Excerpted stories in Crawford County newspaper archives

100 years ago

May 22, 1926

Clifton Cain, killed yesterday afternoon by Patrolman P. E. Pickard, was slain by the officer in performance of his duty and in self-defense and the defense of other police officers and the public, according to a verdict returned by a special coroner's jury following an inquest at the City Hall here this morning. Eleven witnesses were examined before the jury and Coroner W S. Swart and all testified that Mr. Pickard shot Cain in defense of his (Pickard's) life.

One hundred and seventy students will be graduated from the Pittsburg high school at commencement exercises at 7:30 o'clock Thursday night in the Shrine Mosque, J. L. Hutchinson, principal, announced today. This is a record class. Only 143 were graduated from the school last year. There are a few students in this number who will have to attend summer school this year and improve a low grade. They will be given blank diplomas at the graduation services Thursday night. Mr. Hutchinson said.

Remodeling of the Colonial theater is progressing rapidly and announcement has been made of the opening date, Monday, May 31. The last coat of paint is being applied on the interior, the new box office is nearing completion and the new lighting system has been installed. New projection machines have arrived and the electric display sign will be hero soon.

50 years ago

May 22, 1976

A Shawnee County District Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday prohibiting the Board of Regents from approving any 1977 salaries at the Kansas State College of Pittsburg until faculty grievances over deadlocked negotiations can be reviewed. The Regents had approved all KSCP salaries Friday morning except for 200 faculty pay increases. The teacher contracts were to be delayed pending resolution of a negotiations impasse. However, Judge William R. Carpenter approved a request filed Friday afternoon by Wes Weathers, a Topeka attorney representing the teachers, to restrain any action by the Regents or college officials on either administrative or faculty salaries.

The Kansas State College of Pittsburg commencement exercises will begin at 10 a.m. today, ending with an alumni luncheon at which the newly named alumni center at Ford and Joplin will be dedicated. The processional will begin shortly before 10a.m. in the Garfield W. Weede Physical Education building. From 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., graduates and their parents may have their pictures taken in the Student Union cafeteria where coffee and rolls will be served. After the commencement, a luncheon will be served from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Gibson Hall.

GIRARD - Beechner Construction Co., Inc., St. Paul, submitted the low bid for Phase V of the county bridge replacement program at the official bid opening Friday at the Crawford County Commission. Beechner's bid was approximately $90,000 less (with all deductions included) than the next closet bidder. The bid was also about $300,000 less than the engineer's estimate for the 11-bridge project. For all three parts of Phase V, Beechner bid $637,196.36. Beechner included a $50,000 deduction in its bid price if the company received all three parts of the project, making the cost to the county $587,196.36.

25 years ago

May 22, 2001

Much to the surprise of everyone involved, USD 250 and the Pittsburg Education Association have come to a tentative agreement on a new contract for 2001-2003. "I don't remember the last time we ratified (a contract) before school ended," commented Sherry Turnbull, PEA president, at a meeting Monday afternoon. However, the contract hasn't been ratified yet. A meeting to do so is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the board of education office. The meeting will be open to the public.

Chemotherapy and radiation can save the lives of cancer patients, but they do have a downside. Many persons receiving treatment lose their hair and may experience skin problems as well. The Look Good, Feel Better program is designed to help patients cope with these changes. It is designed and endorsed by the American Cancer Society, the Toiletry and Fragrance Association and the National Cosmetologist Association.

TOPEKA - Calling it burdensome to taxpayers, Gov. Bill Graves vetoed a bill Monday that would have accelerated the collection of oil and gas severance taxes. The bill was one of several revenue components legislators passed to close a $206 million gap between spending the state planned and money available. Had it become law, the bill would have created a one-time $6 million bulge in state revenues for fiscal year 2002, which begins July 1.