Excerpted stories in Crawford County newspaper archives

100 years ago

February 10, 1926

Headquarters for District 14 of the United Mines Workers of America are to remain in Pittsburg, it has been voted by the miners of the district according to final tabulation of ballots today by Harry W. Burr, district secretary-treasurer. Pittsburg was given a majority vote of 241 over Frontenac. Proposal to move the district headquarters from Pittsburg to either Arma or Frontenac was insisted upon by certain factions in the union several months ago.

Queen of Hearts will reign supreme tonight at the Pittsburg Teachers College as old King basketball trots Kansas City way. The big events in hearts tonight is a St. Valentine's Day party in the Frances E. Willard hall, the College women's dormitory. Games, plays, novelty entertainment, features and music are on the night program. Refreshments will be served by a committee of girls in the dormitory. A flashlight picture for souvenirs will be taken.

Directors of the Chamber of Commerce will be entertained at luncheon tomorrow noon in the Chamber of Commerce rooms by Ford Harper, secretary. Rooms in the Chamber building which were occupied by the Craw-ford County Retailers Association prior to the first of this month have been fitted into lounging rooms in which dining facilities have been placed by Mr. Harper. These rooms have appointed in charming-manner with two large flower boxes adding considerably to their attractiveness.

50 years ago

February 10, 1976

GIRARD - Within 30 days Crawford County may be housing its prisoners in the county jail here once again. The Pittsburg City Jail has been used by the county for housing prisoners since the antiquated county jail was closed in early 1975. Until December, the city charged the county $6.42 per prisoner a day. Sheriff Jim Sellars said at Monday's County Commission meeting that the fee is now $14.25 per day for a prisoner. The Crawford County Commissioners hope that by making the necessary improvements on the county jail, which was built in 1920, money can be saved and more prisoners can be detained.

George E. Nettels Jr., 48, was elected Monday night as president and chief executive officer of McNally-Pittsburg Manufacturing Corp. Nettels is the first person outside the McNally family to be designated as chief executive officer. Edward T. McNally, 61, who formerly held Nettels' new position, was elected chairman of the board. McNally said of Nettels' election, "We are very fortunate to have a man as capable and youthful as George Nettels to lead the attack into our promising future.

GIRARD - The Crawford County Commissioners approved the first draft of a letter to City Court Judge John Gariglietti Monday which could change City Court-appointed attorney fees from $50 to $25. The commissioners approved a letter written by Deputy County Atty. Vern Grassie stating the intentions of the commission to reduce the attorney fees. Grassie told the commissioners that he believes the fee is "too cheap," which reflects the feelings of at least several other area lawyers.

25 years ago

February 10, 2001

Michiko Itatani, featured artist in a new exhibit in the Pittsburg State University Art Gallery at Porter Hall, never imagined that she would become a visual artist. Instead, growing up in Japan, she studied philosophy and literature, and dreamed of becoming a writer. "I had a small success as a young writer, but my professors said to me, 'Michiko, you are so immature and inexperienced that you have nothing to write about'," she said. "They told me that I should go some place that I had never been, and do things that I had never done before, so I came to the United States and studied visual art."

Senators are waiting until next week to get their work done on passing a bill to extend the Kansas Lottery, but it's the school finance issue that has some area legislators concerned. "This school finance thing is going to be interesting all session long," Sen. Jim Barone, D-Frontenac, said. Barone was co-sponsor of an amendment offered by Sen. Ed Pugh, R-Leavenworth, which would have reduced the statewide mill levy for public schools from 20 mills to 19 mills.

A number of area roads were closed Thursday night and Friday morning due to flooding caused by heavy rains. According to staff at Pittsburg State University, the Pittsburg area received more than three inches of rain Thursday before 6 p.m. The area received 0.65 inches of precipitation Friday. Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton said Friday afternoon that a number of local roads were closed Thursday night and early Friday morning due to high water.