BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
After a thorough review at the Record’s request, the state’s senior official in charge of public water treatment provided definitive explanations Thursday for what had seemed to be confusing lapses in testing by Marion’s water plant.
For four consecutive months last summer, the plant failed to test for bromates, a potentially toxic byproduct of some treatment techniques. Those failures were reported as “major” violations in the plant’s Consumer Confidence Report for 2023.
A Cottonwood Falls man and a Wichita man died in a head-on collision Thursday morning on a foggy section of US-50 west of Union Rd., between Peabody and Florence.
According to Kansas Highway Patrol, an eastbound 2017 GMC Acadia driven by Travis Alan Flasschoen, 41, of Wichita crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a westbound 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by John M. Ireland, 71, Cottonwood Falls.
Although no one would give straight answers to direct questions, the
It also has obtained a promise from a key state official to investigate apparent irregularities in explanations offered for testing lapses even if the water system, at present, is rated as being in compliance.
A much as two-thirds of Marion County wheat has been harvested, and a lot of farmers are yielding 60 bushels per acre. Truckloads of wheat continue being driven to elevators to wait in line for a chance to unload.
Jeff Naysmith, agronomist for Cooperative Grain and Supply in Hillsboro, said the first truckloads started coming in early last week and the company’s five elevators that take wheat are constantly busy.
Marion City Council members heard comments Monday from members of the public about the first draft of an ordinance that would set requirements for mobile food vendors.
“The issue was brought forward by a business owner that other cities have food truck ordinances, Mayor Mike Powers said.
A gazebo between a food truck and a dining room at That One Place on Main St. in Marion was only partially constructed Thursday when work had to be stopped.
Co-owner Alison Tajchman said workers were putting up the grain bin gazebo Thursday morning, when they were told to stop work immediately and wait until code inspector James Masters looked at the gazebo Monday.
A lawsuit against former Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody, filed in August by former Marion County Record reporter Deb Gruver, is being amended to name two more defendants: Sheriff Jeff Soyez and County Attorney Joel Ensey.
Gruver’s lawyer, Blake Shuart of Wichita, filed an amended complaint Monday, adding the two new defendants.
Several residents of the southwest portion of the county are objecting to a proposed expansion of Sunflower Wind farm.
Quentin Guhr, who lives east of Goessel, spoke to county commissioners Monday about his concerns.
Appraisal figures released Friday indicate Marion County taxpayers could be in for lower tax rates if taxing units agree not to take advantage of appraisal increases and keep taxes at so-called revenue neutral rates.
According to data released Friday by the county clerk’s office, a mill rate 2.921 lower than this year’s 75.878 would give Marion County the same amount of taxpayer money in the coming year.
Three traffic stops in five nights by Hillsboro officer John Huebert resulted in seizures of illicit drugs.
A vape pipe, 0.2 of a gram of marijuana, and a grinder were discovered at 11:09 p.m. June 11 after Huebert stopped a 2005 Kia Rio in a parking lot at Casey’s General Store for speeding and having a defective taillight.
More than five years after starting to revise the county’s flood plain, county planning and zoning director Sharon Omstead presented a new map and text amendment proposals to county commissioners Monday.
Some homes previously in the flood plain no longer will be included.
Hillsboro expects to receive proceeds of a $1.56 million bond issue to pay for street repairs July 9.
The project will include work on Adams, Lincoln, and Wilson Sts.
There ought to be a law. Or maybe there shouldn’t.
Marion’s city council devoted much of its meeting Monday night to talking about protecting local restaurants that lose business when food trucks set up nearby.
ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:
The year of the hollyhocks
Matthew Newton, a native of North Carolina, found a just-right place for his outfitting business in Hillsboro.
Newton formerly worked for a different outfitter, based out of North Carolina. It had him doing outfitting throughout many states.
Gravel-covered, packed ground at the former site of Marion County Food Bank was mock-broken Monday morning.
The ceremony, to mark soon-to-begin work on a new county health department, brought 36 observers.
MEMORIES:
15,
30,
45,
60,
75,
110,
145 years ago
Everyone forgets such things as where they put something, repeats favorite stories, and feels confusion from time to time.
Whether these are signs of aging or the beginning of a more sinister problem can be difficult to know.
Nearly a quarter of county residents — 2,782 — are 65 and older. Of them, 223 live in poverty.
Life doesn’t have to be an unending grind of never knowing how to pay the bills and buy food and medication.