FIVE YEARS AGO
n A two-week celebration marked the grand opening of the new Vogt?s Hometown Market facility in Hillsboro Heights. The Vogt family, in the grocery business in Hillsboro for 72 years, is in its fourth generation of store ownership and management.
n Mike Gardner, defensive coordinator of the Tabor College football team the past three years under head coach Tim McCarty, was promoted to the top position on Monday. McCarty will be the new head coach at East Oklahoma State University in Ada.
n Chuck McLinden, rural Marion, said his goal as the new president of the Marion County Fair Association, is to broaden fair participation from across the county. McLinden began his new role Jan. 1.
n The Florence City Council voted to suspend Police Chief Merlin Stout without pay should accusations prove true that he improperly touched a woman without her consent at an area restaurant.
n The following people were named recipients of awards for their work in the area of soil conservation in Marion County: Art and Harriet Suderman (Continuation), Richard Stika (Banker), Duane and Linda Kaiser (Banker), William and Alice Johnson (Grass Buffer), Kelly Novak (Grassland), Marlin Buchholz (Wildlife Habitat) and Ginger Becker (Teacher of the Year).
n Chet Roberts announced he would be resigning as Goessel?s superintendent of schools at the end of the school year. He was first hired by the district as a teacher and coach in 1970.
n The USD 408 Board of Education hired Lee Leiker as its next superintendent. He will succeed Gerry Henderson, who will retire. Leiker is superintendent of schools in Stanton County.
n The cities of Marion and Hillsboro are close to finalizing an interlocal agreement that would enable them to seek a state grant to study the feasibility of forming a joint water district that might ease the expense of upgrades required at their individual plants.
TEN YEARS AGO
n Some 215 buyers from at least 17 states and three countries converged on the former Dairy Farmers of America plant in Hillsboro to browse and buy everything from semi trucks to assorted pieces of galvanized equipment. Almost everything sold that was intended to sell, according to a DFA official.
n The Hillsboro-Marion wrestling team won the Mid-Central Activities league tournament title. Daniel King (103 pounds), Chris Coryea (119) and Lance Unruh (189) each won their respective weight classes.
