PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

HEADLINES

USD 398 school board cuts three positions
Peabody-Burns Board of Education made the first of many tough decisions this year to combat large projected budget short falls. After a 19-minute executive session with building administrators, the board decided to cut three positions, a multi-tiered systems of support teacher in the elementary school, and one 6-12 grade math, and one 6-12 grade science position.
Council reviews water rate increase
Peabody City Council members heard a report Monday evening from Beth Warren of Ranson Financial Consultants LLC of Wichita about a rate study by her company to look at the feasibility of making the water utility financially sound as required by USDA, the agency that funded the water project. Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Environmental Capacity Development Program funded the study at no cost to the city. The study looked at proposed water rate increases of 20 percent, 24.75 percent, and 27.25 percent and the financial affects on water users in Peabody.
Schools react to court's funding ruling
The Kansas Supreme Court issued its ruling Friday morning on a lawsuit against the state filed in 2010 by several school districts, claiming the state did not adequately fund public schools. The long-awaited decision ruled against the state saying that certain school funding laws failed to provide equality in public education as required by the state constitution. The case was returned to Shawnee County District Court to enforce the court’s decision and to reconsider whether school funding laws provide adequacy in public education.
Life's work inspires children's books
Lisa Clark of Burns loves horses, dogs, her grandchildren, and writing so she thought of a way to combine them. Clark has five series of children’s books that bear her name. For 29 years, she has written and illustrated the books. They tell of worlds both fantasy and non-fiction and are largely derived from her life.
Lake subdivision nears approval
When county Planning and Zoning Director Tonya Richards and developer Garry Dunnegan showed commissioners a new draft of a plat for Saddle Creek Estates at the county lake, only one adjustment needed to be made. After discussing different roads in the plat, commissioners requested a specification that a road not be built over a 40-foot easement in the back row of houses. Commissioner Dan Holub said the easement looks like a road, but will not be used as one.
Barn quilts catching on in county
Sandra Heyman of Burns has been an avid quilter for many years. She, Marion County Economic Development Director Teresa Huffman, and Marge Summervill of Marion have formed a committee to promote barn quilts in Marion County. They hope eventually to develop a brochure for a driving tour of quilts on display within the county. Marion County is one of a coalition of 22 counties involved in the Kansas Flint Hills Quilt Trail. The trail was formed a year ago to promote tourism and rural pride throughout the region. The quilt trail group promotes quilt art in the Flint Hills as well as the beauty and agricultural history of the Flint Hills region.
MKC and Farmers Cooperative Association to merge
Members of Farmers Cooperative Association approved a merger deal Thursday with Mid-Kansas Cooperative. The merger will take effect June 1 and will increase MKC to 41 co-ops throughout 14 counties. MKC has four locations in Marion County — Peabody, Florence, Goessel, and Burns.
Dying baitfish are feast for eagles
Bald eagles have become a fixture in Marion County every winter, attracted by a surprisingly plentiful food source. Every winter, full-grown shad die and float to the surface of lakes in the winter, an easy meal for eagles. Shad are small fish, larger than minnows, commonly eaten by sport fish.
National Poison Prevention week focuses on medications
More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to the nation’s poison centers. The Kansas Poison Control Center received over 30,000 calls in 2013. Approximately three out of every four calls were for a child under the age of five.
Crappie fishing derby is Saturday
The seventh annual John Waner Memorial Crappie Fishing Derby will be Saturday at the county lake’s heated fishing dock. Registration is in advance at the lake office or starting at 6 a.m. Saturday. There is a $15 fee and registration is limited to the first 35.
Legislators will visit Saturday
Rep. Don Schroeder and Sen. Clark Schultz will meet with Peabody-area constituents at 10:30 Saturday morning at Pop’s Diner in downtown Peabody. Residents are encouraged to attend and hear what is going on in Topeka. The legislators will answer questions and hear concerns of the voters.

DEATHS

Rosalie Smith
Rosalie Ann (Brewer) Smith, 84, of Marion died Friday at Peabody Care Center. She was born May 28, 1929, near Burns to Marion Brewer and Alice Nonken. She was a homemaker and telephone operator.
IN MEMORIAM:
Beverly Goering

DOCKET

FARM

Students witness where milk comes from
Instructor Callie Unruh and her bovine assistant Tiny visited Hillsboro Elementary School Monday morning with their mobile dairy classroom to show students where milk comes from and demonstrate how milk travels from a cow’s udder to a milk jug. “Tiny is just over 2 years old; that’s 24 years old in human years,” Unruh told students. “That means she ages the equivalent of one human year every month. At the age of 2, she had her very first calf. Mammals like Tiny have to have a baby first before they can start producing milk.”
Complete records can help farmers recover losses
The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests farmers and ranchers to keep detailed records of any losses due to natural disasters. Losses include livestock and feed losses, crop losses, and any additional expenses that resulted from a natural disaster such as drought or flood.
USAD expands storage loan program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded the Farm Storage and Facility Loan program. The expansion includes 22 new categories of eligible equipment for fruit and vegetable producers, and makes the process easier for farmers and ranchers to receive low-interest financing.
Vinduska reelected to corn commission
Terry Vinduska was recently reelected to the Kansas Corn Commission, representing District Five. He farms in northern Marion County and is a past officer of the U.S. Grains Council. He is also a member of the National Corn Growers Association, Kansas Corn Growers Association, and Kansas Farm Bureau. He has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Kansas State University.
Cow nutrition is critical to calf health
Special conditions such as drought and extreme cold temperatures require that special attention be made to the nutritional needs of cows and calves. “Nutrition is the foundation of anyone’s health,” veterinarian Jessica Laurin of Animal Health Center said.
Farmer's daughter adds style to herd
Tim Summervill is a fourth generation farmer. He knows what it is like as a child, watching your dad work on the farm. This year it was time for Summervill to have his own helper, his 3-year-old daughter, Shelby.
Hay permits available for highway right-of-ways
Several changes have been made to Kansas Department of Transportation permits to harvest hay along state and federal roadways. Changes to the permits include:

