PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Burns student named prestigious Truman Scholar at KU

Ashlie Koehn, a University of Kansas junior from Burns studying in Kyrgyzstan, interrupted helping her host family prepare dinner to take a Skype call April 12. To her surprise, Kansas University Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little was on the other end, letting Koehn know she had been named a 2015 Harry S. Truman Scholar. Koehn is the 18th KU student to be named a Truman Scholar and the only 2015 recipient from the state of Kansas. Earlier this month, she was also named a 2015 Udall Scholar.

Newell gets 177 months

Former county dispatcher and Santa Claus impersonator Kenneth Newell held a blank expression as he was sentenced Monday to 177 months (14 years and nine months) in prison for two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child under 14 years of age. Newell pleaded guilty in March as part of a plea agreement in which 11 other counts were dropped.

County can't decide on wind farm finance issue

They passed it off to the planning and zoning board, but when a recommendation came back to them Monday, county commissioners deferred for more study the question of what kind of financing evidence may be required for the Doyle Creek wind farm project. Zoning regulations include a clause requiring wind farms to show evidence of a specific buyer for the electricity they produce, called a power purchase agreement (PPA). At the request of county commissioners, the planning and zoning board at a public hearing determined the item didn’t belong in regulations specific to land use.

Roundabout construction to start soon at intersection

Today’s planned selection of a contractor to build a roundabout to improve safety of the US-56/77 and K-150 intersection east of Marion came too late for two Burdick residents who died Friday from injuries sustained in an accident there. Officials are hopeful the roundabout will avert similar tragedies. “It’s still a bad situation,” Marion EMT Gene Winkler said. “I’m really glad that it’s coming.”

Burdick couple dies from intersection wreck

Grass buffer proposed to deter lake algae

A 30-foot-wide unmowed grass “water filter” around the shoreline of Marion County Lake could remove nutrients that feed blue-green algae if Kansas Department of Health and Environment funds a plan discussed with county commissioners Monday. The proposal, being developed through K-State WRAPS, would involve removing non-native trees and creating a grass buffer that would be more efficient. The project also would deal with heavily treed draws, and target two livestock operations that are purported to be nutrient sources.

Greensburg tornado transplants say there is no place like home

Stewart and Virginia Hammond of Marion lived in Greensburg when an F-5 tornado destroyed almost the entire town on May 4, 2007. They lost their house and almost all their belongings. They moved to Marion in August of that year after their son Chris and family, who also lost a house in the storm, moved here.

Effort to limit underage drinking met with some resistance

Students may have been surprised to encounter some resistance while participating in an effort to curb underage drinking called “Sticker Shock.” The conflict occurred at a couple area businesses, which relayed concerns from vendors that stickers discouraging the purchase of alcohol for minors would “deface the property” if adhered to alcohol containers.

Gatorade thief caught on security camera

An unreasonably thirsty patron at Ampride in Hillsboro decided to take a Gatorade from the shelves, have some, and put it back where he found it. Store manager Laura Legg said high-quality security cameras were used to identify the individual, and the situation was resolved without involving legal authorities.

Saturation patrol results in 3 arrests

Marion police officers arrested two juveniles and one 18-year-old during a “saturation patrol” Saturday night and Sunday morning. Police Chief Tyler Mermis said it was raining when officers stopped an underage driver for failing to use a turn signal near the cemetery at the corner of Kellison and North Freeborn Sts.

Kevin Roberts

Kevin B. Roberts, 56, died April 15 at Newton Medical Center. He was born May 21, 1958 in Garden City, Kansas to Ted and Marjorie (Stephenson) Roberts. A graduate of Salina South High School, he worked in the maintenance and housekeeping departments at Newton Presbyterian Manor.

Herb Strotkamp

Burns resident Herb Strotkamp, 85, died Monday at St. Luke Living Center in Marion. Viewing is today from 1 to 5 p.m. at Zeiner Funeral Home in Marion. A memorial service will be Thursday at Holy Family Parish, St. Patrick Catholic Church in Florence, starting with a rosary at 10 a.m. and a funeral mass at 10:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Burns Cemetery.

