Marion County commissioners want to save some money by closing old, damaged bridges on dirt roads. Affected landowners will be invited to a commission meeting, the date still to be determined. Commissioners decided Monday to seek closing a deteriorated bridge at 170th and Goldenrod. Commission Chair Randy Dallke and Commissioner Dan Holub began the meeting at 8 a.m., taking a […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 Monday to pay off $250,000 for two road graders leased from Foley Equip­ment in a move to depart from lease programs in favor of owning equipment. They noted that they hoped the commitment would continue into next year when buying another grader and a heavy dump truck for road and bridge. Road […]

Cooperative Grain & Supply weighs trucks loaded with wheat on Monday as harvest moves forward. Dick Tippin, grain marketing specialist for Cooper­a­tive Grain & Supply based in Hillsboro, said he expects this year’s wheat harvest to range from 40 bushels to 60 bushels an acre. Crew members at area cooperative grain elevators have been preparing for a very large winter […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioners Monday began organizing the new county economic development committee under the temporary chairmanship of Chris Hernan­dez. The commissioners told Hernandez that although they would like the number of members on the committee reduced to five or six from the 15 who have volunteered, they expect that to happen by withdrawal of participants when they […]

Emergency Medical Services Director Ed Debesis was given permission by the Marion County Board of Commissioners during a May 31 payday session to hire two full-time paid medical technicians for the currently all-volunteer ambulance service. The commissioners specified that current volunteers be given first chance at the paid positions. The decision was made following a 15-minute executive session for personnel. […]

Alan was a Cajun, a whole different kind of human. I was waiting outside the new animal science building at Kansas State University in the fall of 1964 for the freshman class, “Ag In Our Society,” taught by Duane Acker, who was later to be president of K-State, when this voice behind me asked “Are you ready for the quiz […]

Terry Eberhard was the main spokesman for a group of Peabody-area men asking Marion County commissioners Monday for more sand and less gravel on their roads. Even though more “wash boarding”—ridges of surfacing—can be created with sand, Eberhard said traffic is moving slower with rough gravel anyway. The group led by Eber­hard lives from Indigo to Nighthawk along 90th. They […]

Emma Tajchman of Marion was announced as the new county planning and zoning director at the regular commission meeting Monday. Tajchman succeeds Ton­ya Richards, who resigned. Commission Chair Randy Dallke said Tajchman, who has been working as an insurance agent, will assume her duties after filling dates already set for her children’s activities. She is already, and has had previous […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioner met Friday, April 29, in an $848,388 payday session with $428,776 designated for county employees payroll. County Clerk Tina Spen­cer reported sales tax collections received from the state the end of April for collections made in February at $51,883 for regular sales tax and $45,362 for the jail construction bond sales tax. The commissioners […]

The Marion County Board of Commissioner Monday considered that it might make do with a part-time consultant to fulfill some of the duties of the executive director of Plan­ning, Zoning and Environ­mental Health Department. Tonya Richards, former executive director, left the county to work for Westar Energy in Topeka. David Yearout, the zoning administrator for Geary County, said Lisa Davies, […]