PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Tim Peterson returning to City Council

At the final Peabody City Council meeting of 2011, on Dec. 27, Mayor Larry Larsen announced that Tim Peterson had agreed to return to the council and complete the unexpired term of David Scott, who left Peabody in November. Scott was elected in April of 2011. Peterson is no stranger to the job of councilman, having served nearly a full term before taking a job with Marion County emergency dispatch in 2008. Because the hours he served at night conflicted with meeting times for the council, he resigned Aug. 27, 2008, and was replaced by Tom Schmidt. Peterson was seven months shy of completing his term.

Cemetery board will elect members

Members of the Board of Directors of Prairie Lawn Cemetery will meet at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 in the city council room at Peabody City Building. Two board positions held by Delbert Mellott and Virginia Skinner need to be filled. Each position is a five-year term.

Intruder violated family peace

Editor’s note: The victim in this story is identified with a pseudonym to avoid publicizing the location of her family’s normally vacant guesthouse. “Jane Doe” arrived Dec. 26 at a guesthouse owned by her mother in Marion, along with three carloads of family. They were in town to visit her mother over the Christmas vacation.

Sales tax receipts lead good news for county

Even without including the money raised by a special 0.5 percent sales tax to pay for a new jail, Marion County’s sales tax receipts increased 2.3 percent from 2010 to 2011. A report by Deputy County Clerk Tina Spencer to Marion County Commission on Friday indicated sales tax received — not including the jail sales tax — in 2011 was $645,562, an increase of $14,576 from the previous year.

Elvis doll reminds fan of good times, great music

It may be just a 21-inch vinyl doll, still attached by plastic cording to his box, but for Marilyn Hill Jones, Marion County Lake, her “Burning Love” Elvis Presley memento brings back thoughts of good times and great music. “His music was just the best ever. I loved him,” she said. “All the girls loved him, and all the boys wanted to look like him.”

Frostbite Run gets people moving to start the year

A cold wind buffeted them down the Hillsboro Sports Complex road, but 29 local runners braved the elements and successfully completed the seventh annual Frostbite Run on Sunday in Hillsboro. “We started this just to give folks a reason to get up off the couch and move on New Year’s Day,” Hillsboro Recreation Director Doug Sisk said. “But they really like this one. It’s more of a fun run and we don’t even keep an official time.”

College student spends vacations putting camera to good use

He might have to hang out of an airplane or demonstrate rockin’ guitar strokes, but it is all part of making memorable senior portraits for photographer Isaac Fast, of Goessel. His goal is to create a memorable photo session for each person he meets. “One of the biggest things people remember about their senior pictures is if it was fun or not,” he said. “I try to get a feel for what their interests are, and then have a lot of energy and enthusiasm to do what they want.”

Mildred Lucas

Mildred Lucas, 86, of Marion died, Jan. 2, 2011 at Presbyterian Manor in Kansas City. She is survived by her husband, Clifford “Bud” of Kansas City; a son, Cliff of Peabody; four grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

LuEtta Frey

LuEtta June (Schmidt) Frey, 82, passed away Dec. 30 at North Newton. She was born June 23, 1929, to Abraham and Elizabeth Schmidt in Goessel. She married Raymond E. Frey on May 19, 1949, at Tabor Mennonite Church, rural Newton. He preceded her in death on Nov. 17, 2007.

Nicholas Higgins

Nicholas “Nic” Bartlett Higgins, 25, Hampstead, N.C., died Jan. 2, 2012. A native of Marion, he was the husband of Betsy Anne Higgins, and son of Bill Higgins and Teresa Hett Higgins, Burlington, N.C.

Deeds

Civil

Criminal cases

Traffic

County jail

Accidents

Hillsboro police report

What in the world does that mean?

Most of you know that I have a big problem trying to think of topics to write about in this space every week. Assign me a subject, and I can probably come up with 500 words or so on anything you might toss in my direction. The biggest stumbling block is just thinking of something about which I can write the right number of words to begin my argument, present my opinion, and reach a conclusion that makes you say, ‘oh, yeah…’ This is one of those nights when there is nothing in the hopper. Tonight I do not care what you think and I do not want to sell you on what I think.

Home intruder is a scary prospect

There was a rather unusual case of home intrusion that came to light between Christmas and New Year’s in Marion. A family getting settled in at their mother’s guest house while visiting found evidence that someone had been staying in the house, and for long enough that they needed to wash a load of towels. The unusual part is that the intruder bothered to wash the towels in the first place. Furthermore, the house wasn’t vandalized at all, nothing was stolen, and nothing was left behind.

Hit from 2011 hurt, but 2012 is a brand new year

It seemed to be a good way to end the year, visiting with good friends out in the goat barn. A cold wind was blowing, but the sun was shining and it was not so bad in the barn. It was after all, my favorite place, my favorite subject, doing my favorite thing — trading goats and stories about them. I just did not see that hit coming from the big bossy doe bent on putting Little Boy Blue, the new young buckling, in his place. It was over in a second, but I am still feeling it. Big Bossy lowered her head and came forward full blast, Little Boy Blue moved a split second before she got there … and bam, I took the full hit in my knee. Ouch, that hurt.

