Accident damages Marion store

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 28 September 2010 16:11

After Marion’s Old Settlers’ Day parade ended Saturday, Wesley Regier, 90, of Hillsboro, was attempting to back out from a parking spot at Duckwall’s on Main Street when he accidentally hit a pickup truck driven by Jerald Stockdale, 83, of Marion County Lake.

Instead of braking after hitting the pickup, according to Marion Police Chief Josh Whitwell, Regier accelerated into the front store window of Bearly Makin-It Antiques across the street.

“I am happy and thankful this turned out as well as it did,” Whitwell said.

The accident happened at 11:53 a.m. and Regier was taken by Marion County Ambulance to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was treated and released.

Stockdale was driving a white 1999 Ford Ranger. Neither he nor...

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Tips for winterizing your home against indoor allergens

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 28 September 2010 16:09

Vacuuming your floors is a given, but to really make an impact on the allergens in your home, you need to pay attention the rest of your decor as well. Spring and fall are the most notorious allergy seasons, but as any of the estimated 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies know, winter can be just as uncomfortable.

As we move our lives back indoors, we often seal up our homes to prevent the cold from seeping in. While that’s good for energy bills and staying warm, if you don’t take some precautions, it can cause problems for those with indoor allergies.

To make sure your home is a healthy one throughout the season, start taking action against allergens as you winterize your house.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, some of the most common indoor allergens are mold spores, dust mites and pet dander—so pay special attention to preventing those. As...

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Quandry grows regarding future of former AMPI facility

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 24 August 2010 16:26

The former AMPI building as it appears currently. The area to the foreground (left corner) of the building houses the Hillsboro Police Department and an office for the Kansas Highway Patrol. The Hillsboro City Council likely set at least a portion of the city-owned AMPI building on a path to demolition when it decided at its Aug. 17 meeting that it is too costly to repair sections of the roof that are now leaking.

At the council’s July 20 meeting, City Administrator Larry Paine had presented an estimate of just under $50,000 from Wray Roofing of Newton to repair two sections of the roof in the middle of the expansive facility.

At the request of the council, Paine secured a second estimate from Larry Boozer Roofing of Wichita and presented it Aug. 17: about $97,000.

Even with the lower estimate from Wray Roofing, Paine had projected the payback period for the city to be 8.25 years.

“I’m still not excited about...

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Time marches on for AMPI building

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 24 August 2010 16:25

The fire on April 25, 2007, proved to be a turning point in the potential for the former dairy processing facility. Following is a timeline of key events in the city’s involvement with the former AMPI property.

1997 – Associated Milk Producers Inc. merges with three other milk processors in the region to form Dairy Farmers of America.

Aug. 5, 1998 – DFA announces it will close its processing plant in Hillsboro, affecting around 75 local jobs.

November 1998 ­– Ice cream production shuts down at the plant, officially ending a local dairy-processing tradition that began in 1930 as Tip Top Creamery.

July 2002 – City announces its intention to buy the DFA property, including 30 acres of annexed land and buildings totaling around 100,000 square feet.

October 2002 ­– Contract established to purchase property for $75,000.

November 2002...

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