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Higher wheat prices come at high cost for farmers

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This is the way some wheat fields in Marion County looked following a hard freeze and snow in April. The harvest around Hillsboro was around 38 percent of normal?leaving little left in storage for farmers to sell these days at prices approaching $8 per bushel. Free Press file photo.

The price of a bushel of wheat has increased $2 since harvest, but most Marion County farmers would just as soon not talk about it.

That?s because they aren?t reaping much of the benefit from the price hike.

DCP producers must meet deadline

The 2002-07 Direct & Counter-cyclical Program will officially end Sept. 30, which makes it urgent for DCP producers to provide county Farm Service Agency offices with all completed forms and documents necessary for U.S. Department of Agriculture program payment eligibility.

USD 410 OK’s bond purchase

Unified School District 410 Board of Education adopted a resolution at its Sept. 10 meeting that authorized purchasing $4.605 million bonds for the non-Tabor projects approved by voters in the June 5 bond election.

Dustin Avey, of Piper Jaffray & Co., met with the board to review the agreement that also includes restructuring the 2004 bonds at a principal amount of $610,000.

Goessel students can opt for ‘Fast’ Track

The Goessel school board was introduced at its Sept. 10 meeting to
the ?Walking Fast with Mr. Fast? program that Super?inten?dent John
Fast plans to start at the grade school to coincide with the school?s
wellness plan.

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Marion County Learning Center starts new season with new staff

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Byron ?Barney? McCarty (left) offers some computer suggestions to Lucas Hoskinson, a student at the Marion County Learning Center. McCarty and Renee Gilkey began working as instructional aides at the center in mid-August. The deadline for signing up for the current enrollment cycle is today, Sept. 19. Don Ratzlaff / Free Press

The Marion County Learning Center is starting a new cycle of nontraditional educational opportunities with two new part-time staff persons.

The primary purpose of the center is to help residents earn credits toward a high school diploma. The program assists students who are of traditional high school age as well as adults who are older.