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Hillsboro Free Press- Marion County, KS
Heroic inspiration
Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 16 April 2013 12:31
Heroes are created in the crucible of crisis. Occasionally they produce a superhero, too. Both happen to be true for Hillsboro native Chip Reece.
Not only has the 1999 Hillsboro High alum, wife Amy and young son Ollie endured a severe medical crisis together, but Chip is close to unveiling to the world a new superhero story.
He’s titled it, “Metaphase — A Graphic Novel Inspired by Little Heroes with Down Syndrome.”
“Basically, it’s a superhero dad who has a son with Down Syndrome,” Chip said in a recent interview. “That son will be the main character of the book.
“What it comes down to is that the son has a superhero dad,” he added. “The son has similar things going on that my son did—he was born with heart defects. The superhero dad couldn’t do anything about it, even though he had all this power. He had to rely on the medical staff to take care of his kiddo and help him survive.”
Classic vehicles again fuel hope for relief sale success
Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 09 April 2013 12:36
When 20,000 to 25,000 people descend on the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson this weekend for the 45th Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale, more than a few will have a keen interest in the classic cars and tractors to be sold this year.
The sale has developed a tradition of selling several donated motorized items each year to help raise funds for the worldwide relief efforts of Mennonite Central Committee.
“We have some wonderful donations,” said Jerry Toews of Goessel, who helps prepare them for the general auction that will start around 1 p.m. in the Sunflower North Building.
It doesn’t take long for Toews to share his enthusiasm for the quality of this year’s donations.
“We have an amazing 1942 Studebaker Coupe, all original, from a Mennonite family in Protection that has been in the family since new,” Toews said. “It’s been tagged and insured every year until its donation to MCC about a month ago.”
The Studebaker was donated by the family of Lester Selzer, who purchased the car new in 1942.
“This car has never sat for long periods of time,” Toews said. “It has always been stored indoors. It has nice original interior and paint. The chrome is nearly perfect and there is hardly a dent in the old car. It starts and runs like a champ.
Toews said such a car is almost impossible to find these days.
Read more: Classic vehicles again fuel hope for relief sale success
State court rules against Herbel conviction appeal
Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 09 April 2013 12:36
A Hillsboro man convicted in 2009 of two sex crimes while babysitting a 5-year-old girl in 2006, appealed his conviction recently, but the Supreme Court of Kansas in a ruling Friday upheld the original verdict.
Almost seven years earlier, Randy Herbel, 47, was found guilty on one count of rape and one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child by a Marion County jury.
Herbel’s attorney Meryl Carver-Allmond with the Capital Appellate Defender Office, argued that Herbel’s sixth and 14th amendment rights were violated.
Read more: State court rules against Herbel conviction appeal
Goessel school plan approved with 96% ‘yes’
Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 09 April 2013 12:35
About 96 percent of voters in the Goessel School District were in favor of a $3.3 million bond issue for school improvements, according to preliminary results from the April 2 city and school local election.
The final vote was 337 in favor with 29 opposed.
Maynard Knepp, a school board member for 16 years, thanked the community for voting in favor of the issue.
“The big thing is we had a community of people out there with the facts who did a good job of knowing what the needs were,” he said.
Knepp added that he had not seen such a large percentage of people coming out to vote.
According to one election official, about 40 percent of eligible voters turned out.
“I think people recognized the need for these improvements,” Knepp said. “People in our community stepped up.”
Superintendent John Fast said he, too, believed the reason it passed was because people understood how important the issue was.
“We were looking at the integration of three main areas,” he said, “to include agricultural science, science education and Family Consumer Sciences.”
The other areas included replacing windows in the older building, tuckpoint sealing and building a storm shelter for Goessel Grade School.
“Enrollment is holding steady and we have come up about 25 students in the last three to five years,” Fast said.
Overall the voters told the school district it was ready for the improvements, he said.
Another big wish comes true
Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 09 April 2013 12:16
Make-A-Wish Foundation, the organization known for making dreams come true for young people with life-threatening medical conditions, recently fulfilled a wish for one Hillsboro youth.
Thane Hurst, 18, who missed out on the majority of his high school experience in Peabody, said he always wished he could go hiking on the Appalachian Trail.
“I wanted to start backpacking and thought it would be interesting and good exercise to do the Appalachian Trail,” he said.
In mid-March, Thane, his parents, Tim and Ginger, and younger sister, Abi, all traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn., for one week.
“Make-A-Wish Foundation paid for everything,” Ginger said, “and also came up with an itinerary.”
The family flew in Monday, March 18, and stayed at a DoubleTree hotel.
They spent their first full day on Tuesday canoeing, he said.
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