The National Weather Service in Wichita will present its annual severe weather seminar — “Storm Fury On the Plains” — at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Chautauqua County Courthouse in Sedan.
The public is invited to attend.

A similar program will be held at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23 at the Cinema 8 in Winfield; 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24 at the Eureka High School; and at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 2, at the Cox Building in Howard. Read more

Elk County Sheriff Doug Hanks has instituted a new security feature to secure the safety of employees, and others with legitimate business in the Elk County Courthouse.

Visitors to the Elk County Courthouse in Howard  will be required to  identify themselves before a video camera at the entrances and wait to be buzzed in, a dramatic new security feature that will be installed immediately.

The enhanced security measures have been ordered by Sheriff Hanks largely as a response to recent criminal threats made to court personnel located at the courthouse.   The nature of the threats illustrated the vulnerability of persons working at the courthouse, as well as posing a potential interruption of the routine business conducted in all other offices located in the building.

The video cameras will be monitored at the dispatch office located in the jail building.  Currently access to the courthouse is unrestricted and unmonitored.  The new security measures are not designed to restrict  access to the building.  Rather the system will provide a record of who had access and potentially discourage anyone with anti-social or criminal intent. Read more

Sedan’s Little Scholar Preschool will have a bingo fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Sedan Fair Building.

Mini’s begin at 6:30 p.m. and regulars will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Advance tickets may be purchased from any of the following preschool board members: Jamie Littlepage, Mary Warren, Carol Williams, Lynnette Kill, Crystal Carter, Kristen Miller, Lillian Roosevelt, Leslie Littlepage, Mary Kaiser.

Concessions will be available. If you have any questions please contact Jaime Littlepage at 620-249-7349.

Because of the recent snow storm that hit the region last Friday, two area high school homecoming coronations and basketball games have been rescheduled.

Homecoming for Elk Valley High School has been rescheduled for Thursday, Feb. 4 when the Elk Valley Lions will take on the Oxford Wildcats. Junior varsity  games will begin at 4:30 p.m. Varsity games will begin at approximately 6 p.m. Homecoming coronation will take place at halftime of the boys varsity game and a dance will follow the game.

The basketball games for West Elk High School have been rescheduled for this Saturday, Feb. 6, while the homecoming coronation will hold off until Friday, Feb. 12.  The Patriots will take on the Argonia Raiders this Saturday with the junior varisty girls starting at 2:30, followed by the junior varsity boys, varsity girls, and finally the varsity boys.

The WEHS homecoming coronation will be held at the basketball games on Friday, Feb. 12 against South Haven.  Coronation will be held during halftime of the varsity boys game.  Cheer camp attendees will also perform at the games that evening.

The WESO chili/soup and pie supper will also be held that evening from 5:30-7 p.m. in the WEHS cafeteria.   All proceeds will benefit the 2011 WESO Scholarship Fund.
The cost for the dinner is $5 and includes a drink, pie, and a bowl of chili or soup with a refill.  Patrons may also purchase just the chili or soup with a drink for $3.50.  A contribution of $2.50 will purchase a piece of pie and a drink.

The 63rd Annual Meeting of the Elk County Conservation District will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Cox Building in Howard.  Registration will begin at 6 p.m.  A dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. A short business meeting will follow the dinner with award presentation to end the evening.

Tom and Janice Bills will be receiving the 2009 Bankers Award, Dale and Barbara Clubine will be receiving the 2009 Grassland Award and Ron Dellinger will be receiving the 2009 Wildlife Habitat Award.

Reservations are required.  Please call the District Office at 620-374-2511 by Feb. 5 to make reservations.

The Chautauqua County Conservation District Annual Meeting will be held on Feb. 20.  More details and information will follow in the next editions of the Prairie Star.  A special Soil Conservation Edition will also be published in the coming weeks.

Desiree Haughn (background) and Drako Berryman took a short cut across a mountain of snow in downtown Sedan on Monday as they walked home from school. Between five and six inches of snow fell on Chautauqua and Elk counties last Friday, cancelling school and all activities. Cold temperatures over the weekend and into Monday kept the snow on the ground but melting was well underway Tuesday and Wednesday.   Desiree and Drako are pictured on the front page of this week’s Prairie Star.