News
American Red Cross issues emergency call for blood
The American Red Cross blood supply has reached emergency levels with 50,000 fewer donations than expected in June. This shortfall leaves the Red Cross with half the readily available blood products on hand now than this time last year. The Red Cross is calling on all eligible blood donors – now more than ever – to roll up a sleeve and give as soon as possible. All blood types are needed, but especially O positive, O negative, B negative and ...
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Main and Lincoln dirt, paving work ahead of schedule
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter Despite sweltering temperatures and high humidity, work continues on schedule for the Lincoln and Main intersection renovation project. Ground-breaking began earlier this month with dirt and pavement work currently ahead of schedule, according to Randy Vihlidal, Dirt and Paving Foreman with Mission Construction. “On Lincoln, from Main southward, we hope to start pouring curb by the end of this week. After that w...
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Cherry Street sells vegetable wares today
The Cherry Street Youth Center is having its yearly vegetable sale today. The sale of vegetables from the center’s garden starts 9:30 a.m. at Cherry Street Youth Center West at 719 N. Garfield. It will run until all the produce is sold. Kevin Olson, who teaches the gardening class, said they’ve been running the garden for about five years, and they usually have one sale a year. “Sometimes we’ll have two depending on when things get ready,” ...
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Butcher Block - Taco John's feeding frenzy
Stu Butcher Tribune editor The question was: Do you think everyone in Chanute has eaten at Taco John’s since Tuesday? (the day the business re-opened after a fire closed the restaurant in December.) Manager Joe Negrete replied: “I know I’ve seen some four or five times.” It’s amazing how the community has expressed missing the fast food business. Stories of progress in the Tribune had numerous hits on the website and every Facebook comment is...
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County will return more than $425,000 of stimulus funds to KDOT
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter ERIE — Neosho County commissioners met in regular session Friday and authorized a payment of $425,820.74 as reimbursement to the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) for the Shaw-Elk Road improvement project. The county was awarded the stimulus funding in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The reimbursement was part of an agreement between the county and KDOT for cost overr...
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GOP candidates discuss issues
Joshua Vail Tribune Reporter ERIE — Republican candidates in Neosho County spoke before a full house of 70 plus at the Erie County Courthouse Thursday night. The meeting, put on by the Neosho County Republicans, filled one of the downstairs meeting rooms as candidates for Senate and House seats, Neosho County Commission, and Neosho County attorney met with constituents and spoke about their plans if elected or re-elected. Each of the candida...
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Chanute Art Gallery celebrates 39 years
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter Nearly four decades strong, the Chanute Art Gallery is celebrating its 39th year of operation in Chanute this month and director Elly McCoy is planning an open house to mark the occasion. A special open house commemorating the Gallery’s 39th anniversary will be held on Friday, June 29 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Refreshments, music and special exhibits will highlight the open house. Founded in 1973 in the Tioga Hotel...
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Maring Aquatic Center provides cool relief
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter The heat is on but Chanute residents can find a wet escape from those 90-plus degree temperatures at a convenient location. The Maring Aquatic Center, 400 South Highland, features several amenities not found in most other public swimming pools. Features include a competition-sized pool, a lazy river, a play pool with interactive spray features and a water slide. “I’ve been coming here since the beginning of sum...
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Hearing in Parsons shooting delayed
Parsons Sun PARSONS — A preliminary hearing for a man who was the subject of a manhunt last month has been delayed. Douglas Dewayne Heiskell, 30, Parsons, is charged in Labette County District Court with criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle, aggravated assault, criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, all felonies, and criminal damage to property, a misdemeanor. The charges relate to a May 2 shooting in Parsons...
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Chanute veterinarian recalls 54 years of practice
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter Dr. Bill LaRue has always downplayed any personal recognition and has kept his focus on providing quality animal healthcare in Chanute for more than half a century. But 54 years of quality, caring and consistent care for pets and livestock cannot go unrecognized as LaRue was honored with the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association’s (KVMA) Lifetime Service Award earlier this month in Manhattan. LaRue founded Chan...
