Nov 15
Family and friends surprised Suellen (Higgins) Amateis last Saturday night for her 50th birthday.  Those attending and surprising her were Sara Amateis, Tracy and Leann Higgins, San Diego, Mary and Martin Higgins, Lenexa, Joe Higgins and Cyndi Yauger, Kansas City, and of course Phil and Larry Amateis, along with many of Sue's friends from the Denver area.  Joe and Cyndi flew into Denver Friday morning, and Cyndi being from Pennsylvania and never been "west of the Mississippi" (actually west of Ohio really) was totally amazed at the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.  They drove immediately to Estes Park and spent the night at the Stanley Hotel.  The Stanley is reportedly "haunted" but Cyndi reported no ghostly activities.  However, there was a "tour" through the hotel and when the group came to room 418 the guide said, "and this room is supposedly the most haunted in the hotel, but I think someone has rented it so we can't go into the room." at which point Joe waved his keys in the air and said "I have the keys if you'd like to go into the room" which everyone did but no apparitions appeared for them.  Oh well, maybe next time.  Then on Sunday Joe took Cyndi to Colorado Springs and they took the little train to the top of Pikes Peak!  Cyndi said they have little, round topped mountains in Penn. but nothing like Pikes Peak!  They also drove past the little house where Claude and Hazel Ryan, Mary Higgins' grandparents, used to live when they were alive.  The house is still there and occupied and in good shape.  The back yard of the house is the "Garden of the Gods" so when Mary and her family visited there the kids used to play in the Garden of the Gods.   Anyway --- everyone had a great time and Suellen was very surprised that everyone kept the secret from her!!"  Carrie Higgins didn’t go because a girlfriend with 3 little kids had just had a medical procedure and her husband is in Iraq so she stayed home to help her.
Addie Mills was a Tuesday overnight guest of Rev. and Mrs. Bob Brown at Holton.  They also visited with Chris and Jessie Zimmerman.
The Peach-Green volleyball team, Mary Beth Peach, Paula Greenway, Shawana North, Paula North, Melissa Bradford and Emily Rogers ‘captured’ first place at the volley ball tournament last Monday in Ness City.  They defeated Wakeeney which had Treva Bergquist and Kizmin Wilson as players.
We understand Ashley Taylor was married the first part of October. 
Specialist Andrew Strange and his wife Cassie Karlin visited family and friends in the Colby and Hays area the past two weeks.  Addie Mills met them in Hays on Thursday evening.  Andrew will be stationed at the Schofield Army barracks in Oahu for the next 9 months.
Charlotte Ochs celebrated her 85th birthday at the Cactus Club restaurant in Ness City on the 8th with some yummy fried chicken.  Those helping her enjoy was Arky and Diana McNair, Roger and Norma McNair.
Chris and Tessa Jones were here Saturday to help his mother, Machree & Thayne Jones celebrate her ?? birthday. 
Jeff Jennings and Roy Powers, Kansas City, were Friday and Saturday overnight guests of Shirley Higgins.  They did some pheasant hunting Saturday and Sunday before returning home.  Jeff was a classmate of Chuck and Jerry Higgins when they were in school at Hutch Juco.
The Hoisington Cardinals lost the sub-state playoffs with the Garden Plain Owls Friday night by a score of 55-7.  I don’t think I’ve seen such big, fast, and quick on their feet high school players.  They were a great football team. I’d like to see them play Smith Center!!  Congrats to Hoisington on a great season.
The pancake, sausage supper held Sunday evening at the Methodist Church was very well attended.  The proceeds went to the ‘Christmas shoe box’ project.
The McCracken United Methodist Church will be hosting a "Come to the Stable" Dec 16 at 4:00.  "Come to the Stable" will provide a quiet break from bright lights and busy shopping by featuring nativity sets from church and community members.  Please contact Deb Rogers if you have a nativity set that you would like displayed.
Tyrel Elias stopped by his mother, Carolyn and Dave Davenport in Hutchinson on Monday morning on his was to eastern Kansas.  He attended a Trimble Dimensions seminar last week in Las Vegas.  Trimble Dimensions is a G.P.S. School for surveyors.  He went from eastern Kansas to Goodland on Tuesday.
Thirteen story hour kids celebrated Veteran's Day this week by decorating their own flags.  Lexi, Zoe, and Rylan Anderson, Taylor Doornbos, Clay and Dalton North, Courtney and Erica Gilbert, Carson and Logan North, Emma, Kate, and Will Rues.  Come and see their display at the McCracken Library.
 
 Weekend guests of Wilfrid and Twila Higgins were Doug and Mary Higgins, Lyons, Jeremy Higgins and Ashley Moneymaker, Olathe; Brett Higgins, Manhattan, Wayne Roth and Robert Kibblinger, Wichita; and Tracy Newell, Garden City.
 
The McCracken United Methodist Youth group packed shoes boxes for a Denver organization called "Operation Christmas Child" on Sunday.  76 shoe boxes were filled.  They included toys, colored pencils, washcloth, toothbrush, toothpaste and a bar of soap.  The gifts will be sent to children around the world.  The parish people of the Otis, Bison, McCracken and LaCrosse United Methodist Churches contributed to this project.  In August several of the McCracken youth attended church services to promote this project in the county.  Last Sunday's pancake supper earned money for the project.  Each box costs $7.00 to send.  Brenda Legleiter took them to Hays to be mailed.  Those helping with the project were Andrew Morgan, Angela and Katlyn Morgan, Brian Legleiter, Derek and Carly Derr and Austin mcGaughey.   Adults helping were Kerri Morgan, Debbie Rogers, Bailey Morgan, Pat Derr, Dena Irvin, Brenda Legleiter, Ruthetta Irvin, Phyllis Manhart and Shirley Higgins. The youth wish to thank all the people who donated or helped with this cause.
 