James Unruh

James Lee Unruh died Tuesday. A memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Burns Countryside Church.

Accidents reported

Civil division

County jail

Criminal division

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Fish and game

Offenses reported

Peabody municipal court

Police reports

Traffic division

Leafy greens get an early start at Mockingbird Hill

Green leafy vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, C, and K. Darlene Carlson, owner of Mockingbird Hill Gardens in rural Lincolnville, grows a wide variety of greens that she sells at farmer’s markets in Hillsboro and Marion.

Local farmers' markets to open in two weeks

Spring has sprung, gardens are greening, and it’s almost time for some of that early produce to be available at area farmers’ markets. The Marion Farm and Art Market will open for the season at 5 p.m. May 6 in Central Park.

Was that a tornado siren?

A couple of weeks ago, during a late night thunderstorm, with severe weather being reported all around, the tornado siren went off in Peabody about half an hour after storms on the local weather stations had been declared less intense and not likely to produce any weather problems in our area. Oh dear. All the channels were saying we were out of danger and yet the tornado siren was wailing. Who do we believe? Go to the basement? Go out on the porch and look at the sky? Call someone? Who?

I killed a turkey

I have never hunted, but I bagged my first turkey last Wednesday, which was a strange coincidence when I learned afterwards that the day was also the official start to spring turkey season. I can take the credit because I killed it, but credit should be given where it’s due.

Days of yore

Derek Benson, newly elected president of the Peabody-Burns FFA chapter, is pictured presenting the Honor Chapter FFA Degree Thursday night to Chuck Good, executive vice president of the Peabody State Bank. The bank was recognized for its continued support of PBHS agricultural education and FFA program. More than 30 people and businesses signed up to take part during the citywide garage sale Saturday.

Vote YES for kids' sake

This week registered voters in USD 398 will receive a mail-ballot election opportunity that will decide whether the district can increase its local option budget (LOB) and bring an additional $84,000 to the district annually. Voters have until noon May 5 to return their ballots to the Marion County Clerk’s office. The mailing comes with a postage-paid envelope to return the ballot. Voters can also hand in the ballot at the county clerk’s office.

Bennett wins Sustainable Ag Award

Harry Bennett, an organic farmer formerly of rural Marion, was presented with the John’s Vogelsberg Sustainable Ag Award March 21 during the annual Kansas Organic Producers meeting in Emporia. Bennett has been in marketing with KOP for 35 years and will soon retire.

Silver-Haired Legislator forum held

Mary Olson, Silver-Haired Legislator for Marion County, attended a regional forum April 15. The forum was held to help SHL members prepare for their meeting with legislators this fall in Topeka.

Sorosis Beta members enjoy trip down memory lane

Sorosis Beta Club met Thursday at 7 p.m. at the home of Kathryn Ragland. Lou Ann Gray was co-hostess. Club members Virginia Skinner and Janie Hodges presented a program on the history of Sorosis Beta Club in Peabody from 1924 to the present.

Surprise birthday party planned

There will be a surprise 80th birthday party for former Peabody resident Marilyn Miller at 2 p.m. May 2 at the Halstead Health and Rehabilitation Center, 925 McNair St., Halstead. Miller is the wife of Paul Miller, a former minister at the United Methodist Church in Peabody.

BURNS:

WONSEVU:

Tabor College's annual spring sports showcase is Saturday

Football, baseball, softball, and soccer are the featured sports for the annual Tabor College Athletic Spring Showcase from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. “The showcase has become a tradition at Tabor College,” vice president for intercollegiate athletics Rusty Allen said. “Not only is it a lot of fun to have friends, alumni and family of our athletes on campus for the day, but it allows everyone an opportunity for a big picture look at the excellence we strive for in the athletic department.”

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