Community News
Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Feb. 16, 1970 Mary (Cleo) Morris, 2318 Main, announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination and re-election as clerk of the court of the 11th Judicial District, Division Three, Labette County. Morris filed as a candidate with County Clerk Quincy Greer. Morris served as deputy in the office from July 1963 until December 1967. At that time, she was appointed clerk b...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Feb. 12, 1970 Explosion of natural gas in a furnace of The Parsonian Hotel shook the nine-story structure and was heard throughout the downtown area of Parsons. There was no fire, although firemen answered an alarm from the hotel at 10:28 p.m. Some of the hotel’s 75 guests dressed and left their rooms. They reported reverberations in their rooms. One man said the door of ...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Feb. 11, 1970 Louis Daharb, Parsons real estate man, announced a major business development for 26th and Main streets involving two firms. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. would occupy a 6,000-square-foot building at the northeast corner of the intersection on ground owned by Daharb, who also would erect the structure. A convenience food store would be located on a site with a...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Feb. 9, 1970 L.M. “Jack” Wicker, owner of the Family Shoe Store, announced his purchase of the building at 1805 Main and plans for its modernization. The store occupied the building that was bought from Kimball Investment Co. The building had a 25-foot front. Wicker said without urban renewal, he wouldn’t have even thought about buying the building. While Wicker said pla...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Feb. 5, 1970 An appropriation bill providing 1971 fiscal year funds of $3,756,270 for the Parsons State Hospital and Training Center was introduced in the Kansas House. The bulk of the funds would be for salaries and wages. The 1971 fiscal year total for those items would be $3,112,709, up $65,492 from the 1970 fiscal year. One new position was provided, boosting total a...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Feb. 4, 1970 It was a happy basketball Homecoming for the St. Patrick’s High School Leprechauns. Pat Johnston’s 20-foot shot with only seconds left gave the team a 53-52 non-league victory over Le Roy at the St. Pat’s gym. St. Pat’s Don Crispell led scoring with 27 points, including nine of 12 free throws. Charlie Brown scored 11. Carol Panek reigned as the 1970 basketba...
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Business news
Bank adds services, changes name Dan Mildfelt, president and CEO of Community National Bank, recently announced that the bank added trust powers to its financial services. Mildfelt said in a statement that “to underscore the introduction of this important service to our customers, the Board of Directors has changed the name of the bank to Community National Bank & Trust, effective Jan. 1, 2010.” Jim Gilpin, a well-known Iola banker with 30 ...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Feb. 2, 1970 Parsons firemen, assisted by a large number of volunteers, fought a grass fire for nearly four hours the previous weekend that threatened homes in the Eastborough Addition and property east of the city limits. Cause of the fire was not determined, but firemen said it started in a pasture of a farm owned by Mary Heinrichsmeier on the south side of U.S. 160. F...
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New names
Kinley Daniels is the name chosen by Matt and Spring Simpson of Olathe for their daughter born Dec. 28. She joins a brother, Tarin Isaac, in the family. Her grandparents are Ron and Kathy Chase of Parsons and Gary and Connie Billionis of Fort Scott. Her great-grandparents are Mildred Ostrander and Mary Chase, both of Chanute, Lavon Meek of Fort Scott and Robert Billionis of Pittsburg.
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Allen, Cooper
Bodie and Terry Cooper of Hill City announce the engagement of their daughter, Kiley Cooper, to Flint Allen of Chanute. He is the son of Mike and Joyce Allen of Coffeyville. Allen’s grandparents are Eugene and Leona Pool of Savonburg and Junior and Elizabeth King of Lenapah, Okla., and the late Henry Allen. Cooper’s grandparents are Charles and Ellen Lewis of Hill City and Herb and Peggy Hachmeister of Natoma and the late Chet Copper. The br...
