Community News
Activity-filled week at care facilities
Marilynn Rutledge Tribune Reporter In recognition of National Nursing Home Week, Heritage Healthcare and Chanute Healthcare centers have been involving residents in a series of activities to celebrate the care given to residents and the quality of life available. To kick off the week at Chanute Healthcare, staff members held a balloon lift off on Monday afternoon followed by a baby contest that evening, attracting babies and toddlers of...
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McCune-Robinson changes name
MRH Insurance Group, Inc. has a new name, but the same staff and same great service. Ross Hendrickson, president of what was formerly known as McCune-Robinson, Inc., said the new name will officially be in effect on Tuesday, May 17. He said there has been an ownership change from Dave and Alice Robinson to Ross and his wife, Amy, the eldest daughter of the Robinsons. “What’s neat for us is transition to the third generation, and someday may...
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Beulabel Elliott Ray Watkins 1923-2011
Beulabel Elliott Ray Watkins, 87, died Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at the Everett Care & Rehabilitation in Everett, Wash. Beulabel was born June 20, 1923 to Earl and Lena Elliott in Bronson. She resided in Portland, Ore., until 2008 when she moved to Garden Court Retirement Community in Everett where she had made her home for the last three years. Beulabel was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Lena Elliott of Chanute, a brother, Roger E. El...
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Wayne D. Sparks 1920 – 2011
Wayne Dwight Sparks, 90, Chanute, died Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at his home. Cremation has taken place. A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 20 at the First United Methodist Church in Chanute. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel in Chanute. A full obituary will follow in next week’s paper.
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Arlo L. Crawshaw 1920-2011
Arlo L. Crawshaw, 91, lifelong resident of Wilson County, died Saturday, May 7, 2011 at the Golden Living Center in Neodesha. He was born Jan. 15, 1920 in Fredonia, the son of Thomas James and Lulu Elizabeth Leiss Crawshaw. He attended school in Wilson County. On Feb. 12, 1941 in Fredonia, Arlo married Vivian Shue. Together they owned and operated The Punkin Creek Ranch in Chetopa Township since 1947. Vivian preceded him in death Oct.r 7, 1986...
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Wayne Wilkins 1942-2011
Wayne Wilkins, 68, Erie, died Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at the St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin. He was born Dec. 23, 1942 at Roxton, Texas to J.C. and L.E. Wilkins. He grew up in the Roxton area and attended schools there. He moved to the Erie area in 1976 where he owned and operated Wilkins Construction for 35 years. He and Delores “Dee” Mattox were married on Nov, 18, 1977 at Miami, Okla. She survives, of the home. He was a member o...
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Chanute High School graduation at 2 p.m. on Sunday
Chanute High School graduation will be in the high school gymnasium at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Doors will open at 12:45.  A shuttle service will be provided from 1:15-2. Saturday kicks off Music in the Park The first Music in the Park concert will be Saturday, May 14, featuring Hillbilly Bus Stop. It will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Santa Fe Park Fiesta Grounds. The season is presented by the Parks Advisory Board. Hillbilly Bus Stop is made up of Crai...
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Mowing grows into big business
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter Steve Finley started Finley’s Lawn Care 16 years ago as a hobby, with nothing but a push mower. That’s right, he thought mowing lawns was fun, and he still does. He has more than a push mower these days and he is not the only one doing the mowing anymore, but he still enjoys being outside and cutting grass. “I have terrible and expensive hobbies. I used to race motocross in Texas and Oklahoma,” said Finley....
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Focus begins on July county fair
Marilynn Rutledge Tribune Reporter Neosho County 4-Hers are gearing up for this year’s fair, a chance for participants to show off the projects they have worked on throughout the year. While the fair is centered around the participant’s projects, the event is not just for 4-Hers. Several of the events within the weeklong festivities are open to the public and Neosho County residents are encouraged to join 4-Hers and their families to enjoy...
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Area briefs
Public meeting on historic district on Tuesday The City of Chanute is conducting a public meeting regarding a proposed historic district in the downtown area. The meeting will be held at Central Park Pavilion at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 17 with city commissioners being in attendance. Notices have been given to property owners with a 500-foot radius of a proposed historic district. Math students bring medals home to CHS A group of Chanute High...
