Three towns plan for April 6 local elections

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 30 March 2010 18:31

In less than one week, voters in Hillsboro, Burns and the city of Marion will cast ballots for city council positions.

The spring general election will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, in three polling locations.

Hillsboro voters in Wards I and II will both go to Hillsboro City Hall, 118 E. Grand Ave., but they will vote on separate ballots, said Rhonda Toal, election clerk.

In Ward I, Shelby Dirks is the only candidate vying for the council seat. In Ward II, Byron McCarty is also running unopposed.

With only three council seats available and four candidates vying for a spot, voters in Burns will be marking their ballots at Burns Community Center, 301 N. Washington.

Candidates competing for one of the three seats are...

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Marion councilor questions validity of special meeting

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 30 March 2010 18:30

Marion City Council member Bill Holdeman said during the March 22 regular meeting that he wanted an explanation about why a special meeting was called March 12 alleging misconduct on the part of Mayor Mary Olson.

The allegation concerned K.S.A. 21-4005, which addresses “maliciously circulating false rumors” about a local business “with intent to injure” its “financial standing or reputation.”

“I think this was a power play before the election,” he said.

Holdeman, who was out of town when the special meeting was held, said he thought it took three council members to call this type of meeting.

Councilor Gene Winkler said he called the special meeting for the purpose of “damage control to the city.”

No action was...

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She believes small things can make a difference for others

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 30 March 2010 18:21

Eileen Butler wraps a chain of pop tabs around a spool. She is surrounded by several sacks and boxes of more tabs that she’ll turn in to support the McDonald’s charity. One aluminum tab might not seem like much, but for one Hillsboro woman, each tab contributes toward supporting families with a place to stay when their loved ones need lengthy hospital care.

Eileen Butler, a retired Hillsboro Elementary School teacher, has become passionate about collecting the tabs for the Wichita Ronald McDonald House, and her enthusiasm is catching on around the community.

“This fall, it will be four years collecting tabs,” she said, “and it has become my passion.”

In the last three years, and with the help of others donating to the project, Butler said about $5,000 a year has been raised for the Wichita house.

In three years, Butler said she has taken more than 140 pounds of tabs to one of the Ronald...

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Last blast of winter

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 23 March 2010 18:21

Ice is here today, gone tomorrow

The Mennonite Settlement Museum in Hillsboro (above) was frosted Saturday as Mother Nature christened the first official day of spring with a glaze of ice and an inch or two of snow Friday night and into Saturday. The photo at left illustrates the juxtaposition of winter and spring as snow encases a crocus plant, a traditional harbinger of spring. Within 24 hours of these photos, the snow and ice had all but disappeared as temperatures climbed well above freezing on Sunday. By Monday, the skies were clear and the temperature climbed into the 60s. The biggest inconvenience in some parts of the county, including the cities of Hillsboro and Marion, was a power outage that struck briefly several times before...

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