Community News
Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 21, 1973 Carol Davidson, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Gene Davidson, 1010 S. 32nd, was the valedictorian of the 1973 graduating class at Parsons High School. Alice Pontious, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Wayne Pontious of rural Erie, was the salutatorian. The two were scheduled to speak during a commencement ceremony in which 198 members of the senior class would receive ...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 17, 1973 A business offering western wear and equipment planned its formal opening for May 19 in Oswego. The Tack Room was owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Jerald Reed of Oswego. Reed said the store would have a complete line of western apparel, plus saddles and other items of tack. The store was located at the U.S. 59/K-96 highway entrance to Oswego from the west. ...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 16, 1973 Construction of new quarters for Parsons Commercial Bank, on the site of its exiting building at Central and Main with the addition of 22,000 square feet of off-street parking space, was announced. The project would be one of the largest investments made in the downtown urban renewal area. R.E. Feess, president of the bank, said completion of the new building...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 15, 1973 A minimum base salary increase of 4.8 percent was included in a contract agreement ratified by Parsons public school teachers. The Parsons Education Association, which was the bargaining unit for the teachers, ratified the agreement after considerable debate by a vote of about three to one, A.L. Flanders, chief of the teachers’ bargaining team, said. Of about...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 14, 1973 The high winds that struck Southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri early on May 11 had the elements of both a cyclone and a tornado, the nation’s chief severe storm forecaster said, a “tornadic cyclone” in other words. Allen Pearson, director of the National Severe Storm Forecasting Center, said he and Theodore Fujita, an international authority on tornadoes ...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 11-12, 1973 A howling wind, accompanied by heavy rain and hail, ripped through Southeast Kansas early on May 11 and left a trail of destruction in Chanute, St. Paul and Parsons before wreaking greater havoc and human toll in Joplin. The storm struck in Parsons about 6 a.m. It may have been a tornado. Federal severe weather forecasters weren’t certain of that and would...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 10, 1973 Parsons Viking golfers captured the four-man title at the regional tournament to qualify for the school’s eighth state high school tournament trip in a row. Paced by John Daley, state champion in 1971, the Vikings totaled 323 strokes to win by 14 strokes over Eureka. Daley carded a 40-38—78 over the nine-hole, par 73 Eureka Country Club course to finish fourt...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 9, 1973 Sale of a 10.2-acre tract for development of a downtown shopping center was approved by the Parsons Urban Renewal Agency. The agency’s board accepted a proposal from M.K. Gentry, a Wichita developer, for purchase of the land at 42 cents per square foot. The total price would be $175,158.06 for the development that was expected to represent an investment of $1 ...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 7, 1973 A Labette County deputy sheriff from Chetopa quit to accept another job, Carl Cloke, sheriff, said. Glen Schofield, who had worked for the department since Feb. 8, was the third deputy to resign within two weeks. Cloke said at least two of the former deputies quit for better-paying jobs. He said the deputies worked 80 hours weekly, making their salaries averag...
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News & Notes
Property taxes due The second half of property taxes are due Friday at the Labette County Treasurer’s Office. Property taxes can be taken care of in two payments, one in December and the other by May 10. The county treasurer recommends that payments are mailed on or before that date. Butterfly plant fundraiser Service Valley Charter Academy will have its annual butterfly plant fundraiser from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at 21102 Wallace Road. The...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 4-5, 1973 Word was received from Washington that the Farmers Home Administration gave final approval to a $240,000 loan for a senior citizens housing project in Chetopa. The project included plans for 20 apartment units to be rented by the Chetopa Housing Corp., a community nonprofit organization. Ruth Elmore was president. Erection of a building for the Home State Ba...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 3, 1973 Ronnie Niebaum, 6, was saved by Ed Dowell, a Parsons mail carrier, from a water-filled excavation at 22nd and Broadway. The near-tragedy occurred as Ronnie and two other morning kindergartners at McKinley School were at the site, unknown to their mothers. The Niebaum home was at 2314 Corning. Attention was attracted when a Labette County social welfare departm...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 2, 1973 James Altendorf, president of Labette Community Junior College, said a Parsons grandmother who completed credits at Parsons Junior College in 1924 would receive a diploma the following week. Helen Ramsey Schiffert was one of two sophomore students who completed graduation requirements in 1924. The junior college was opened in 1923 and no commencement was held ...
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Labette County Fair Board
OSWEGO — President Clint Hanigan called the Labette County Fair Board April meeting to order. Fourteen members and three guests attended. The treasurer’s report showed $6,618.73 in one account. Labette County Sheriff Robert Sims and Assistant Police Chief Brandon Conrad reported that last year’s beer garden went very smoothly, and with just some minor changes in manpower assignments, the policing of the beer garden would remain basically the ...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 1, 1973 Parsons Viking golfers overcame strong, gusty winds and an Independence Country Club course that was in less than its best shape to capture four-man, two-man and individual crowns to take home seven of eight medals. Senior Mike Maier captured the individual crown by a shot over teammates John Daley and Jack Kynion. Robb Lent rounded out the four-man team. Jack...
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Clubs
Parsons Rotary Club president Gary Goodnight opened the club's weekly meeting Thursday. Sharon Stewart-Brown offered the prayer, Kenton Jarman led the Four-Way Test and Pledge of Allegiance, and Glenn Fischer led the song. JeanLuc McLaughlin, son of Rotarian Scott McLaughlin, was a guest. Rotarian of the Day Mart Watkins' speaker was Diane Watkins, assistant superintendent of the Chanute school district. Watkins began with asking the question,...
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Schools
Angela Holmes, a radiologic technology student at Labette Community College, has been selected to participate in the American Society of Radiologic Technologists 2013 Student Leadership Development Program. The ASRT represents 150,000 members who perform medical imaging procedures or plan and deliver radiation therapy treatments. The society also provides radiologic technology students with the tools, services and support they need to prepare ...
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These new names are in the news
Jaylynn Sue Anne is the name chosen by Casey Shaver and Jennifer Keller-Shaver of Parsons for their daughter born on March 30 at Labette Health. She joins a brother, D.J. Patricia Keller-Zambrzuski, Lawrence Zambrzuski, both of Fallon, Nev., and Patti Shaver of Parsons are her grandparents. Bonnie Harper of Fallon, Nev., Mary Ramirez of Parsons and Jana Shaver and Richard Shaver, both of Independence, are great-grandparents. ——— Michael and Gr...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. April 30, 1973 A tanned, 33-year-old Arizonan who was a former Kansan was employed as city manager of Parsons, Richard Combs, mayor, announced. Williams, a native of Lawrence, would assume duties the last part of May for a job vacant since February when Will Tschudy became city manager of Olathe. Williams would receive a salary of $16,200 annually. Williams was assistant ...
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Schools
PSU awards PITTSBURG — Pittsburg State University recently announced that three Parsons area students were honored with scholarships and awards. Aubrey Creitz of Erie, daughter of Dan and Shaila Creitz of Erie, is the recipient of the Golden Gorilla Award. The award is an honor to recognize students who have made exemplary contributions in community service, academic excellence and campus involvement. Creitz is a senior majoring in early child...
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