Columbus hosted a chess tournament on Saturday, Feb. 21. Bryce Anderson, sixth grader, led the team with a perfect six wins. Nathaniel Waggoner, eighth grade had 3.5 wins, Jenny Getman, eighth  grade, three wins, and Brian Bufkin, sixth  grade, two wins. Also representing Oswego at the tournament were Alex Reynolds, Jordan K. Russell, and Dylan Fuller.
This is the first time in that an Oswego Chess team has won first place at a local tournament. It also marks the first time that an Oswego chess player has recorded a perfect tournament with six wins.
The Oswego Chess Club has had many good teams in the past including two state championships. However, it has not been able to win the top honor at preliminary tournaments where this 2A school competes against much larger schools.
Many things have led to this outstanding performance.
One is Bryce Anderson. This sixth grade competitor has made himself a student of chess. He has spent many hours studying the intricacies of this ancient game. This has raised his level of play. But a chess player needs worthy competitors. Bryce has been an advocate to get many classmates involved and to improve their level of play also.
Another difference this year is an adult, Tony Nichols, Youth Minister at Oswego Christian Church. ‘Tony’s skill at chess far exceeds mine” says Walter Keener, chess coach. Tony has been very involved in the chess club this year, teaching and encouraging the chess club. He has an amazing ability to relate to the students and patiently teach them. Chess clubs seldom perform much beyond the capabilities of the coach and the addition of Tony pushed the club beyond previous year’s performances.
Credit also goes to an outstanding third grade teacher, Mrs. Williams. For several years Mrs.. Williams has recognized the educational benefits derived from chess and has given classroom time for the chess club to introduce chess to the students.
Chess has a side benefit of improving classroom performance as well as communal benefits. The more adults that get involved, the more the entire community is improved.

Commissioners approved at Monday’s meeting that anyone wanting to apply for a right-of-way permit to cross or bore through on county property must have delinquent real and personal property taxes paid, and make sure the check clears before proceeding with the permit.
A majority of commissioners will be meeting with land owners concerning purchasing easement for a bridge project on Monday, at 1:30 and 2 p.m.. The site where the bridge and meeting will occur is .7 of a mile East of Ford on 10,000 Road. The commissioners will meet with Road and Bridge staff and discuss the project with affected landowners, what the county and contractor will or will not do and to offer a price on the small parcel equal to or greater than current market value.
IN OTHER MATTERS DISCUSSED at Monday’s meeting:
• Burn ban is still in effect for Labette County. The commission will again revisit the ban at next Monday’s meeting. Agriculture permission can be obtained from the area fire chiefs with written permission to burn.
• A letter was received concerning the Juvenile Justice Authority for Labette and Cherokee counties, stating that the fourth quarter prevention payment will be $16,593.20 a reduction of 1.8 percent or $9,271.21.
• Sandy Krider, road and bridge supervisor, showed the latest KDOT information through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), signed into law earlier last week by President Obama.
Approximate distribution for the SEK district four would be $4 million, divided up between 17 counties. Commissioners approved to offer up to $100,000 match to surface the road at 24,000 on Anderson to the Parsons City, approximately 14 miles. The package should be ready to sign next week by the commission.
• Jan Bolin, administrator of Class Ltd, gave an update on how Class Ltd achieved the highest level of national accreditation by CARF. “This is quite an accomplishment in that there are hundreds of administrative and service standards to meet” Bolin said.
She also said the annual financial audit was good and that Class Ltd was awarded a $19,000 grant from the Sunflower Foundation to expand the computer access for staff and the people they serve. “This will enable people to access email, communicate with state advocacy organizations, social networks for others with disabilities and take advantage of online learning opportunities,” Bolin said.
Class Ltd, like almost all other organizations, is bracing for funding reductions, she added. There are 88 total individuals served in Labette County.
• Jim Cook, Labette County Emergency Management Director, told the commission of a mitigation plan that will be posted on the county’s website. He asks for public input on three questions. Open comments are available until March 18. The plan will then be sent to FEMA for approval and then back to the commission for their approval. More information on the mitigation plan is in this edition.
• Next meeting will be Friday, Feb. 27 at 8:30 a.m.

The Better Edna Area Relations and Support Organization will be sponsoring a basketball tournament for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade boys on March 2 through 7 at the Edna Community Building.  The games will be held Monday through Friday evenings with games starting at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. and all day Saturday from 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. and tie games will be held after the regular schedule.  The cost of attendance is one dollar and fifty cents for elementary students with children under 4 free. There will be concessions, cake walks, quilt and bicycle tickets also.  Everyone is welcome to attend.
The girls fourth, fifth and sixth grade basketball tournament will by March 9 through 14 at the Edna Community Building. There will be games on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evening 6 through 9 and all day on Saturday.

