Stories from Saturday, February 12, 2011

Helen Marie James, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, passed away peacefully at 85, Feb. 9, 2011. She was born on Oct. 16, 1925, in Richards, Mo., to Ray and Nellie Kellogg, who preceded her in death. Helen loved animals and enjoyed spending time with family and friends, playing cards, bird watching and spending time outdoors...

Robert J. "Bob" Guerrant, 85, passed away Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011, at Callaway Community Hospital. He was born Aug. 6, 1925, the son of J. Wesley and Sophia (Jatho) Guerrant. He was united in marriage on Dec. 6, 1951, to Margie Stratton. She survives at the home...

Harry Waldmer, 85, of Aurora, Mo., died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011, at Cox Medical Center, Springfield, Mo. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 16, at the Coffel-Schneider Chapel, Mound City, Kan. Internment will be in the Curry Cemetery, Mound City, Kan...

John W. "Johnny" Womack Jr., 58, of Iola, Kan., died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011, in the emergency room at the Allen County Hospital in Iola. He was born April 21, 1952, in San Diego, Calif., the son of John Walter Womack Sr. and Elizabeth Ann "Betty Ann" (Sanden) Womack...

Steven and Deanna Daly of Fairfax Station, Va., and older brothers and sisters, Thomas, Nicholas, Elizabeth and Lauren are proud to announce the birth of their baby daughter and sister, Gwyneth Anne Daly. Gwyneth was born at 4:29 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. She weighed 9 pounds, 2 ounces, and measured 20 and 1/2 inches...

Bill and Erica Faulkner of St. Paul, Minn., and older sister, Eleanor, are proud to announce the birth of their baby daughter and sister, Katharine Brink Faulkner. Katharine was born at 5:49 p.m., Monday, Nov. 29, 2010. She weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces, and measured 20 and 1/4 inches...

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, Lasko Products Inc. of West Chester, Penn., is recalling approximately 104,500 Model 5540 and approximately 3,000 Air King Model 8540 ceramic space heaters. According to a statement issued by Lasko Products, an electrical connection located under the base of the unit can overheat and cause it to melt, possibly exposing the electrical connection underneath. This poses a potential fire hazard...

Darcy Strong and Donna Davis are taking the plunge today. The Winfield Scott Elementary School special education teachers are among 16 participating in the 2011 Kansas Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge, benefiting Special Olympics of Kansas. Twelve of the 16 are jumping into the pool at Crimson Villas apartments at Pittsburg State University, while four "chickens" who raised funds are offering support...

SHELDON -- With the April 5 election approaching, voters will be invited to take part in "Meet the Candidates Night" from 6:30-7 p.m. March 10 at City Hall. The Sheldon Board of Aldermen voted to stage the event a half hour before their next meeting, when mayoral candidates James Quist and Debbie Huggins will join Mayor Rob Sewell to meet citizens and answer questions...

Preschool story time was conducted at the Nevada Public Library on Tuesday, Feb. 8. The theme was "Terrific Teeth!" Children who attended the event enjoyed toothy books, crafts and snacks and received new toothbrushes and toothpaste donated by Dr. Tom Bunton. Aiden Feller, at right. shows off his smiley snack...

"Some people pay to sleep in a bed that Abraham Lincoln slept in, but I got to sleep in one several times for free," Finis Wood, of Nevada, quipped. "Lincoln would stay at my great-grandfather's house and when we went to visit, I got to sleep in the bed he had slept in."...

People in the long line waiting to get into the premiere of the new Justin Bieber movie "Never Say Never" said all sorts of things about Jadyn Swearingen, 12, of Nevada and her four friends as they stood near the entrance of the AMC theater adjacent the Independence Center Mall on Wednesday, Feb. 9 2011. Things like "go to the back of the line" or "they'll never get in like that."...