News
KBI investigating misconduct by jailer
On April 30, Neosho County Sheriff Jim Keath received a complaint of alleged misconduct by a Neosho County detention officer. “Investigators were immediately assigned to conduct a preliminary inquiry which revealed some evidence of possible misconduct isolated to one detention officer,” he said. Keath immediately contacted the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. “The inquiry was turned over to the KBI to complete a thorough, unbiased and comp...
full story
NCCC lists 2012 graduates
Graduation for Neosho County Community College is Friday, May 11 at 7 p.m. in Chanute’s Memorial Auditorium. Candidates for Associate degrees: Associate of Arts Skyller A. Chambers, Emma C. Kettler *, Derek A. Livingston, Paul H. Ornelas, Brittany N. Rhodes *, Shaina D. Rose, Miranda J. Scott *, Timothy R. Tarkelly, Devonta M. Thomas, Peter D. Wolken # * Associate of Applied Science - N...
full story
St. Paul school closed for day due to fire on roof
By Colleen Surridge Parsons Sun ST. PAUL — USD 505 Superintendent Mark LaTurner canceled school at St. Paul Wednesday following an early morning report of a fire at the school. LaTurner said the Neosho County Sheriff’s Department discovered the fire just prior to 2 a.m. “We did have a fire. It stayed at the very southwest corner of the high school above our band and music classroom, and they were able to contain the fire damage to only the ro...
full story
Parsons suspect eludes officers after chase
Tribune staff A chase through Labette and Neosho counties Wednesday afternoon sought Douglas Dewayne Heiskell, 30, Parsons, who was suspected of firing from three to six gunshots from a handgun at an occupied vehicle at 5:11 a.m. last Wednesday in Parsons. Neosho County Sheriff Jim Keath reported a chase started at mid-afternoon in Parsons and led to 130th and Wallace Road in Neosho County where the vehicle was stopped. A female occupant was c...
full story
Legislation prompts county special meeting
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter ERIE -- Neosho County commissioners held a special meeting Tuesday to discuss the introduction by the House Tax Committee of Substitute Senate Bill 59. The committee passed out the bill last Thursday and is scheduled to head to the full House for debate this week. The legislation looks to broaden machinery and equipment property tax exemptions for large commercial properties. According to language in the bill...
full story
School board approves curriculum changes
Joshua Vail Tribune At its regular meeting Monday, May 7, the USD 413 school board approved several items for next year that had been presented at the April meeting. The board approved the purchase of the “Treasures” K-5 reading curriculum from McGraw-Hill. That curriculum was previously presented to the board by Chanute Elementary Administrator Gary Wheeler at the April meeting, and was available for review to teachers, board members and the...
full story
USD 413 sees six teachers retire this year
168 years of instruction committed to Chanute students Joshua Vail Tribune Linda Ashley has been teaching in Chanute for 40 years. Before starting in Chanute, she taught second grade at Sacred Heart School in Leavenworth. She taught 25 years of third grade and 11 years in fourth grade at Murray Hill School, and taught fourth grade the last four years at Chanute Elementary. Ashley received her Bachelor’s of Science in Education from the Unive...
full story
Three-year-old returned to parents
Chanute Police responded to a report Tuesday around 10:33 a.m. of an infant child wandering on the 900 block of W. 7th Street in Chanute When officers arrived they found a girl, approximately three years old, who said her name was Haley. She did not know where she lived and said that her mom was sleeping. Officers started canvassing the neighborhood trying to locate the child’s parents. A broadcast was sent out over the local cable network ...
full story
JC15_050812chsjournal.jpg
Chanute journalism takes second at State
Josh Vail Tribune Reporter Chanute High School continued to garner success at the Kansas Scholastic Press Association State Contest. The contest took place Saturday at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. CHS placed second overall in the 4A division, with 16 students competing. Dustin Fox, adviser for the Comet, Chanute High School’s student paper, said his expectations were not as high as last year due to several seniors graduating who had ...
full story
Two-year-old hit, killed in pasture
A two-year-old from Labette City was killed Saturday when he was hit by a 2000 GMC in a pasture one mile south of Oswego. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Christy Renee Dunnic, 30, Oswego, was driving through a pasture at 6:57 p.m. and the toddler, Clayton James, was walking in the pasture. For an unknown reason, the driver was unable to see the pedestrian and ran over the pedestrian. There were three passengers in the bed of the truck...
