News To Know: home engulfed in flames, suspect on the loose

JASPER COUNTY, Mo. – Around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, Duenweg fire department was alerted to a house fire in the Prosperity area. The house located at 19910 Ely road was engulfed in fire by the time the Jasper County deputies arrived. The investigation determined that the resident was not home at the time of the fire. Mutual aid arrived from Joplin, Webb City, Oronogo, and Carthage. The fire was declared under control at 2:55 a.m. and no firefighters were injured. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Click here if you’d like to read more about this story.

BOURBON COUNTY, Kan. – The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office asks the public to look out for a wanted suspect who they say may be armed and dangerous. Officers say Jai Terrance Scott Jr. is wanted in connection with a Felony Pursuit in Bourbon County. Click here for more information about this suspect.

FRONTENAC, Kan. – Every fall Festa Italiana makes its way back to Frontenac Kansas. Festa Italiana gives people the opportunity to see the heritage of Southeast Kansas and why it is the way it is today. The funds raised go toward student development grants and semester scholarships for all Frontenac high school graduates. Enjoy this past article about Festa Italiana: Festa Italiana returns to Frontenac for 22nd year.

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. – Carl Junction today hosted its 25th Annual Bluegrass Festival at Center Creek Park. Officials say they are excited to commemorate 25 years of celebrations with plenty of fun for the family including:

  • Food trucks
  • Crafts
  • Beer & Wine garden
  • Petting zoo
  • Bounce houses
  • Live music

The festival says they have over 20 food vendors and more than 60 craft booths. Click here to read more about the 2022 Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival.

 

Med Day Monday: Annual Exam

 

Frontenac, KS — Have you stopped seeing your physician? You should go and see them for an annual exam to help prevent future health problems. Dr. Sorell and Jessica Hartzfeld stopped by the studio today to talk about why you should. For more information you can contact the two at the following address :

608 Willard St.

Frontenac, KS 66763

 

OR call them at the following phone number: 620-231-8849.

Frontenac Theatre Department talks “The Little Mermaid Jr.”

Frontenac, KS — Disney’s “The Little Mermaid Jr.” is coming to Frontenac Theatre. Seth Harley stops by the studio with Abby Albright who stars as the main character Ariel to talk about what goes into a theatre production.

 

The play is held at Frontenac High School (201 S. Crawford St. in Frontenac). There are three different show times for you to attend:

 

  • Sunday — March 6th, 2:30 PM
  • Monday — March 7th, 7:00 PM
  • Tuesday — March 8th, 7 PM

Tickets are five dollars at the door and exact change is encouraged.

Frontenac holds its annual tree lighting

FRONTENAC, Kan. — A Southeast Kansas community is coming together to kick off the holiday season.

Sunday night the city of Frontenac held its annual tree lighting on the corner of East Mckay and Crawford Street.

Students from elementary and middle school started the event by caroling on the square.

The high school band came down the street with Santa in tow in a fire truck.

“It’s been going on for a while so they know its coming and they look forward to it. The little ones get to see Santa and they get cookies and hot chocolate. It just gets everybody in the holiday mood,” said David Fornelli, Frontenac Mayor.

The Mayor says the city refurbished half the Christmas lights on East Mckay and plan to refurbish the rest next year.

Frontenac’s “The Dance Pitt” takes home national awards

FRONTENAC, Kan. – The Dance Pitt in Frontenac, Kansas is celebrating some big accomplishments.

The dance team recently went to Branson for a national competition, facing more than a dozen other dance studios. The Dance Pitt won two national titles and a second runner-up national title.

Champion Dasncer Tatum said, “I get to spend time with friends, and I just love dancing because I really get to express how I feel. It’s just very fun.”

The Dance Pitt is also celebrating its 10th year of operations.

The legacy of Olympian Archie San Romani lives on through Frontenac's athletes, community members

FRONTENAC, Kan. — Archie San Romani is one of the most successful athletes in Frontenac’s history. The track star established himself as one of the top milers in the world during the latter half of the 1930s. But over time, his remarkable story seemed to be somewhat forgotten.

It’s been almost 90 years since track legend Archie San Romani left his mark on the Frontenac High School track and field program.

“It’s a pretty like elite group of people that have been to the Olympics,” said member of the Frontenac High School track and field team Tallon Bonine. “So I mean, to have somebody like that from our town that’s been and be able to chase after that record is pretty cool.”

