Marion County RECORD

Nitrates taint Goessel water

Goessel residents warned not to let infants and pregnant women drink nitrate-laced tap water is waiting a repeat test before its water supply is cleared. A test last week indicated nitrate levels 10% above a federal standard, resulting in a warning not to give tap water to infants younger than 6 months or pregnant women or to use it to make infant formula.

Teacher faces 10 sex counts with girl, 16

Fired Peabody-Burns High School vocational agriculture teacher Brett McGee is accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a student, now 16, over a period spanning nearly two years and of attempting to interfere with the case. McGee faces 11 felony charges, including nine counts of unlawful sexual relations and one of aggravated indecent liberties, ahead of an initial appearance set for 1 p.m. March 25 in Marion County District Court.

Wind farms barred in 15 of 24 townships

Marion County commissioners approved a resolution Monday banning commercial wind energy conversion systems in multiple townships in the county’s unincorporated areas. Commissioner Mike Beneke cast the lone dissenting vote.

Marion raises trash fee

Marion City Council voted Monday to approve a $5 increase in residential refuse fees for the remainder of 2026, followed by annual 3% increases through 2031. It’s the first adjustment in about a decade and is intended to keep the service from not being operated at a loss.

Hillsboro to take AMPI site off tax roll

To take it off the tax roles, Hillsboro City Council voted Tuesday transferring most of former AMPI property from the city’s land bank back to city ownership. One commercially used parcel will remain in the land bank, city administrator Matt Stiles said. The council also approved pay incentives for city employees who complete job-related training and certifications. Most increases are 50 cents per hour, while more advanced programs offer $1 increases. Employees are limited to two raises a year.

Lincolnville updates fire radios

Lincolnville firefighters recently conducted a series of radio tests as part of routine updates designed to improve communication with neighboring counties, fire chief Lester Kaiser said Tuesday. The work involved reprogramming and tuning radios and adding new talkgroups and zones. The updates included additional talkgroups for surrounding counties such as Chase, Morris, Dickinson, and McPherson.

Dorothy Ensz

Services for Dorothy Ensz, 95, who died March 11 at Parkside Homes in Hillsboro, will be 3 p.m. Saturday at Hillsboro United Methodist Church. Born Oct. 29, 1930, near Marion to Albert and Ethel (Hodgson) Janzen, she married Norman Ensz on Sept. 1, 1952, in Hillsboro.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

County grapples with range of health challenges

Marion County continues to grapple with a mix of chronic diseases, limited local health infrastructure, and persistent socioeconomic barriers, according to newly released analyses from state and national public health agencies. Together, the findings highlight ongoing challenges even as officials pursue programs aimed at improving health outcomes.

Accidents investigated

Civil Division cases

County jail arrests and bookings

Criminal Division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police activity reports

Traffic Division cases

Turning negatives into positives

What kind of friend do you want? Suppose you’re getting ready for a job interview, a big date, or a first meeting with an in-law, a new neighbor, or long-lost acquaintance.

Bear with us

Marketing experts say you never should let your customers know when your business faces unusual challenges. But in the spirit of honesty, we want to tell you about some challenges the newspaper is facing. They began, of course, with the raid on our newsroom 2½ years ago. You might think 2½ years is enough time for any turmoil to subside, but it hasn’t been. Not only was our accounting system severely disrupted, our staffing took a hit when three employees took settlements or court judgments and abruptly left town, two of them around the same time as a fourth completed his one-year fellowship with us.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

LETTERS:

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Cellist composes community

For Susan Mayo, music never has been only about performance. It always has been about connection. The Peabody-area cellist and composer has become one of Marion County’s strongest advocates for the arts, organizing concerts, building cultural programming, and helping create projects designed to bring people together through music and creative work.

Students explore journalism

Freshmen in Shannon Cooper’s journalism class at Marion High School heard about the realities of reporting during a visit Friday by Record reporter Judd Weil. Students heard that journalism is rarely a nine-to-five job. A central theme was integrity. Students were told that reporters must set aside personal opinions when writing news stories and focus on presenting verified facts.

Senior center menus

MEMORIES:

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