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Humboldt’s Neosho River Park sees major improvements
Joshua Vail Tribune Reporter HUMBOLDT — Major improvements have come and are coming to the Neosho River Park in Humboldt, thanks to a grant through the Kansas PRIDE program. The grant for $5,000, requiring a 50 percent match, is the Healthy Ecosystems Healthy Communities grant, designed to help Kansas communities preserve their natural resources and have a positive environmental impact. Representatives from the project, which was dubbed Hum...
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Chanute legend Bob Conklin to be honored
Joshua Vail Tribune Reporter Former Chanute resident Robert L. Conklin will be honored in a special “Celebration of Passing” at Elks Lake on Saturday, June 23 from 1-3 p.m. “What About Bob” Conklin, who lost his battle to cancer in January, made his final wishes to have a party to celebrate his passing. Son Chris Conklin, of Chanute Studios TV-5, said this is not a funeral or memorial service. “He wanted everyone to party because he has left t...
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Republican candidate meet and greet Thursday in Erie
Neosho County Republicans have invited all of the Republican candidates to speak and mingle this Thursday, June 21 at 7 p.m. in the courthouse located at 100 S. Main, Erie. Everyone is invited to come and meet the candidates: Senate Seat 15 with Candidates Senator Umbarger and Senator King House Seat 2 with Candidate Jeff Locke (unopposed in primary) House Seat 9 with Candidates Bideau, Sifer and Brigham House Seat 13 with Candidates Hibbard ...
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State’s jobless rate steady, Neosho drops
TOPEKA — The unemployment rate in Kansas remained the same in May as in April. According to the Kansas Department of Labor, the unemployment rate in Kansas was 5.8 percent in May, the same as in April but down from 6.5 percent in May 2011. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, unchanged from April and down from 6.7 percent a year ago. Neosho County’s jobless rate dropped to 6.9 percent last month, down from 7.2 percent in...
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More kids home alone during summer; 413 feeding program July 2-26
Schools are out for summer break, and for many families this means a significant change in their daily schedule. Many times these changes leave parents in a situation where they must make a decision about leaving their child at home alone for some period of time.¬†In a report, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that nearly 7 million school-age children are routinely left home alone. “Developmentally, children are generally ready to be home alon...
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Missing truck recovered unscathed
A 1974 Chevy truck belonging to Kent Dickerson was reported stolen early Friday on West 3rd and family members are grateful the vehicle was recovered unharmed. “Kent runs his own business which involves construction so anytime he would finish a house our daughter would paint a stripe on his truck,” said ex-wife Barb Seefeldt. “So there’s no other truck in the whole USA that looks like his.” Seefeldt said the truck was stolen around 2 a.m. on ...
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TFI, Red Cross hold Monday blood drive
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter¬† TFI Family Services, in conjunction with the American Red Cross, held its first blood drive Monday in the history of TFI’s Chanute operation and plans are in the works to hold future drives with the Red Cross. “There’s always a need for blood and this drive helps to bring an awareness to the community of the importance of giving blood,” said TFI Recruitment Specialist Jessica Dalton. “It’s a great combination...
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Judicial review sought in alleged campaign finance violations
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter Attorneys for Kristian Van Meteren filed a lawsuit last Friday in Shawnee County District Court seeking a judicial review over allegations that the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission failed to investigate alleged campaign finance violations by Senator Dwayne Umbarger (R-Thayer). “For the past four years, I have attempted to get the truth about numerous expenditures Senator Umbarger made which, to many, appea...
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NCCC holds Kids College week
Joshua Vail Tribune “Kids’ College” at Neosho County Community College this week attracted 99 youth. Children ages 7-9 and 10-12 participate in classes in things like rockets, science, history and theater, as well as crafts and games. This is the 15th year that NCCC has done the Kids’ College, which goes from Monday to Thursday. Amy Smith, outreach and workforce development administrative assistant, said the goal of Kids’ College is to “kee...
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Two teens arrested in vehicle theft
Officers with the Chanute Police Department on Thursday responded to a report of a stolen vehicle taken from the 600 block of South Ashby. Det. Raymond Hale reported the vehicle was later recovered and two individuals were arrested. Sam Son and Kevin Murphy, both 18 and both from Chanute, are still involved in an ongoing investigation. During the investigation of the vehicle theft, it was discovered that other car burglaries had occurred with...
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