Community News
Our Past 012112
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 21-21, 1972 Parsons High School’s first-year wrestling team found the encouragement it had been looking for all season while Labette County scored a 39-24 triumph at the Viking gym. The Grizzlies got their 15-point margin by receiving two forfeits and scoring four pins to three for the hosts. The dual’s feature match saw Derrel Gofourth, Parsons heavy weight, decisio...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 20, 1972 Will Tschudy, city manager of Parsons, announced a $43,313 federal grant for improvements in Forest Park. The funding from the U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation would finance new walkways and lighting, refinishing for two tennis courts and construction of two new tennis courts plus a basketball court. Parking spaces on the park grounds on Grand also would be...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 19, 1972 Withdrawal of an order to close the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant east of Parsons was asked of Melvin Laird, secretary of defense, by U.S. Sen. James Pearson, R.-Kansas, based on preliminary findings in an inquiry conducted by the General Accounting Office. Pearson sent a hand-delivered letter from his Washington office to Laird at the Pentagon after receivin...
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Schools
Piva earns honor BALDWIN CITY — A Parsons student was one of two Baker University students who were recently honored by the Order of Omega, a leadership honor society that recognizes Greek members of junior and senior status who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Baker’s Upsilon Tau Chapter’s Milan Piva of Parsons was awarded a $500 scholarship by the Order of Omega for her achievements. Piva serves as the Upsilon Tau chap...
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Clubs
Friday Reading Club The Thayer Friday Reading Club met on Friday. President Joy Woolery called the meeting to order and led the flag salute. Harriet Thornton read a poem, “God is no Stranger,” for the spiritual note to the seven ladies in attendance. A December Christmas supper was enjoyed with members and spouses. The treasurer’s report was given with the addition of a milk fund donation taken up at the Christmas get-together. This will be pr...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 17, 1972 Pam Frame and Danny McClelland would be featured in the 1972 Parsons High School yearbook as Norseman queen and king. Both seniors, they were crowned at the Norseman Ball. The preliminary judging of the photographs of nominees was in Manhattan, where six boys and six girls were selected as finalists. Gov. Robert Docking made the final selections. Continuatio...
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Ha, Ritchal wedding
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Ritchal Hong Ha and Aaron Ritchal were married Oct. 15 at Walnut Creek Chapel in an 11 a.m. double-ring ceremony in Oklahoma City. The bride’s parents are Sinh and Le Ha of Oklahoma City. The groom’s parents are Owen and Donna Ritchal of McCune. Kristen Chang of Los Angeles served as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Pirang Martinez of Omaha, Neb., Patty Thompson of Yukon, Okla., Caitlen Courtney of Oklahoma City and Natalie...
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Fuentez, Glendinning engagement
Fuentez, Glendinning Melissa Fuentez Andrew Glendinning William “Buster” and Teresia Fuentez of Parsons announce the engagement of their daughter, Melissa Fuentez of Irvine, Calif., to Andrew Glendinning of Irvine. He is the son of Micheline and Iain Glendinning of Traburo Canyon, Calif. The bride-elect is a 2003 graduate of Parsons High School. She graduated from the University of Kansas in 2008, majoring in graphic design. She is an assista...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 14-15, 1972 Derrel Gofourth scored his fifth straight pin, but Parsons High School’s first-year wrestling team dropped a 48-8 decision to Columbus. The Parsons heavyweight pinned his opponent in the third period to run his season’s record to 7-1. Joe Martin at 105 pounds wrestled to a 5-5 draw to make his season’s record 5-3-1. Bill Neighbors at 98 dropped a decision...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 13, 1972 A team of General Accounting Office auditors began an investigation at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant east of Parsons, part of an inquiry resulting from a request made by U.S. Sen. James Pearson of Kansas to determine the basis on which the Army chose KAAP for closing in mid-March. Jan. 13, 1982 A Valley Center man was seeking Parsons investors in a propo...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 12, 1972 An increase of 4.9 percent in funds but a reduction of four in personnel were recommended in 1973 fiscal year funds for the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center by Gov. Robert Docking to the new Kansas Legislature. The total operating budget as submitted by the governor was $4,148,284 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, a gain of $203,907 over the co...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 11, 1972 Creation of a Big Brother program in Parsons was announced following an organization meeting. Billy Hutson, administrator of the Katy Employees’ Hospital, was elected president. Lewis Hevel, Joe Carson and Michael Harrison were selected as vice presidents. Thomas Muninger would serve as treasurer. An executive director, George Carson of Parsons, would work o...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 10, 1972 Parsons Cold Storage fired a 3,164 to capture the team crown in the 1972 men’s city bowling tournament at Tower Bowl. Second in the field of 39 teams was L&L Construction of Altamont with a 3,137. Third was Abshier Insurance at 3,108. The champions totaled 986-959-981—2,916 with 248 pins handicap. Morris Eakins, single champion in 1965 and the team’s cleanup...
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Trotnic, Zwahlen
Brett and Leona Trotnic of Oswego announce the engagement of their daughter, Deja Denae Trotnic, to Jimmy Lee Zwahlen, both of rural Oswego.  He is the son of Mike and Tonya Zwahlen of rural Oswego. The bride-elect is a 2009 Oswego High School graduate.  She will graduate from the physical therapist assistant program at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Miami, Okla., in May. The future groom is a 2003 Labette County High School graduate. He r...
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Vitt, McCoy
Dan and Susan Vitt of St. Paul announce the engagement of their daughter, Julie Vitt, to Michael D. McCoy, son of Michael W. and Anne McCoy of Grand Island, Neb., and David and Geri Hickerson of Wichita. The bride-elect received a bachelor of science degree from Wichita State University. She is studying veterinary medicine at Kansas State University in Manhattan. She is the granddaughter of Don and Naomi Bradshaw, the late Ellen Bradshaw and t...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 7-8, 1972 Purchase of a 10-acre site for a Parsons Presbyterian Manor was announced. The project at the start would be a 75-bed combined retirement and skilled nursing home. The Rev. Donald Parnell, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, said that land in the Prairie West addition at the northwest edge of Parsons had been acquired from its owners. Final plans for const...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 6, 1972 Major crimes in Parsons continued to decrease in 1971 while minor offenses such as vandalism and petty larceny showed a slight increase, according to an annual report released by Harry Tims, chief of police. The number of arrests showed a marked drop to the previous year’s total of 481, which was 80 fewer than the 561 recorded in 1970. Only 54 cases of grand ...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 5, 1972 A job training program would begin in Parsons in late February, covering 120 people for jobs in the new plant of Power-Flame Division Inc. The 76,600-square-foot plant was under construction. It was scheduled to begin production by April 15. Sixty individuals would be trained in fabrication procedures, 20 in electrical wiring and 40 in assembly production. Pa...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 4, 1972 A total of 164,749 people lived within a 40-mile radius of Parsons. The figure within a 30-mile radius was 103,342. Both figures included the population of Parsons itself. The Parsons Urban Renewal Agency compiled the figures for presentation to various firms interested in redevelopment in the downtown urban renewal area, Michael McDowell, executive director,...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 3, 1972 Leasing of industrial space and facilities at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant east of Parsons was in prospect, Lt. Col. Hugh Rogers Jr., commanding officer, said. The president of one firm visited the plant to inspect possible space and would return during the week to look at two buildings, one of them believed suitable for its requirements. The firm would e...
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