Coyote-control effort successful with trapper’s help

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 19 February 2013 13:26

Gary McCloud, a state-licensed animal trapper from Hillsboro, kneels near the eight coyote skins he will sell to a fur buyer following the completion of his assignment to keep coyotes from coming into Hillsboro’s city limits. Asked by law enforcement for assistance, McCloud said he trapped 14 coyotes coming into town over a 21?2-week period. The other six animals had mange and were destroyed. The city of Hillsboro’s effort to discourage curious coyotes from foraging within the city limits seems to have been successful.

At least for local residents and their pets.

Gary McCloud of Hillsboro, one of two local trappers contacted by local law enforcement for assistance, said last week he pulled 14 coyotes over a 21?2-week stretch.

“We trapped out west and southwest of town, out by the airport and Sports Complex,” he said.

He said six of the animals had mange, a blood parasite disease that can spread to dogs and cats. He skinned the other eight and sold the coats to a fur buyer.

“They’re coming into town because we have a population of stray cats,” McCloud said. “People leave food out for the cats and...

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Local wishes granted

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 19 February 2013 13:21

Jared Jost (right), a member of the Hillsboro Community Foundation board of directors, hands a Hillsboro Impact Fund check for $2,000 to four local first-graders last Tuesday during halftime of the Hillsboro High School boys’ game. Receiving the check with some apparent trepidation are (from left) Zaylee Werth, Levi Allen, Zander Haslett and Dawson Boldt. Behind them are their teachers, Michelle Faul, Julie Linnens and Eleanor Jost. The money will be used for iPads. Eleven area entities received checks totaling $16,300. Hillsboro Community Found­a­tion presented grant checks totaling a record $16,300 Feb. 12 to 11 area public-service organ­izations and causes.

The presentation occurred during halftime of the Hillsboro High School boys’ basketball game against Halstead.

This was the first year grants were awarded through the Kan­sas Health Foundation Fund, which was established about three years ago and has grown through annual contributions to the required $150,000.

The other nine grants came through the Hillsboro Area Impact Fund.



Following are the recipients of this year’s grants, with an explanation from each organization about its work and its intention for the money.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Marion County, $1,500. “Bigs in...

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HMS 8th-grader wins county bee

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 12 February 2013 11:41

Hillsboro eighth-grader Mesa Merrell reacts to the confirmation that she spelled the championship word correctly at last week’s Marion County Spelling Bee. It took 205 words to find a winner. She correctly spelled “incoherently” in the final round, but the word certainly didn’t reflect her performance at this year’s Marion County Spelling Bee.

Laser-focused from start to finish, Hillsboro eighth-grader Mesa Merrell outlasted 19 other competitors from the five county school districts Wednesday to claim the 2013 title without even a hint of doubt.

“I tried my hardest, and I put as much thought as I could into each word,” Mesa said. “And I worked really hard last night. I went over 225 words like four times, so I was prepared.”

Parents, school administrators and students—including a couple of classes from Peabody-Burns Elementary School—watched as the 20 competitors grappled with a total of 205 words...

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Chingawassa planners sign FireHouse as featured band

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 12 February 2013 11:40

Keeping the fun alive at the annual Chingawassa Days in Marion is a primary goal for organizers and, this year, is shaping up to be no different.

The headliner act on Saturday, June 8, is FireHouse, an American hard-rock band from the early 1990s, according to Lisa Vondenkamp, committee secretary.

“We have a signed contract with the group,” she said, but as of press time, Friday night’s band was undisclosed.

“What we are aiming for is a country band on Friday,” Vondenkamp said.

Chris Meierhoff, who has been on the committee for eight years, said his brother-in-law, Todd Carter of El?Dorado, saw FireHouse a couple of times in concert.

“That is where I came up with the idea of approaching the committee about seeing if they...

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