COLUMBUS, Kan. —
Voters in Cherokee County on Nov. 6 will determine who will be the next county attorney, the county’s top prosecutor.
Incumbent John Bullard didn’t seek re-election, leaving the position open.
The county clerk’s race is a rematch of the 2010 election.
Republican Nathan Coleman and Democrat Melanie Bingham are vying for the county attorney position. Coleman defeated Robert Myers in the Republican primary, while Bingham had no primary opponent.
• Bingham, 40, lives in Baxter Springs. She has lived in the county for nearly 20 years. She has a law degree from the University of Tulsa. She is assistant Cherokee County attorney and works as legal counsel for the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department. She has served 13 years on the Baxter Springs School Board.
“We live in a small community because we want a safe place to raise our children,” Bingham said. “If we continue to allow criminals to avoid prosecution, our area will become even more of a haven for meth labs and violent crimes.”
She said a good working relationship between police agencies and the county attorney is vital.
Bingham took issue with Coleman working as a criminal defense attorney.
• Coleman, 36, of Galena, has lived most of his life in Cherokee County, most recently moving back in 2006. He has a private law practice with offices in Joplin, Mo., and Galena. He has a law degree from Washburn University, Topeka. This is his first campaign.
“My goal is to prosecute crimes,” Coleman said. “For a number of years we have seen the crimes charged at the county level are not at the level of crimes committed. One of my goals is to support law enforcement and charge those crimes in court.”
Coleman said Bingham’s making his work as a defense attorney an issue shows her lack of understanding of the constitution, the legal system and a lack of experience. He said his experience as a criminal defense attorney benefits him as a county prosecutor.
“Having a successful offense, you have to know the defense,” he said. “I have 10 years experience compared to her 1 1/2 years experience.”
Bingham responded in an email that she is the only candidate with experience as a prosecutor, beginning in the Crawford County attorney’s office in January 2011.
“Experience is about more than just number of years,” she said. “What have I done in my time as an attorney? I have worked with law enforcement to put criminals behind bars.” She said while she has worked only to prosecute criminals, her opponent has worked to keep criminals out of jail.
In the county clerk’s race, incumbent Democrat Crystal Gatewood is being challenged by Republican Rodney Edmondson, a former county commissioner, in a rematch of the 2010 election. Gatewood has sometimes been involved in tense disagreements with Commissioner Richard Hilderbrand, a Republican.
• Edmondson, 49, of Baxter Springs, has lived most of his life in the county. He has an associate’s degree from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Miami. He works as city court clerk in Baxter Springs. He served one term as a Cherokee County Commissioner.
“We’re trying to restore honesty and integrity back to the office of the county clerk,” Edmondson said.
He said as a county commissioner, he developed a good working relationship with county employees and department heads.
• Gatewood, 54, of Columbus, has lived in the county for 35 years. She has two associate degrees from Labette Community College, Parsons. She is in her first term as county clerk.
“There’s nothing to restore,” Gatewood said in response to Edmondson’s accusation. She said there is more honesty and integrity in her office than there has been in the past.
Gatewood said there has been a lot of progress in the office under her leadership.
“The technology has improved,” she said. “I’d like to continue to work for the people of Cherokee County.”
Local News
Cherokee County voters to decide prosecutor, county clerk
- Local News
-
-
Missouri Southern art students to raise funds for Moore, Okla.
Throughout periods of historical change, art has always played an important role, Kahlief Steele contends. “A lot of art came out of the Renaissance period, and the same thing happened after the Great Depression,” said Steele, an art major who will start his junior year this fall at Missouri Southern State University.
-
City manager: CID owes Neosho $158,257
The Big Spring Plaza Community Improvement District owes Neosho $158,257, City Manager Troy Royer told the Neosho City Council on Tuesday night. Royer had filed an open-records request under the Missouri Sunshine Law with officers of the CID he could identify, which he had said wasn’t easy.
-
Ground to be broken for Pittsburg project; 10 homes planned for moderate-income residents
City and Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce officials will participate in a groundbreaking ceremony at 11 a.m. today at Lincoln Square. An open house also will be held in the home under construction in the new development.
-
Mike Pound: Office space no place for litter box
I knew my wife was lying when she told me to relax. “It won’t be that bad,” she said. “Relax. I’m sure all writers have had to put up with something like this at least once in their career.”
-
Donations helping JHS music programs rebuild after tornado
Building a repertoire for the Joplin School District’s orchestra program is a challenge for Kylee VanHorn. “Every time I get on the Internet and look at the music sites, there are so many pieces I want to purchase, and I just don’t have the money,” VanHorn said.
-
Defendant chooses not to testify in Miami murder trial
Donna Shirley testified Wednesday that Dustin Boggs had blood all over his hands and clothes when she encountered him in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart store the afternoon Danyel Borden was killed.
-
Former Jasper County official's sentencing slated today in fraud charges
Rita Hunter, former Jasper County public administrator, is to be sentenced today in federal court in Springfield. Hunter, who held office from January 2005 through December 2008, pleaded guilty last November to document fraud, a charge related to illegal obtaining of federal benefits.
-
MSSU board approves settlement agreement with fired president
Bruce Speck, whose contract as president of Missouri Southern State University was terminated last week, will receive the equivalent of a year’s salary as well as housing and health insurance benefits through the end of the year.
-
Mindenmines man charged in first-degree assault case
Barton County Prosecutor Steven Kaderly on Wednesday charged a Mindenmines man with first-degree felony assault of another man, who was in serious condition at a Joplin hospital. The felony charge against Charles Lee Kerby, 32, alleges that on Sunday he assaulted John Bryant, 58, causing serious physical injuries. The assault happened in the 800 block of Tucker Street in Mindenmines.
-
State auditors start review of Jasper County Circuit Court
Workers for the office of Thomas Schweich, Missouri state auditor, have started an audit of Jasper County Circuit Court. The state review was described as “routine” by Spence Jackson, a spokesman for Schweich’s office.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Missouri Southern art students to raise funds for Moore, Okla.
