Three Oklahomans were arrested Thursday near Humboldt and charged with harvesting mussels from the Neosho River without a permit. They were caught with a 14-foot john boat filled with mussel shells. Sheriff Ron Moore said several parties of mussel harvesters had been operating in this area. He said the others had permits, which cost $250 each. The shells are exported to Japan where they are used in the cultured pearl business. Eight species of mussels are known to live in the Neosho River in this area. Three are on the endangered species list.
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Iola singer Sean Michael will open the 98th Annual Allen County Fair Country and Western Music Show Monday evening. The show features Skip Ewing. In addition, Don Erbert and Mark Hastings of Iola and the Southeast Shavers, an area barbershop chorus, will perform during the fair.
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Gretchen Lewis of Iola and her 12-year-old bay American Quarter Horse gelding, Pocos Mesa, were top 10 Western Riding finalists at the 1991 American Junior Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show in Tulsa, Aug. 5-10. Lewis, 18, competed against 80 contestants 19 and under who qualified for the invitational show. She is the daughter of James and Beverly Lewis.
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Raymond Smith, Iola municipal judge, was killed Tuesday in a freak accident. Smith was picking elderberries in a fence line along U.S. 169 north of Iola when a car went out of control, left the highway and struck him. The car was driven by Peter Briggs, 16, of Topeka. It overturned, but Briggs and a passenger suffered only minor injuries. Smith had been judge since May of 1973. He was owner and operator of Smith Implement Co. until 1970, then he founded the Smith Diesel and Equipment Co. which he was operating. He had served on the local school board and the Allen County Community College Board of Trustees.