The Oswego Lions Club will have its Turkey-Noodle Dinner on Sunday, March 1, 2009, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the New Oswego Community Building.
The menu will be turkey and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans/corn, salad, rolls, desert and drink.
Donations will be accepted at the door. All profit goes to community service.

The public is encouraged to review and comment on the Labette County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan before it is finalized. This plan was created to reduce losses to communities from damage caused by natural hazard events.
Taxpayers pay billions of dollars each year for disaster recovery. Some events are predictable, and damages often can be reduced or eliminated. The federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 requires communities to develop an approved local hazard mitigation plan to remain eligible for certain federal funding.
Labette County Emergency Management Director Jim Cook invited all jurisdictions in Labette County to work together to develop this plan. The planning committee addressed natural hazards — ranging from flooding to tornados, severe winter weather, and drought — and considered the impacts of these events on local communities. Disaster Planning Resource Fairs were also held at public libraries to gather public opinion during the planning process. Based on all input, committee members suggested ways for their jurisdiction to reduce damages caused by natural events. The committee consulted with AMEC Earth and Environmental Corporation to assist with the plan development and ensure that the final plan meets federal regulations.
From March 4-18, the final draft plan will be available for your review at the following locations:
Labette County Emergency Management website:
http://209.43.125.173/department/?fDD=4-0
In Hard Copy at:
• Labette County Emergency Management
501 Merchant
Oswego, KS  67356
• Altamont Public Library
407 Huston Avenue
Altamont, KS  67330-0128
• Chetopa Public Library
312 Maple
Chetopa, KS  67336
• Parsons Public Library
311 S. 17th Street
Parsons, KS  67357-4213
• Oswego Public Library
704 4th Street
Oswego, KS  67356
•Mound Valley Public Library
411 Hickory
Mound Valley, KS  67354-0179
during normal hours of operation
You are asked to respond with any comments in one of the following ways by March 18:
Mail, e-mail or fax comments to:
Jim Cook
Labette County Emergency Manager
501 Merchant
Oswego, KS  66356
Office 620 795-2138, ext 282,
Fax 620 795-2928
e-mail address: jcook@labettecounty.com
E-mail or fax comments to: Laurie Bestgen
AMEC Earth and Environmental Corporation
Fax: (785) 272-6878 
Email: laurie.bestgen@amec.com
Public comments will be documented by the planning committee, and incorporated into the plan, as appropriate.
The final plan must be approved by the governing body of each participating jurisdiction, the Labette County Commission, the State of Kansas and FEMA before becoming official.
If you have questions on this project, contact Jim Cook, Labette County emergency manager, at 620-795-2138 ext. 282 or jcook@labettecounty.com.

The USD 506 Foundation has offered the Hartman Gearhiser mini-grant for teachers in the district.
Once again there were more worthy applicants than funds. The Foundation has set aside $3,920.
The 506 Foundation committee rated the six applications and recommended two for funding from the Foundation.
The Foundation is requesting that the Board of Education, as it has in the past, also sponsor two grant proposals. At the Jan. 20 Foundation meeting, the committee was asked to request the Board to fund all four remaining applications.
Grants funded by 506 Foundation:
Grant #1, submitted by Vickie Stockton, amount requested: $620. This grant will be used to buy “leveled reading books” so students can get books at the level they read and be early successful readers.
Grant #2, submitted by District Kindergarten teachers, amount requested: $500. This grant is to purchase a program called “Handwriting Without Tears,”this program is designed to teach manuscript letter formation to beginning writers.
Grants requested to be funded by Board of Education match and approved:
Grant #1, submitted by Melinda Littrel, amount requested: $700. This grant would purchase some hands on science products called K’Nex, that would allow students to construct their own machines.  The simple machine set includes, pulleys, wheels and axles, gears, inclined planes and levers.
Grant #2, submitted by Daria Condon, amount requested: $600. This grant would purchase the Barton Reading and Spelling System that would provide Daria and the other SpEd teachers with another tool to help students that require a different, more explicit form of instruction.  The Gearhiser grant purchased Levels 1 and 2 last year. This would purchase levels 3 and 4.

