Community News
Local candidates stage forum
Marilynn Rutledge Tribune Reporter The Chanute Chamber of Commerce and Area Tourism held a candidate forum Thursday night for members of Chanute to get to know candidates better before the April 5 election. Candidates running for Chanute City Commission and USD 413 School Board met in the Chanute Memorial Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Because there are just three candidates and three positions for the Neosho County Community College Board of Trus...
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Worrying about relatives in Japan frustrating
Stu Butcher Tribune editor Takako Griffith of Chanute has been glued to the Internet since the 9.0 earthquake devastated her home country of Japan. The day of she immediately began making phone calls to her mother, who resides in a suburb of Tokyo, where damages were not as bad as in the epicenter in the north of Japan. Phones rang, but there was no answer. “It was very frustrating,” Griffith said. “I spent the whole day sitting in front o...
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413 students learn ways to get school connected
Connie Woodard USD 413 After listening to a nationally recognized speaker at Pittsburg, about 30 middle and high school students returned to Chanute energized and ready to “do something” to make their schools better. The goal is to get more students involved or connected at school, said eighth grader Storme Jones. Mark Scharenbroich said to incorporate more low risk activities and fewer high risk activities. “A high risk activity may sound...
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CES sponsors two through Compassion International
Connie Woodard USD 413 Chanute Elementary students are making a concerted effort to remind everyone at school about the girl from Honduras and boy from Ghana who they’ve sponsored through Compassion International. “The kids love doing it,” said Jennie Hasty, a volunteer at CES with her daughter Becky Clements, who takes care of the finances and correspondence between the school and the children. So now, in addition to picking up the donati...
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Erie High Business Professionals earn trip to D.C.
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter ERIE — Three Erie High School students in the Business Professionals of America Club are on their way to Nationals in Washington D.C. Junior MaKayla LaRue, and seniors Jonathan Bates and Bryce Ruble will make the trip to Nationals in D.C. on May 3 along with their advisor Karen Carlson, a business and computer technology teacher. BPA, a small but successful club at EHS, has five students who refine skills i...
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Beulah Mae Heller 1915-2011
Beulah Mae Heller, 95, Humboldt, died Thursday, March 17, 2011 at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Humboldt. Beulah was born June 24, 1915 in Independence, the daughter of George Myron and Nona Iola Freiermuth Burtnett. She grew up in Iola and graduated from Iola High School in 1933. On August 12, 1935, Beulah married Frank P. Heller in Nevada, Mo. They made their home in Oswego until his death on Oct. 30, 1980. She moved to Humboldt in 1981. Survivo...
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Take severe weather seriously
Stu Butcher Tribune Editor Tornado numbers were down in Kansas’ portion of Tornado Alley in 2010, Rob Lawson of the National Weather Service, Wichita, told about 50 people attending the Storm Fury on the Plains presentation at Chanute Memorial Auditorium Monday night. Attendees are taught the basics of thunderstorm development, storm structure, the features to look for, and where to find them. What, when and how to report information as we...
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Local couple witness Florida shuttle launch
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter Chanute residents David and Kathy Wright were able to experience something unusual for any Kansan. They were present for the liftoff of space shuttle Discovery’s last flight into space in late February. “All his life David has enjoyed rockets, and he is a remote control flyer. He has always wanted to see a launch,” said Kathy. Actually being able to witness the event was due in part to planning, and also a ...
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St. Patty’s celebration on Saturday
Chanute area residents are invited to “think green” and participate in St. Patty’s events downtown on Saturday. A 5K Run/Walk and 1 mile Fun Run is planned at 7:30 a.m., beginning at Katy Park near the baseball field. The event is sponsored by Chanute Community Foundaion. From 8 to 11:30 a.m. Cedar Lodge #103 will serve a Blarney Breakfast of pancakes and sausage at Masonic Hall, Elm and Highland. Prices are $5 for adults and $2.50 for child...
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Laura Mae Wing Brown 1928-2011
Laura Mae Wing Brown, 82, died Monday, March 14, 2011 after suffering a long-term illness with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born Sept. 9, 1928 to Jerome Paul and Donna Chamberlain Wing of Benedict. Laura spent her childhood and early adult life on the Wing farm and attended junior college in Chanute after high school graduation. She married Willis M. Brown on July 4, 1947. She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church. Laura is...
