The Chautauqua County Fair will be held July 22-25 this year, combining both the county fair and the 4-H fair.

The Round-Up Club will have a rodeo Friday and Saturday night.  The car show is scheduled to be at the fair grounds on Saturday along with the Caney Antique Tractor Club. Read more

It’s biscuit baking time in Longton and all bakers are invited to enter the Biscuit Bake-Off on May 2 at the Longton Senior Center. The  fundraising event is being sponsored by the Longton Historical Society. Read more

The 24th Moline Health Fair will be held this Saturday, May 2 from 8-10 a.m., in the Moline Grade School.

Participants will be able to receive a chemical blood profile which measures blood glucose, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, cholesterol, protein, potassium, and BUN, for $27.  This test requires a 12 hour fast. Read more

Everyone is invited to come and have fun taking in the beautiful Chautauqua Hills, while helping the Sedan Willing Workers raise money.

The Willing Workers will host a motorcycle poker run, a chance to win a mini chopper, $100 in gas, and a 50/50 drawing. All proceeds are going to the Sedan Willing Workers. The schedule of activities will be held Saturday, May 2 with a rain date of Saturday, May 9. Read more

A jury trial for an Elgin man charged with kidnapping and molesting minors has been postponed until June.

In a hearing last Wednesday, April 22, in Chautauqua County Court, the trial date for Mark L. Morton was moved to June 4-5. Morton’s jury trial was originally scheduled to begin on April 22.

Morton is charged with two crimes: two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a minor and one count of kidnapping. According to the complaint filed against Morton, the Elgin man allegedly had indecent liberties with a child under the age of 14 on April 6, 2008, and during a span between July 1 and Aug. 2, 2008. The court complaint says the kidnapping incident took place on July 1, 2008.

Lee Davidson of the Kansas Atttorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced on Saturday that two cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Kansas involving two adults residing in the same household in Dickinson County. Neither of the patients was hospitalized – one is still ill and being treated, and one is recovering. Read more

Two Chautauqua County residents were arrested last Thursday after law enforcement officers searched their house in Cedar Vale and allegedly found explosive devises and drugs.

Sheriff Perry Russell said his office conducted a search of 608 Lawrence Street in Cedar Vale, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Kansas Fire Marshal’s office and local police departments. Read more

Cedar Vale residents are preparing for their 14th Annual Spring Fling this weekend, Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26.

All events are held at the Hewins Park on the south side of Cedar Vale. This year the weekend will kick off with the women’s ranch rodeo on Friday starting at 7 p.m. Following will be a dance featuring a band from the Arkansas City area called “The Howlerz.” Read more

By Linda Fadely
Earlier this month, three members of the Sedan Junior and Senior High FCCLA traveled to Wichita for State STAR (Students Taking Action With Recognition) Competition.  The competition was held at the Wichita Marriot.

Kaci Hartley and Laneta Bailey competed against six other teams from across the state for Chapter Service Project  Manual. They received top gold for their efforts to assist a local para in our school as well as raise $1,548 for the Run with the Wolfes Relay for Life Team.  They scored an average of 99 out of 100 from three judges. Read more

The Elk County Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Collection Program will be held on Wednesday, April 29, at the Elk Valley School building in Longton from 9 a.m.-noon.

E-waste is produced when electronic products are no longer functional or become obsolete and need to be discarded.  By taking these items to a special collection point, the materials within them can be recovered and recycled.  Hazardous materials can be present in these items and are best left out of local landfills. Read more

Area students, ages 5-18, are encouraged to participate in the Prairie Star “Mother’s Day Poem” contest. Entrants are asked to write a 4-10 line poem about their mom, and submit it along with their name, address, and telephone number. All entries will be placed in a bowl for a drawing to be held on Friday, May 1. The winner will be announced in the Wednesday, May 6 edition.

A Mother’s Day themed basket will be awarded to the winner of the drawing to give to their mother or grandmother. All entries will be accepted whether they are short, long, funny or sad.

Entries may be submitted in our Sedan office at 226 E. Main, by mail at P.O. Box 417, Sedan, KS 67361, or by email at taylornews@taylornews.org. Call 620-725-3176 with any questions.

Students from Elk Valley High School are busy preparing for their prom this Saturday, April 25.  Students will be greeted in the high school gymnasium with decorations based on the theme of “Oceans of Memories.”  Walk-in will be held at 6:30 p.m. with the dinner and dance following.  An afterprom event will follow at the school.

The Elk Valley sophomore class will hold a bingo night to help raise money for their class.  The event will be held Sunday, May 3 at the Elk Valley multi-purpose room.  Bingo will begin at 4 p.m. and will continue until the prizes are gone.
Donations will be accepted, and the sophomores will have concessions available.

The Central basketball fundraiser, 3-on-3 basketball tournament will be held Saturday, May 9 at 8 a.m., at the Central High School and Central Elementary School in Burden.

There will be four divisions and each team is guaranteed four games before bracket play.  The divisions will be: Adult Male (age 18 and over); Adult Coed (age 18 and over); Youth Female (age 17 and under); Youth Male (age 17 and under). Read more

An ornery calf didn’t pose any problems to members of the Bar Over Seven ranch rodeo team last Saturday when it competed in the Caney Women’s Ranch Rodeo in Caney. Read more

By Dean Baum
The seventh grade team from West Elk Junior High walked away with gold medals and first place plaque as the eighth grade took the second place plaque from the SCBL Scholars’ Bowl meet at Elk Valley on April 6. Read more