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Mopar Cruise includes stop in Chanute
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter The Kansas Mopar Cruise rolls through Chanute today, and about 25 cars are expected to be in town. The Cruise was started four years ago by Jamey Hancock to encourage people with Mopar vehicles, which are Chrysler or Dodge built vehicles, to get out and see Kansas. The Chanute stop was organized with the assistance of Shields Motors. “The Kansas Mopar Cruise is about driving our beloved cars and experiencin...
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NCCC graduation ceremony Friday night
Neosho County Community College graduation is Friday night at 7 p.m. at Chanute’s Memorial Auditorium.    A reception for Neosho County Community College Distinguished Alumus Dr. Marllin Simon is 4 to 6 p.m. today in Room 213 at NCCC. Simon will be speaker for Friday’s graduation. Names of graduation of students who gave permission: Candidates for Associate degrees Associate of Arts Jonathan A. Arnold, Ralph A. Bayles, Michelle B. Beer...
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Larry Thompson
Larry Thompson died in Leawood on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. He was born in Chanute to Gus and Litha Thompson, who, along with his son Yale and his grandson Liam, preceded him in death. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Emerson College in Boston and his Master’s degree from the University of Kansas. He is survived by his wife, Oksana, daughter, Tiffany, and grandson, Ocea. Larry began his film and photography career at the Parsons State Ho...
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Ruth Cecilia Sommer 1924-2011
Ruth Cecilia Sommer, 86, Fredonia, Kansas, died Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at Fredonia Regional Hospital. She was born Sept. 5, 1924 in Kansas City, Kan., the daughter of Herman F. and Cecilia C. Meyer Hobelman. Ruth was a graduate of Cathedral High School in Wichita, as well as a graduate of the Wichita Business College. Following college, she was a bookkeeper for Continental Trailways in Wichita for several years. On Jan. 8, 1946, at St. Mary’s...
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Helen Isabel Young Ashcraft 1921-2011
Helen Isabel Young Ashcraft, 89, Kingfisher, Okla., died Saturday, May 7, 2011 at Cimarron Nursing Center where she had been living for the last few years. She was born August 31, 1921 to William Blaine and Bessie O’Conner Young in Chanute. Helen graduated high school in 1939. She joined the cadet program and graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Fort Scott on Oct. 22, 1945. She was then transferred to Fitzsimons Army Hospital in ...
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Death notice
Wayne Wilkins, 68, Erie, died at the St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin.  Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 14 at the First Christian Church in Erie.  Burial will follow in the East Hill Cemetery at Erie.  The family will receive friends at the Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Erie from 6 to 8 Friday.  Memorials are suggested to the Wayne Wilkins Memorial Fund and these may be left at or mailed to the funeral home P...
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Erie senior’s project flag table
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter ERIE — Erie High School senior Jakob Hendrix spent a good deal of his senior year designing and building a unique American flag table. The table is made out of three different types of wood — cherry for the red stripes, birch for the white stripes and stars, and walnut for the blue union. “It’s very unique because it is 100 percent to scale,” said Hendrix’s teacher Eric Craft. “The width of the stripes, the...
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City considers renewable energy sources ordinance, water tower repair
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter At the city commission meeting Monday night Director of Utilities Larry Gates led a discussion of net metering, in order to move toward creating an electricity policy for members of the community who would like to own renewable energy sources for personal use. “Really we are trying to allow people to build renewable resources within our community, whether that is a small wind turbine or a solar panel on thei...
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Humboldt journalism earns 15th sweepstakes
Humboldt High School’s journalism students received their 15th sweepstakes state championship at the Kansas Scholastic Press Association’s State competition at the University of Kansas on Saturday. With 15 state championships, HHS journalists have the most sweepstakes wins of any other school in the state. The next closest school is Kapaun Mt. Carmel of Wichita with 10 championships. HHS journalists entered 33 entries in the competition and ...
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Building pond fills in former city pool
Marilynn Rutledge Tribune Reporter The Parks Advisory Board has devised a plan to fill the old Chanute public pool with minimal cost to the city. A project to create a walking and bike trail beginning at Katy Park brought along the idea of building a second pond to compliment the pond that currently is at the end of the trail, and created the perfect scenario for filling the old pool. “This is where I think we’re brilliant: we needed fil...
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