Their next project is to send boxes to those serving overseas.  If you have an address of a serviceman or woman, please let the Methodist youth know.
 
Our congratulations to Chet and Joyce Rogers on their 62nd wedding anniversary.  Greetings can be sent to R. R. Box 1. Box 16, McCracken 67556.
 
The next Book Club will be held Thursday, November 29, 2007, at McCracken Public Library.  Everyone is welcome.  You pick your own book to read and give a short report on it.  We do not all read the same book.  The question this week was submitted by Susan Rebel.  It was “If you could do a makeover on yourself or on your home, what would it be?”
 
Our sympathy to the family of Lorraine Schaffer, 82, LaCrosse, who died November 9, 2007 at Hays.  One of her sisters is Mary Stietz of LaCrosse.
 
Those attending Faith Sharing on Wednesday were Jean Schutte, Joann Micheli, Shirley Higgins, Twila Higgins, Phyllis Conrad, Jeanette McCormick, Carolyn Thompson and Machree Jones.  It is led by Sr. Martina Stegman.  Beginning next Wednesday the meeting will be held each week at 1:00 p.m.
 
Our sympathy to the family of Alvin “Pat” Istas, 78, Lecompton, who died  November 7, 2007 at his home.  Pat was a sculpture of metal who provided many special items for McCracken.  His work is on Main Street, four items at the Jail/Museum – the sunflower, the milo, the prickly pear cactus and the stonepost Jail/Marker.  In front of the library is the wheat sculpture.  Other items may be found at Smokey Hill Traders.  His beloved wife Aurelia died just ten days before him on October 27, 2007.  He is survived by a son, Ned of Parkville, Missouri.  Pat was a close friend of Tim Rues and spent a lot of time at Constitution Hall in Lecompton helping Tim.  Burial was in St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery in Aurora.  He served in the U. S. Army from 1951 to 1953.  It was our pleasure to have known him.  His art work will live on in McCracken.
 
Susan Rebel has been reading microfilm of LaCrosse papers.  She came across these Hargrave items in the 1890’s.  “Mr. Lemmon and family arrived safe to West Point from Kentucky last week.  Mr. Lemmon aims to make Rush county his future home.”  Two items down is the following item:  “LOST:  A one hundred and forty pound woman.  Good looking and intelligent.  Last seen on the main road to LaCrosse.  Ten thousand dollars reward will be given for the return of same in good condition by the heartbroken husband.  Theo. Lemmon.”  No further information is given. 
 
McCracken History Notes
November 1887
The Supreme Court of Kansas has decided the county seat in favor of Walnut City.
 
Some of the Hamptonites are a trifle riled because the post office department has ordered the discontinuance of their post office.
 
November 1907
Oklahoma will be admitted as a state tomorrow by proclamation of President Roosevelt.
 
Mr. Frank Floyd was married to Miss Grace Cole Tuesday at the home of the bride’s parents in Ness County.
 
November 1937
The Armistice Day game at Bison proved at the end to be very exciting.  The bedraggled football team edged out the Bison eleven 14-6.  When Wes Irvin made his 50 yard run after the kickoff, the McCracken crowd went wild.  Even George Myers lost his crutches and seemed to do very well.
 
November 1947
Alvin, Lloyd and Freddie Lazelle of Arkansas City came for the pheasant season and were visitors at the home of their grandmother, Mrs. Alice Lazelle.
 
Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Moran returned Sunday from their trip to California.  Accompanying them on the trip were Miss Loretta Moran and Martin Moran.
 
Mrs. Geo. Myers entertained with a party at her home Saturday honoring her daughter, Janice, on her seventh birthday.  The little guests included Kathleen O’Loughlin, Dorothy Hegarty, Judy Whitis, Carol Faye and Ellen Bible, Jolene and Arlyn North, Diana and Buddy Walker.
 
November 1957
George Hicks, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Hicks died October 22, 1957, in Tucson, Arizona.  Survivors include five sisters, Mrs. Laura Moseley, Mrs. Chester Reynolds, Mrs. Henry Boehner, Mrs. Earl McCaskey and Mrs. Ruth Stump.
 
November 1967
Rich and Doug Higgins were injured when the car they were driving hit a soft spot in the road causing it to roll over three times.
 
The Pawnee Rock Braves defeated a determined McCracken team Tuesday night.  Both teams were undefeated in the expanded South 50-6 League.
 
MHS has 30 boys on the roster for their basketball season.
 
November 1977
A feature article on Avery Norlin, the owner of Tomalco, a model railroad company was written by Donna Greenway.  Avery’s models are built to 3.000 of an inch of all dimensions with letters being sharp, crisp, 32nd of an inch high.  He specializes in producing kits for the old narrow gauge railroad.
 
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Huxman, a daughter, Amy Luann, November 5.
 
November 1987
 
 
Philena Baus was the Rush County delegate to Kansas Silver Haired Legislature in Topeka last week.
 
Melissa Morgan is a member of the KMEA Honor band who will participate in a concert in Dodge City.
 
The Alexander State Bank and the Timken State Bank were closed on Thursday November 19.  State Bank Commissioner declared both banks insolvent.  Since 1984, 42 banks have closed in Kansas, 13 of them in Northwest Kansas.
 
November 1997
Red and Betty Fear had their annual seafood supper on Friday, November 7 and served approximately 80 guests.
 
Allen Morgan, with bow and arrow, shot a deer Sunday that had a non-typical rack.