There will be a Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Saturday, May 23, at the Moline Rodeo Grounds.  Proof of Elk County residency will be required, such as driver’s license or city utility bill.   This is a good time to get rid of old paint, used oil, batteries, and household chemicals and poisons.

The following items will not be accepted:  Infectious and radioactive wastes, compressed gas cylinders, tetrachlorophenols, unknown or unlabeled materials, explosives, asbestos, kepone or tires.

A public hearing is set for next Monday night, May 18, in Howard to discuss a possible bond issue to finance school facility improvements.

The public hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. as a special meeting of the USD 282 Board of Education and will be held in the district office on the West Elk campus. Read more

Three area high schools will award seniors their high school diplomas this weekend.  The class of 2009 will graduate this weekend at Sedan High School, West Elk High School, and Burden-Central High School.

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Organizers of the Sedan Alumni Reunion are preparing for the 119th annual event, scheduled for Saturday, May 23 at noon, at the Sedan Fair Building at the City Park.

Tickets are available for $15 through Saturday, May 17.  After that date the cost will be $20 until Friday, May 23. The day of the banquet the cost will be $25. Tickets are available at the First National Bank of Sedan, The Green Door, the Bank of Sedan and Sedan High School. Read more

Kortney Everett, Sedan Elementary fifth grader, was the winner of the Prairie Star Mother’s Day Poetry Drawing.  She wrote a poem to her “Nana”, Verna Everett.  Verna and Kortney’s grandfather, Billy live in Broken Bow, Okla.

She received a basket full of items to give as a gift to a special woman to honor on Mother’s Day.  The basket included herbal tea, a teacup, jewelry, chocolate, and more.  The staff at Prairie Star sponsored the drawing.

Kortney is the daughter of Lana and Kelly Everett of Sedan. She is also is the granddaughter of Howard and Ellen Hawkins of Grenola. Her great-grandmother, Phyllis Hawkins, lives in Grenola as well.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10, and that also means it is time for the Chautauqua County 4-H Fun Fishing Day.

Ben Allen of Sedan said this year’s event will be the 12th annual time for fun, fishing and eating and everyone is invited to attend and participate.

The fishing will take place at Bob and Connie Rogers watershed lake.  The eating and visiting will take place right across the road at John and Pauline Doty’s place.

Fishing will begin at 1 p.m., with the dinner following at 5 p.m.  Everyone is asked to bring a covered dish that will feed your group plus one more.

To get to Bob and Connie Rogers home, take the Independence short cut from Sedan and head east.  When the pavement ends, take the first right hand turn and follow the signs.  The lake will be on your right.

If you need more information, call the extension office in Sedan at 725-5890 or Dean Wolfe at 620-704-3178.

Eight seniors from Elk Valley High School will receive their diplomas this Saturday, May 9 in the newly air-conditioned Elk Valley gymnasium.

Baccalaureate will begin at 2 p.m. with commencement following at 3 p.m.  Refreshments will be served between the two ceremonies.

The class has selected the blue orchid as their class flower, green and silver as their class colors, and the class motto is, “A good friend knows that you are a good egg, even though he knows you are slightly cracked.”

The EVHS class of 2009 valedictorian is Devon Packett and the salutatorian is Cassandra Hart.
Other students graduating with the class will be Marci Croney, Ashley Kill, Derrick Fisher, Briar Baty, Jessie  Murphy, and Kasey Beougher.

A proposed renovation of the historic, old bank building in downtown Howard was described by its new owners, Tom and Myra Devlin, at a meeting of the Howard Chamber of Commerce last Tuesday.
Chamber president Benji Crupper introduced the Devlins who gave the following update on the project.

Tom Devlin expressed that he and his wife would like the Howard community to become involved in the renovation and plans for the bank building at the corner of Washington and Wabash streets. The Devlins put a new roof on the property this month to halt further deterioration, but noted that the entire building would need extensive repairs. Discussion followed about repairs and possible uses for the building. Read more