BREAKING NEWS
UPDATED AFTER PRINT DEADLINE
A series of suddenly developing thunderstorms packing hurricane-force winds and hail up to 2 inches in diameter blasted through Marion County shortly after 10 p.m. Friday. No injuries were reported. However, the storms uprooted at least three large trees, split many others and blocked nearly a dozen streets with downed limbs and power lines in Marion and elsewhere in the county.
A 12-year-old boy from Newton was clinging to life Tuesday after a valiant 20-minute effort by Marion County Lake residents and staff rescued him from 8 to 10 feet of water Saturday at the lake’s swimming beach. Volunteers and emergency workers involved in the rescue said the boy did not initially respond to resuscitation from emergency medical technicians at the scene.
A 3-year-old girl went home from the hospital Monday night after nearly drowning Sunday at Hillsboro Family Aquatic Center. Kayla McPhail, Marion, was at the pool with her grandmother, Sheila Thouvenell, Sunday afternoon.
Marion City Administrator Doug Kjellin and Public Works Director Marty Fredrickson will give testimony in a lawsuit against Syngenta Crop Protection Inc. and Syngenta AG, makers of the herbicide, atrazine. Kjellin and Fredrickson will travel June 23 and 24 to St. Louis to give depositions in the lawsuit, in which the City of Marion is a plaintiff. A deposition is a transcript of testimony given outside of court.
In a letter, Kansas Historical Society has told Marion County that a proposal by Chris, Heather, Molly, and Tamra Holub to build rental cabins at Marion County Park and Lake would not interfere with the lake’s designation as a historic place. The Society’s Standards and Guidelines for Evaluating the Effects of Projects on Environs are not meant to discourage new development, but rather to ensure compatibility, the letter says.
Tonny Del Vecchio and Pastor Jim Pohlman addressed Peabody City Council Monday night on behalf of the HUB Youth Center. The sudden death May 31 of HUB founder Dale Hague has left the family and the HUB directors and supporters uncertain about their ability to keep the building and the youth programs going.
Most Peabody families moved their trash containers to curb for the Friday pickup as usual on June 3. When the containers still were full later in the day, most remembered the rule about getting service a day late when a holiday comes during the week — as it did that week with Memorial Day on Monday.
The 10th annual Craig White Memorial Fishing Tournament had its largest turnout ever Saturday. Forty teams paid to compete for prizes and bragging rights in several categories. “More than 185 pounds of catfish were caught this year, and the group wiped out 200 hot dogs with all the fixings,” organizer Myrna Wood said.
Former Peabody schoolteacher Helen Stucky Hansen, 98, died Sunday in Gretna, Neb. She was born in Peabody and lived there 79 years.
Dr. Robert “Dale” Hague DDS, 63, went to be with the Lord surrounded by his loving family May 31, 2011, at Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis Street, Wichita. He was born March 6, 1948, in Newton, to Lyle L. and Roberta “Bobbie” (Reid) Hague.
Elsie Jane Uphoff, 92, of Peabody, passed away on Thursday, June 9, 2011, at Asbury Park in Newton. Elsie was born Nov. 1, 1918, in Long-lane Mo. to Gillespie E. and Eva (Lawson) Brown.
Naomi Bess Davis was born Dec. 10, 1926, in Marion, the only child born to the late Arthur D. and Marie E. (Kuhn) Williams. She passed away June 11, 2011, at Peabody Care Center (formerly Legacy Park) in Peabody at age 84.
Marion County Emergency Medical Services were called 109 times in May, an increase of 36 percent from the same period in 2010. Medical emergenciesaccounted for 30 calls; no-transports, 21; transfers, 20; falls, 12; standbys, 10; canceled calls, 6; cardiac emergencies, 5; and motor-vehicle accidents, 5.
Marion County Commission set dates and times Monday for holiday fireworks displays in rural portions of the county. June 27 through 30, fireworks will be permissible from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hours will increase to 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 1 through 3, and from 8 a.m. to midnight July 4. Hours will be reduced to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 5.
Heroes don’t swish 3-point shots at the buzzer, intercept passes for pick-six touchdowns in overtime games or headline pay-per-view cage matches. Some run into burning skyscrapers or defuse improvised explosive devices halfway around the world, but most are ordinary people — the type of people who volunteer to assemble stages for community concerts.
I had a nice surprise this past week when my third regular I never think that everyone should agree with what I write here. In fact, I assume that many readers will not agree with me. It does not matter that my third regular reader did not say he thought I was right on the money with my opinions. I do not expect that kind of blind allegiance from anyone.
Friday’s storm dumped several inches of rain on Peabody in less than an hour. About 4 inches of water backed up into the Peabody Veterinary Clinic at Second and Vine streets. Mitchell Ridenour played basketball in summer basketball tournaments Friday through Sunday in Hutchinson and Nickerson. Mitchell and his siblings, Scott and Katelyn, spent the weekend with their grandmother, Joan Berns.
He was hot and exhausted, confused and discouraged. Furthermore, he was tired of running; sick of being hunted like an animal. And now his hiding place in the dank recesses of the cave had been compromised. He watched in wide-eyed surprise as the leader of the army that was tracking him walked closer to the cave’s opening. A fellow fugitive whispered into his ear.
LETTERS:
Slow down for safety's sake
Judge Carl B. Anderson signed a gag order June 6 in the first-degree premeditated murder case against Dustin Tyler Smith. Smith, 24, is charged with killing Justin John Milne on May 29. Smith was apprehended near Milne’s burned vehicle, a mile and a half from Milne’s body near Marion Reservoir.
A Peabody police officer’s badge, two handguns, and other items were stolen from his house the evening of June 6. Peabody Police Chief Bruce Burke said he wasn’t concerned about the possibility of someone using the badge to impersonate a police officer.
Progressive Mother’s Club and the American Red Cross have teamed up once again to bring a bloodmobile to Peabody. Donors may give blood between 2 and 6 p.m. Friday at Gracepoint Church at Seventh and Vine streets. This year the American Red Cross has joined the country music industry to promote blood donations. Donors are automatically entered in a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to Nashville, Tenn. Included is a two-night stay at the Opryland Hotel, two VIP passes to the Grand Old Opry, and a backstage tour at the Opry House.
Brightwater Junction and KBA Treblemakers will perform at a free bluegrass concert Saturday at Marion County Park and Lake. KBA Treblemakers will play at 6:15 and 8:45 p.m., and Brightwater Junction will play at 7:10 and 9:40 p.m.
Friends and family will celebrate Glenna Jesseph’s 76th birthday from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Christ the King Church, 4501 W. Maple St., Wichita. Jesseph was born and raised in Peabody but left the area more than 50 years ago.
The family of Orlene Scrivner would like for friends and acquaintances to join them in honoring her with a card shower Saturday for her 98th birthday. Cards and letters may be sent to her in care of Peabody Care Center, 407 N Locust St Peabody KS 66866.
Peabody Senior Center will begin more strict enforcement of its “call before you eat” rule. “We certainly have no desire to discourage anyone from eating with us. We want nothing more than to have the center serve more people,” site co-manager Ruth Lott said. “But the cook really needs to know how many she is preparing to feed. We want everyone to come eat with us, but we want to be certain that we have enough food to feed them and not so much that there is excess to throw out.”
ENGAGEMENTS:
Morgan-TophamCORRESPONDENTS:
Burns,
Wonsevu,
Ammeter
Marion County Commissioners approved an emergency distribution of $623,735 to the five county school districts Thursday. The funds were from taxes levied by each of the districts, but the county collected the taxes.