News

By LINDA MOWERY-DENNING
Ellsworth County I-R

The new Wilson Heritage Museum will rise from the ashes during the town’s annual After Harvest Czech Festival with an exhibit from the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.

Nine, 36-x72-inch panels will tell the story of how U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and Czechoslovakia’s first president, Tomas G. Masaryk, worked to form the new and democratic nation. Wilson is the official Czech Capital of Kansas.

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By LINDA MOWERY-DENNING
Ellsworth County I-R

Double arches will not stand guard over downtown Ellsworth anytime soon, but visitors can expect more Bearcat spirit along Douglas Avenue.

Members of the Ellsworth City Council voted Monday night to return a $12,150 grant to the Smoky Hills Charitable Foundation after the Kansas Department of Transportation stopped plans to erect gateway arches at the north and south entrances into town on Kansas Highway 14.

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By LINDA MOWERY-DENNING
Ellsworth County I-R

Ron Svaty remembers the interview with Carey Hipp and its unexpected ending. At the time, his law firm of Svaty, Sherman and Hoffman didn’t need another attorney so the partners suggested other places in the area with openings.

However, after Hipp left they started thinking, “Do we really want that person arguing against us?”

“So we made a place and we hired her,” Svaty said.

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From the Jan. 5, 1933, Marquette Tribune.

Elim Lutheran Church (G.A. Dorf, Pastor) — The Elim Society will meet Thursday afternoon, with hostesses Mrs. Leo Berg, Mrs. Otto Hanson, and Mrs. Earl Nelson. Members are reminded of their annual membership dues and of subscription to Mission Tidings.

The Lutheran Brotherhood will meet Thursday evening at the Victor Krig home, entertained by Victor Krig and Luther Carlson. Our men, young and old, are invited and urged to come.

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By LINDA MOWERY-DENNING
Ellsworth County I-R

Christine Slechta’s influence on the town where she has taught for 16 years is almost impossible to miss.

Drive into Wilson on Old Highway 40 and on the community’s east side, between the Opera House and the Snack Shack, stands the World’s Largest Hand-painted Czech Egg. Slechta designed the 24-feet tall fiberglass egg and is responsible for having it painted in traditional Czech colors of yellow and red against a black background.

Slechta passes the egg every day on her way to and from work at Wilson School. She teaches K-12 art.

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At left, children scramble for candy Saturday morning at the Fort Harker Days parade in Kanopolis.

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By LINDA MOWERY-DENNING
Ellsworth County I-R

The broken windows are now protected by sheets of wood and “No trespassing” signs decorate the doors.

The message is clear — no visitors allowed inside the old Ellsworth County Hospital.

Ellsworth Police Chief Emil Halfhill told members of the Ellsworth City Council Tuesday, July 10, that Pull Over Adventures, a group that explores scenic, historic or just plain interesting locations across the United States, visited Ellsworth July 1 and discovered the old three-story hospital, which has been vacant since the Ellsworth County Medical Center opened in 1999.

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By Jennifer McDaniel
For the Ellsworth County I-R

When Jenna Haase was just 7 years old, she joined the Midway Extension District’s 4-H program.

Jenna’s father, Arrin, was a former member of the Elkhorn 4-H Club, one of the county’s five groups, so it only seemed natural she would follow in his footsteps. A few years later, she would be joined by her younger sister, Nicole, and eventually, little sister Karli. Even their mom, Kristin, has had an active role.

The Haase family raised cattle and owned several horses, and so Jenna thought that joining 4-H just made sense.

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Editor’s Note — Pull Over Adventures is the name of a Facebook page belonging to a husband- wife team from Kansas. The I-R exchanged messages with the couple, who asked only their first names of Robert and Lois be used. Here is their response to how they discovered Ellsworth County’s old hospital on the hill.

We have professions that keep us busy all week. Combined with children and keeping up a household it leaves us very little time with each other. In order to see each other we started going on weekend trips to anything that caught our interests.

I enjoy driving so getting somewhere is not a problem. She enjoys photography. I have a background in history and we both are fascinated by the history all over America and how close it is to our own back door.

The Marquette City Council reluctantly accepted Jay Baker’s retirement notice at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, July 10.

Citing the high cost of health insurance as well as other reasons, Baker, the city’s public works director for the past 22 years, presented his letter of resignation to the council, effective Aug. 31, 2018.

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