PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Voters support local option budget increase

Unofficial results Tuesday afternoon indicated that voters approved an increase in the local option budget for USD 398. Marion County Clerk Tina Spencer said 360 voters turned in ballots favorable to an increase and 137 were opposed.

Creatures of the night stalk city streets

Peabody Police Chief Bruce Burke cautions residents to bring in dog and cat food and keep lids on trash receptacles tightly closed as coyotes are coming into town in search of food. “They are giving birth this time of year and they are drawn to pet food you might be leaving out overnight,” he said. “They are searching for extra ‘groceries’ these days and we have had several sightings in town.”

St. Luke hires new physician

Mark (Tim) McVay has signed on to join the medical staff at St. Luke Hospital. McVay is a board certified family physician and a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. “We’re extremely pleased to announce the arrival of Dr. McVay,” St. Luke CEO Jeremy Ensey said. “He will be a great addition to our St. Luke team and will be a valuable asset for our community.”

County health department settling in to new home

After a couple weeks in its new location beside St. Luke Hospital, the county health department is finding itself feeling right at home. “I think being located by a medical facility is a great thing,” administrator Diedre Serene said. “It doesn’t have to be that way, but I think people do prefer to come out here, away from Main St. People understand there’s a sense of privacy here.”

Don't blow grass clippings into the road

After watching several Peabody residents blowing grass clippings into the street as they mowed their property recently, Peabody Police Chief Bruce Burke is reminding people that an ordinance exists that allows the city to assess a fine and court costs on residents who are caught in violation of the ordinance. “The reason for the ordinance is to keep the storm drains as free as possible of grass and debris,” Burke said. “The gutters all flow into a storm drain system and rain, run-off from lawn sprinklers, or water from flushing hydrants wash everything in the gutters into the storm drains.

Bonds forged over years keep 'Retired Rhinos' involved in Chingawassa Days

Once a Rhino, always a Rhino. In its 18th year, this is the first year many longtime members of the Chingawassa Days planning committee are no longer involved in the grand scheme of the festival.

Tabor breaks ground for arts center

Tabor College President Jules Glanzer was stuck in a rut Saturday, and no one was happier about it than he was. Glanzer was sitting atop an antique plow used for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Shari Flaming Center of the Arts, a milestone celebrated by more than 200 people gathered at Tabor Park. Pulled by about 20 people tugging on two ropes, the plow came to an abrupt stop when it hit a root. With some extra effort, the root snapped, and Glanzer completed the ceremonial ride.

Local artists' sales to benefit cancer research

When Phoebe Janzen of Florence was approached about doing a show featuring her photography, she told Jan Davis of Gallery 101 in Marion that she wouldn’t do it alone. Janzen, fellow photographers Kevin Fruechting and Galen Obermeyer, and mosaic artist Peggi Wilson opened a two-month show of their work Sunday at Gallery 101. They will donate 10 percent of their sales to cancer research.

Treasurer warns of IRS scam

Scammers are using the state’s Unclaimed Property Division phone number to persuade consumers to make payments on bogus claims of past due taxes, State Treasurer Ron Estes said. When a phone equipped with caller ID receives a call from the automated system, it reports the call is from the state office. Once connected, the automated system claims to be part of the IRS.

Antique car club may visit Marion on Saturday

Approximately 35 antique cars with about 70 passengers may visit Marion around 1:45 p.m. Saturday. However, the group’s visit is largely dependent on weather, owner of Prairie Oak Alpaca Gift Shop Jeff Methvin said.

Support group for caregivers to meet

Harvey County Caregiver Support Group will meet from 3 to 4:30 p.m. May 14 in the Prairie Osage Room at Prairie View in Newton. Longtime group member Marilyn Wolgemuth will present “What I Learned on My Journey of Caregiving.”