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Alex Jonathon Eli 1988-2011
Alex Jonathon Eli, 23, Shawnee, died Friday, March 11, 2011. Alex was born Feb. 10, 1988, in Chanute to John and Diane Powell Eli. He grew up in Coffeyville where he attended Garfield Elementary School and McKinley Middle School. After moving to Shawnee, he graduated from Mill Valley High School. Alex had worked for IHOP in Kansas City and Denver since graduation. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends and loved attending concerts. ...
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Larry L. Waddell 1942-2011
Larry L. Waddell, 68, Savonburg, died Thursday, March 10, 2011. He was born on Dec. 26, 1942 at Humansville, Mo., the son of George and Leota Mae Adams Waddell. He attended schools in Kincaid. Following school Larry entered the Army. In 1961 Larry was united in marriage to Nancy Ramsey. They later divorced. He was a truck driver, and later a crane operator. This work took him all over the country. He lived in Pittsburg, and Gas. Following hi...
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Chanute’s Miller to intern in New York City
Fort Hays State University HAYS — A top New York arts and entertainment industry advertising agency, Spotco, reached out to a place “four hours from the middle of nowhere” to get a design intern from Fort Hays State University. “He asked where I was from,” said Michael Miller, Chanute junior and a graphic design major. “I told him, four hours from the middle of nowhere.” “He” was an interviewer from Spotco, interviewing via Skype. Miller ...
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USD 413 program to help lead students to career path
Marilynn Rutledge Tribune Reporter’ With a new funding law in place, Kansas schools have begun switching to a more effective way of educating, now relying on the use of Career Pathways and Career Clusters to place students in the appropriate courses as they correlate with future careers. Chanute High School Family and Consumer Science teacher Deborah Noakes is the first from CHS to take on new courses to follow along the lines of the new p...
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City approves move of farmers market location
Kathleen Carney Tribune Reporter This year the local farmers market will move from Katy Park to Santa Fe Park after the vendors voted unanimously to request permission from the city to move. At the City Commission meeting on Monday night, organizer of the farmers market, Carolyn Berthot, asked the commission to grant the vendors' request. "They thought we would have a lot more business and we would be noticed more up on the hill at the mai...
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Area briefs
Chanute High 4A chess champions WICHITA — Chanute High School earned the 4A state chess championship in Wichita on Saturday at the Kansas State Chess Tournament. CHS is also co-champs of the overall division 1A to 6A, sharing the title with the Purdy Homeschool and Chapparal.  Bob Larson reported four CHS players received medals and two tied for first,  Deric Marr and Freddy Foshag.  “It was a great, great day,” Larson said. “I am proud o...
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Erie woman killed in crash
Tribune staff A 35-year-old Erie woman died after a two-vehicle crash at 5:55 a.m. Saturday in Anderson County, .5 miles south of K-58 Highway at Colony. Trina K. DeMeritt, driving a 2004 Chevy Impala, was struck by a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Jesse J. Cooper, 24, Overland Park. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported Cooper, a former Iola resident, was southbound on U.S. 169. He crossed the center line and the vehicles collided head-on.  ...
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Trina DeMeritt 1975-2011
Trina DeMeritt, 35, Erie, died Saturday, March 12, 2011 at the Miami County Medical Center at Paola from injuries sustained in an auto accident that occurred near Colony. She was born Sept. 14, 1975 at Chanute, a daughter of Bruce D. and Luanna Sarnicola Wolken. She was raised at Erie and attended school there. She attended Nurse’s School at Labette Community College and was currently employed at the Anderson County Hospital in Garnett as a...
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Marylee Constance Clounch 1929-2011
Marylee Constance Clounch, 82, Humboldt, died Friday, March 11, 2011 at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. She was born on Jan. 22, 1929 to Clarence and Stella Cheney in Humboldt. Mary received her formal education in the public schools in Humboldt and was a member of Poplar Grove Baptist Church. On June 24, 1948, she was united in holy matrimony to William Clounch. He preceded her in death. Survivors include five children, ...
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Gerald W. “Jerry” Elliott 1926-2011
Gerald W. “Jerry” Elliott, 84, Parsons, died Saturday, March 12, 2011 at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born Sept. 23, 1926, at Winfield, to Theodore H. and Faith Dicken Elliott. He grew up in Winfield and graduated from Winfield High School in 1944. During World War II he served in the Pacific Theatre with the United States Navy from August 1944 to September 1947. After his discharge from the Navy he worked for D & D Farm Equ...
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