with the state dairy herd improvement registry. Now only a handful of farmers make their living with dairy cows in an area once known as the land of milk and honey. With dairy farmers dropping like flies because of low milk payments, high labor costs, and even higher feed costs, it is a wonder that Kent Sterk, Sterk Dairy Inc. southwest of Hillsboro, maintains a positive attitude about the industry.

Cover crops are valuable

Farmer Dean Suderman of rural Hillsboro began using cover crops a few years ago after hearing about them for years at conferences about no-till farming, and he is glad he did. It is difficult to determine the precise return on investment for cover crops, since they aren’t harvested. It’s a little bit easier for farmers who also raise livestock to see direct benefits from grazing.

Additional CRP land approved for use

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency has expanded emergency haying and grazing to additional land covered by the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Grass waterways, wetland restoration, rare and declining habitat, and farmable wetlands pilot buffer acreages have been approved for all Kansas counties.

Mid-Kansas Coop donates to 4-H and food

Marion County 4-H Endowment Fund and Marion County Food Bank recently received donations totaling $1,600 from Mid-Kansas Cooperative Assn. Since 2006, MKC has provided funds for area 4-H Leadership Development Programs.

Grazing school taking reservations

Farmers and ranchers are invited to participate in the third annual Eastern Kansas Grazing School, Sept. 12 and 13, at Lyon County Fairgrounds in Emporia. The two-day management intensive grazing (MIG) school will be a hands-on learning experience preparing participants to start their own rotational grazing system with forages adapted to eastern Kansas.

Kansas launches water initiative

The Kansas State Conservation Commission has allocated $500,000 for immediate assistance to Kansas livestock producers through a cost-share program to improve existing livestock water supplies. Pastures that currently have limited or no existing water supplies are the primary targets for this initiative. Project applications should focus on restoration of existing ponds, well development, spring development or other water storage projects.

County to rent heavy equipment

Marion County Commission approved a rental agreement with Van Koppel for a street grinder on Monday. The agreement is for $4,000 a week. The grinder is needed because the Road and Bridge Department grinder owned by the county needs to have a motor replaced. Work is set to begin on Remington Road and a grinder is a necessary tool for that job, Road and Bridge Superintendent Randy Crawford said.

Seeing the class of 1980 all grown up

The Daughters, old What’s His Name, the New Guy, and I all were invited this past weekend to the 50th birthday of a friend of ours who was a member of the Peabody High School class of 1980. He hosted the party right here in Peabody and oh my, what an event it was! Many of his classmates showed up along with their spouses, parents, siblings, and children, as well as some of his own family members and numerous other local folks. It was one of those Peabody moments, you know?

DAYS OF YORE:

Photo Safari opens at opera house

“Photo Safaris” by Mark Hunter will be at the Heritage Gallery in the McPherson Opera House, 219 S. Main, McPherson. The photos will be on display August 4 through September 29. Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. For more information call (620) 241-6131 or
http://annharitatos@sbcglobal.net.

Fish in danger from drought

A farm pond in rural Hillsboro was the site of a fish decimation on Aug. 6. About 50 fish lined the shores of the murky green water. The smell radiated from the scene like lines of heat burning a putrid, acrid rotting stench deep into the nostrils. The aquatic animals had been dead for a while. Their killer was drought.

Free development screenings in Hillsboro

Marion County Early Intervention Services will provide free screenings for children through age 5 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at Hillsboro Methodist Church, 905 E. D St., Hillsboro. The screenings will check learning, motor, language, and social development, as well as hearing and vision. The process usually takes at least an hour per child.

Internet program keeps kids safe

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced today that a statewide program aimed at keeping kids safer on the Internet reached 65,605 participants during the recently completed 2012 fiscal year. A legislative appropriation administered by the Attorney General’s Office allows the Netsmartz program to be presented throughout the state by the Kansas Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

Cards requested for Wiebe anniversary

Duwayne and Myrial Wiebe of Burns will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 25. They were married on that date in 1962. To celebrate, the Wiebes’ four children request a card shower in their parents’ honor from family, friends, and acquaintances in the community.

Retired minister turns 90

Today is Helen Fulton’s 90th birthday. Fulton, of Salina, celebrated with her family earlier in El Dorado at the home of her daughter, Jeanna and her husband Dale Short, along with son, Dennis Fulton and his wife Janette of Jetmore. She was born in Lamar, Colo., and spent time growing up in Talmage and Herington. She graduated from Chapman High School in 1940 and spent several years teaching in rural schools.

Johnsons to celebrate 70 years

To celebrate their years together, Harold and Edith Johnson of Windom, Minn., will host an open house reception commemorating their 70th wedding anniversary from 2 to 5 p.m. Aug. 25 at Prescott House Bed and Breakfast, 501 N. Sycamore St., Peabody.

Skinners hold 66th annual reunion

Descendants of William and Margaret Skinner and James and Amanda Skinner gathered Aug. 4 for the 66th annual Skinner reunion at Peabody Senior Center. William and James were brothers who migrated with their families from Iowa to Peabody and La Harpe, respectively, in 1896.

Vinduska to lead Mass

Father Aaron Vinduska, formerly of the Pilsen area, will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in Pilsen and possibly other Masses “The hope is that he will be able to celebrate all three weekend Masses,” Holy Family Parish secretary Rose Davidson said Tuesday.

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USD 398 OKs 5.2% tax hike

The USD 398 Board of Education approved a 5.2-percent tax increase Monday. The district is increasing the budget by 3.58 mills, going to 69.23 mills total. USD 398’s total tax levy is roughly equivalent $677 of taxes on an $85,000 home in the district.

Tabor music school enters tenth season

2012 marks the tenth season of the Tabor College Music Preparatory School. The school was formed under the guidance of Dr. Sheila Litke, Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at Tabor College. “We started the school in 2002 because there was a need in the community with so many local music teachers retiring,” Litke explained.

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