Obee 'one of the lucky ones' to survive as a POW in WWII

Written by David Vogel Wednesday, 22 May 2013 12:51

Roy “Gene” Obee of Burns knew he had two choices: sign up for the Army or wait to be drafted. Just 19 years old, he shipped out to England in October 1944 and was soon placed in France’s Ardennes Forest.

“We went up there for a month just sitting there,” Obee said, “supposedly waiting to go into Germany in the spring.”

Instead, the Germans took advantage of a foggy December morning for a major offensive: the Battle of the Bulge.

“I guess our generals—probably Eisenhower included, I love the guy—but they got out-figured,” Obee said. “Because the Germans threw a terrific counterattack. The last word we got was our position was hopeless but we were to hold as long as possible.”

The Germans captured five...

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Moran invites applicants for academies

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:59

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) is accepting applications for nominations to the United States Service Academies.

The academies include the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Those selected will enter the academies in June 2014.

Selections are based on SAT or ACT test scores, class rank, grade point average, school records, extracurricular activities, leadership potential, motivation, recommendations and interview evaluations. Applicants must meet the individual admission requirements of each academy in order to receive Sen. Moran’s nomination: applicants...

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Experts to address algae issue at Marion Reservoir

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:58

State and local experts will be featured at a public meeting June 4 regarding the blue-green algae situation at Marion Reservoir

Contributing to the meeting, which starts at 4 p.m. in the ballroom of the Marion city building, will be an environmental scientist from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, as well as specialists from the Bureau of Water, Watershed Management Section, the Kansas Water Office, Basin Advisory Section and the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Kansas State University.

Topics will include:

• state and federal requirements of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) program;

• the cause of blue-green algae;

• actual reduction of nutrient load;

• the...

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Intern visiting CMBS

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 14 May 2013 13:55

Amanda Bartel (right) from Bluffton College will be working with Center for Mennonite Brethren director Peggy Goertzen for five days this month. Amanda Bartel, a first-year history student at Bluffton (Ohio) College, has been selected as the intern for the Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission and will be spending a week at each of the denominational archive sites.

The Center for the Menno­nite Brethren Studies at Tabor College will be the first stop during the four-week internship experience. Bartel will work there May 13-17.

Bartel is the niece of Daryl and Darlene Bartel of Hillsboro, and will be staying with them during her time at Tabor.

The internship is made possible by the financial support of the Katie Funk Wiebe Fund and administered by the Men­nonite Brethren Historical Commis­sion, Jon Isaak, executive director.

The experience is designed to give college...

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