News

By the Tribune Staff

It’s Tuesday night and the weather is perfect for wheat harvest — 97 degrees with the heat index reaching to 102 degrees and 25 mph winds with gusts to 45 mph.

At Marquette’s MKC elevator, grain trucks cross the scales before making their way to the dump pit.

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By Mark Gardner

Ellsworth Childcare and Learning Center celebrated its five-year anniversary Saturday with an open house.

Executive director Stephanie Roehrman arranged for a sweet treat bar, silent auction and several activities in each classroom, including a bean bag toss and even a peaceful spa.

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By Mark Gardner

At 25, Ellsworth County resident Mark Hoffhines was faced with the most difficult obstacle of his life.

In early winter of 2016, Hoffhines became ill while working as a freshman/sophomore social studies teacher in Independence, Kan. It all began with a rash of tiny red bumps on the inside of his mouth.

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By Mark Gardner

Deanna Soukup and her family have launched a fundraiser to help the Garrett Scritchfields of Lindsborg with the cost that comes with tragedy.

Deanna’s husband, Rick, was working as a paramedic when he was involved in a wreck near Brookville during an emergency ambulance run to Salina. It took him months to recover. As a result, the Soukups know all too well the road that lays ahead for the Scritchfields.

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It’s time to register for the 3rd Annual Rodeo Run, which will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at Marquette.

The 5K Race, 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk, and Kid’s Short Course will start and finish in front of the Kansas Motorcycle Museum in downtown Marquette.

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By I-R Staff

It was a productive few days for Ellsworth FFA members May 31-June 2 at the 89th Kansas FFA State Convention on the Kansas State University campus at Manhattan.

Ellsworth placed first out of 18 Kansas chapters for excelling in community building. The local chapter also received a seventh in growing leaders.

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By Mark Gardner

Earthen slides causes concern for travelers visiting Lucas park at Wilson Lake. On May 20, representatives with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers noticed a non-emergency earthen slide on the west outlet side of the Wilson Lake dam just below the road. Then, two days later, they spotted another earthen slide by the entry road of the Lucas Park camp ground.

Park manager Nolan Fisher said a wet year following on the heels of several dry years can cause disturbances to the hills and other landscape. May alone recorded 9 inches of rain.

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By Mark Gardner

Summer in is full swing and along with it, comes the need to make sure children do not go hungry. In Ellsworth, Pastor Amy Hawley — along with numerous churches and volunteers — will begin their second year of the free lunch program in a different setting — the J.H. Robbins Memorial Library from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., beginning June 12.

Free lunches are provided to children ages 1-18 regardless of background, religious beliefs, or race. There are several programs in place throughout Ellsworth County to ensure kids have a meal once a day when not in school.

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By Mark Gardner

Long-time Ellsworth City Council member Alan Stefek has filed for mayor, making him the only candidate for the job whose name will appear on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.

Stefek retired from the council in 2014 after serving 17 years on the body, five of those years as president.

“By reading the article in the local paper I realized that the current mayor did not want the job anymore and the mayor position needs someone who has time and wants to do the job right,” said Stefek. “I’ve got nothing but time”

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Marquette voters will have at least two decisions to make when they go to the polls for the Nov. 7 general election. For the first time, candidates for city and school board seats will be elected in the fall instead of in April, as they had been before the Kansas Legislature changed the law to schedule all elections at the same time.

Marquette will have two candidates on the ballot for mayor — incumbent John “Rusty” Young and Ronald Miller, who now serves on the council and whose term expires in January 2018.

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