Labette County Fair Board members Rick McKinzie, Rod Landrum and Steve McKinzie spent last Saturday at the Bartlett Co-Op Customer Appreciation Day promoting the centennial fair which is scheduled June 26-Jully 2.
Following are notes taken at the most recent meeting of the fair board:
Fifteen members attended last Wednesday’s Labette County Fair Board meeting held in the fair board office at Oswego. Read more

Glenn Fischer was elected mayor of Oswego during Tuesday balloting with 267 votes over Bob Shields with 186 votes.

Elected to the Oswego City Council were: Darren Tynan, Dee Brown and William Owens

Elected mayor of Chetopa was Ron Woods with 250 votes over Lance Keeling with 62.

Elected to the Chetopa City Council were: Zachary Lawellin, Connie Blundell and Joey Midgett.

Elected as Altamont City Council members were: Michael Good, Richard Hayward and Duane Kellerman.

In the City of Bartlett, Cheryl Hanigan and Russell McConnell were elected to the council.

In Edna, Jerry Winters was elected mayor.

Denzil Smith and Jim Stallings were elected to the Edna City Council.

Brenda Evans was elected mayor of Labette City.

Five city council positions were filled for Labette City: Jeffrey Ferguson, Doris Haney, Arta Mae Lewis, Penny Vanderpool and Glenda Kay Ventle.

On the Mound Valley City Council, winners were: Garry Clines, Alex Ybarra and William Wilcox.

Four new school members in USD 506 Altamont are Don Barcus, Sam Blubaugh, Lou Martin and Vincent Miller.

Elected to the USD 504 Oswego Board of Education were: William Barnes, Steven Charles, Tina Dinnsen and Jordan Irwin.

Elected to the USD 505 Chetopa/St. Paul Board of Education: Nancy Rice, Craig Sanders, Jeffrey Corn, Jane O’Bryan.

Elected to the USD 506 Board of Education: Shelley Perez, Gail Billman and Jessie Foister.

Full details on the election will be printed in next week’s Labette Avenue.

The Eli Young Band — coming to the Labette County Fair in July

The Labette County Fair Board has reached an agreement with a nationally known musical group to headline the 2011 Labette County Fair.  Universal South Recording Artist, Eli Young Band, will bring record chart hits, like “When It Rains” and “Home” to the main stage on Tuesday July 26.” We are thrilled to have this big of an entertainer to help us celebrate our 100th Anniversary” said Jeff Falkenstien, Entertainment Chair for the fair board.  “This type of event is only fitting for such an important milestone for our county.” Read more

For more information, see the March 16, 2011, 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.

Howard L. Carnahan
CHICO, CALIFORNIA ––Howard L. Carnahan, Ph.D., passed peacefully on March 6, 2011, at the age of 90 in Chico, Calif.
Carnahan was born March 25, 1920, near Parsons, Kan., to Lee and Olive (Houghton) Carnahan.
He earned an Associate degree at Parsons Junior College in 1939, graduated with a B.S. at Kansas State University, and later, with an M.S. and Ph.D. in Agronomy & Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota. Howard’s graduate schooling was interrupted by three years in the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving as Lieutenant and receiving the Nimits Commendation Medal for service “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty in the South Pacific.”
Howard’s first marriage was to Shirley Wallace from 1945 - 1972. He then married Jeri Swaffar in 1973. She preceded him in death in 1997.
His career as a scientist began as Assistant Professor at Penn State University as Research Agronomist. He later transferred to Reno, Nev., to become Director of Research for USDA Alfalfa. In 1969, he relocated to Butte County to become Director of Plant Breeding at the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, Inc., until his retirement in 1988.
Over his career, he also received numerous notable science and agronomy awards, including the prestigious “Award of Honor For Distinguished Contributions to the Advancement of Human Welfare and Enhancement of California Agriculture” from the American Society of Agronomy. His greatest desire was to improve varieties of rice that could effectively feed the most needy of those throughout the world.  In 1983, he was recognized by Labette Community College and the LCC Alumni Association by being presented the Cardinal Citation Award.
Howard was an active member of the Chico Elks Lodge, where he served as trustee and was on the charity fund-raising committee.
He was best know as “coach” to scores of Little League Baseball players that he managed over many years. In his spare time, he enjoyed being with his family, watching sports, fishing and hunting, and playing cards. He left as his legacy an ethic of hard work, honesty and integrity, and above all, having a good sense of humor.
Survivors include two sons, Lew Carnahan of Reno, Nev.; and Tim Carnahan of West Sacramento, Calif.; stepdaughter, Kathy Graddy of San Francisco, Calif.; eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren throughout California and Nevada; two brothers, Lee Carnahan and wife, Ramona, and Glen Carnahan and wife, Velma, of Altamont, Kan.; sister-in-law Juanita Carnahan, of Altamont; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Dr. Carnahan’s life will be held Sunday, April 10, 11:30 a.m., at the Chico Elks Lodge, 1705 Manzinita Ave, Chico, Calif.
Memorials are suggested to the donor’s choice. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.

