PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Shopping spree ends Friday

The Peabody Main Street Association Shopping Spree will come to a close Friday afternoon and the winners will be drawn from the tickets turned in at the Peabody City Building. Three lucky winners will receive prizes of $600, $300, and $100 in Peabody Bucks. “Shoppers need to turn in their tickets this week,” PMSA director Shane Marler said. “The drawing box is at the front office in city hall and winners will be drawn promptly at 2 p.m. Friday.”

No discount: County pays appraised rate for clinic

Commissioners asked for a hometown discount, did not receive one, and settled for the going rate on a deal with St. Luke Hospital to use clinic space for the relocation of the county Health Department. Offering a $15,000 a year lease, which equates to $6.35 per square foot for the space desired, commissioners were told by St. Luke CEO Jeremy Ensey on Monday that the proposal was too far under the appraised rate of $8 per square foot to be profitable — especially given that the deal included utilities, insurance, and maintenance paid by the hospital.

Hillsboro council raises Peabody's water rates

Hillsboro supplies water to Peabody, and on Tuesday the Hillsboro city council approved a rate increase for Peabody, effective for 2015. The cost per thousand gallons of water will rise from $1.48 to $1.85.

'Tis the season ... for weird deer stories

Deer encounters are a regular experience this time of year, including strange tales. When Brian Becker arrived at his Roosevelt Street home after work recently, he found that his son had left the back door open. Becker looked inside his garage and discovered a deer standing atop his pool table.

Budget muddies plight to fix county roads

Waterlogged gravel roads in Marion County soaked up more rain over the weekend, ensuring at least several more days of sloppy road conditions. County road and bridge supervisor Randy Crawford is as frustrated as anyone else, as the extra rain is another delay as he tries to keep up with 745 miles of soft and muddy roads.

Newspapers to combine for holidays

For the next two weeks, the Marion County Record, Hillsboro Star-Journal, and Peabody Gazette-Bulletin will publish special joint holiday editions on Mondays. The Christmas-themed “Dear Santa” edition will be published Monday, featuring letters to Santa written by children from county schools.

Marion mayor unwittingly breaks ATV law, wants it re-written

Mayor Todd Heitschmidt was the first to register his all-purpose vehicle for use on city streets — and when he crossed the Main St. bridge while driving it to work Thursday, he unknowingly became perhaps the first to break the new ATV law. The only way across Luta Creek is Main St., but since Main St. is a state highway, ATVs are prohibited on it.

Whole-farm revenue insurance available

New farm revenue insurance that covers multiple crops and livestock is now available for 2015. Whole-farm revenue protection allows producers to insure between 50 to 85 percent of their whole farm revenue, and allows growers to insure a variety of crops at once instead of one commodity at a time. That gives them the option of embracing more crop diversity and helps support the production of a wider variety of foods.

Rural Marion couple builds dream home

Ken Stuchlik of rural Marion grew up farming with his father and brothers west of Lost Springs. He went on to become an engineer for a large company, but farming remained in his blood.

Hillsboro P.D. to Tabor students: Return junky wheelbarrow

Hillsboro Police advised two Tabor College students to return a “junky wheelbarrow” they allegedly plucked from a scrap metal pile on the corner of Ash and Grand Sts. Dec. 10 while on their way to do laundry. Assistant Chief Jessey Hiebert responded to the call, because the location was not a spot trash is regularly collected and disposed.

String of Marion burglaries may be related

Marion police are investigating two thefts and one attempted burglary that occurred last week. Police said the three offenses might be linked. Jim Darrow discovered someone had cut a back porch screen to gain entry to 544 S. Freeborn St. from an adjacent alley sometime between 3 and 5 a.m. Dec. 7.

Clifford Entz

Farmer and rancher Clifford Entz, 68, died Monday at his residence. Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Swiss Life Center, Whitewater. Services are at 11 a.m. Friday at Swiss Church, Whitewater, with interment preceding the service at 10 a.m. in Swiss Cemetery.

