News
Shaw: City's tax rate in line
By Jamie Willey jwilley@parsonssun.com A city commissioner on Monday evening pointed out that the city has kept taxes low compared to the other taxing units in Parsons, but higher taxes could be coming soon. Commissioner Tom Shaw said during the commission’s regular meeting that the city has raised its mill levy by only 2.05 mills, or 4.54 percent, since 2000. Shaw referred to a spreadsheet prepared by city staff at his request that showed th...
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USD 503 teacher negotiations still under way
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Negotiations between the USD 503 Board of Education and the Parsons-National Education Association resulted in salary increases being tabled by the board Monday. The agenda for the board's regular monthly meeting included a 1.5 percent salary increase for all district principals and the one assistant principal at Parsons High School, Trevor Addis, and a 1.5 percent salary increase for classified e...
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Athlete grade policy to be reviewed
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Parsons High School students who are failing two classes may have a chance to return sooner to participating in athletics and other Kansas State High School Activities Association interscholastic activities come the 2013-2014 school year. PHS Principal Matt Rogers approached the USD 503 Board of Education Monday night with an idea to change PHS' current policy for students who are failing two class...
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Zoning issues OK'd
By Jamie Willey jwilley@parsonssun.com The Silver Wheels Skating Rink and Hannah’s Promise Pregnancy Home both moved a step closer toward opening on Monday evening. Parsons city commissioners approved ordinances that will rezone the properties of the organizations. The decisions came as no surprise because the Parsons Planning Commission voted unanimously in May to recommend that the city commissioners approve the rezoning requests. The commi...
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Suspected mumps case investigated
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Parsons pediatrician Dr. Manish Dixit has reported a possible positive case of mumps in Labette County in a 16-month-old child, and wishes to caution the public to being alert to possible symptoms and ensuring children are immunized. Public Health of Labette County Director Debbie Baugher, R.N., reported that the last word from the Kansas State Health Department, as of 5:30 p.m. Friday, is the stat...
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Harding pleads to two battery counts
A Parsons man charged with attempted murder for trying to run over another man last year was convicted of two counts of aggravated battery Monday. Donzell M. Harding, 21, formerly of 1725 Broadway, was to be tried in Labette County District Court for attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery and attempted aggravated arson, all serious felonies. He faced another aggravated battery charge for allegedly battering his girlfriend during an...
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Great Plains hires new CEO
Daniel Mann has been named the new CEO for Great Plains Development Authority and is to begin his position July 15. Mann, who currently serves as vice president, national business development, of Quad Cities First, has 13 years in economic development. Great Plains contracted with Jorgenson Consulting to find a CEO who would be able to take a hands-on leadership role in staging the industrial park on a national and international level. The par...
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Missouri man dies in wreck
EDNA — A Missouri man died in a one-vehicle accident Saturday afternoon east of Edna. According to Labette County Sheriff Robert Sims, the accident was reported at 2:23 p.m. Saturday and the wreck occurred on U.S. 166 west of Meade Road. Ronald L. McDonald, 62, of Goodman, Mo., died from injuries suffered in the accident. First responders found Goodman's vehicle in a field on the north side of the highway and Goodman on the ground a short dist...
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Office remodel makes more room for officers
OSWEGO — A remodeling project at the Labette County Sheriff's Department is nearly complete and will provide additional office and storage space for the department. Labette County Sheriff Robert Sims said the project put to use about 1,200 square feet of unoccupied space in the building that fronts Commercial Street and houses officers. The cost will be about $35,000 when the project is complete, using existing money in the budget. Sims said h...
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Team Punishment trains
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com OSWEGO — Ignoring the sweat dripping down the front of his face, 23-year-old Kyle Seifert eyed the punching dummy in front of him from behind raised gloves, then quickly threw a right punch to the dummy's jaw followed by a left upper cut. Outside the open garage doors leading into his home gym in Oswego, Nick "The Punisher" Phillips watched Seifert, and four other fighters working out on punching a...
