News

By the I-R Staff

A primary for the position of mayor of Kanopolis is set for Aug. 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Kanopolis City Library.

There are four candidates and voters will narrow the field to two in the primary. Winners will advance to the Nov. 7 general election ballot.

Candidates are: Rory Tillett, Anthony Hopkins, Nola Newcomer, and Darrell Ploutz.

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Around one hundred local children participated in swimming lessons at the Marquette Swimming pool this year, according to pool manager Pam Morel.

Students in the Session I, 10 a.m. Level 1-A class, held July 3-14 at 10 a.m., were Allie White, Greysyn Fleming, Kassie Sauer, Josie Nelson, Evelyn Petty, Xavyer Zahradnik, all of Little River, and Jaran Lillard, Marquette. Teacher Lisa Orr and her aide Elsie Boughfman were in charge.

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By Alan Rusch

There is a new head of the Ellsworth- Kanopolis-Geneseo USD 327 Board of Education.

Liz Donley was elected president July 6, during the board’s monthly meeting at the district office in Ellsworth. Board member David Hand was elected vice president. Both will serve one year terms during the 2017-18 school year. Donley succeeds Dr. Mark Herzog.

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Kanopolis was the scene of a huge party this past weekend. Parade. Food. Music. Volleyball. And, of course, turtle races. It’s all part of the town’s annual

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By Alan Rusch

KANOPOLIS — Members of the St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Church in Kanopolis — led by Father Josh Werth and four former St. Ignatius priests and a sister — were grand marshals for Saturday’s Fort Harker Days parade in Kanopolis.

The choice of the church fit the theme of the parade well — “Our Past Makes Us Strong” — because St. Ignatius has had such a strong past in Kanopolis.

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By Alan Rusch

KANOPOLIS — Two volunteers of the year — Meredith Vargo and Chuck Andrews — were honored Saturday night as part of Fort Harker Days during a brief presentation in Kanopolis City Park.

Mayor Russell “Rusty” Bunch said Vargo wears many volunteer hats each and every day. He noted that in addition to being a longtime member of the Fort Harker Days committee, Vargo volunteers at Ellsworth Elementary School, is active at the Ellsworth Area Art Gallery, helps with fundraisers for the Ellsworth County Historical Society, assists local churches with fundraisers and dinners and picks up trash and pulls weeds around Kanopolis.

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By Jennifer McDaniel

When Marquette Fire Chief Stan Engdahl asked Jim Unruh to join the department 15 years ago, it just seemed to make sense.

At the time, Unruh was already working as an EMT with the city’s emergency medical service, which housed its ambulance at the fire department. And Unruh lived across the alley from the station.

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Mary Kathryn Lundstrom Hopkins, 83, died July 8, 2017, at Springfield Rehabilitation & HealthCare Center, Springfield, Mo. She was born Oct. 3, 1933, in Hutchinson to Morrell Ellsworth and Nola Iona (Edwards) Chambers.

Kathryn graduated from Hutchinson High School, Hutchinson Community College, and McPherson College with a degree in Education. She taught school in Ellsworth, McPherson, and Rice Counties for more than 20 years and then worked as a clerk in the United States Post Office in Lorraine. Kathryn was a member of First Congregational Church, Hutchinson.

On Aug. 9, 1953, Kathryn married Ted Sheldon Lundstrom in Little River. He died June 4, 1970. On April 3, 1975, she married Leland Lewis Hopkins in Sterling. He died May 13, 2011.

Kathryn was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Donald, Gene, Morrell Jr., Robert; daughter-in-law, Cindy Lundstrom; and brother-in-law, Donald Hopkins.

By Mark Gardner

Tammy Kruse has no trouble remembering how long her family has sold fireworks. The business opened 27 years ago, the year her daughter, Rachael, was born. Tammy and her husband, Dan, also have three other children, Lacy, Ben and Caleb.

“My aunt, Barb Fisher, is the one who turned us on to selling fireworks, “ Tammy said. “She has lived and had her own stand in Topeka for the last 40 years.”

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Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter sports editor Mark McCoy enjoys training his camera on outstanding weather events. Here are two of his efforts — a rainbow and a beautiful Kansas sunset.

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