Caney’s annual Mayfest/Memorial Day festivities will take place Friday through Monday, May 22-25, and lots of family-style events will be held during those four days. Caney Mayfest chairman Nancy Moore said there will be something for every age. Most of the Mayfest activities will take place in Wark Memorial Park on Friday and Saturday plus the car show will be in downtown Caney on Saturday. Moore said there is one change in the line-up and that is there will be no carnival rides this year. However, there will be inflatable attractions available. “The carnival cancelled this week,” said Moore.

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PITTSBURG — Pittsburg State University assistant track and field coach Brian Mantooth, a Caney native, has been named the NCAA Division II South Central Region Men’s Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
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CHERRYVALE — Cherryvale city officials and employees are keeping their fingers crossed that the Logan Park Pool will be open for the public on Memorial Day next Monday.

Trey Cocking, city administrator, said a new federal law requires all municipal pools to have protective drain covers that prohibit swimmers from having fingers, toes, arms and legs caught in the drain. Because of the unique size and shape of Cherryvale’s drains, custom-made drain covers had to be ordered and are scheduled to arrive this week. Once the drain covers are installed, the pool can be filled and ready for swimmers to start the 2009 swimming season.

“We’re shooting for Memorial Day to be open, but it all depends on when the drain covers arrive,” said Cocking.

Cocking said patrons should check with the City of Cherryvale’s website (www.cherryvaleusa.com) or the Montgomery County Chronicle website (www.taylornews.org) later in the week or during the holiday weekend to see when the pool might be open.

Should the pool be ready for Memorial Day, then the doors will be open to the public beginning at 1 p.m.

Karla Cherico will serve as the manager for the 2009 pool season.

Montgomery County residents will now have instant access to finding the locations of convicted offenders in their neighborhoods.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department last Friday unveiled its new website — www.mgso.us — that includes a registry of sexual, drug and/or violent offenders.
“This information is being provided to the citizens in a form they can easily use any time day or night via the nation’s leading offender registration and notification solution, OffenderWatch,” said Sheriff Robert Dierks. “Citizens may enter any address of interest to them, and see a map and listing of offenders within a defined radius of that address.”
Dierks said the computer users can also register their personal address at the website, and the sheriff’s department will send an e-mail to the computer user alerting tem if any offender should register at an address within one mile or two miles of their registered address. Citizens may confidentially register as many addresses as they like, at no cost to them, he said.
“The purpose of the program is to lessen the anxiety of citizens by proactively alerting them should an offender move within proximity to them, and to enhance the security and safety of Montgomery County citizens,” said Dierks.
Any questions or concerns the public may contact Jennifer Shank, program administrator, at (620) 330-1000 or email at mgsorecords@mgso.us.

Taylor Leigh Bryant — Marcus and Tammy Bryant of Manhattan, Kan., are the parents of a baby girl, Taylor Leigh Bryant, who was born on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, in Manhattan.

The baby weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces at birth and measured 20 1/4 inches in length.

Maternal grandparents are Ray and Janie Stice of Cherryvale while maternal great-grandparents are Glenn and Frances Stice of Cherryvale and Agnes Vanmiddlesworth of Parsons.

Paternal grandparents are Randy and Lori Bryant of Independence. Paternal great-grandparents include Shirlene Hudson and Mike Davenport, both of Independence.

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Alexus Renah Theiss — Michael Theiss and Jordayne Harmon, rural Caney, are parents of a daughter, Alexus Renah Theiss, born May 7, 2009, at Coffeyville Regional Medical Center, Coffeyville.

The baby weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and was 19 inches in length.
Maternal grandparents are Miles Harmon, Caney, and the late Kim Harmon. Maternal great-grandparents are Tom Harmon, Coffeyville, Sue Farris, Caney and Susie Cutshall, Tyro.

Paternal grandparents are Ed and Denise Theiss, rural Caney, and Syd Theiss, Tulsa, Okla. Paternal great-grandparents are Raymond (Butch) and Sharon Shippy, Caney.

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Aubrey LeAnn O’Dell — Jeff and Carissa O’Dell of Ada, Okla., are the parents of a baby girl, Aubrey LeAnn O’Dell, who was born on March 3, 2009, at the Valley View Hospital in Ada.

The baby’s father is a Caney native.

The baby weighed 10 pounds, 6 ounces at birth and measured 20 1/2 inches in length.

Paternal grandparents are Larry and Laura O’Dell of Caney. Maternal grandparents are Robert and Rowena Beach of Muskogee, Okla.

The baby has an older sister, Aris Lee O’Dell, age 4.

Montgomery County Sheriff Robert Dierks said Tuesday that the body of Maurice E. Elias, 56, of Coffeyville was recovered from the Verdigris River at about 6:40 a.m., Tuesday morning in an area along the Verdigris River where the man was reported missing late Saturday night.

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INDEPENDENCE — County commissioners will mull over a proposal to close one of two county roads four miles north of Cherryvale to make room for the relocation of the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad switchyard, now located in the middle of the Cherryvale.
Pat Cedeno, vice president of sales and marketing for Watco Companies, the Pittsburg-based parent company of the SKO Railroad, told commissioners about plans to move the railroad’s switching area to a site more conducive to rail switching. Having the switchyard in the middle of Cherryvale not only snarls traffic for motorists and the trains but also puts pedestrians at jeopardy.

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Rachel Alexandra, the filly phenom who won the Preakness Stakes on Saturday in Baltimore, Md., is in the care of attention of a Montgomery County native.

Scott Blasi, who was raised in Havana and graduated from Caney Valley High School in 1992, is the personal handler for the prize-winning horse following her surprise victory over the colts on Saturday.  Blasi works for renowned horse trainer Steve Asmussen, whose other credits include training Curlin, whose is horse racing’s highest-earning equine in history.

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Video produced by Andy Taylor of the Montgomery County Chronicle.  Be sure to update whatever video browsing software you use.

 

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