RCNews Feb 11

Lorie Isle, Coffeyville, was a weekend guest of her daughter Eric and Melissa Davis.  
 
Wilma Ross and Donna Engel, sisters of Jim Schafer, want to thank the baseball players that gave the floral arrangement in memory of Jim.
 
There was a nice article about “Effie’s” in the Hutchinson News on Friday.  She is one amazing lady.
 
Tammy Irvin, Kyra and Cameron Horesky, Maggie Miller, Shirley Higgins and Chuck Higgins joined Jerry and Jodi Higgins at the Great Bend High School auditorium Tuesday evening and watched the Hutch High junior varsity defeat the Great Bend junior varsity by 15 points.  Tanner Higgins is a member of the Hutch team.  Thursday evening Chuck and Alex Loomis joined Jerry, Jodi and Shirley for the 7th grade Hutch middle school game in Hutch, Jenna Higgins is a member of the team.  They won 48- 15.  The girls will participate in a league tournament in Valley Center this weekend.  They were given a bye as they finished first in the league.
 
Tyrel, Elias joined Travis, Tina and Tanner Elias at the Oakley middle school game in Oakley where they defeated St. Francis 58-16.  His niece, Katie Elias is a member of the Oakley team.
 
Martin and Mary Ann Higgins were ‘home’ in McCracken over the weekend and enjoyed visiting with family and friends.
 
 Cheesy Chicken Chowder soup.
2 (14 oz) cans reduced sodium chicken broth
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
? cup diced onion
1 tsp salt
? tsp pepper
? tsp butter
? cup all purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups diced or shredded chicken
 
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan.  Reduce heat.  Add veggies, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. 
Melt butter in medium pan, add flour and mix well.  Gradually stir in milk and cook over low heat until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese and cook until melted. Add cheese mixture to broth and veggies along with chicken.  Cook over low heat until thoroughly heated.
My Hutchinson kids really enjoyed this, tasted great after the game!
 
In Babies of 2009 in the Hutchinson News, Ben and Margaret Brenner’s grandson, Thane Andrew Brenner, son of Gary and Mayas Brenner was one of the 200 babies shown.
 
Mike Legleiter and his grandson, Caleb LaFond was on the front page of the Hays Daily News on Monday, February 1, 2010 at the Soup’R Bowl soup supper.
 
Congratulations to Carla White on the birth of a granddaughter, Celsea Lynndan McRee born December 18, 2009.  She is the daughter of Robert and Rebecca McRee of El Dorado.
 
Congratulations to Danielle Dinges, Ness City on being crowned Miss Rodeo Kansas at festivities in Ness City on Saturday night.
 
Bleeding Kansas 2010 will feature Kristen Epps, Ph.D. candidate, American History of the University of Kansas on Sunday, February 14 at Lecompton at 2:00 p.m.  She will speak of “Contested Ground:  The African American Experience in Territorial Kansas”.
All are welcome at this free program.
 
David Norlin, organizer of Reality Not Celebrity, was in charge of the protest event in Salina on Friday evening against Gov. Sarah Palin. Their speaker was George Pyle of the Salina Journal. They traditionally protest speakers.  Gov. Palin was invited by the Salina Chamber of Commerce to speak at the Bicentennial Center.  Six thousand tickets were sold for the Palin visit, the second largest in the history of the Chamber’s annual program.  David is a member of the Class of 1962 MHS.
 
Kenneth Mahoney of Dorrance died January 31 at his farm home.  He was a Kansas State University graduate.  He assisted Coach Tex Winter in Colorado operating one of the first basketball camps for aspiring high school players.  He and his brother Elmo formed a company called Tossback, Inc. in Dorrance.  They also held the patent for the breakaway basketball rim now used by the NBA, college teams and high schools.  He is a member of the Kansas State Sports Hall of Fame.  His nephew, Gary Mahoney, was a roommate of Larry Eisenhour and Floyd Thompson at Fort Hays.
 
The fire at St. Joseph Church in St. Joe, Kansas, west of Wichita, has a McCracken connection.  The late Tom McCormick and his family attended church there.
 
Keith M. Higgins, 71, died February 2, 2010.  He was born in McCracken on May 22, 1938 to Melvin Louis and Fern Emma Cooley Higgins. He was the grandson of James Joseph and Della Davidson Higgins.  He retired from Cessna after 35 years of service.  He was a U. S. Army veteran.  He is survived by his mother, Fern of Macksville; children, sons David and Shannon; daughters Shelly Kelly and Angel Evans; brothers, Wayne and Bobby and sisters, Karen Spencer and Penny Richie; seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.  Burial was in the Farmington Cemetery, Macksville.
 
Ben Thompson says that from his apartment it looks like 2 to 3 foot of snow in Washington, D. C.
 
McCracken History Notes
February 1890
 
John Mulroy met with a very painful accident while “attending court” in Ness county.  While courting a fair Miss, he fell asleep and fell on a stove and burned himself quite severely.
 
J. R. Edsall purchased 40 acres of land adjoining his home place of B. H. Hicks.  The consideration was seven dollars per acre.
 
February 1910
Following are the officers for the coming year for the Royal Neighbors:  Mary L. Prior, Mrs. Jess Elmore, Mrs. B. T. Cutler, Mrs. Wm. Wilson, Mrs. John Wagner, Miss Loa Anderson, Mrs. Anna Wilson and Mrs. Stagner
 
Miss Ora Wade, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. C. R. Wade, came Sunday from Louisiana, Missouri and on Monday morning she began teaching at the Start school, the teacher in that district having resigned.
 
February 1920
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Zeller are the parents of a baby girl born January 27.
 
B. U. Anderson has sold his ranch near Arlington, Colorado and will move here to the Gapen farm northeast of town.
 
Dan Casey, Jr. is the new Sinclair salesman.
 
February 1940
The McCracken Midgets smothered the Brownell team Tuesday evening at Brownell by a score of 43-22.  Wilfrid Higgins was high point man with 20 points.  McCracken used 17 players in the game.  The last two minutes when Mr. C. C. Grove’s four 4th graders and one 5th grader played were the most exciting part of the game.  Team members are Glen Juvenal, Orville Wahl, Wilfrid Higgins, Lester Unrein, Augustine Unrein, Glenn Conner, Lester Juvenal, Warren Irvin, Bennie Thompson, Dickie Shjiney, Gordon Pratt, Richard Moses, Kenneth Thompson, Bill Klug, Kenneth Mills, Bobbie Rhoades, Tommy Holden and Pete Derr.
 
February 1960
Wheat price $1.84 – Milo $ per 100 wt. $1.30
 
Orville Durand and M. M. Stephens were at Wichita the first of the week.
 
February 1980
A roast hog supper was provided by the Rush County Implement on Monday.  Harry Janke won a tool set, Paul North a drop cord and Donald Davis a 5 gallon gas can in the drawing.
 
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Ray Wierman, a daughter, Jill Denise, February 7 in Salina.