News
Robotics team misses the finals
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Despite holding a sixth place ranking near the end of qualifying matches at the FIRST Robotics National Championship, the Parsons High School robotics team's hopes of making it into the finals were quashed Saturday morning. The Vikings finished Friday's qualifying rounds 6-1. "The top eight teams get to go to finals," PHS robotics instructor Bruce Rea said. "Unfortunately, we lost our first match S...
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Voorhees competes in Miss Kansas pageant
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com ALTAMONT — Unlike many young women who enter state or national pageants, Kandi Voorhees has never participated in a pageant, but the 19-year-old is now one of 20 young women chosen to compete for the title of 2014 Miss Kansas USA. "I've never participated in a pageant in my life," Voorhees said. "I've always been interested in pageants, though. I kind of just decided I wanted to get involved in one...
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New law to impact county treasurer's offices
OSWEGO — The Kansas Department of Revenue could take over certain operations in treasurer's offices in Kansas if the offices fail to meet state standards. Labette County Counselor Fred Johnson gave county commissioners an overview of the law, which goes into effect July 1, at Monday's commission meeting. The law apparently is a reaction to one of Kansas' counties having difficulty processing vehicle titles after a software change about two yea...
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Foundation gives $144K in grants
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Proper maintenance of roadways, water plants, sewers, and facilities are all concerns for city residents, but just as important are the amenities a city has to offer, such as recreation, leisure, entertainment, education, health and safety. Often times, these amenities are provided through non-profit organizations that rely on the financial support of residents through donations and grants to conti...
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Neosho Co. may change Internet service
ERIE — Neosho County may increase its Internet speed and lower its phone bills if commissioners approve an agreement with the city of Chanute. County Appraiser David Thornton presented a proposal from Chanute to the county commissioners during their Friday morning meeting. If the county gets on the city's fiber optic Internet service, its bandwidth would be about three times faster than the Internet service the county now has. County Attorney ...
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Vikings may make robotic finals
The Parsons High School Vikings robotics team was in the running to make it into the finals at the FIRST Robotics National Championship, as qualifying matches neared their end. After a qualifying match Friday, and one more this morning, the Vikings were in sixth place, with a score of six wins and one loss. "We are high enough in the standings that we ought to be going to the finals," said PHS robotics instructor Bruce Rea, by phone from the c...
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Policeman's Ball set for May 18
An old tradition is being revived in Parsons. As part of the week-long celebration of National Police Officers Week, May 12-18, the Parsons Police Officers Association is hosting a Policeman’s Ball. The event will be from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, May 18, at the Parsons VFW, 105 Main. There will be a social hour beginning at 6 p.m., followed by a dinner and dance. Other activities included during the night will include a special silent auc...
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Concealed carry classes popular
Classes are filling up as many Labette County residents seek out a license to carry a concealed weapon. In 2012, 97 people in Labette County completed the schooling and application process to carry a concealed weapon. So far this year, 138 people have done so, with many more people waiting to go through the education and application process, according to Sheriff Robert Sims. As a comparison, in 2011, 87 applications were processed; in 2010, 52...
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Project gets two houses
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com The Southeast Kansas Audubon Society's Parsons Purple Martin Rehabilitation Project has received a grant that will give the project two 14-compartment purple martin houses. The grant is from the Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA)/Songbird Essentials Buy One Get One (BOGO) program. The 14-compartment houses are built to the standards the rehab project has in place to upgrade the houses in...
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Arbor Day
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Third-grade students listened as Patrick McReynolds told them the story behind the American elm sapling that volunteers were preparing to plant at the Parsons Arboretum during the annual Arbor Day celebration Thursday. A native tree of Kansas, the American elm is nothing exotic to look at, but the sapling sticking up from the clay pot represents survival and hope. McReynolds told the children of ho...
