There have been many things written about me, some disparaging and some complimentary, but at least most of those folks have the decency to tell me who is throwing the compliment or barb. This week we received many complaints about a certain columnist in The Free Press. Bob Woelk has written a column for as long as I have been publisher […]

Marion County’s two largest cities don’t have the luxury of not collaborating to thrive. Hillsboro and Marion must treat each other not just as neighbors but almost as one entity to survive and thrive. Reading Lou Thurston’s report below makes me happy. Both cities have collaborated in the past on many issues. Both mayors talk the talk, too. It was […]

It has come to my attention that there are people who have taken notice to some of the coverage changes in the Free Press over the last few weeks. The changes have made some happy and some sad, and we understand that. While I haven’t received one complaint in person or through e-mail, some staff members have. I just thought […]

This past weekend, as always, was an excellent showcase for Marion County. Both Hillsboro and Marion have art events which bring many people. These events represent real economic opportunity to Marion County. They bring in outside dollars, showcase each community, and give people a reason to look forward to a trip to the area the following year. It would be […]

There has been talk of a five-man Marion County Commission as of late. While we understand some of what those speaking of such things are trying to get at, we also would like to point out the fact that everyone in this county has a vote. If voters in this county don’t like what is happening on the commission then […]

There aren’t many things more important than good and reliable Internet access for a town trying to be viable this century. If people can’t stream Netflix, Hulu, play online video games, and watch YouTube at their leisure, they aren’t going to be compelled to move somewhere. So Internet access is a big reason Marion County hasn’t had the economic success […]

Our company is about to get bigger yet again. We announced the acquisition of the McPherson News, Harvey County Independent, The Ledger, and the Hesston Record in this week’s paper. We haven’t looked for the growth, but rather have been asked to purchase papers and let them be a part of our Kansas Publishing Ventures family. I think that is […]

There have been more and more cries of “Fake News” being hurled in all directions we aren’t even sure what it means anymore. What we do know is that discrediting the press is one of the most dangerous things a society can do. Do we make mistakes? Sure. Can we get everything right every time? No. We are human much […]

The Marion County Fair wasn’t quite to the granger as some remember it in the past. The Marion County Fair Board responded with a simple request on social media – what do you want to see at the fair next year that might move the needle. The response from the fair board is a good one. If attendance was low […]

This upcoming election isn’t for homecoming king and queen. It’s not for whom is most popular in the county and it’s certainly not something that should be taken lightly. Unfortunately, in many local elections the issues get thrown out the door and instead the most popular person running gets elected. People sit down, say XXXX candidate is a nice guy […]