A digital edition of Prairie Star with instant computer access each Wednesday morning is being announced today.

The “e-edition” is a concept utilized by hundreds of newspapers around the world and test editions in the past two months have found it to be well accepted by Prairie Star readers.

“We are excited about adding this product to our existing venues for keeping up with local happenings,” said editor Jenny Diveley.

“What I like most about the e-edition is that it will come to you by email — you won’t have to go searching for it.” Read more

The 2010 West Elk FFA Spring Shodeo is scheduled for this Thursday night, April 29 at 6:15 p.m. at the Howard Rodeo Grounds.  FFA members are looking forward to being involved in this activity which tests their livestock skills against some of the best livestock in the county.

Nathan Cooley, the West Elk FFA President for 2009-2010 said, “We are very excited to share our shodeo between the Moline Rodeo Grounds in the fall and the Howard Rodeo Grounds in the spring.”

Many people help make the shodeo a success each season. Wineglass Ranch (Gene, Jan, and Ken Kelly) provides the cows for cow riding and wild cow milking and the calves for paint branding/calf dressing/roping and tie down. Lightning J Ranch (Steve and Sissy Julian) provide the roping steers. J. B. Cannon has been a great asset as our judge for the evening and the Elk County Extension Council loans us their panels to use every year.

Some of the events that will be participated in on Thursday night include: Tire Hang, Goat Tie Down, Calf Tie Down, Barrels, Poles, Flag Race, Calf Roping, Team Roping, Calf Undressing, Cow Riding, Chute Dogging, Wild Cow Milking, Paint Branding and Calf Dressing.

The Howard Fair Board will be serving concessions and admission is free to everyone.

Rick Bunyard’s Honey removed four beehives from the Elk County Courthouse in Howard last Tuesday and Wednesday, April 20-21.

Rick, who lives at Severy, along with Billy Bunyard of Howard and Gary Bert Jr., Severy, climbed to the eves of the courthouse to transfer the bees to a new home.

Rick explained that his process is to get the queen bee out and into a box, and the rest of the bees will follow.  Bunyard then takes the bees out into the country to pollinate in a new area.

“Without bees, there would be no flowers, no fruit trees, or vegetables, therefore no human life,” Rick said.

The hives measured anywhere between the largest at 6’ x 2’ x 1 ½’ to the smaller being 2’ x 3’ x 1 ½.”   Billy said there is no way to determine how many bees were captured.  Two swarms were found in the bell tower, and two more in the second floor soffits.  They extracted almost 13 gallons of eatable honey with comb, and at least 25 gallons of old comb.

The county had to rent a man-lift in order to reach the hives.  These particular bees will be released in rural Elk County.