Days of yore

Carol Schmidt says, “I always shop right after Christmas for next year’s decorating items.” Future Farmers of America members showed the school board a slice presentation of their trip to the FFA convention in Louisville, Ky.

Roundabouts create as many problems as they solve

The proposed roundabout at the junction of highways 150 and 77 might solve one cause of accidents but could create other problems. In the years 2010 and 2011, very long, wide tanks, manufactured on the east side of Emporia, came through that intersection on the way to McPherson. My son, Dale, and I had to park on the shoulder while one of those tanks used both lanes of K-150 to pass by. The tank and truck pulling it could never circle a roundabout.

Hope in the Heartland, the other realm

Nearly four decades ago, Billy Graham wrote a book that touched the collective nerve of millions of readers. It took us to a place, an unseen realm, and confirmed the existence of a dimension into which few human beings are invited to look. More specifically, he used scripture to point our attention to the inhabitants of this normally invisible realm. Angels.

Blood drive is Monday in Peabody

The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 2:15 to 6:45 p.m. Monday at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 415 N. Cedar St., Marion. Call (800) 733-2767 or visit http://redcrossblood.org for more information or to make an appointment. A blood donor card or driver’s license and two other forms of identification are required at check-in.

Final shopping spree winner named

Stephanie Ax was the winner of the “loser’s bracket” for the 2011 Holiday Shopping Spree sponsored by Peabody Main Street and local businesses. Ax’s winning ticket was one of the partially completed Shopping Spree tickets entered in a special drawing on Dec. 29. She won $75 in Peabody Bucks.

E-mail scam alleges customer complaints

An e-mail scam using the Better Business Bureau’s name and logo is proliferating across North America, using malicious software to access companies’ data and bank accounts. The e-mails claim to be from the Better Business Bureau and come with the subject line “Complaint from your customers.” The e-mails have a link or attachment containing software that steals information.

Free screening will examine development

A free screening of children’s development in the areas of learning, motor, language, social, vision, and hearing will be Tuesday at the Methodist church in Hillsboro. Appointments will be available from 12:30 to 3 p.m. The process usually takes at least one hour for a child to complete.

Data points to increased poverty

An abundance of children receiving health care options for low-income families is a concern for Families and Communities Together Coordinator Linda Ogden. According to the 2011 Kids Count data, 583 children in Marion County were enrolled in Medicaid and an additional 189 children were enrolled in the Community Health Improvement Program; the figures were compiled in 2010. While Ogden was providing some leeway for the method of data collection, the trend is alarming as an indication of poverty and the effect of the down economy on the county.

Peabody-Burns alumna weds

Priscilla Danielle Partridge married Jared Lee Drinkwater on Nov. 12, 2011, at Trinity Heights United Methodist Church in Newton with Pastor Rodger Charles officiating. The bride is a 2007 graduate of Peabody-Burns High School and earned her cosmetology license at the Eric Fisher Academy of Wichita. She owns and operates Custom Cuts Garage, a men’s salon in Newton. Paul and Tina Partridge of Peabody are her parents.

Bowers baby girl rings in New Year

Maddie Joyce Bowers was born at 4:35 p.m. on Jan 1 in Salida, Colo., at Heart of Rockies Regional Medical Center’s Family Birthing Center. She weighed 7 lbs, 1.5 ounces and measured 20.5 inches long. Maddie’s parents are Cassie Hoberecht and Chris Bowers of Salida. Maddie has a sister Skylar, 19 months.

Ammeter family gathers for Christmas

Eric Magette and Matthew brought lunch to LaVonne Ammeter on Dec. 21. Ammeter and the Magettes went to Peabody on business and shopping. Later in the afternoon, they built a gingerbread house. The next day the Magettes took Ammeter to Marion to the doctor late in the morning. The Magettes left for Eudora. Late in the afternoon, Ammeter went to Florence for a hair appointment.

Burns news

Austin, Draven, Aiden, and Raven Bidwell of El Dorado arrived at the home their grandparents, Al and Bonnie Plummer, on Dec. 23 and returned home Christmas evening. Martin and Kayme Voelker, Alyson and Abby came Christmas Day and returned home Dec. 27. On Christmas afternoon, they all were guests of Kay Hall in Newton. Other relatives also were guests. They got to see Todd and Shelly Plummer, Morgan, Dalton, Taylon, and Shelby Pyeatt. Marvin and Sherol Nightengale called on Joyce Barker at Wesley Rehabilitation Center on Dec. 24. Christmas Day they were guests of Brad and Dianne Nightengale, Roger, Laura, and Casey. Charlie and Joyce DeForest also were guests.

Local students on Washburn honor roll

Washburn University announced its fall semester Dean’s Honor Roll on Thursday, and six students from Marion County were included. To be named to the honor roll, a student must be enrolled in at least 12 graded credit hours and attain a grade point average between 3.4 and 3.99.

Community food bank receives support

The Marion County Emergency Food Bank received a lot of crucial local support in 2011, volunteer Pat Smith said Tuesday. Many people, businesses, churches, schools, and other organizations donated dry goods, canned foods, and perishables like meat, butter, and eggs throughout the course of the year, allowing the food bank to help families going through tough times.

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