full story
HPD2_050812humjourn.jpg
Humboldt back to back State journalism champs
Humboldt High School’s journalism students received their 16th sweepstakes state championship at the Kansas Scholastic Press Association’s State competition at the University of Kansas on Saturday. This latest championship gives Humboldt the state title for four out of the last five years. HHS journalists entered 26 entries in the competition and placed with 14. “I am so proud of my staff for producing a newspaper professional enough to achi...
full story
1985 CHS grad leads Olathe students to BattleBots championship
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter Olathe Northwest High School teacher Keith Manbeck has fostered a passion for robotics and in the process, he led his tech students to the National BattleBots Competition Championship in Miami, Fla. in April. Manbeck, a 1985 Chanute High School and 1987 NCCC graduate, is a computer-aided drafting and robotics instructor at Olathe North. Manbeck’s students took first place in the 120-pound bot division with thei...
full story
KUQH_050512hardy.jpg
Dr. Hardy embraces ‘students first’ motto
Joshua Vail Tribune Reporter Dr. Jim Hardy has changed the face of USD 413. Hardy took over as USD 413 Superintendent in July of 2011. He soon became a fixture at the schools, eating lunch at the cafeterias, poking his head into classrooms and attending school events. Chanute Elementary Librarian Janea Lawrence said Hardy has worked hard to be involved in the schools of the district. “Our district motto is ‘students first,’” she said. “I thin...
full story
Rector brings ‘new visions’ to Grace church
Travis Hendryx Tribune Reporter The Reverend Joyce Holmes is no stranger to the ministry field in Kansas. Born in Detroit, Mich,, and raised and educated in Florida and Tennessee, Holmes has been involved in ministry programs throughout central and southeast Kansas. Holmes has served as rector at Grace Episcopal Church in Chanute since December 2011 and is the first seminary-trained, ordained woman in the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas. She rec...
full story
Decade of change beginning for NCCC
Joshua Vail Tribune The last year has been a year of big change for Neosho County Community College. President Brian Inbody said the college is excited about how well things are going. “Of course there’s areas of the college that need to improve, and we’re focusing on those,” he said. “We’re constantly gathering data from various sources, student surveys, employee surveys and national databases, all designed to help us find areas that we ne...
full story
NCCC, PSU sign construction, welding articulation agreement
Joshua Vail Tribune Neosho County Community College welding and construction students will now have greater opportunities to receive a bachelor’s degree. NCCC and Pittsburg State University signed an articulation agreement for an Associate in Applied Science in welding or construction from NCCC to easily transfer to a Bachelor’s in Applied Science program at PSU. In order for students to be eligible to benefit from the agreement, they must g...
full story
Parsons police seek suspect in vehicle shooting
PARSONS — Parsons police are investigating a shooting that occurred after 5 a.m. Wednesday at 23rd and Stevens. The vehicle was occupied by three male adults and two female adults. There were no reported injuries. The shooting was reported in a 911 call by one of the five people in the car that was shot at. Parsons Police Officers are asking for help in locating a man charged in Labette County District Court with criminal discharge of a fire...
full story
Royster named finalist for state award
Connie Woodard USD 413 public relations Royster Middle School has been notified that it was named one of five finalists for the Kansas Middle School of the Year. The Finalist Award will be presented next week at the Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators spring conference at Topeka. Principal Brad Miner said he’s pleased with his school’s improvement since last year when Royster was recognized, but not as this level. “This year we...
full story
Frontenac man sentenced for manufacturing meth
GIRARD – A Frontenac man has been sentenced to eight years in the Kansas Department of Corrections for manufacturing methamphetamine, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Thursday. Raymond Kenneth Kusel Jr, 52, was sentenced in Crawford County District Court to 96 months in prison by Judge Janice Russell. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Steve Wilhoft, Southeast Kansas Drug Prosecutor from Schmidt’s office. The Fro...
full story
Royster choir tour precedes end of year concert
Connie Woodard USD 413 public relations The Vocal Plus students from Royster Middle School are primed for their upcoming spring concert next week. The group “toured” Chanute all day Tuesday, stopping to sing to students and residents at Guest Home Estates, St. Patrick’s School, Heritage Healthcare, Chanute Elementary and Royster Middle School and Chanute High School. The tour is “an end of the year celebration of music,” said Royster vocal di...
full story