8-27-14 Lamar Democrat

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Be sure to send photos & captions of your 2014 fair moments to info@lamardemocrat.com!

REMINDER: The Lamar Democrat Will Have An Early Deadline of 10 a.m. Friday, August 29 for the September 3 issue. We will closed Monday, September 1 in observance of Labor Day.

©2014 Serving Lamar, Golden City, Lockwood, Jasper, Sheldon, Mindenmines and Liberal for 144 years. Incorporating The Daily Democrat, Golden City Herald & Lockwood Luminary.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2014

2 SECTIONS, 12 PAGES

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Search begins following withdrawal from associate circuit judge Barton County Associate Circuit Judge Charles Curless has withdrawn his name from the November 4 general election. At this time there are no other filed Republican party candidates for the associate circuit judge position. As a result of this withdrawal, the Republican party nominating committee will be interviewing candidates see JUDGE, page 6A

Renaissance Festival tickets to be given to first 15 callers By MELODY METZGER Lamar Democrat A pair of Renaissance Festival tickets will be awarded to the first 15 callers to the Lamar Democrat on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Our phone system is different than it has been in the past, so at exactly 9 a.m. callers may call in to 417-682-5529, ext. 60. They will not get a person upon dialing ext. 60, but will get the answering machine. Please leave a message with your name and the phone number where you can be reached. If it is busy, keep trying. These calls will be listed according to time received and I will call back see TICKETS, page 6A

Burlington Northern declines Lamar site for tank car repair By RICHARD COOPER Democrat staff writer LAMAR-Representatives of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad (BNSF), who visited Lamar on June 13 in search of a location on which to build a tank car repair shop, have declined the location. The letter from Larry Culligan, director of railcar operations, commented favorably about the see REPAIR, page 6A

INDEX

SECTION A Correspondents......................... 2 Friends & Family....................... 3 Friends & Family....................... 4 School.......................................... 5 Area News.................................. 6 SECTION B Area News.................................. 2 Records....................................... 3 Records/Legals........................... 4 Legals/Classifieds....................... 5 Area News.................................. 6

Photos for Lamar Democrat by Jon Brisbin Above, Lamar Fair Queen contestants were, left to right, Jackalynn Neher, Jordan Lindquist, Madison Baldwin, Marissa Polodna, Haley Landrum, Jenna Baslee, Erica Cleveland, Kelsey Taffner, Erin Mayfield, Brittany Ayers and Callie Burgess. Right, the winners of the 2014 Lamar Fair Queen Contest were, left to right, Brittany Ayers, first honorable mention; Kynlee Lehman, first runner up; Haley Landrum, queen; Madison Baldwin, second runner up and Callie Burgess, second honorable mention. 2013 Lamar Fair Queen Kenna Roland plays the bells during the 2014 Lamar Fair Queen Contest.

Presenting a dance routine at the 2014 Lamar Fair Queen Contest, held Saturday, Aug. 16, were, left to right, Jordan Lindquist, Kelsey Taffner, Haley Landrum, Madison Baldwin, Erin Mayfield and Macayah Ulrich.

Lamar Fair parade participant is classic example of benefits of exercise By RICHARD COOPER Democrat staff writer

LAMAR-She calls herself an “exercise freak,” walks several blocks each day, and uses a stationary bike in her apartment. June French loves horses and has ridden in the Lamar Fair parade a number of times. This year, she rode on her own horse, just recently acquired. She and her late husband, Earl, were active in the Lamar Saddle Club and rode in various parades around the area. In fact, one of her proudest achievements was taking part in the American Royal parade in Kansas City and winning the award for the best dressed couple in the parade. Also, they were recognized as the parade participants who came the farthest to take part. What makes this continuing life style even more remarkable is June French is 95, and shows no signs of slowing down. June has three sons, Neil and Ron who live in the Lamar area and Kenneth who lives near Ozark. It sounds a bit unusual, she says, but all three are in their 70s. She is one of 10 children and has a definite Liberal connection. The late Don Rose was

her youngest brother. She has enjoyed 76 years of marriage, but that must be divided between two husbands. Her first husband, Wilbur Simons, died after they had been married 35 years. She then married Earl French, and they were together 41 years. He died just a little over one year ago. June’s memory has not dimmed with the passing years. She was a young woman of 25 when Harry Truman accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for vice-president while standing in front of the Barton County Courthouse. There was a lot of excitement in town, she said, but added, “I wasn’t there.” Horses have

played a big role in her life. She rode one to school every day, noting that was before the era of the school bus. She and Earl spent many years wintering in Texas, but in late 2012 they returned to their roots in Lamar.

Photo courtesy of Bob Noel.

Senior apartments proposed for northeast corner of square, but . . . . By RICHARD COOPER Democrat staff writer

LAMAR-An ambitious plan for building a three-story, 42unit senior residence complex at the northeast corner of the Lamar square was presented to the Lamar City Council, August 18. JES Holdings is the developer. Speaking to the council was Jacob Engle, who outlined the plan of the $8 million project to be known as Barton Square and to be fi-

P.O. Box 12 | 100 East 11th Street Lamar, Missouri 64759 Phone: 417-682-5529 | Fax: 417-682-5595 info@lamardemocrat.com www.lamardemocrat.com

nanced through a tax credit program with the Missouri Housing Development Commission. There is a September 5 deadline for the developer to file for financial assistance from the commission. Engle said some of the apartments will have one bedroom while others will have two. He said a survey has shown the need for such housing in Lamar. There will be income restrictions on who will qualify for occupancy in the apart-

ments. Engle gave a timetable for construction of the apartments, culminating in an estimate that applications for occupancy will likely be accepted in 2016. Obviously standing in the way of this plan is the slowly crumbling Gilkey building, which still occupies the site. The city has received a community development block grant to demolish the structure, but there are strings attached to the

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grant. A search for historical value of the old building was made, and there was found to be none. However, the result of that search was stored in a state employee’s computer and overlooked for several months after she resigned her job. Now, a search for asbestos must be made followed by its removal. All of these delays lead to serious doubt that Engle’s timetable can be met. see APARTMENTS, page 3A

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