Rural ‘brain gain’ true here, too

Written by Bill Bishop & Roberto Gallardo Tuesday, 28 August 2012 13:15

Marion County has experienced a brain gain in the last 40 years, joining the rest of the country in what has been a massive increase in the number of adults who have earned college degrees.

In 1970, 7.8 percent of those over 25 years of age had college degrees in Marion County. By 2010, 19.5 percent of adults here had completed college.

The percentage of adults with college degrees in Marion County was less than the national average of 27.9 percent in 2010. The college-educated rate here was less than the Kansas average of 29.3 percent.

The number of adults in the United States with college degrees has nearly tripled since 1970, when only 10.7 percent of adults had graduated from college.

But the percentage of adults with degrees in...

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12 new teachers start at Canton-Galva, Centre, Goessel and Hillsboro districts

Written by Aleen Ratzlaff Tuesday, 21 August 2012 13:27

The Canton-Galva, Centre, Goessel and Hillsboro school districts have 12 new faculty working with students as classes begin this fall.

They join the 14 new teachers at Marion-Florence, Peabody-Burns and the Marion County Special Education Cooperative who were highlighted in the Aug. 15 issue of the Free Press.

USD 419, Canton-Galva


Tim Blankenship


Vickie Brubacher


Bethany Lewis


Shane Duncan


Adam North


Jeff Savage


Mallory Jacobs

Jackie Ingram

Brittany Hiebert


Allison Krehbiel


Becky Freeman


Lance Sawyer

• Tim Blankenship will be teaching science for students in the seventh through ninth grades. Last year he taught similar classes at Chetopa middle and high schools and has 17 years of teaching...

Read more: 12 new teachers start at Canton-Galva, Centre, Goessel and Hillsboro districts

USD 410 board OKs tax increase for next budget

Written by Aleen Ratzlaff Tuesday, 21 August 2012 13:26

Unified School District 410 Board of Education unanimously approved a mill increase of 1.177 for the 2012-13 budget at its Aug. 13 meeting.

The board made its decision after discussing Superintendent Steve Noble’s recommendation of a 2.138 mill increase from the previous fiscal year.

Noble said he based his recommendation on the negative impact on the district’s capital outlay funds caused by reductions in base state aid per pupil over past years.

Board president Eddie Weber questioned whether the mill increase was necessary.

“I lean toward the status quo (of not raising the mill levy),” Weber said, knowing many people have faced financial challenges.

Agreeing with Weber, board member Deb Geis said, “Farmers aren’t...

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Goessel board hears from local foundation

Written by Cynthia Goerzen Tuesday, 21 August 2012 13:26

Cindy Wiens, chair of the Goessel Community Foundation, told the Goessel school board at its Aug. 13 meeting how donors can fulfill their charitable wishes and benefit the community.

Wiens, an attorney with expertise in estates and trusts, said wealth in the past stayed in a community after the last parent died, but that does not happen as much any more.

“Now, once the wealth leaves, it won’t come back,” she said, especially if no other family members continue to live in the community.

Through the new Goessel Community Foundation, she said, residents can leave a legacy in the community.

Wiens was accompanied by fellow board members Myron Schmidt, Anita Goertzen, Peggy Jay, Patsy Dirksen, Linda Peters, Karen Dalke and John...

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