Community News
City’s water rates to be raised over three years
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter At the City Commission meeting Monday evening commissioners approved an ordinance that will increase water rates over the next three years. Director of Utilities Larry Gates answered questions and explained the need for a water rate increase. The rates have not been raised in more than seven years and the water utility has had to borrow money from the electric utility in the past. “The ultimate goal is to have ...
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Elsie Bruenger 1922-2011
Elsie M. Bruenger, 89, Humboldt, died Friday, August 5, 2011, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. She was born Feb. 1, 1922, on the family farm east of Humboldt, the daughter of Louis Fred and Agnes Margaret Mueller Bruenger. Until her health failed, she lived on the same family farm all of her life. She attended Center Grove Rural School, studied music and attended classes later at Allen County Community College. She worked...
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Top Shot takes aim tonight — Chanute native among competitors on History Channel series
Stu Butcher Tribune editor The long await for Season 3 of Top Shot on the History Channel is over. The 12-week season, featuring Chanute native Chris Collins, will debut tonight at 9 p.m. Collins, Owasso, Okla., a former U.S. Marine and firearms instructor and now at the United States Shooting Academy, is one of the cast members. While serving in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years, Collins became familiar with pistols, rifles, assault weapon...
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Allen County accident sends five to hospital
iOLA — Five people were taken to the hospital, including one to a medical center near Kansas City, following a two-vehicle accident north of Iola Sunday evening. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Ami S. Goldner, 46, Kincaid, was westbound on West Virginia Road, about 5 miles north of Iola, when her minivan was struck on the passenger side by a northbound pickup driven by Russell L. Beth, 47, Blue Mound. Beth was northbound on 1400 Stree...
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New USD 413 leaders gearing up for new school year
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter As students and teachers prepare for this school year the new superintendent and assistant superintendent are settling in and continuing to build upon the existing foundation. Superintendent Dr. James Hardy and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Diane Watkins took over in July and tackled their first major project in establishing a budget for the upcoming year, while creating a plan for years to come. Both look forwa...
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Heat wave hard on corn crop
Stu Butcher Tribune editor “Crispy” usually isn’t the way to order corn, but unfortunately the corn crop in Neosho County this year is burning up. “It’s pretty bad,” said Doug Shoop, Kansas State University Extension crops and soils specialist based in Chanute. “Everyone tells me it’s the worst since 1980, but I was just knee-high to a grasshopper back then.” He said area farmers are expecting about 30 bushel per acre in the 20,000 to 30,000 a...
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William O. Fail 1915-2011
William “Bill” O. Fail, 95, Chanute, died Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Bill was born in Rest, Kan., on Oct. 18, 1915, the son of George Roy and Bessie M. Ramp Fail. He attended Altoona schools. He was united in marriage to Winifred W. Worley on May 2, 1937 in Los Angeles, Calif. They made their home in Los Angeles until 1947 when they moved to this area. She survives. Bill worked as a mac...
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Local volleyball girls visit Austria, Germany
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter A group of local teen volleyball players recently traveled to Austria and Germany to take on foreign teams and experience new cultures. Asya Herron, head volleyball coach at Neosho County Community College, put together the team of high school-aged players with the help of an organization called America’s Team. The team flew into Munich, Germany, but spent the first four days of their trip in Salzburg, Austria....
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Thayer replaces city clerk after audit alert
Tribune staff An audit leading to questions about the financial records of the City of Thayer led to a personnel change. The Thayer City Council on Monday night replaced the city clerk of 11 years, Laura Whittley. The council named Nancy Trout as city clerk with a 20-hour week rather than 40 hours. “We are probing some irregularities that were discovered in an audit of the 2010 financial records of the city of Thayer,” said Neosho County Sheri...
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William “Curly” Sesher 1930-2011
William “Curly” Sesher, 80, Chanute, died Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Curly was born at Cherryvale on August 25, 1930, the son of Edward C. and Goldenia Ringle Sesher. He graduated from Chanute High School in 1948. He worked for G & W Grocery Store as a grocery clerk for several years. Curly is survived by his brother, Charles Sesher and wife, Phyllis, Chanute; one niece, Susan Morris Belt,...
