Marion County RECORD

Faith before law? Non-traditional minister says case is about religious liberty

When Hillsboro police stopped Kristi Friesen, a full-time minister with Vision of Faith Hope and Charity Ministries, Nov. 15, 2025, the encounter appeared routine. Police alleged Friesen drove without a valid driver’s license, vehicle registration, or proof of insurance. She also was accused of displaying an unauthorized license plate and interfering with law enforcement by refusing to provide documents officers requested.

Disturbing details emerge amid teacher's plea in sex case

A former Peabody-Burns High School teacher pleaded no contest Tuesday to six felonies involving a student and faces a recommended 53-month prison sentence. Brett McGee’s convictions include two counts of indecent liberties with a child, three counts of unlawful sexual relations between a teacher and student, and one count of aggravated intimidation of a witness. Six additional charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Record beef prices soften poor harvest

Warren Unruh’s wheat crop was pretty dismal. He got less than half the yield he expected from 800 acres of planted wheat. He wasn’t alone: the triple-whammy of a drought followed by poorly timed rains and then storms resulted in a disaster for wheat farmers in Marion County. Cows to the rescue. The price of beef is at a historic high, and producers who raise beef along with their wheat, soy or corn crops are grinning all the way to the bank.

Crofoot's seat to be filled before primary

Republicans will have a convention July 23 to select a replacement to serve the remainder of Dave Crofoot’s term as commissioner. Crofoot, who was running for renomination in the Aug. 4 primary, died Friday at his home.

Candidate forum set for July 24

The Record will sponsor a bipartisan forum for county commissioner and state representative candidates July 26 at the ballroom of Marion’s city hall. The format will not be a debate but a chance for reporters and the audience to pose questions in a moderated, civil way, with allowance for rebuttal, if needed.

Marion ponders large budget requests

Having adopted a new, more hands-on approach to budgeting, Marion City Council is grappling with departmental budget requests that greatly exceed the current budget and will decide next Monday whether the city will seek authority to increase taxes to collect more money. Initial departmental requests topped $9.6 million. The city’s 2026 budget expenditures are expected to be $7.1 million.

Grass got your goat? Goats can get your grass!

Dogs dominate meeting

Residents frustrated by loose dogs remained on the minds of Peabody City Council members Monday as they searched for an animal control solution. Council member Linda Martinez said she had again heard complaints from residents about dogs at large. She asked people to photograph violations and send them to the police department or city administrator Paul Leeker so incidents could be documented.

Crash critically injures nurse

A county health department nurse was airlifted to the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita in critical condition after her car ran off the highway on K-15 Saturday evening in Dickenson County.
Pam Holub, of Lost Springs, was driving southbound about 6:45 p.m. when her car left the roadway near 100thAve. 24 miles south of Abilene, according to Dickenson County Sheriff Jerry Davis. Her car went airborne and crashed into a concrete drainage ditch, he said.
A report indicated the driver “may have fallen asleep,” Davis said.
Holub, who apparently was in the car alone, remained in critical condition Tuesday, according to hospital spokesman Dave Stewart.

Truck busts water lines

Marion city workers had to replace water pipes at three ruptures Monday morning after a cement truck ran over a fire hydrant, causing breaks along the water line, according to city administrator Brian Wells.
Wells said the ruptures left some residents without water near Cedar and Lawrence Sts., but workers localized the breaks and restored service. They had to replace three sections of 10-inch water pipes, he said. Wells said the city would be “seeking compensation” from the truck operator, which was supplying concrete for a nearby residential foundation.

Bartel House set in stone for second time

As the stone was fastened and lifted by a skid steer loader, 18 pairs of eyes fixated that way. When the stone was set, a collective breath was let out, and 40 years of wishing came true for the Bartel family.

Susan Hein

A memorial service for Susan Anne Hein, 74, Hillsboro, who died July 7, will be 11 a.m. Friday at Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church. Burial will be an hour before the service at the church cemetery. A light lunch will follow the service at the church fellowship hall.

Jerry Mendoza

Services for Gerado “Jerry” Mendoza, 49, who died July 6, will be 2 p.m. today at NewSpring Church, Wichita. Burial will be 9 a.m. Thursday at Claney Cemetery, rural Marion. Born July 8, 1976, in Dallas, he came to Kansas in 1996 to play baseball at Kansas Newman College.

IN MEMORIAM:

Accidents reported

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County jail arrests and bookings

Criminal Division cases

Deeds recorded

Emergency dispatches

Offenses reported

Police activity reports

Traffic Division cases

Food bank has special summer packages for kids

A car jammed full of hungry, towhead babies — 4-month-old twin girls and a 20-month-old boy — rolled out of the July heat into the shade of the Marion County Food Bank carport Monday. Their mom and grandmother drove from Peabody for Similac infant formula the food bank offers.

Wait list could give seniors fewer options

Department on Aging director Lou Turk worries about Kansas’ new waiting list for a program that helps seniors remain in their homes. “They say they don’t want people to fall through the cracks,” Turk said. “That’s already happening.” Turk said she was blindsided when the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services announced it would begin placing new applicants for Frail Elderly Home and Community-Based Services waivers on a wait list because demand exceeded available money.

The dogs of war and the underdogs of politics

Whether watching the World Cup or pee-wee baseball, we Americans are known for one thing: rooting for the underdog. But rarely have we seen an underdog so challenged as Republican gubernatorial candidate Vicki Schmidt. The only moderate in the race — and therefore the only one likely to be able to win in November — she’s been targeted by a relentless campaign from anonymous, big-money donors portraying her as the Wicked Witch of Wichita.

ANOTHER DAY IN THE COUNTRY:

AMERICA AT 250:

Finding their 'big voice'

“I’ll boil your gizzards for my supper!” Izzy Schumacher – a/k/a Captain Hook – will growl later this week in a children’s theater production of “Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure.” The rising 8th grader, dressed in velvet pirate garb, said it was her favorite line because it has taught her not so much how to portray the evil nemesis of “Peter and the Lost Boys,” but how to inhabit a “big voice so that people can understand you and know what you’re talking about.”

Blood drives planned

Three Red Cross blood drives are planned in Marion County in coming weeks. Appointments are being accepted at redcrossblood.org.

College degrees and honors

Senior Center menus

MEMORIES:

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