PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Commission reinstates Larsen

County commissioners on Tuesday reinstated a Peabody paramedic at the center of controversy in recent months. Larry Larsen was originally fired by the commission in October without any explanation for the action.

Valentine's Day honor for veterans' widows

Haroldine Hicks, Betty Seibel, and Lucy Shepler, longtime members of Peabody American Legion Auxiliary, sat together Friday morning in the community room of Indian Guide Terrace where all three women live. Hicks’s daughter, Sherri Bowlby, asked them to be there at 9 a.m., and the women dutifully complied.

Computer error distributes excess tax dollars

County coffers are more than $240,000 lighter than they should be due to a January computer error that resulted in excess tax distributions to local taxing districts. Marion County treasurer Jeanine Bateman notified county commissioners Tuesday that the error was discovered when reviewing a $12 million distribution.

Wind energy company eyes county

Lenexa-based Tradewind Energy is eyeing installation of six meteorological towers in northern Marion County to gather preliminary data for a possible wind farm. The towers would be scattered over a 15- by three-mile area and located near the intersections of Chisholm Trail and 360th Rd., Chisholm Trail and 330th Rd., Falcon and 350th Rd., Indigo and 330th Rd., Mustang and 340th Rd., and Remington and 350th Rd.

Collapsed garage raises asbestos disposal questions

A rickety garage being transported on a trailer collapsed at the corner of Nickerson and Lincoln Sts., blocking the streets for several hours Thursday. “We were going to put it up at another place,” BG Builders contractor Bryan Grosse said. “I wasn’t planning on taking it to the dump.”

Free storm-training event to be in Marion

Would-be storm watchers might be electrified by an upcoming free storm-training event. Marion County Emergency Management will host the event.

Jar of weed found under sleeping child, man arrested

A man was arrested on multiple charges Saturday after a 5-year-old girl was allegedly discovered in the front seat of a truck, sleeping on a jar containing marijuana. At approximately 1 a.m., Marion officer Mike Stone stopped Daniel L. Jackson, 31, of Bushong, when he noticed Jackson stop in the middle of US-56.

Barbara Britton

Barbara J. Britton, 69, died Friday at Goessel. A memorial service will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Jost Funeral Home, Hillsboro.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division

County jail

Criminal division

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police reports

Traffic division

Serving up some leftovers

A couple of weeks ago I asked for some sleuthing assistance from Peabody Gazette-Bulletin readers. A woman from Derby had come across a 1936 Peabody High School class ring and she had no idea how it had found its way into a cache of jewelry that had belonged her mother. She contacted us to see if we could put the word out about the long forgotten class ring and find some relatives of the owner. The ring had an ‘S’ engraved in the inside. The woman had done some basic research and found that only one person in the PHS class of 1936 had a last name that began with the letter ‘S’. Bess Smith was that woman. She is listed in the PHS-PBHS alumni books as Bess (Smith) McClarin and the book notes that she died in April, 1999.

The fight of our lives

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS:

Bielefelds to celebrate 50 years

Raymond and Janet (Frick) Bielefeld of Hope will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary Saturday with a family celebration. They were married Feb. 20, 1966 at First Baptist Church, Durham.

Senior Center menu

BURNS:

DAYS OF YORE:

Students hope to change PBHS culture

Peabody-Burns High School sophomores Chance Elliott and Bryant Young and PBHS principal Ken Parry represented Marion County Substance Abuse Coalition from Feb. 1 to 4 in Washington D.C. at the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) 26th annual National Leadership Forum. The students were chosen in part because of their dedication to and attendance at TADA — Teens Against Destructive Activities — at PBHS. Parry made the decision to take younger students so that whatever they gleaned from the conference would be the basis for a long-term application of change at PBHS.

Warriors fall to Eagles

Peabody-Burns Warriors basketball teams both fell to the Elyria Christian Eagles during Fridays games. Lady Warriors lost 44-24, but coach Scott Bauer was happy with the girls defensive play.

Burns graduate receives award from KU

Ashlie Koehn of Burns is among 49 University of Kansas students to receive undergraduate research awards. Koehn, a senior majoring in economics and global and international studies, will receive $1,000 to assist on mentored research and creative projects.

Tabor faculty to give Sunday recital

Tabor College assistant professor of music Jen Stephenson, along with Tabor College Preparatory School director J. Bradley Baker, will perform at 4 p.m. Sunday in the college chapel. Vocalist Stephenson has performed internationally with France’s Opera du Perigord and Les Chanteurs de Saint Eustache, and Austria’s Classical Music Festival, as well as in the United States with New Century Opera.

Area school menus

Soil technician to retire after 27 years

Dale Ehlers is retiring after 27 years as a soil technician with the Natural Resources and Conservation Service in Marion County, but without a bit of luck, he may never have reached this point. As a heavy-equipment operator, he was working on a U.S. Soil Conservation project in Jewell County when a tree fell on his cab, pressing his whole body down. He couldn’t breathe, he said, but fortunately the seat gave way and he was able to crawl out of the cab.

Kings retire from school district

For 29 years, Marion has been a comfortable cradle for the Larry and Jane King family. Soon a new chapter in their lives will begin. Jane will retire from her position with the school district at the end of May. Likewise, Larry will retire as bus driver.

Steiner has near 100-year memory

One memory Edmund Steiner has makes it plain that he must be reaching the century mark. When he was a boy, his father got up early in the morning to prepare his steam engine tractor for a day of threshing. He hauled water from a pump on the farmyard, and filled the engine with coal. It took a while to get the engine fired up. It powered the threshing machine that winnowed bundles of wheat. Steiner plowed with horses as a teen-ager and young farmer. After every two rounds in the field, he stopped and rested the horses. At noon, he fed and watered the horses before eating the noon meal.

Vial or file, officials say home medical records are important

Kansas Department on Aging rolled out Project Red File last week in Topeka, a pilot project to put emergency folders on refrigerators that will eventually go statewide. Marion EMT Gene Winkler welcomed the news, as the effort would reinforce past initiatives to get seniors to have medical information ready for emergency responders.

Calendar of events

Storm workshop is Feb. 25

Weather enthusiasts and aspiring storm spotters can learn more about inclement weather by attending “Storm Fury on the Plains” at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at USD 408 Performing Arts Center in Marion. National Weather Service representatives will illustrate differences in storm features and provide safety tips.

Field trip, oils class offered

Parents of children in first through sixth grades have an option for their kids when USD 410 is closed Feb. 26. Hillsboro Rec is sponsoring a field trip to Exploration Place in Wichita. Essential Oils 201 will offer do-it-yourself recipes for participants to make cosmetic and pain reduction tools using essential oils.

Commodities to arrive Feb. 24

Supplemental food commodities for income-eligible recipients will be available at senior centers and distribution sites after shipments are received Feb. 24. Patrons should check with their local distribution sites for schedules, as dates may vary.

EcoDevo input sought

County business owners are invited to share ideas and propose solutions at an economic development meeting 6 p.m. Thursday at Marion Community Center. County commissioners instigated plans for the meeting after recent comments by Commissioner Dan Holub that business owners have been overlooked as a resource in past efforts, which he said have been driven primarily by government officials and administrators.

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