News
Six rescued at Lightning Creek
MCCUNE — Crawford County sheriff and other emergency units rescued six stranded people at Lightning Creek Saturday morning. The call came at 8:28 a.m. Saturday about a vehicle submerged in water and people stranded in Lightning Creek near 520 Avenue and 70th Street in rural McCune. Deputies reported seeing six people stranded, one clinging to a tree and the others were on or near a bridge. At least three vehicles were stranded or partially sub...
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112 youth participate in derby
ALTAMONT — Recent rains gave Idle Hour Lake south of Altamont more volume and submerged some features on Saturday. The ninth annual Kids Free Fishing Derby started as planned as the storm clouds broke early Saturday morning and allowed the sun to shine. The derby had 112 contestants competing in age categories from 3 to 12 years old. The derby brought moms, dads and grandparents with their eager fishermen. Prizes were available for the biggest...
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City does not restrict tethering
By Jamie Willey jwilley@parsonssun.com Despite a few last-minute, emotional appeals on the issue, the Parsons City Commission voted 4-1 against having City Attorney Ross Albertini preparing an ordinance outlawing or restricting the tethering of dogs. The commission had been discussing the issue primarily with members of Parsons BARC (Basic Animal Rights Committee), a local animal advocacy group that has been pushing for the ordinance. Monday ...
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Court denies appeal for child’s killer
A Parsons man, who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering and abusing a 19-month-old boy, has lost his most recent appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court. Mark Anthony Baker, 27, who is being held under special management custody at El Dorado Correctional Facility Central Unit, was convicted in 2011 of felony murder, abuse of a child, obstructing the official duty of an officer and two counts of felony possession of marijuana (one from a 20...
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Commission plans vote on dog tethering
The Parsons City Commission plans to vote on a proposal from a local pet advocacy group that would restrict the amount of time people could tether their dogs. The commission planned to vote during a May 20 meeting on whether or not to instruct City Attorney Ross Albertini to prepare an ordinance based a Chanute law that limits tethering time to one hour three times a day. The commission’s meeting that day was canceled because of a tornado warn...
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Neosho residents ask for upgrade of road
ERIE — More than 100 people want Neosho County to chip and seal a country road because of a high amount of traffic. During the Neosho County Commission meeting Friday morning, Brian Weaver and Cliff Lewis presented the commissioners a petition asking the county to chip and seal the six miles of Gray Road between 70th Road and Dennis. The petition contained 121 signatures. The petition stated, “Due to the amount of traffic generated by the lo...
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News & Notes
Library activities The Parsons Public Library summer reading program begins next week. It is not too late to sign up for the children, young adult and adult programs. Miss Willie will read “Jo MacDonald Had a Garden” by Mary Quattlebaum at 10 a.m. Monday and Wednesday for the library’s Story Hour for children ages 2 to 6. At 10 a.m. Tuesday, the library will offer a Family Morning Movie, “Antz,” for families with children up to 12 years old...
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Oswego inmates file suits
Eight inmates in the El Dorado Correctional Facility, Southeast Unit, in Oswego are seeking court intervention in their causes. The eight inmates at the prison in Oswego have filed 10 lawsuits in Labette County District Court since January. Most of the suits were filed in other counties where the inmates were housed and the inmates transferred the cases to Parsons after moving to Oswego this year. The inmates filed the habeas corpus petitions ...
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City discusses flooding, storm response
By Jamie Willey jwilley@parsonssun.com With the recent storms sweeping across the area, much of the discussion during the Parsons City Commission’s Thursday afternoon work session centered around flooding and tornado response. Public works director Darrell Moyer told commissioners all of the city’s flood pumps are working, and Derek Clevenger, director of utilities, said his workers will monitor the pumps all night, taking turns in two-hour s...
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PRC to host Day of Play in park
This year’s Day of Play will feature three new activities as well as a coupon giveaway that will save some parents money on Parsons Recreation Commission programs. The PRC, with the help of many volunteers, will host the third annual Day of Play from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 8 in Forest Park. The annual Day of Play is designed to help children stay active outdoors by providing a variety of fun activities. The first 300 children who show up at the...
