June 27, 2013 News

Birthdays: June 27, Dana Mintner; June 28, Danny McFarren, Nadine Miller, Russell Linsey; June 30, Ted McCormick, Jean Moran, Amanda Lamer, Debra Luft; July 1, Shirley Bundy, Lindsey Tacha, Clay Fairman, Maura Albers; July 2, Mitchell Conner, Emily Tomlinson; July 3, Sharon Irvin, Sheryl Rogers, Kristina Simmerman , Richard Baldwin, Dave Davenport, Arline Rues, Gary Barnes.

Anniversaries: June 29, Jeff and Kristian Gambala; June 30, Paul and Cindy Cannatella; July 2, Dennis and Susan Walker; July 3, Danny and Marilyn Mills.

Renewing members of the Jail/Museum are Ben and Nancy Anderson, Scott Palecki, Rush County United Fund, Gary and Elaine Turner, Diz and Wilma Washaliski, George and Marilyn Sommers (all life members); Carolyn Thompson, Charles and Shari Pollard, Al and Judy Hugh, Jean Schutte, Les and Sheryl Rogers, LeeRoy Schuckman, Verlene Wilson, Doris Schaffer, Fran Work, Marge Moran, Roy and Phyllis Conrad, Don and DeAnna Bergquist, Audra Bergquist, Brycee Strickland, Blayke and Brodyee Mintner, Bet and Jeanette McCormick. New member is Mary Ann Tanking (granddaughter of Elva Hattie Lindbloom Wilson, buried in Germantown Cemetery in Smith County and great-granddaughter of Oscar and Mary Lottie Lindblom).

Memorials to the Jail Museum were received in memory of: Families of Akers and Yawger from Al and Judy Hugh; Anna Bergquist from Don and DeAnna Bergquist, Audra Bergquist, Brycee Strickland, Blayke and Brodyee Mintner; Sylvester Conrad and the Conrad family from Roy and Phyllis Conrad; Elva Hattie Lindblom Wilson from Mary Ann Tanking; Bill Moran from Marge Moran; Floyd Thompson from Carolyn Thompson; Velma Wancura from Fran Work; Bob Schaffer from Doris Schaffer ;Jack Wilson and Anna Bergquist from Verlene Wilson, Chet Rogers from Les and Sheryl Rogers; Augie Schutte, Alvina Cole, Bob Foster from Jean Schutte.

Arlyn and Jan North were in Saratoga ,Wyoming during Memorial week. They enjoyed four wheeling in the area with friends.

The McCracken Alumni letters are out. Dues are $10.00 each. The Alumni does so much good in the community that any of your donations and memorials will help greatly. If you did not receive a letter, contact Sandra or Priscilla Jacobs.
The McCracken United Methodist Church has a new roof. Funds are also accepted to help with that project - contact Sharon Irvin or Deb Rogers to make donations.

Make a trip:

In the Kansas Travel Guide for 2013 an area to travel is the Smoky Valley. The Smoky Hill River is named for the hazy appearance at sunrise and sunset. The area is covered with mixed grass and short-grass prairies where wildflowers, coneflowers, yucca and sky-blue pitcher sage thrive. The croplands provided color from the emerald green and yellow of winter wheat to the rich colors of red and beige milo. Around Cedar Bluff can be seen remnants of the Butterflied Overland Despatch and the Smoky Hills chalk that is known world- wide for the fossils of swimming reptiles and other sea life. At Cedar Bluff, a trip to the top of the 100 foot tall bluffs makes for stunning view of the area below. Towns in this section include WaKeeney, Trego Center, Ransom, Brownell and Ogallah.

Just designated - Mount Fuji World Heritage Site

I received an e-mail from Koshiro Aizawa, who lives in Japan. Each year Koshiro sends calendars of scenes of Japan. This year all months are views of Mount Fuji. The iconic Japanese Mount Fuji was officially recognized as a World Heritage Site at the annual UNESCO conference being held in Cambodia, a designation which some in Japan have worked toward for almost a decade. Residents of Yamanaski and Shizuoka prefectures, both of which share the mountain, celebrated the news at their respective city halls, but some have raised concerns about the additional influx of tourists to the mountain, which already hosts up to 300,000 visitors a year. To combat the expected increase in visitors, a $10 entry fee will be charged to those climbers aiming for the summit starting this summer during the peak season. The money will be used for various environmental protection measures. For now local residents will be celebrating with fireworks and will be getting ready for when the mountain officially opens for the summer on July 1.

Have any of you read the book “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine by John Fox, Jr.? It was published in 1908. The book belonged to Grace Anderson.. Some of the people who read the book were Verna Dixon, Reva Rodeman, Shirley Stremel, Polly Derr , P. J. Jennings, Elmer Baus, J. O .George, Shack Stephens,, Lynette Legleiter and Dick Skinner. It was set in the Cumberland Gap area and was like a Hatfield and McCoy's type of rivalry. Many McCrackenites came from that area including the Andersons. The book will now make its home at the Jail/Museum.

Tuesday, Shirley Higgins accompanied Tammy Irvin, Kyra Horesky and Lindsey Tacha to Springfield, Missouri. They visited Dominic and Kayla Weskamp and Nicole Tacha and returned home Saturday.

The Doornbos Family (Don, Lynnette, Katelyn, Taylor, & John) had their 1st vacation to California last week. They visited the Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood, Universal Studios, Venice & Laguna Beaches, and the Aquarium at Long Beach. They met Michelle Mays for Disneyland & California Adventure Amusement Parks. We ate lots of great seafood and took lots of pictures and videos. The kids enjoyed their own piece of cheesecake for breakfast from the Cheesecake Factory.

In the days of Noah it rained for forty days and forty nights all over the land except for western Rush and eastern Ness counties. They received a quarter of an inch. . . . .pray for rain!!

McCracken History July 1963

Fred Taylor has purchased the IGA Store in McCracken.

Jan Eisenhour is attending an officers' training camp of the MYF at Camp Lakeside.

McCracken's 2nd annual Jubilee gets underway July 19.

Roslyn Moran has a column in the RCNews called Roz's Corner.

Kenny Mills, Fairfield, California, is spending the summer at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Mills. Jimmy Mills, Branson, is spending the summer with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Basil Temple.

A boy, Kevin Donald, was born July 14 to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Brening.

Carl Higgins & David Hunt, Seattle arrived Sunday evening to visit relatives and attend the MHS school reunion.
Approximately 1,000 persons capped the two day celebration at McCracken July 19 & 20.

Five days claimed readings over 100° for Rush County.

Reginald Washaliski is among the 26 junior/senior high school math teachers who have been selected to participate in the Ft. Hays State in-service institute.

Bard Stephens died July 25 after a short illness.

Everett Bullock, 70, died July 28.

Rodeo History News

July 1991: Five local cowboys, Kurt Pechanec, Pat Renz, Chad Folkerts and Randy Washburn all of Rush Center and McCracken's Larry Walling competed with Wranglers from Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska for the 5th Annual McCracken Rodeo.

July 1993: Bob Foster created Jack Wilson on a bull ride for the drawing on the McCracken Rodeo T-Shirt.

July 1998: Saturday afternoon, a full house in McCracken Middle School auditorium was treated

to a Hee-Haw take-off with guests like Minnie Pearl (Rose Diehl); The Magnificent Seven minus 3 Bill Lovitt, Babe Gilbert, Diz Washaliski & John Zeller.

July 1998: After a 32 year drought Cedar Bluff Reservoir is finally full once again. It actually happened overnight and for many residents of western Kansas it has been a long awaited day. When the news spread Sunday that the lake was full since March 1966, the mood was very festive