Opinion
Letter to the editor
Sen. Umbarger not a fiscal conservative Saturday, July 19 I attended an ice cream social honoring our Montgomery County legislators. Sen. Dwayne Umbarger and Rep. Virgil Peck were present. Sen. Derek Schmidt and Rep. Jeff King were not able to attend. We heard a good legislative summary from Rep. Peck, but Sen. Umbarger gave us his usual tirade of political fruit cocktail of numbers and bills that is designed to dazzle the audience, but leave...
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Letter to the editor
Response to WSU prof’s commentary After reading the Editorial article written by WSU Professor Jeffrey Quirin, in the July 30 issue of the Chanute Tribune, I feel compelled to reply. Prof Quirin claims Mrs. Van Meter “clearly prefers not to participate in debates and forums,” supposedly to dodge talking to the people of southeast Kansas. Mrs Van Meter loves to talk with people and has missed only one forum due to a conflict with a previousl...
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Letter to the editor
Can we trust Umbarger’s promises? I am a friend of Dwayne Umbarger and would hope to remain so after this election. I have worked hard to secure his election in the past. Dwayne has changed and is not the person he was or claimed to be. My experience is that the truth concerning Dwayne’s promises and performance is there for all to see. Dwayne Umbarger signed a pledge to not increase taxes, and then two weeks later broke it. Not stopping ...
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Letter to the editor
Is it right to cure an individual by cannibalizing another? I recently listened to Senator Umbarger explain his support for SCNT (Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer), a technical term for cloning. He stated he supported embryonic stem cell pluripotent research rather than the totipotent stem cell research because it was more ethical. Yet both of these lines of research depend upon the destruction of human embryos, so both are, in truth, unethica...
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Kansas 14th Senate district race has enormous implications
Jeffrey J. Quirin, Ph.D W. Frank Barton Distinguished Chair in Business Wichita State University As a registered Republican and resident of southeast Kansas, I have diligently followed the race between Dwayne Umbarger and Iris Van Meter who are vying for the 14th District Kansas Senate seat. What I have learned as a result of following public forums and reading print information prepared by the candidates is that Ms. Van Meter disapprov...
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Letters to the editor
Move by Erie city council likelyseemed to bepersonal Monday night, for the first time in several years, I witnessed our City Government at work. It began as a relatively mild agenda. Bear in mind there was not a single issue that came up in which Bruce Vogts did not have to give input to the council and mayor and they agreed with every single suggestion he made. It sure seemed to me like he might be the only one in town that actually has his ...
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In 12 years, Umbarger has become a politician In 1996, we elected Dwayne Umbarger as a conservative pro-life candidate to be our Senatorial representative from the 14th district
In 12 years, Umbarger has become a politician In 1996, we elected Dwayne Umbarger as a conservative pro-life candidate to be our Senatorial representative from the 14th district. Through the years, he has become a politician. He dislikes the term conservative and for the first time in their history Kansans For Life is backing a conservative challenger to an incumbent politician with a pro-life record. When I asked why, they explained that alt...
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Letter to the Editor
Don’t be fooled by VanMeter’s letter Recently, voters in Southeast Kansas received an incredibly personal letter soliciting votes and campaign funds for Iris VanMeter in the upcoming Senatorial race. In this letter, Iris tried to come off as a great community member with wonderful morals who is martyring her senior years for the service of the conservatives of Kansas. Her letter regales the supposed sins of her opponent, Dwayne Umbarger, sa...
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My Grandpa Foster
I just found out, a few minutes ago, that my Grandpa Foster passed away during the night. He was 95 years old and he was ready to go. Even so, his being gone makes me a little sad. I guess I’m lucky that I remember so many fun – and funny – times with him. My Grandpa Foster (Hugh, to the rest of you), was born in 1913 and had a tough upbringing. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, then came back home to Parsons and worked....
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NCCC passes with flying colors
Vicky Smith NCCC President Recently Neosho County Community College received an official letter from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA) indicating their acceptance of our monitoring report on our outcomes assessment system at the College. The monitoring report was the final hurdle the College needed to jump to get a “clean” affiliation with the Commission. After the last HLC comprehensive evaluation in the s...
