Daily Life / 2A Opinion / 4A
CHECK INSIDE FOR
Bluejays run through Lyon College to open the season.
Business Farm / 6A
EXTRA POINT
Money & Finances / 9A Kid Scoop / 10A
OUR FALL SPORTS PREVIEW
S P O RT S / P a g e 1 B
Sports / 1B Classified / 3B
SECTION C
County Wide / 5B
Free Press HILLSBORO
n
SEPTEMBER 2, 2015
n
VOL. 17
PAID Hillsboro, KS Permit No. 1 POSTAL CUSTOMER
Dedicated to serving Hillsboro and Greater Marion County, Kansas
M A R I O N C O U N T Y ’ S L A R G E S T D I S T R I B U T I O N N E W S PA P E R W E D N E S D AY
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage
n
NO. 35
© copyright 2015 Kansas Publishing Ventures
Major blue-green buildup
PHYLLIS RICHERT PHOTO
High school football teams near season debut Two maroon-shirted Hillsboro Trojan defenders try to separate the football from their white-shirted Trojan teammate during in intrasquad scrimmage Saturday morning at Joel Wiens Stadium. The high school football season opens Friday night, but several other sport teams will have seen action by then, including volleyball, cross country and tennis. You can read previews of all your favorite area teams, including Tabor College, in the “Extra Point” preview published as Section B. Coverage of Hillsboro volleyball and Tabor’s football opener appears in Sports, starting on Page 7A.
Florence prepares for big weekend n 78th Labor Day event Warner, a member of the offers old and new fun. planning committee. BY
PATTY DECKER
The Free Press
“Restoring the Past to Preserve the Future,” is the theme for this year’s Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 5-7, in Florence. Now in its 78th year, the celebration will include traditional events and some new ones, said Trayce
Saturday’s evening entertainment includes free face painting from 6-9; Matt En“Back again this year is the scavenger hunt starting gels at 6; and a street dance at 8 a.m. Saturday,” she said. featuring Callanhan Band starting at 9. “This was a fun event last Vintage baseball year for kids, with clues takThe 1860s vintage baseing them all over town.” ball game and ice cream soWarner encouraged cial begins at 6 p.m Sunday everyone to check out the with fireworks at dusk. city-wide garage sales, The baseball game and farmers market at Moses Shane Park, soap box derby, ice cream social have ben See Florence, Page 7A and Mexican meal.
Dedicated for play n Community and kids celebrate completion of a dream BY
PATTY DECKER
The Free Press
Hundreds of parents and children attended the dedication ceremony Friday evening for the new playground at Hillsboro Elementary School. What started as a dream 21⁄2 years ago materialized into a $215,000 playground area because of a joint community effort, said Rod Koons, USD 410 board member. Evan Yoder, HES principal, expressed gratitude for everyone’s contribution to the project, whether big or small. “(The old playground) was an ugly water-filled dusty playground,” he said at the dedication. “For 12
FREE PRESS PHOTOS BY DON RATZLAFF
PATTY DECKER / FREE PRESS
USD 410 Superintendent Steve Noble listens as speakers express gratitude for the involvement of the community to make the $215,000 the playground project a reality. years since I came back to this building, I have taken a lot of new families around during the year before school started. I made sure those kids wouldn’t ask me
about the playground back here.” Yoder said he wondered about what parents would think seeing the clean n See Play, Page 5A
There’s a reason it’s called “blue-green” algae, as last week’s major bloom in the Hillsboro Heights water-retention pond illustrates. The top photo, taken Aug. 25, is from the ditch along U.S. Highway 56 that receives overflow water from the pond at its northeast corner (lower left). The city posted signs (lower right) later in the week that warn people to keep themselves and their pets away from the pond water.
Algae bloom prompts warnings at city pond n Signs warn people to keep them- be attractive to kids,” Marler said. “That’s really why we were trying to push it out of selves and pets out of the water. there. “Unfortunately, that pond has become a fishing spot,” she added. “We really The city of Hillsboro has posted warn- want people to stay away and to also keep their pets away.” ing signs at the retaining pond in the If people choose to take fish from the Hillsboro Heights development after dispond, they should clean the fish well and covering a major blue-green algae bloom discard the guts. last Tuesday morning. If people or pets come The signs warn of “I thought the bright in contact with the water, potential sickness in blue color might be they are advised to wash human and pets if they attractive to kids. with clean water as soon come in contact with the That’s really why we as possible. pond water. were trying to push it Marler said the local The most visible eviout of there.” dence of the contamination —MORGAN MARLER, SENIOR pond suffered a similar fate for similar reasons was at the overflow at the WATER TREATMENT TECHNICIAN Marion Reservoir has northeast corner of the experienced blue-green algae blooms off pound, where the thick, blue-green sludge-like bloom was plainly visible and and on for several years now. “My theory is that there is excessive odorous. Later in the week, Morgan Marler, sen- phosphorus and nitrogen entering the pond from the drainage area it encomior water treatment technician for the passes,” Marler said. “The excess nutricity, initiated a fire-hydrant flush that ents, along with the warmer water pushed most of the visible evidence furtemperature and the hot, sunny weather, ther down the drainage path. n See Algae, Page 5A “I thought the bright blue color might
BY
DON RATZLAFF
The Free Press
PATTY DECKER / FREE PRESS
Swarming on and around their new playground equipment, students at Hillsboro Elementary School showed off their new “My Community Cares” T-shirts during Friday’s dedication event. After the ceremony, a back-to-school carnival followed in the gymnasium with games, door prizes and food. The event raised about $3,300 before expenses; the money will help with maintenance and future equipment purchases.