Virginia Vance

OSWEGO — Virginia M. Vance, 85, of Oswego passed away on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at Oswego Nursing and Rehab Center.
Virginia was born on June 27, 1925, in Kansas City, Kan.
She married Clifford L. Vance Sr. on Aug. 13, 1942. He preceded her in death.
The couple owned and operated Vance Service Station for many years.
Virginia was a member of Oswego First Baptist Church. She loved to do all kinds of needlework.
Survivors include three sons, Clifford L. Vance Jr. and his wife, Roberta, of Oswego, Jackie L. Vance and his wife, Debbie, of Wichita and Roger D. Vance and his wife, Kelly, of Oswego; two sisters, Mary Harvey of California and Ethel Hoover of Kansas City, Kan.; two brothers, Robert J. Marshall of Kansas City, Kan., and Carl J. Marshall of Parsons; and seven grandchildren.
The service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Oswego Cemetery with Pastor Tom Heflin officiating.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association and can be left at or sent to Murdock Funeral Home, 203 Illinois, Oswego, 67356.
Condolences may be left at www.murdockfuneralhomes.com.

Janice E. Gilbert
SAPLULPA, OKLA ––Former Labette County resident Janice E. Gilbert, age 95, died Saturday, March 5, 2011, in Sapulpa, Okla.
No funeral services are planned.
To write a condolence, go to Green Hill Funeral Home website at www.greenhillok.com
The Green Hill Funeral Home of Sapulpa, Okla., is handling all condolences and burial arrangements.

Rick J. Hinman
PARSONS––Rick J. Hinman, 55, of Parsons, died at 8:00 a.m., Sunday, March 13, 2011, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m., Friday, March 18, at the Parsons Nazarene Church.  Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m., Thursday, at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the Parsons Nazarene Church Building Fund or the Rick Hinman Memorial Fund established at the Commercial Bank in Parsons.  These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.

An Altamont writer, KyAnne Weaver, will autograph copies of her new book, Diary of A Cavewoman, on Saturday, March 12, at the Mustard Seed, 119 S. 18th in Parsons.
See details in this week’s Labette Avenue.

The Oswego Chamber of Commerce held their annual meeting Monday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Oswego Community Center.
President Cindy Dean welcomed those in attendance. The invocation was given by Steve McBrien of the Oswego Assembly of God. Read more

Candidates for Chetopa High School basketball homecoming include: Front row: Kayla Underwood, Laken Conard, Ashley Judd, Nikki Sanders, and Jaya Johnson; back row: Breylan Berrios, Ryan Bruning, Justin Orns, Waylon Pike, and Josh Dvorak.The crowning of the queen will be held before the girls game approximately 5:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 11 at the Chetopa Gymnasium. (Courtesy photo)

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