Richards enjoys addressing county health issues

Written by Jerry Engler Tuesday, 31 August 2010 16:02

Tonya Richards, county sanitarian and director of environmental health, spent her childhood years in Goessel and graduated from Goessel High. She and husband Mark moved back to Goessel when they were ready to start a family. Tonya Richards likes best to do the things that improve the health and quality of life for people in Marion County in her job as the county sanitarian, also known as the director of environmental health.

She said she enjoys helping people develop a sanitary well water system, for instance, or develop an adequate sewage lagoon to replace the old straight pipe running down to the creek or out to a field.

That’s not all Richards likes. She’s also a county planning and zoning director who enjoys the dedication and fellowship she finds with the nine persons on the Marion County Planning Commission.

The nine are all volunteers appointed by the county commissioners, three from each commission district.

“They do a lot of hard work...

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Advisory group gives final recommendations on new jail

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 31 August 2010 16:01

Marion County Sheriff Rob Craft shares an insight during the jail discussion last Wednesday in Hillsboro. Listening are (from left) committee chair Mike Kleiber, and commissioners Bob Hein and Randy Dallke. The advisory group appointed to come up with proposals regarding the jail in Marion County gave its final recommendations to the commissioners Aug. 25 in Hillsboro.

After 16 months, the Marion County Public Safety and Law Enforcement Center Committee members unanimously agreed to disband, noting they had done what the commissioners had asked of them.

Reviewing what the group accomplished, Mike Kleiber, committee chairman, summarized the ideas discussed and accepted by a majority of members.

“We looked at the size of the jail,” he said, “and the committee agreed a 26- to 30-bed facility would meet the county’s needs into the future with expansion, if necessary.

“We agreed on the selection of two architects that we...

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Freshmen begin with Service 101

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 24 August 2010 15:53

College students spread over the county for service projects

These Tabor College freshmen spent a portion of their Monday pulling weeds at the Hillsboro Elementary School playground as part of the college’s freshman orientation tradiition. Students were divided among 12 projects, all in Marion County. This year, the class numbers more than 155 students, according to the registrar’s office.

Reward offered following cattle shooting

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 24 August 2010 15:52

Cattle producers in Marion County are banding together to offer a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for shooting six pregnant dairy heifers with a shotgun the weekend of Aug. 13-14.

The incident occurred either Friday or Saturday in a pasture in Durham Park Township, according to Lloyd Klassen of Klassen Dairy, owner of the animals.

All six of the animals survived the shooting; three were transported to a veterinary hospital at Kansas State Uni­versity. Klassen said the unborn calves are expected to survive as well.

One of the animals was worth between $4,000 and $5,000, Klassen said, and the rest were valued in the $2,000 range.

Klassen said an employee of the...

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