Letters (Aug. 4 2010)

Marion was a classy tournament host

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I had the privilege as a Kansas Cal Ripken Baseball official of being a part of the just completed Kansas 11 and Under State Baseball Tournament of Champions held in Marion. The tournament featured champions from across the state of Kansas, all vying for advancement to the Midwest Plains regional in Lyons, KS July 29-August 2.

The Marion tournament committee did an excellent job of hosting an exciting and fair baseball tournament. Marion has hosted many district, state, and regional tournaments in the past and this was another one of their many tournament successes! Not only was baseball the spotlight during the four-day tournament, but sportsmanship and team play was promoted throughout. All who participated had a great time, witnessed some great baseball, made many new friends, and left Marion with fond memories.

Russell Cain and his tournament committee went beyond the call of duty to to provide a very special event for the youth involved in the state tournament. I heard many complimentary comments about the great baseball hosts, the fine facilities, the friendliness of the local citizens, and about the Marion community as a whole.

The city of Marion can be proud of the Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken baseball program in Marion. Many hours of volunteer work are necessary to provide a quality baseball program for the many young people now participating. It is not only an end-of-the-year tournament that makes a quality program, but what happens throughout the year; whether it be in planning and organizing, running the local league game schedule, or hosting a tournament such as this. It is evident that these volunteers? investments are paying great dividends.

To each of the volunteers and to the city of Marion, Kansas Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken Baseball Leagues say thanks for hosting this tournament and doing it with class.

Paul Unrau

Kansas State Commissioner

Cal Ripken Baseball

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Marion garden tour a multiple success

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The Flowers in the Flint Hills Committee?a benefit for the Marion City Library?has great pleasure in thanking so many people.

First, thanks to our 11 gardeners: Cheryl and Erick Bransted, Shirley Jo and Rocky Hett, Teresa Huffman, Janie and Thad Meierhoff, Marge and Mick Summervill and Peggi and Jim Wilson. All of you planted, pruned, watered, weeded and worried in preparation for the tour. May your thumbs never turn brown.

The volunteers who helped in the six gardens on tour day, and those who provided goodies for tour goers, are all wonderful.

Our thanks to our four county newspapers for fantastic publicity. We are also grateful for coverage in many regional publications.

Margo Yates of the Marion Chamber of Commerce and Teresa Huffman, Marion County Director of Economic Develop?ment were both helpful and sympathetic.

Thanks, David Crofoot, for the loan of the golf cart. We appreciate the many business establishments that allowed us to place posters on message boards and in windows. Of the local businesses that gave us a hand, a big thank-you to Western Associates.

Janet Marler?s library staff was patient and good-natured as we added tasks to their already busy schedules. And last, but certainly not least, thank-you to the members of the Marion City Library Board, who were willing to let us try something new.

The first Flowers in the Flint Hills Garden Tour was a resounding success, despite the blistering July weather. Many of those enjoying the gardens came from outside Marion?23 places outside of our wonderful city.

Our neighbors from Peabody and Hillsboro came. We also welcomed garden lovers from all over Sedgwick, Harvey, Reno and McPherson counties. People drove from Overland Park, Manhattan, Hutchinson, Arkansas City, Herington, Conway Springs, Douglass, Fredonia….

These people strolled our Main Street, marveled at our wonderful library and our lovely city park. They visited our stores and antique shops, enjoyed our historical museum and ate at our restaurants.

Several gardeners even took note of houses for sale at Marion County Lake and Park.

The Flowers in the Flint Hills Committee has always viewed this event as something more than a fundraiser for the Marion City Library. We always hoped that we could promote the entire Marion community.

If the questions we received about when Flowers in the Flint Hills will take place in 2011 are any indication?we have succeeded.

Jeanice Thomas for the

Flowers in the Flint Hills Committee

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Blood drive drew 74 donors July 27

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Thank-you to everyone in the American Red Cross blood drive July 27. There were 74 people who came in to share their life-giving blood. We can feel proud we did our civic duty and helped to ensure lifesaving blood is available for patients in hospitals throughout the area.

I hope you will all look forward to savingmore lives at our next drive Sept. 23. If you would like to help, please call one of us at the number listed.

Shirley Kasper, 947-5719

Gladys Funk, 877-7267

Hillsboro blood drive chairs

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President needs to protect our border

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There is a connection between President Obama?s forcing that the federal jobless benefit be extended and the federal government?s lawsuit against the state of Arizona.

The people of Arizona understood years ago that we have to enforce our border and prevent all these people from crossing and taking our jobs because someday there won?t be enough jobs for us all and that day is here.

Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano told Congress, ?I know the border as well as anyone, and I will tell you it is as secure now as it has ever been.?

What a lie. The people of Arizona have for years insisted the government enforce security along our border with Mexico. It is across that border that illegals are coming and taking our jobs, and Americans, along with the people of Arizona, are saying, enough!

But there is another threat. In southern Arizona, it has become a lawless region of criminals crossing the border and burglarizing homes, invading homes, smuggling drugs, human smuggling, murder, extortion, and kidnapping.

These illegals are forming groups that are armed, violent, dangerous, and are creating terror in southern Arizona. This spring, a rancher was murdered on his land by these groups. In Arizona, terrorized residents live behind dead bolts, draw their blinds, and pray not to have their homes invaded and their children kidnapped.

All the while, in Washington, D.C., the ruling elite live in safety of 24-hour security and vent their outrage at Arizona?s law. Our president and other federal authorities declare the people and ranchers are crybabies worrying over a minor distraction.

The defiant refusal of our president to defend the people of America, to return illegals and secure our border, is a direct danger to you and me and every American citizen.

Our president is so immersed in seeing the people of Iraq and Afghanistan have safety and security. Here in America, he showed us what he thinks of security in America when last year a professor friend of his was arrested by a policeman and he called the policeman as ?stupid behavior.?

Let?s look at a Congressional Report titled, ?A Line in the Sand; Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border? prepared by Homeland Security. (You guessed it, Napolitano?s own people.)

In one year, the Border Patrol apprehended 1.2 million illegals, of which 165,000 were from counties other than Mexico. Countries designated as ?special interest? for exporting individuals that could bring harm to America.

These members of terrorist groups enter staging areas in Central and South America, then move north, illegally crossing the southwest border into America.

Some of our southern neighbors are assisting these terrorists by issuing identities used to obtain a U.S. visa.

An example of our president?s indifference to America and the good people of Arizona is his recent invitation to Mexico President Calderon to speak before the U.S. Congress. Calderon portrayed the American citizen as the threat. He called upon our Congress to disarm the ranchers of the ?ranch rifles? they carry while working their ranches in southern Arizona.

Americans have heard and seen this too often. When the government refuses to enforce law, the elected leaders refuse to do their jobs, they turn on the law-abiding citizen and want to remove his right to bear arms in protection of self.

Arizona has it right. Let?s protect our jobs and put our citizens to work and get them off unemployment. Let?s secure our border and protect our families, homes and nation.

May God bless and protect the people of Arizona and America.

Anton Epp

Goessel

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