The Marion County Board of Commissioners met for the regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 30 and also did payday business. It was a relatively quiet meeting with most of the business being paperwork. COVID-19 Update Marion County Health Administrator Diedre Serene was unavailable in person but sent her report via email which County Clerk Tina Spencer shared with the commissioners. […]

The Hillsboro City Council met for a special meeting via Zoom on Tuesday, Nov. 24, in order to vote on the revised mask mandate. The council met the previous week but wanted some changes made before voting on the ordinance. The main change requested was for business owners to not be held responsible for public members who refuse to wear […]

The Marion Merchant’s Association planned a Holly Jolly Christmas in Marion on Nov. 28. The day was filled with activity and fun in order to celebrate Small Business Saturday. There was plenty of fun for all ages, from snacks and crafts to raffles and giveaways to the parade and lighting of downtown at the end of the day. There was […]

While there have been limited options for dining in Marion County, there has been one new option that has many community members excited. That is Under 701 Cafe which is a food truck that travels around Marion and McPherson Counties. Molly Dillon said, “I love having healthy options. The portions are big enough that I can have some now or […]

Due to coronavirus concerns, the Goessel city council met by zoom on November 16. Mayor Dave Schrag talked about the rising number of coronavirus cases in Marion County. “We need to do something now,” he said. Council member Evan Esau agreed, “We need to do it sooner than later.” Schrag mentioned caution about gatherings. “I think closing the community room […]

All of the schools districts in Marion County are making changes due to the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic. The Free Press updated readers on Goessel and Hillsboro last week (although Hillsboro has a meeting set for Tuesday, Nov. 24, which will be after press deadline), and now here are the other schools. Marion-Florence USD 408 The Free Press was unable to […]

by Braylyn Hoopes, freshman at Goessel High School Editor’s Note: Schools this year have had to be creative and Marion County schools have done this well. In addition to the new “normal” options of remote learning, our educators are providing creative, outside the box options for keeping our students safe while learning. Goessel High School freshmen Braylyn Hooper wrote this […]

After the Marion County Board of Commissioners failed to issue a mask mandate on Monday, Nov. 16, the Hillsboro City Council decided to take matters into their own hands and pass their own ordinance. Mayor Lou Thurston summed it up. “I think this is a public health issue and not some government control issue,” he said. “I’m quite uninterested in […]

While the Marion County Board of Commissioners meeting got off to a slow start on Monday, Nov. 23, it definitely ended quickly when Commissioner Dianne Novak let loose a long tirade, speaking out against the Marion Record in general and particularly an opinion piece written by Publisher Eric Meyers, all while glaring at their local reporter who was sitting in […]

Marion County, Kansas – Please be advised that local resources are at capacity due to the number of COVID-19 cases throughout the area. Officials request our citizens do the following: – If you have received notifications that you tested positive for COVID-19, please isolate for ten (10) days from symptom onset or, if asymptomatic, your test date. A person who tested […]