County aims to get new jail funding on November ballot

Voters in Marion County will determine the fate of bond financing for a new Marion County law enforcement facility on the November election ballot?if the Board of Commis?sioners is able to proceed quickly enough on the decision it made Monday.

The commissioners decided to proceed with plans for a 72-bed corrections facility costing about $7 million, reaching that decision after a one-hour discussion that it would be most economically feasible over other plans it had considered over previous months.

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Tornado-alert plans vary across country

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Ninety tornadoes touched down in Kansas in a single week last month, and that has nearly everyone wondering where to go if a twister would approach their hometown.

The cities of Marion County all have tornado warning systems, but they aren?t consistent and also vary in what they offer.

As one woman in one smaller town said, ?The real system here is to run for your basement, and pray.?

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Lagoon project hardly glamorous, but still important

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Workers from Unruh Excavating, Moundridge, were moving dirt last month at the 40-acre project site east of Hillsboro. On this day they were laying the clay seal at the bottom of pond.

The size of the project is impressive, but the wastewater lagoon system, currently under construction east of Hillsboro, isn?t the kind of endeavor that rates highly on the civic-pride meter.

But that doesn?t mean it isn?t important.

?It?s not a glamorous deal, obviously,? said City Admini?strator Larry Paine. ?But it?s one of those things, in the course of a city, that you have to deal with.?