Stories from Saturday, June 12, 2010

I'm writing this late on the evening of D-Day, that pivotal and blood-drenched June day in 1944, when so many uniformed American kids were mowed down by German machine gun fire on the pitiless, wind-swept beaches of Normandy, only enough surviving to mount the anything-but-certain drive against the closest thing to Evil Incarnate, I imagine, we've ever seen on this poor old planet...

Hi neighbors. This is the big Bushwhackers Days week! I hope you have plans to take in the sights, sounds and smells of this annual hometown celebration. My granddaughter was impressed with the carnival rides. There seem to be a large selection this year...

Evelyn Leedy passed away May 26, 2010, in Falls Church, Va., She was born at Walker, Mo., Dec. 5, 1945, to Vernon and Alphina Leedy. She graduated from Nevada High School, 1963 and Southwest Missouri State College 1967. In 1970 she received two Masters in music from the University of Illinois. She retired from the Library of Congress as music copywriting supervisor. Evelyn loved music, traveling abroad and gardening...

Connie Mische, 60, Metairie, La., passed away on Wednesday, June 9, 2010, at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., following a short illness. She was born on Nov. 2, 1949, in Ft. Collins, Colo., to Harry Allen Wood and Ellen Louise Sanderland Wood. She married James Houston Mische on Oct. 28, 1972, in Nevada, MO, and he survives of the home...

Kayann and Sherman Koehn, of Rich Hill, and siblings Trevor, Teresa and Holly, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter and baby sister, Shauna Kay Koehn. Shauna was born at 2:49 a.m., on June 12, 2010, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces, and measured 19 inches...

For our next issue of Ageless magazine, for active adults age 50 and older, we'd like to feature local families in which the grandparent is the primary caregiver for grandchildren; the joys of this special opportunity, and your tips on bridging the generation gap. ...

FORT SCOTT, Kan.-- The second annual Riverfront Festival is scheduled to take place early next month in celebration of the development of a local riverfront area. The public is invited to attend the event, which will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 2, in the 400 block of North National Avenue on the banks of the Marmaton River. The event will feature a hot dog and wiener roast on a campfire, other food and refreshments, live music, and information on the riverfront project...

With only days left to vote, the Kansas Sampler Foundation has announced the "8 Wonders of Kansas History" contest has received the most total votes of all the previous contests it has hosted. According to a statement by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, there have been more than 14,000 votes recorded for the contest geared toward educating the world about Kansas and encouraging travel in the state...

There are a lot of people on the water this year because boating and all the recreational activities associated with it are fun. Whether they are into fishing, swimming, sailing, boat camping or being on the water for a cruise down the lake, boating is becoming increasingly popular every year on the state's waterways...

EL DORADO SPRINGS, Mo. -- The AAA Nevada Red Sox traveled to El Dorado Springs Thursday evening and came home with two more wins. The first game turned into a five-inning affair as the Sox routed the Eagles 14-1. Grant Davis, who went the distance for Nevada on the mound, started things off in the second with a walk and scored when Dusty Schlichting bombed one over the left field wall. ...

NEVADA -- As is the case every summer, the Nevada Griffons have already been forced to find a way to combat a rash of injuries and players leaving for various other reasons. Catcher and first baseman Joe Lincoln became the most recent player to join that list, but for a different reason than his teammates -- the Major League draft...

Phil and Nancy Wimmer and John and Joyce Dalgarn announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their children, Brandi Gailann Wimmer and Joe Wilson Dalgarn. Brandi is the granddaughter of Dorothy Wimmer and the late Joe Wimmer, Fulton, Kan., and the late Goldie and Ralph French, Fort Scott, Kan. Joe is the grandson of Ruby Wilson and the late Joe Wilson and Mary Dalgarn and the late John Dalgarn, both of Miami, Okla...

Daryl and Malinda Ast, Nevada, announce the engagement of their daughter, Marcella Lynn Ast, to Caleb Anthony Clark, son of Karen Clark and Barry Clark, both of Nevada. Marcella is the granddaughter of Wilma and George Vandenburg, Metz, Mo., and the late Clemens and Agnes Ast, Conway Springs, Kan...

Steve and Karen Curran and Sandra Belden, of Girard, Kan., announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter, Ashley Curran, to Kevin Spencer, son of Lawrence and Donna Spencer, of Pleasanton, Kan. Ashley is a 2007 graduate of Girard High School and Kevin is a 2007 graduate of Jayhawk-Linn High School. Both Ashley and Kevin will graduate from Pittsburg State University with bachelor's degrees in mathematics education -- Kevin in 2010 and Ashley in 2011...

Joe and Marian Sunthimer celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on June 9, 2010. The couple were married in Milford, Ind., in 1950. The Sunthimers moved to Nevada with their three children, Ed (Joe IV), Susan and Kathy in 1961.

Gary and Carol (Simpson) Davenport, Farlington, Kan., will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on June 19, 2010, with a reception, hosted by their children, at the Farlington Methodist Church, Farlington, from 2 to 4 p.m. The couple requests no gifts...

Bill and Dorothy (VanAuken) Davenport, Mexico, Mo., will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on June 19, 2010, with a reception, hosted by their family, at the Farlington Methodist Church, Farlington, Kan., from 2 to 4 p.m. They request no gifts...

The children of Roy and Cathy Schlup, of Schell City, Mo., announce the 25th wedding anniversary of their parents and a celebration held June 5, 2010, to honor the couple. The Schlups participated in a traditional vow renewal officiated by Larry Brown at Faith Baptist Church in Walker, Mo. A reception hosted at the Schlup home was partially catered by Osage Smokehouse of Indian Springs and supplemented by the wedding party...