OPINION

Sharing an anniversary
I have an announcement to make and then I am going to nag at some of you. That is your warning. If you simply cannot take it anymore, it is time to move to another page. My announcement is that Monday was the 10th anniversary of my first heart attack. I have squeezed 10 extra years out of this heart and I am grateful. If I am still around in July, I will celebrate the 10th anniversary of my bypass surgery. And I will be even more grateful for that. I bet you know what I am going to say next, don’t you? I am going to tell you that I just about killed myself on three separate occasions from March to July of 2004. Of course, those of you who know me know what I was doing to put myself out on that suicide ledge, don’t you? Yup, I was smoking … still.
A little label should make a big difference
If you’re among our more observant readers, you may have noticed something different on this week’s front page — a tiny change we hope will lead to huge improvements in how quickly and accurately the Postal Service delivers your paper. At considerable expense, we’ve purchased and installed a new, top-of-the-line labeling system, designed to make maximal use of computerized mail sorting. Having a barcode on out-of-town subscribers’ mailing labels isn’t new. We’ve been using an older style barcode for years. We switched to a new style when the Postal Service did a few weeks ago. What’s different is that we’ve greatly improved the legibility of the labels and barcodes themselves — all in an effort to eliminate any and all excuses for anything other than prompt, reliable delivery.
DAYS OF YORE:
Days of Yore
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:
Legislature needs to take action about school funding

PEOPLE

Sorosis Beta members hear about books and reading
On Feb. 20, 13 Sorosis Beta Club members and one guest met at the home of Lou Ann Gray. President Marilyn Cox opened the meeting and members repeated the flag salute and the club collect.
HOPE IN THE HEARTLAND:
The reality of evil

SPORTS AND SCHOOL

Peabody-Burns business students qualify for nationals
Peabody-Burns Business Professionals of America competed in the state leadership conference Feb. 20 and 21 in Wichita. Several team members placed and qualified for nationals April 30 through May 4 in Indianapolis, Ind. Nineteen group members competed in state, each competing in two events.
Warriors' season ends at Hillsboro
The 2014 Warrior basketball season ended Tuesday in the first round of sub-state. Peabody-Burns was defeated 64-26 at Hillsboro. The Warriors finished 1-6 in league standings and 6-15 overall. Hillsboro scored the first 22 points unanswered in the first quarter. Xavier Jabary got on the board with a free throw with less than a minute to play. Hillsboro went on to score 3 more. PBHS trailed 25-1 at the end of the quarter.

PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Members of Farmers Cooperative Association approved a merger deal Thursday with Mid-Kansas Cooperative. The merger will take effect June 1 and will increase MKC to 41 co-ops throughout 14 counties. MKC has four locations in Marion County — Peabody, Florence, Goessel, and Burns.

Bald eagles have become a fixture in Marion County every winter, attracted by a surprisingly plentiful food source. Every winter, full-grown shad die and float to the surface of lakes in the winter, an easy meal for eagles. Shad are small fish, larger than minnows, commonly eaten by sport fish.

More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to the nation’s poison centers. The Kansas Poison Control Center received over 30,000 calls in 2013. Approximately three out of every four calls were for a child under the age of five.

The seventh annual John Waner Memorial Crappie Fishing Derby will be Saturday at the county lake’s heated fishing dock. Registration is in advance at the lake office or starting at 6 a.m. Saturday. There is a $15 fee and registration is limited to the first 35.

Rep. Don Schroeder and Sen. Clark Schultz will meet with Peabody-area constituents at 10:30 Saturday morning at Pop’s Diner in downtown Peabody. Residents are encouraged to attend and hear what is going on in Topeka. The legislators will answer questions and hear concerns of the voters.

Rosalie Ann (Brewer) Smith, 84, of Marion died Friday at Peabody Care Center. She was born May 28, 1929, near Burns to Marion Brewer and Alice Nonken. She was a homemaker and telephone operator.

IN MEMORIAM:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests farmers and ranchers to keep detailed records of any losses due to natural disasters. Losses include livestock and feed losses, crop losses, and any additional expenses that resulted from a natural disaster such as drought or flood.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded the Farm Storage and Facility Loan program. The expansion includes 22 new categories of eligible equipment for fruit and vegetable producers, and makes the process easier for farmers and ranchers to receive low-interest financing.

Special conditions such as drought and extreme cold temperatures require that special attention be made to the nutritional needs of cows and calves. “Nutrition is the foundation of anyone’s health,” veterinarian Jessica Laurin of Animal Health Center said.

Tim Summervill is a fourth generation farmer. He knows what it is like as a child, watching your dad work on the farm. This year it was time for Summervill to have his own helper, his 3-year-old daughter, Shelby.

Several changes have been made to Kansas Department of Transportation permits to harvest hay along state and federal roadways. Changes to the permits include:

DAYS OF YORE:

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:

On Feb. 20, 13 Sorosis Beta Club members and one guest met at the home of Lou Ann Gray. President Marilyn Cox opened the meeting and members repeated the flag salute and the club collect.

HOPE IN THE HEARTLAND:

Peabody-Burns Business Professionals of America competed in the state leadership conference Feb. 20 and 21 in Wichita. Several team members placed and qualified for nationals April 30 through May 4 in Indianapolis, Ind. Nineteen group members competed in state, each competing in two events.