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

County jail

Criminal division

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Marriage licenses

Offense reports

Traffic division

Farmers fight to head off wheat diseases

Crop production scouts from ag service providers in the county began finding stripe rust in some wheat fields several weeks ago. As a result, some area farmers elected to have fields sprayed with a fungicide to prevent the disease from devastating the crop or reducing the yield.

Health officials wary of rabies in county

With three confirmed cases of rabies in the county, health officials are urging residents to take precautions to prevent its spread. “It is a bit of an increase from what we normally see,” said Health Department Administrator Diedre Serene. “The biggest thing is encouraging individuals to use precautions when dealing with stray animals.”

Blaze consumes old grainery

Fully engulfed in flames, an old grainery had already collapsed when Goessel firefighters arrived on the scene Monday evening at 130th and Diamond Rds. northeast of Goessel. “There were the beginnings of flames starting in a second building when we got there,” Goessel Fire Chief Galen Miller said. “We quickly extinguished the fire and were able to salvage it along with everything inside.”

Vampire flies feast on the backs of cattle

Hidden within the image of cattle grazing peacefully in the rolling green pastures of the Flint Hills is a blood feast. The tiny vampires look like ordinary houseflies, but horn flies, armed by evolution with piercing mouthpieces, ride the backs and bellies of cattle, dining on the blood of their bovine benefactors 10 to 20 times a day.

KDHE provides tips to prevent tick-borne illnesses

Ticks are out. Those spending time outdoors might want to take precautions to avoid tick bites. In 2014, there were 212 cases of tick-borne diseases reported in Kansas. Recorded cases included ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, rickettsiosis, also known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and Lyme disease.

Do you wonder why they did what they did?

I have had some fun the past few days! Way back in the busy days of my life as a young wife and mother, a community volunteer, and a daycare mom, I usually stashed away issues of the local newspaper — a year’s worth or so at a time — because I thought I was too busy to clip articles about our family and put them into logical order. So I saved the papers, planning to sort out birthday party announcements, athletic and school endeavors, and other items about our lives in Peabody when I was coasting through my retirement years with hours of time on my hands. This past week I grabbed up two boxes of those papers and began reading through them. The boxes are not labeled and do not seem to be in any particular order. The first contained 1975 and 1976 copies of the Peabody Gazette-Herald.

Florence High School alumni banquet date set

Florence High School Alumni Association will host the school’s 119th Memorial Alumni Banquet May 23 at noon. A business meeting at 11 a.m. in the Florence Gymnasium will precede the banquet.

Surplus government commodities to arrive May 13

Government surplus commodities will arrive at Marion County senior centers May 13. Marion Senior Center will begin distribution from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 14.

Card shower requested for Betty Hanes' 80th birthday

The family of Florence resident Betty Hanes has requested a card shower for her 80th birthday anniversary. Hanes has lived in Florence since 1951. She has worked at several area cafés and other area businesses.

Days of Yore

Megan Weber is pictured smiling at friends after graduation exercises at Peabody-Burns High School Brown Gymnasium Sunday. Helen Pearl Hanneman, 91, died May 12, 2005, at Edmond, Oklahoma.

Aprons are on display in Goessel

More than 100 aprons varying in condition from well-used to spotless are on exhibit until June 20 at Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum in Goessel. Dubbed “Aprons: Plenty of Personality,” the collection will span throughout most of the museum’s eight buildings.

BURNS:

Warriors place 5th in home meet, 6th at Sedgwick

With 421 strokes, the Warriors high school golf team placed fifth out six teams teeing off at a home meet Tuesday. “Even though we took fifth overall, they really shot great,” coach Jim Pohlman said. “It’s the best round of golf they have had as team yet this season.”

Golf and run to benefit USD 410 early childhood

A 5-kilometer run and four-person scramble golf tournament May 23 will benefit the USD 410 early childhood education fund. The golf tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. at the Hillsboro Golf Course. Registration is $160 per team or $40 for individuals. For more information about the tournament, contact Doug Dick at doug.dick@usd410.net.

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