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Nduati, Ndua
Rose NJeri Nduati and Peter Ndua were married Dec. 19, 2009, at Nairobi, Kenya. The bride is the daughter of James Nduati and Rahab Nduati of Parsons. The groom is the son of Edith N. Kungu of Loresho, Nairobi, Kenya, and the late D.C. Kungu. Ann Muiruri of Springfield, Mo., served as the bride’s maid of honor. Kabogo of Nairobi, Kenya, served as the best man. The reception took place at the Karen Blixen Museum in Nairobi. The couple are at ho...
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Couple to celebrate 50th anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Rich of Ottawa will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, Jan. 23. They are both natives of Parsons. Dean Rich and Linda Wall were married Saturday, Jan. 23, 1960, at First Baptist Church in Parsons by Pastor Richard L. Waltz. Since their marriage they have lived in Parsons, Wichita and Ottawa. Both are graduates of Parsons High School and Parsons Junior College. Mr. Rich graduated from Wichita State Univers...
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Jackson, Gudde
Jerri Diane Jackson and Kevin Patrick Gudde were married Sept. 12, 2009, at First Christian Church in Parsons. The Rev. John Bain officiated at the 3 p.m. double-ring ceremony. Parents of the bride are Ed and Grace Jackson of Parsons. Parents of the groom are Larry and Connie Gudde of Parsons. Jillian Fitzmorris of Lawrence served as maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Nicohle Modica of Parsons, Heather Bushnell of Lawrence, Kate Lindeman of Ola...
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‘The Lovely Bones’ is a poor adaptation
By Andrew Rausch Peter Jackson has proven himself to be one of contemporary cinema’s finest filmmakers, and Alice Sebold’s “The Lovely Bones” is one of the most revered novels of the past decade. Based on these things, one might reasonably expect that Jackson’s new screen adaptation would be very good. Sadly, this is not the case. Despite valiant efforts from Jackson and company, “The Lovely Bones” fails to capture the essence of the novel. ...
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O'Briens to celebrate 50th anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph “Jay” O’Brien of St. Paul are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, Jan. 9. Joseph O’Brien and Mauricia Vitt were married on Jan. 9, 1960, by the Rev. Nilus at St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul. The O’Briens are lifelong residents of St. Paul. He is co-owner of O’Brien Ready-Mix Co. She retired after 26 years with the St. Paul school food service department. The couple have four children: Lisa O’Brie...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Jan. 2-3, 1970 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kinzie, owners of Kinzie’s Home Furnishings, announced they had bought the building at 1707 Main that housed their business. They planned to rehabilitate and modernize the structure in connection with Parsons’ pending urban renewal project. Kinzie said that exterior design of the building would await final determination of the Parsons ...
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Allisons to celebrate 40th anniversary
Ron and Carol Allison will be honored with a 40th wedding anniversary reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10, at the First Baptist Church, 300 W. Ninth, in Coffeyville. Family and friends are invited to attend. Ron Allison, formerly of Altamont, and Carol Martin of Coffeyville were married on Jan. 12, 1970, at the Church of Christ in Coffeyville by the Rev. Lavern Stewart. They have lived their entire married life in Coffeyville. The celeb...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Dec. 31, 1969 The long-awaited operating contract for the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant east of Parsons was awarded to Day & Zimmermann Inc. of Philadelphia. It would be effective with the start of the new year. D&Z, a nationally known firm of engineers, designers, professional managers and constructors, had operated the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant at Texarkana, Texas...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Dec. 30, 1969 Stan Heffernon of Iola won the open class in a three-hour hare scramble sponsored by the Parsons Brush Riders motorcycle club. The endurance race at the Bob McConnell farm, west of Parsons in the Timber Hill area, drew 34 riders and about 100 spectators. Another scramble was planned for late January. Pat Yeoman of Parsons finished in third in the open class...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. Dec. 29, 1969 Larry Leo O’Connor, 26, and Marcia Jean Myers, 21, were married in a private airplane while it circled in heavy overcast 2,000 feet above Parsons. The double-ring ceremony was performed by J.A. Barnard, a Parsons justice of the peace. The plane, owned by Dr. Maurice Borklund of Independence, was piloted by Don Liberman, a Parsons merchant, who with Mrs. Lib...
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