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City wants to delay concealed carry compliance
By Jamie Willey jwilley@parsonssun.com The city of Parsons took its first step toward an exemption from a law that would allow people to carry concealed weapons into public buildings. During Thursday's work session, the Parsons City Commission authorized a letter to be sent to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt indicating that the city would like to have until 2014 to assess its buildings and determine how it will proceed. The exemption w...
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Fire burns at old landfill
Construction debris caught fire at a construction and demolition landfill south of Parsons Wednesday night. Labette No. 9 Fire District responded to the fire, as did firefighters from Parsons, Neosho Township and Altamont. Labette Health's Ambulance Service and the sheriff's department also responded. Most of the other fire departments were needed for their water tanker trucks. Labette No. 9 Fire Chief Rob Gartner said the alarm came in at 7...
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Tank Connection is exporter finalist
By Jamie Willey jwilley@parsonssun.com A local tank manufacturer earned designation as a finalist for the Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award for the second consecutive year. The Kansas Department of Commerce announced Tuesday that B&W Trailer Hitches of Humboldt won the Governor’s Award of Excellence, and Excel Industries Inc. of Hesston won the Governor’s Exporter of the Year Award at the annual Team Kansas/Kansas Cavalry Awards Banquet a...
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Woman competes at national baking event
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Katie Martino did not take the commitment to six weeks self-denial lightly when she made the decision to give up sweets for Lent three years ago. Forfeiting something truly desirable during the time of penance and prayer was not easy, and Martino found herself yearning to appease her eyes, if not her tastebuds. "I was dying for sweets and started reading dessert blogs and looking at the pictures ...
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Rotary donation
Parsons Rotary collected $1,575 for the Moore, Okla., tornado victims last week. Rotarians collected money from members and the community through Friday. Of the money, $850 came from Rotary members and $725 from non-members. The fundraiser was in response to a request from Rotary District 6110 (Tulsa) to collect money for tornado relief for Moore. All of the money collected will go toward the people victimized by the May tornado. The half-mile...
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City of Erie to give away lot
ERIE — The city of Erie will give away a lot in a new housing subdivision during the Old Soldiers and Sailors Reunion next month. The Erie City Council decided last month to give away a lot valued at $15,000 in the Burress Addition in an effort to stimulate interest in new home building in the city. The winner will be determined by a drawing. The winner must agree to begin construction of a new house on the lot within a year. The house must be...
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Mother, son struggle with celiac disease
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com When he was about 6, Urcer Mac Heiskell complained to his mother of his stomach hurting around bedtime. His mother, Amber Meier, at first figured her son wanted to delay bedtime, so she would try to comfort him while encouraging him to go to sleep. When Urcer began to have "accidents" at school, a cause of much embarrassment for him, and he complained his stomach pain was increasing, Meier knew som...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. June 11, 1973 Kansas Power & Light Co. crews began laying power lines in downtown alleys, Michael McDowell, executive director of the Parsons Urban Renewal Agency, said. McDowell said construction in alleys behind Parsons Plaza was proceeding on schedule with the beginning of the second phase of laying lines. Leon Ginn Builder of Parsons also was constructing transclosure...
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BARC concert set Friday
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com This year's annual BARC for the Park concert is at 7 p.m. Friday at the Parsons Municipal Auditorium. Musical appearances will be made by local favorites, pianist Ken Weaver, country western singer Rick Cook and his daughter, Jaylee, and the band Sober as a Judge from Missouri. "Last year the band came, but the judge couldn't be here. He is a real judge in Missouri. This year the judge will be here...
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Bicyclists to converge on Oswego Friday
OSWEGO — The city of Oswego is preparing for an onslaught of bicyclists and their support crews on Friday as Biking Across Kansas stops in the community. A number of community organizations are preparing food, drink and entertainment options for the estimated 890 cyclists who have pedaled across Kansas, starting at the Colorado border, in an eight-day ride. BAK organizes the annual ride in early June that crosses the state from west to east. B...
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