For more information, see the Feb. 25 issue of the Labette Avenue. To locate previously posted death notices, enter the decedent’s last name in the archive search box on Labette Avenue’s home page. Labette Avenue publishes death notices free of charge. Paid obituaries ($20) are printed in their entirety in the Labette Avenue and online at www.taylornews.org/lba.

Lois Darlene Leahy

McALLEN, Texas—Lois Darlene Leahy, 85, of McAllen, Texas, passed away on Monday, Feb. 16, 2009, in McAllen.

Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Lake Creek Union Cemetery in Hackberry Township, Kan. Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home is in charge of local arrangements.

Lois was born in Hugoton, Kan. She graduated from high school in Coffeyville and, after WWII, she and her husband, Emory Leahy, returned to Coffeyville where they worked for Continental Can.

She is survived by her sister, Phyllis Hoffman of South Coffeyville, Okla.; sons, Bruce (Susan) of McAllen,Texas; and Emory (Mary) of Beaverton, Ore.; grandchildren, David (Patty) and Natasha, Jodie and Michael; and great-grandchildren, David, Jr., and Cassidy of McAllen.

Jo Burrows Lytle Newmyer

OSWEGO—Monday, Feb. 23, 2009,  “Little Jo Newmyer,” a dear friend to many, loving mother, devoted grandmother and great-grandmother, accepted her well-earned angelic wings, and departed from her life in this world. She will be forever remembered and celebrated for her humorous one-liner commentary, the twinkle in her eyes and a precious giggle.

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 27, at the United Methodist Church, 204 Illinois St., Oswego; followed by burial at the Oswego Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Oswego High School’s Zoe Burrows Scholarship Fund, which may be sent c/o Murdock Funeral Home, 203 Illinois Street, Oswego, KS 67356.

Jo was born in Medford, Okla., Jan 9, 1923, to Francis and Albert “Shorty” Burrows. Her mother passed away when Jo was an infant. From her early teen years onward, Jo was raised by her devoted father and his magnificent wife, Zoe “NaNa” Burrows, who later officially adopted Jo as her own daughter. Both Zoe and Shorty preceded their daughter Jo in death.

After graduating from Oswego High School in 1941, Jo moved to Bartlesville, Okla., and began work for Phillips Petroleum; a job she dearly loved. During those years, she met Glenn E. Lytle and they married on Oct. 12, 1946. They moved to El Dorado, Ark., where in 1951, they became the parents of daughter, Sara. As Glenn enjoyed a career in the oil business, the happy family lived in Abilene and Dallas, Texas, as well as Tulsa, Okla. Glenn preceded Jo in death; passing away in the mid-1960s.

Jo and Sara continued to reside in Tulsa. Jo busied herself with caring for her daughter, and later working several years for Leisure Manor, in Utica Square, Tulsa.

On June 27, 1988, Jo married Lowell “Red” Newmyer. Retired, they lived in Whispering Pines, N.C.; moving to Oswego, Kan., in 1995, where they built a residence and lived the rest of their lives. Red preceded Jo in passing Oct. 18, 2008.

Jo will be greatly missed by her loving family.  She is survived by daughter Sara Lytle (Fred Davis) of Santa Barbara, Calif.; granddaughter, Haisly Jimenez (Mark Jimenez) of Santa Barbara; great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Chance Jimenez of Santa Barbara; all of which extend fond gratitude to Patty Koons, Janice and Kenny Campbell, Mary George, and Debbie Cunningham for their long-term devotion to Jo and Red.

Daniel Weston

FORT SCOTT—Daniel Wayne Weston, 56, of Fort Scott, Kan., died Thursday morning, Feb. 19, 2009, at the Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott.

William James Schafer and Rev. John Nipper conducted funeral services Saturday, Feb. 20, at the First Presbyterian Church, with burial following at the Evergreen Cemetery. Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, Fort Scott, was in charge of arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to the FSCC Football Scholarship, and left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P. O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701.

Daniel was born Dec. 1, 1952, in Arkansas City, Kan., the son of Richard Edward and Dorothy Bernice (Bennett) Weston.

He attended Coffeyville Community College, where he played football, and Fort Scott Community College, where he also was a student coach for football. He worked for 20 years for Mid-Continental, and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include his parents, Dick and Barbara Weston, Oswego; and Dorothy Weston, Arkansas City; a daughter, Jennifer Ackley and husband Milton, Mound City; two brothers, Dick Weston and wife Kay, Benton, Kan.; and Daryl Weston and wife Maggie, Nevada, Mo.; two step-sisters, Susan Eck, Joplin, Mo.; and Lori White, Parsons; and four grandchildren, Paul, Whitney, Jayne and Samantha.