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Main Street membership drive winds down
Sharon Stirewalt Main Street Chanute The annual membership drive kicked off in early July, and Main Street Board and committee members have been busy presenting the program and its benefits. The kick off invitation was a bi-monthly newsletter with opportunities to become a part of the continued development of downtown Chanute. What is the Main Street Program? It is a national program designed to restore the downtown area as a viable marketpla...
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Letter to the editor
Use should be found for high school building I graduated from Chanute High School in 1971. I just heard that the old high school is going to be taken down. Since it was renovated not too many years ago, why not use it in a more productive way, like turn it into senior apartments and assisted living apartments with perhaps a day care at one end of the building. I heard a swimming pool would possibly be built near the same area. Seniors who...
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He will take care of you
Pastor Jerry Neeley Grant Avenue Baptist Church Matthew 14:22-32 shares the story of Jesus walking on the water. Prior to this happening, Jesus and His disciples had been followed by a large crowd, and he had performed a miracle and multiplied five loaves of bread and two fish, feeding them all. In fact, this blessing went beyond their needs by twelve baskets full left over. Jesus took care of the people. Then, Jesus directed his disciples...
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Stay safe in the heat
Melissa Smith Assistant Managing Editor My, my. Some weather we’re having. As I was out hunting for the Community Survey question Tuesday everyone was scurrying around, trying to get back to their air conditioned cars or climate-controlled buildings. No one really wanted to stand around on the sidewalk and chat. Local parks were virtually deserted. Who could blame people for not wanting to hang around outside more than necessary? The hea...
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Neosho County: It’s fair time!
Tara Solomon Extension Agent For me, there is nothing else that completes a summer more than a visit to the county fair! Neosho County’s big event is just around the corner, so mark July 24-28th, on your calendars. The fair showcases local talent and achievement, including the work of some of Neosho County’s youngest citizens. These 4-H youth have looked forward to this annual event as it gives them the opportunity to demonstrate skill b...
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Climb aboard the ‘Snark’ at exhibit
Conrad Froehlich Director, Safari Museum While we wait on repairs due to a recent water leak visitors can enjoy a new special exhibit at the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum. Elizabeth Fehr, a CHS student and member of our Junior Board of Trustees, did a fantastic job of arranging photographs and selecting objects for “By Snark & Osa’s Ark.” This exhibit celebrates the anniversaries of two significant Johnson trips. It is the 100th...
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Letter to the editor
Opnion made on Van Meter as Kansas Board of Education member As the August primary election approaches, I would like to remind or inform everyone of an incident that occurred in April of 2004. Iris VanMeter, Republican candidate for the Kansas Senate, opposing Sen. Dwayne Umbarger (District 14), attempted to deny her constituents our constitutional right to vote. VanMeter, then an elected member of the Kansas Board of Education, committed an ...
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Letter to the editor
Keep Senator Roberts, we need him there According to Jim Slattery’s letter to the editor recently, he would have us believe Senator Roberts is alone, is responsible for our paying $4.09 a gallon for gas. To quote Mr. Slattery: “If you want a change in Washington, you have to change the people there and hold them accountable.” (The Chanute Tribune, Tuesday, July 15, 2008.) HELLO!!! Just who has been in control of Congress since the Novembe...
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The gift of grace
David N. McCoy Ambassador Christian Church On behalf of area ministers, I want to thank the Tribune for asking us to share a timely article each Saturday with its readers. Since March, we at Ambassador Christian Church have been journeying through the book of Acts in a sermon series entitled: “The Church at Its Best.” Through this series, we have learned that the church at its best witnesses for Christ, repents of its sins, baptizes its b...
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Weakening U.S. dollar must be taken seriously
TOPEKA — Crude oil prices have jumped significantly in 2008 in part because of a steep decline in the U.S. dollar. A weak U.S. dollar supports the nominal value of all commodities priced in the currency. Because the price elasticity of crude oil is low, real dollar devaluations serve to increase crude oil prices. Some oil-producing countries ask their customers to pay in euros, but that does not mean that their oil is priced in euros. Ev...
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