The school record San Romani set in the mile back in 1932 has yet to be broken.

“We’re proud of our record board here in the track program and we stress to our kids, you know, let’s try to get up there if we can get up there,” said Frontenac Assistant track and field coach John Palubo. “That’s why records are made.”

It’s something the program’s middle distance runners have been chasing ever since.

“It’s a good motivation to chase after an Olympic athlete,” said member of the Frontenac High School track and field team Brady Stanley. “To know that that’s where the bar is set and that’s where you have to go.”

While his record, pictures and plaques hang in the halls at Frontenac high school, outside of the track and field program, the legacy of San Romani — a national champion and Olympian faded over time.

Once his career ended and his family moved away from Frontenac, his story became less known, even in his hometown.

“He lived away you know, and then when his mom and dad passed away, there was really no family left around here anymore,” said John Kotzman, who lived near the San Romani family when he was young. “So, a lot of the up and coming young kids that went to Frontenac schools really never heard of him.”

He wanted to make sure San Romani’s contributions to the sport were know beyond just his hometown.
So he helped get San Romani inducted into the Kansas sports hall of fame in 2004.

“It’s a tribute to what he accomplished,” said Kotzman. “It’s good to keep those things. I think it’s very important for the heritage of the town.”

From a virtually unknown runner to all-time great miler, the journey of Archie San Romani embodies the spirit of the small coal mining town that shaped him. That spirit still exists in today’s athletes looking to break his longstanding record.

“It’s gonna happen eventually,” said Palumbo. “Someone’s gonna get it. We tell them why not you?”

San Romani is a perfect example of that. He spent his entire track career defying the odds. Whether his record ever gets broken and matter how much time passes, he’ll always be remembered as a champion, an Olympian and beloved son of Frontenac.

From Frontenac to the world stage: A look back at Archie San Romani's rise to track stardom

FRONTENAC, Kan. — Who could have predicted that from this small coal mining town, a track star would emerge — one would leave his mark on his town and on the sport.

“Well, I think in the history of track and field, Archie San Romani is just a legend,” said Emporia State Cross Country coach Mark Stanbrough.

His running career began in a rather gruesome way. At eight years old, he was ran over by a truck and suffered a serious leg injury. Doctors initially thought his leg would have to be amputated. But one doctor wouldn’t let that happen and his leg eventually healed.

“Suffering a childhood injury and being able to overcome that and persevere through it and compete with the best in the world I think is really inspirational,” said Frontenac Historian Brady Hill.

San Romani rose to prominence during his time at emporia state university, formerly known as Kansas State Teachers College. There, he won the national collegiate mile in 1935, the 1500-meter run in 1936 and was a part of the distance medley relay team, setting a new world record that same year.

“I think he kind of set the stage for milling success in Kansas,” said Stanbrough.

His performance earned him an invitation to the U.S. Olympic trials in New York, although many considered it a longshot for him to actually make the team. He finished second to fellow Kansan Glenn Cunningham in the 1500 meter race, but it was enough to get the son of a coal miner from southeast Kansas to the world’s biggest stage.

San Romani gave it his all in the 1936 Olympics and ultimately finished fourth.

After the Olympics, San Romani got even better. In 1937, he went on to win a series of races that propelled him to the top of the sport.

“As a senior, San Romani beat all the guys that beat him in the Olympic games and really became the number one miler in the world and just a legendary figure that went on to set the world record in the 2000 meters and become the top miler in the world,” said Stanbrough.

He continued competing up until 1940 with the hopes of returning to the Olympics. But those hopes wouldn’t be realized. The games were cancelled that year due to world war II. San Romani decided to hang up his running shoes for good.

“To have a world-renowned athlete from your hometown from a small town like we are is really cool to know that you can go out and accomplishment anything and he certainly did that,” said Hill.

His career may have been brief, but his accomplishments will live on forever.

Harbor Freight to bring up to 30 new jobs to Frontenac

FRONTENAC, Kan. – A new hardware store and jobs are coming to Frontenac, Kansas.

The Harbor Freight tools chain says it expects to open a store at 1007 N. Highway 69 late this summer, but has not given an official date. Construction is underway. The company says the store will bring 25 to 30 new jobs.

Harbor Freight currently has more than 1,200 stores nationwide.