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Safe Haven asks for votes on charity site
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Melissa Brown is hoping a discovery she made watching a reality TV show will make a new vehicle for Safe Haven Outreach Mission Inc. a reality. Brown, director of Safe Haven, was watching “Bakery Boss” this week and saw at the end of the program that the delivery van presented to the bakery on the show was donated by 1-800-CHARITYCARS.COM. Brown searched online for information and discovered the we...
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News & Notes
Rummage sale postponed The Proud Animal Lovers Shelter’s rummage sale, set for Saturday, has been postponed because of the possibility of inclement weather. It will be rescheduled for a later date. Citywide sale, crafts show EDNA — Edna’s citywide rummage sale will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday. Maps will be available on Friday at local businesses. The Edna Arts and Crafts, Etc. Show will run from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Edna Community...
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Erie alters contract with city of Chanute
ERIE — The Erie City Council made a slight change in an agreement with the city of Chanute. During a regular Monday evening meeting, the council amended the agreement it approved at its previous meeting that states the city will not charge Chanute a per-pole fee to use city of Erie utility poles to install Internet fiber optic cable. In exchange, Chanute will provide Erie free Internet service for city hall, the city library and the city water...
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Throwback singer, Johnny Lee to perform
By Jamie Willey jwilley@parsonssun.com Country singer Johnny Lee will join “Throwback” Tony Ramey, the man he credits with reviving his love of song writing, for a concert in Parsons next week. Ramey originally planned to perform his acoustic set at 7 p.m. June 7 at the Parsons Municipal Auditorium alone, but his new good friend decided to join him for the show, as well as a show on June 6 in Emporia. Lee is best known for his songs that top...
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One-vehicle wreck injures man
A former Labette County man was injured in an accident early Monday east of Altamont. The Labette County Sheriff’s Department was notified of the accident at 6:15 a.m. Monday. The accident was discovered on Pratt Road south of 15500 Pratt, or about a mile and a half north of U.S. 59. Brian Robison, 22, now living in Mitchell County, was traveling southbound on Pratt Road when he fell asleep at the wheel or lost control of the car. The car stru...
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Methodist pastor battles rare form of cancer
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com ALTAMONT — After being a high school teacher and coach for 11 years, and a hog farmer for 25 years, Tom and Ruth Reazin decided 11 years ago, at the age of 55, to answer a call they felt was from God to enter the ministry. The Reazins have been dedicated the last 11 years to their first pastorate at the Altamont and Mound Valley United Methodist churches, although illness has temporarily caused Mr....
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News & Notes
Thayer Amateur Hour THAYER — 2013 marks the 78th year for Thayer Amateur Hour, which starts Saturday.  It will commence at 7 p.m. each Saturday, weather permitting, through Labor Day weekend at the Thayer city park.  There will be free hot dogs and drinks at the snack bar Saturday sponsored by the Thayer Booster Club and Bank of Commerce of Thayer.  When the amateur hour was started, the younger children who performed were given a free ice cre...
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Officials respond to body in pond
EDNA — The Labette County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday morning recovered the body of a 36-year-old Edna woman from a pond next to the Edna City Lake, 830 3000 Road. The death is under investigation, but Labette County Sheriff Robert Sims said there are no signs of foul play so far. The call came at 9:49 a.m. Tuesday about a body in the water. The pond is on the south side of the lake, just beyond the lake levee. Officers found the woman’s b...
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Man faces three burglary charges
A Cherryvale man, caught early Sunday breaking into a pickup, has been charged with three vehicle burglaries from Sunday. Dustin R. Lindal, born in 1994, is charged in Labette County District Court with three counts of vehicle burglary, all level nine felonies. He’s also charged with three counts of theft and one count of criminal damage, all misdemeanors. The complaint alleges that the break-ins were on Sunday. Lindal allegedly stole Axe body...
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Business
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank presented Tank Connection with the President’s “E” Award for Exports on May 20 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The “E” Awards are the highest recognition a U.S. entity may receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. “Export sales have more than doubled over the last five years. Even throughout the lowest point of the recession in 2009, our ...
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