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Noel Patrick McGregor 1931-2011
Noel Patrick McGregor, 80, St. Paul, died Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at the Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. Pat was born in Kackley on April 29, 1931, the son of Morris and Eva O’Brien McGregor. He graduated from Buffalo High School in 1946, and later graduated from Pittsburg State Teacher’s College in 1956 with a Master’s degree in Education. He served his country in the United States Army from 1952 until his discharge in 1954. H...
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Edna Duvall 1913-2011
Edna Duvall, 98, Coffeyville, died Tuesday, August 2, 2011. Edna was born Feb. 2, 1913 in Greenforrest, Ark., to Velcie David and Ruth M Walker Pennington. She attended school in Greenforrest. Her father died when she was young and the family moved to Chanute. On Oct. 1931 in Chanute, she married Lawrence R. Duvall. The family lived here until moving to LeRoy. Her husband preceded her in death. She was a member of First Assembly of God in Coff...
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Louis Sanchez 1919-2011
Louis Sanchez, 92, Humboldt, died Monday, August 1, 2011 at his home. Louis was born in Schafter, Texas on March 25, 1919, the son of Casimiro and Vicenta Montinez Sanchez. He attended schools in Humboldt. Louis served his country in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945. He participated in the Rome-Arno, North Apennines, Po Valley and GO 40 WD 45 campaigns; earning a Good Conduct Medal, a World War II Victory Ribbon, an EAME Theater Ribbon...
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USD 413’s mill levy to remain flat for coming school year
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter At the Board of Education meeting Monday night the school board approved the proposed 2011-2012 budget. Although there will likely be a decrease in state aid in the 2012-2013 school year due to an increased assessed valuation, the mill levy will remain flat for this coming school year. “We really have a longterm plan to make sure we have a stable budget despite what the state may send our way and what other ch...
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Turner adds lottery winnings to list of accomplishments
 Kansas Lottery TOPEKA – Harold Turner is quite a celebrity in his hometown of Chanute.  The 63-year-old not only has a scholarship named after him at Neosho County Community College, he also has an All-Star basketball game named after him. After today, Turner now has something new to add to his list of accomplishments, a $10,000 lottery win. The Chanute resident purchased a $2 2 by 4 instant scratch ticket, winning a top prize.  “When I saw I...
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Air conditioners failing in excessive heat
Stu Butcher Tribune editor A number of local air conditioning units have tuckered out with the unending excessive heat in the Chanute area. The temperatures seemed to hit their peak on Tuesday, with a high of 110, breaking the record of 107 set in 1934. 2011 added up to the fourth highest of 100+ days in July, with 20. The highest was in 1980 with 23. The average temperature in Chanute in July was 87.0, fifth highest. The year 1954 ranked firs...
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Peggy Ann Coder 1933-2011
Peggy Ann Coder, 78, Independence, died Sunday, July 31, 2011 at the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Olathe. Peggy was born March 8, 1933 in Chanute, the daughter of Clyde and Winnie Whitworth Russell. She graduated from Chanute High School and attended Neosho Community College. She was united in marriage to Nelson L. Coder on July 17, 1953 in Chanute. He preceded her in death on March 3, 1994. She was elected to the Independence City ...
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Janice Killion 1936-2011
Janice Killion, 75, formerly of Salina, died Sunday, July 28, 2011 at KU Medical Center. Killion was born Janice O. Strubhart on March 25, 1936, in LaHarpe. She graduated from Pittsburg State University with a degree in Secondary Education. She  taught for many years in the Topeka and Salina schools, retiring in 2002. She was preceded in death by her parents; Frances Cunningham Strubhart and Oliver E. Strubhart. She married James C. Killion on...
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Hearings begin for census redistricting
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter Southeast Kansas residents and several state representatives were able to give input at a redistricting meeting held by a Kansas legislative committee at Neosho County Community College Tuesday morning. The goal of the meeting was to gather public opinion and comments to be taken into consideration when the Legislature begins redrawing the congressional district maps at the beginning of 2012. These meetings t...
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Public hearing for city budget on August 15
After a five-hour workshop Monday night, the Chanute City Commission approved publication of the 2012 Budget Notice on August 5 and holding the budget public hearing at the 7 p.m. Monday, August 15 meeting. City Manager J.D. Lester said the mill levy of 40.707 remains the same as the 2011 budget. Net expenditures for 2012 are projected at $46,684,015 compared to $41,038,690 a year ago. Assessed valuation provided by the county could affect fin...
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