Fredrick Paul Kirkland, Jr.

McCUNE—Fredrick Paul Kirkland, Jr., 51, of McCune, Kan., died Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009, at his home following a short illness.

Memorial services were held Monday, Feb. 23, at the McCune Community Building in McCune with Pastor Daren Baldwin officiating. Burial will take place at a private date in Walnut Grove Cemetery in Walnut Grove, Mo. In lieu of flowers, the family asks expressions of sympathy be in the form of memorials to the American Cancer Society.  Friends may drop off or mail memorials to Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, 522 S. Broadway, Pittsburg, KS 66762. E-mail condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com. Arrangements and services are under the direction of Bath-Naylor Funeral Home, Pittsburg, Kan.

Fredrick was born Oct. 13, 1957, in Oswego, Kan., the son of Fredrick Paul, Sr., and Nedra Arlee (Garland) Kirkland. He was a lifelong resident of the area and attended area schools.

On May 28, 1997, Fredrick married Linda Simmons in Miami, Okla. She survives at the home.

Fredrick worked for Midwest Mineral in Pittsburg and was also a carpenter by trade.

He was baptized in the Pentecostal Church in 1996 and was of the Christian Faith. He also had a great love of horses, drawing, painting and woodworking.

Survivors include his wife, mother, children, Jessie and Josh; step-children, Jason Hooper, Springfield, Mo.; and Tisha Hoodenpyle, Big Cabin, Okla.; a sister, Paula Fiveash and husband Robert, Munford, Tenn.; niece and nephew, Paul Ayers and Tiffany Crosby; cousin, Phil Kirkland and wife Tammy; step-grandchild Keegan Jean Hoodenpyle; and many cousins in the area.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Opal Cooper

PARSONS—Opal Cooper, 93, of Parsons, Kan., died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at Elmhaven East. She had been in failing health.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home with the Rev. Peggy Hillmon officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at the funeral home, where friends may call any time Friday.

The family suggests memorials to Wesley United Methodist Church or the Labette Community College Foundation and these may be left with the funeral home, P.O. Box 942, Parsons, 67357.

F. Mason Hopper

PARSONS—F. Mason Hopper, 95, longtime Parsons, Kan., resident, died Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009 at the Good Samaritan Center.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday, at the Faith United Methodist Church, with Rev. Jack Dutton officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home from 2 to 3 p.m., Sunday.

Memorials are suggested to the Faith United Methodist Church. They may be left at or sent to the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357.

George Kovaciny

PARSONS–George Kovaciny, 87, a resident of Parsons Presbyterian Manor, Parsons, Kan., died there Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, at Parsons Presbyterian Manor Chapel, 3501 Dirr Ave., with the Rev. Sharlyn Gates officiating. Mr. Kovaciny bequeathed his body to the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Prior to his death, he requested memorials be given to the Parsons Presbyterian Manor or the First Presbyterian Church in Parsons. They may be left at or sent to Carson-Wall Funeral Home, P.O. Box 942, Parsons, 67357.

Chetopa High School Basketball Homecoming was held Friday, Feb. 13. First row: Queen Richael LaPee, junior and King Troy McKibben, senior; flower girl is Molly Arnold, daughter of Shaun Arnold and Lela Delmont; crownbearer is Nathan Scott, son of Bobby and Crystal Scott; second row: Myiesha Ingram, junior, Hailey Erwin, Jamie Miller, freshman, Ashley Brown, sophomore; back row: Craig Black, senior; Dane Cooper, junior, Tyler Pike, freshman, and Codie Merchant, sophomore. (Photo by Juliana Kepner)

Discovery Day was held at the Oswego Neosho Heights Elementary School Monday. It was a nice day, so the students really enjoyed getting outside where more events were held.
Area businesses, individuals and helpers set up various activities and informational booths for the students. There was fly fishing, basketball skills, cheerleading, twirling/dance and cowboy up held in the gymnasium. Outside was the EMTs. There was a mad scientist, book making, preschool wild around us, zumba, honey bees, germ buster, broom making, tae kwan do, petting zoo, KBI, Fisher Price little people, hot hair, candy making old time games, rockets, quilling, chess, origami, cookie decorating, first aid, stamping up, storytelling, recycle art and yummy snacks.
This event is held every two years on President’s Day. The students discovered many things in the world around them. Mother Goose and Nanny McKae were both present to help with the groups.