Lee Rempel

Retired Peabody farmer Lee E. Rempel, 87, died Sunday. He was born May 16, 1927, to Ernest and Emma (Ewert) Rempel in Denver.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

Civil division

County jail

Criminal division

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reports

Police reports

Traffic division

Sharing when it counts

With a little more than a week until Christmas, I would like to put in one more plea for local giving. I have been inundated with requests from national and international organizations that would like for me to remember them during the Christmas season. There are some to which I contribute, but to most I do not. This is not to discourage anyone from donating to a group that matches their personal preferences, but I prefer for my donations to assist local groups and individuals. About 10 years ago, I received a funding request from a neighbor of mine seeking money for an internationally known group. You know the kind of promotion I mean. Someone down the block sends prepared letters to all of his neighbors requesting a donation, includes a self-addressed stamped envelope (for which he has paid the postage), and a receipt we can fill out for our tax records. So I did it. I like the neighbors who were doing the asking, approve of the program for which they were raising money, and I returned my envelope with a $20 donation.

Mud or mortar?

County commissioners canceled a planned road inspection tour Monday because the roads are in such bad shape right now. Instead, they looked at another building on Main St. in Marion as an option for some unspecified future use. Next week, they’ll talk with an architect to begin planning a new building for the courthouse square.

Days of Yore

Jennifer Holy Hauser of Encino, California, Peabody High School class of 1980, sends thanks for the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin. Vanessa Loewen was awarded a scholarship for the 2004-2005 year from Emporia State University.

County seniors board to install new officers

Senior Citizens of Marion County board of directors will meet at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Marion Senior Center. New board members to be installed are Twilla Baker, Barbara Smith, and Betty Ireland. Retiring board members are Shirley Bowers and Judy Mellott.

Opal Craney to turn 100

Family and friends of Opal Craney, longtime Peabody resident, will celebrate her 100th birthday with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 28 at Peabody United Methodist Church. She and her family also plan to attend church there that morning. There will be another reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 27 at Homestead Assisted Living in Manhattan.

Frostbite fun run will be New Year's Day

The 10th annual Frostbite four-mile fun run will be at 2 p.m. on Jan. 1 starting at the Hillsboro Scout House in Memorial Park. Runners and walkers can weave their way through the city on the certified course.

Burns seniors gather for holiday dinner

Burns Seniors and friends enjoyed a Christmas dinner at the Burns Café Dec. 9. There were 20 members and friends present. Ronnie and Patti Gaines went to Madison the evening of Dec. 8 to attend granddaughter Brooke Gaines’s school Christmas program.

Mark your calendars for vacation day of fun

Peabody-Burns Recreation Commission has scheduled a day of activities for students age 4 through fifth grade during Christmas break. The “Day of Fun for Kids” will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. on Dec. 26. There is no charge to attend and no advance reservations are required, except for students requesting transportation to and from Burns. Transportation will be provided if requested by calling (620) 344-8380 by Dec. 24.

Warriors boys drop 3 at Marion Classic

The Marion Classic tournament was a three-game series of losses for the Peabody-Burns Warriors. Despite a 2-point first round loss to Marion, the next two games were double-digit defeats. The team will next have a two-game home stretch before the holidays. Both teams came ready to play in the first quarter of the Marion-PBHS contest. Neither team got a lead greater than 4 in the period. PBHS had the 12-11 edge at the buzzer. Kornelius Skotaam paced the team with 5 points.

Offense improves, but girls lose 3

Despite better offensive production this week, PBHS girls’ basketball had a tough three-game series at the Marion Classic. The squad will play twice at home before the Christmas break. The team had a good first half offensively against Marion on Tuesday with 20 points. Christa Elliott led the team with 10. Katy Benson added 7. Rylie McDowell had 3. PBHS trailed 36-20 at the buzzer.

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