Cash Kimple, independent candidate for Chautauqua County Sheriff, is urging supporters to vote for Perry Russell for sheriff.

Kimple wishes to thank everyone for their support but urges them to vote for Perry Russell. In his announcement, he stated his reason as:

“I made this decision after the Republican primary election when Perry Russell was duly elected the Republican candidate for sheriff. He is qualified for the position and he is just the change that we, as a community, need in the sheriff’s department. Unlike the present administration, we will be able to communicate and work well with Perry.

“Law enforcement is a tough job requiring professionalism, high ethical and moral standards,” Kimple said. “I will give my full support to anything, and anyone who, I know, will make me and my officers’ jobs safer and more effective, for our community.”

Kimple added, “Perry Russell will bring better service to the community with more crimes solved, using a cohesive team of dedicated officers, than with the current division, animosity, and the absence of communication that we live with today. He has my full support.”

Even though Kimple has informally withdrawn from the sheriff’s race, it is too late to get his name removed from the Nov. 4 ballots.

The Community Club of Grenola has been working hard the past couple of months and plans are nearly complete for the 2008 Grenola Octoberfest. This year’s theme is “Peace and Love Hippies.” The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, and organizers say they have planned a super good festival.

The day will begin early with a breakfast served by the Greenfield Wildcat 4-H Club in the Community Building from 8 to 10 a.m. Car show entrants need to register from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. on South Main street. The kiddie parade will start at 10:45 followed by the main parade at 11. The Community Club is sponsoring a costume contest and urges everyone to dress up as a hippie and meet at the announcer’s trailer at 11:30 to have your picture taken for voting throughout the day.

Once again the CHS Music Department will be serving a homemade chicken and noodle lunch in the Community Building starting at 11:30. At 12:30 p.m. a horseshoe tournament will start north of the city complex; at the same, the first Medallion Hunt clue will be posted, the cake walk will take place between the Senior Center and the car wash, and a 3 on 3 basketball tournament will begin.

Free street games are scheduled for 1 p.m., and bingo will start at 2 p.m. in the Community Building. From 2 to 4 p.m., carnival games will take place in the City Park. At 2:30, all kids will gather south of the old Flint Hills Cafe for the farm scramble (chicken and greased pig chase). At the same time, the car show winners will be announced.

Anyone interested in going on a scavenger hunt should meet at the corner of the City Park, and those wanting to enter the eating contest need to be in front of the Community Building at 4 p.m. At 4:30, the costume winner will be announced and a “bean server” auction will take place. At 5 p.m. the bean feed will get underway and raffle prizes will be drawn.

All are invited to attend a free movie to be shown at 7 p.m., north of the Senior Center. To end the fun-filled day of events, a free street dance will be sponsored by the Community Club with music provided by Lightening J Productions beginning at 9 p.m.

There are several great prizes to be raffled this year including meat bundles, grocery and gasoline gift certificates, candles, dog food and numerous other items. Chances will be sold for a $1 donation each and can be purchased from any Community Club member and are also available at the Valley Coop in Burden.

Everyone is invited to attend Octoberfest 2008, come early and stay the entire day for lots of family fun activities.

Everyone is invited to join the fun of wine tasting at the Elk County Community and Education Foundation’s annual event.

Steve Ewing will be speaking about the different types of wines that he will be providing, and he will answer any wine questions you might have. Steve’s wife is Marilyn Miller Ewing, formerly of Elk County.

The date is Saturday, Oct. 11 from 3 to 5 p.m., at the southwest shelter at Polk Daniels Lake. The ticket price is $12.50 per person. That includes excellent wine and appetizers in addition to great company.

The ECCEF has been providing funding this year for building and/or transportation projects for every community and ongoing scholarships and educational events. This year their focus has been in supporting Elk Konnected.

Tickets will be on sale in each of our towns in Elk County. Contact Shari Kaminska, Deanna Cannon, Joanna Hunter, Shirley Black, Dr. Kate Perkins, Helen Taliaferro and Linda Cooke.

The annual “Blues on the Green” concert will be held in Longton on Saturday, Oct. 4. Jamming under the stars will be Dr. Fuzz and the Antidotes, Harry Williams and Co., and Howlerz, with a possibility that Glenn R. Townsend will make a special appearance.

Added attractions will be the Rack Shack’s barbecue and smoked meats from the Rack Shack in Sedan, Longton’s own B.K.’s Beer Garden, and Bud’s Firework Show.

There will be no admission charged at the gate, but help Kay and Richard Claytor out with expenses with a free-will donation.

The free concert will start at 6 p.m., at Kay and Richard Claytor’s yard, 9th & Delaware. Rain will cancel the show.

Sedan’s USD 286 will partner with GroupCast Messaging Systems to implement a new SchoolReach system, school officials announced this week.

SchoolReach system is already in use in many school districts nationwide and was designed to provide a recorded message from a school official to parents for emergency purposes or for a general announcement.

“SchoolReach will be a great addition to our communication with students, parents and staff,” said Supt. Scott Hills. “We have already used the system several times and have received very positive feedback.”

SchoolReach allows a school official, such as the principal, to record a brief message, which will be sent to a list of parents simultaneously. Greeted by the voice of a familiar school personality, parents know right away that the message is important.

Once the message is recorded, it only takes a few minutes to distribute to parents. The system then generates a report that tells officials which parents answered, when an answering machine picked up and whether those who answered listened to the whole message.