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Man pleads to lesser charge
A Parsons man, scheduled to begin a trial Wednesday for possession of methamphetamine, instead pleaded no contest to a reduced charge. Milton L. McClintick, 45, 1411 Chess, was charged in Labette County District Court with possession of 5.7 grams of meth ice, a level two drug felony. The charge carried a minimum prison sentence of 92 months upon conviction. The drug law in Kansas changed this year to increase felony violations for possession o...
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Chiropractor returns to hometown
A Parsons High School graduate has returned home to open a chiropractic clinic. Jeremy Stover will open Stover Chiropractic at 2328 Main next week. Stover has actually seen a few patients this week but won't officially open until Monday. Stover graduated in 2000 from PHS and attended the University of Kansas before going to Cleveland Chiropractic College in Overland Park. After graduating, he practiced in Lawrence for two years. "I guess the i...
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Brown seeks city post
A Parsons City Commission candidate on the April 2 ballot is off to a head start for the next election. Although the city won’t elect commissioners again until April 2015, William Joseph Brown filed as a candidate in the election on Monday. The terms of Commissioner Bill Hogelin and Mayor Kevin Cruse will expire after the 2015 election. City Clerk Debbie Lamb said she thought candidates could file for an election as soon as one is over, but sh...
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Mural artist lives at Big Hill
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com CHERRYVALE — Airbrush mural artist Billy Innes of Altus, Okla., was not sure where an airbrush and Airstream would take him in life. As long as it was off the streets, he did not much care. "I began as an airbrush mural artist about 30 years ago. It's all I knew how to do. Part of retirement for me is working retirement. I knew I did not want to work at flea markets and carnivals," Innes said. "And...
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A gift from Kinsey
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com ALTAMONT — Following her older sister Riley's example, Kinsey Bebb decided that instead of presents for her birthday, she wanted people to donate money for a good cause. "I'm 4," Kinsey said. "I'll turn 5 May 6th." The girls' mother, Jennifer Bebb of Altamont, explained how her daughters had reached their decisions to forfeit their birthday presents this year. Riley had been watching television one...
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Woman to stand trial for battering officers
A Parsons woman will stand trial for battering two Parsons police officers last year. Peggy L. Pickard, 41, 2023 Morgan, will be tried in Labette County District Court for two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. One charge is a level three felony and the other is a level seven felony. She also will be tried for obstructing the official duty of an officer, a level 10 felony, and misdemeanor battery of a law officer. A pre...
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New gun law to be studied
From Staff and Wire Reports Labette County commissioners don't know what to think yet of a gun law signed this month by Gov. Sam Brownback. The law allows citizens licensed to carry concealed weapons the ability to take them into public buildings in Kansas. The law takes effect July 1 but it allows state and local government agencies, and schools and universities, to exempt themselves from provisions of the law until 2017. Commission Chairman ...
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PSU leader says state is at crossroads
PITTSBURG — “Kansas is at a crossroads,” Pittsburg State University president Steve Scott told faculty and staff Tuesday. “The question is, ‘Are we going to see higher education as an investment in the future or a drain on the resources of the state of Kansas.” Scott, speaking to a campus forum on the legislative session, said decisions the Legislature makes in its waning days could be damaging to PSU and all of higher education. Scott and Sha...
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Arboretum volunteers awarded
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com Members of the Parsons Arboretum Foundation Board gathered Monday to discuss the vast amount of work in progress or coming up. Much of the work at the arboretum relies on volunteers, such as the three honored Monday. Board member Rick Tucker presented Patrick McReynolds with a plaque. "Patrick is an outstanding volunteer and has been for many years, and we are presenting him with the 2012 Volunteer...
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Vikings will go to nationals in robotics
By Colleen Surridge csurridge@parsonssun.com The Parsons High School robotics team believed their season was over, but a call from For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics headquarters in New Hampshire has the team preparing for national competition in St. Louis, Mo. "The invitation came on short notice. We were actually packing things up when we got the call," said PHS CADD instructor/ robotics teacher Bruce Rea. "T...
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