45 years ago

june 6, 1979

Five Marion High School students —Kelly Blackman, Pat Fruechting, Julie Hett, Cindee Miesse, and Debbie Rittgers — will join 245 students from Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Colorado when the Mid-America Band and Chorus stages five performances in Europe this summer.

This week’s personality profile by Ruth Meyer features C.H. “Bud” Seibel, farmer, builder, and auctioneer, who also is involved in real estate and other business interests.

Frank and Lorraine Havlik, who own the Mainliner Motel, 1305 E. Main St., have decided to retire and have sold the business to David and Janet Longhofer.

Marion girls Tracy Burkholder, Tammy Harris, Nancy Kline, and Brenda Silhan, students at Florence Middle School, entered 440 relay Saturday at McPherson Regional Olympics and placed sixth in a field of 15 teams.

Burkholder, Kline, Silhan, and Angela Helmer of Hillsboro broke a meet record in the 880-yard medley relay, qualifying them to enter state competition Saturday at Manhattan.

The final county census indicates Marion County has lost another 311 in population during the past year. The 1979 loss follows a loss of 299 in 1978 —610 people lost in two years. Total head count is 15,908.