Around and about

Several area 4-H and FFA members placed in the annual Douglas County Spring Beef Show on April 23 in Lawrence.

In showmanship, the following youths placed: Cody Warren, Lawrence, reserve champion, 15- to 18-year-old class; Taylor Davis, Tonganoxie, champion, 12- to 14-year-old class; Hadley DeHoff, champion, 7- to 8-year-old class.

Winners in the steer competition were: Casey Davis, Tonganoxie, Hereford; Colton Lynch, Lawrence, Simmental.

Winners in the female show were: Allyson Ottensmeier, Oskaloosa, Chianina; Casey Davis, Hereford; and Colton Lynch, Simmental.

Luke Lackrone and Curtis Ledbetter, both of Lawrence, received degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during commencement exercises May 7.

Laura Rhodes Tarbell, a 1998 Lawrence High School graduate and a 2002 Kansas University graduate, performed during a recital May 2 at The Crane School of Music – SUNY Potsdam in New York. She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and music education at the university.

The children of Fern Long will have an open house to celebrate her 90th birthday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 29 at Eudora City Hall, 4 E. Seventh St. The community is invited to attend. The family requests no gifts.

Derrick Charles Rollins, son of Barbara Rollins of Lawrence, graduated from Columbus College of Art and Design, Columbus, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in industrial design.

Rollins will celebrate with a barbecue from noon until 3 p.m. today at Holcom Park shelter. Friends and family are invited to attend.

Rex and Staci Phillips, Lawrence, announce the birth of their son, Jayden Connor Phillips, born May 2, 2005, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. He has a brother, Greyson Phillips, 1.

Grandparents are Orville and Mary Jane Church, Lawrence; Doug and Janell Pritchard, Lawrence; and Wayne and Marilyn Phillips, McLouth. Great-grandparents are Dottie Puckett, Baldwin; Elsie and Ira Moore, Lawrence; and Richard Folks, Bonner Springs.

Serkan Sener, Lawrence, was selected to receive a Johnson County Community College’s Outstanding Student Award during the spring semester.

Washburn University student Tim Leffert, Tonganoxie, will serve as a counselor at the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy Leadership Experience June 5-11 at Washburn University. Leffert, a freshman studying public administration, is the son of Tim and Donnetta Leffert, Tonganoxie.

Graduates of Eudora High School are invited to the Eudora High School Alumni Assn.’s banquet and yearly meeting June 5 in the Eudora Middle School commons area, 2635 Church St. Registration begins at noon. The covered-dish dinner will start at 12:30 p.m., followed by the business meeting.

The banquet is open to all Eudora High School graduates. Special recognition will be given to the class of 1955, which will celebrate its 50th reunion.

Those planning to attend are asked to bring their own table service. Coffee and tea will be provided. For more information, call Jeannie Rodgers at 542-3505 or Jerry Abel at 542-2487.

Christina Erland Culver, a Kansas University graduate, has been appointed acting assistant secretary for the Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education where she is responsible for external relations on No Child Left Behind with state and local elected officials, education associations and community leaders. She is pursuing a graduate degree in national security and strategic studies at the U.S. Naval War College.

Kansas State University recently announced its spring 2005 graduates.

Lawrence graduates are: Haven Alford, Kimberly Austin, Elizabeth Becker, Victoria Bogner, Adam Brinkley, Melissa Colgan, Brandon Elliott, Rachel Fredrickson, Kaycey Hadl, Shane Hodgson, David Johnson, Sarah Kelly, Ian McDonald, Junius Penny, Joshua Perme, Angela Perry, Natalie Poholsky, Alicia Roberts, Drew Salsbury, Sarah Spencer, John Swenson and Jeffrey Weber.

Area graduates are: Amy Cink, Deanna Darting, Jami Dempsey, Megan Kalb, Mary Martin, Sam Reznicek and Bryon Wright, Baldwin; Bradley Dameron, Wendy Dymacek and Emily Hermreck, Eudora; Randall James and Rebekah Johnson, Perry-Lecompton; Amanda Bailey, Laurie Folsom, Luke Pickett and Kristen Murphy, McLouth; Colleen Kramer and Heather Robbins, Oskaloosa; Stephen Hobson, Sandra Rudy and Jason Scott, Ozawkie; Daniel Bukaty, Ryan Denney, Evan Erickson, Jennifer Farr, Patrick McGinnis, Michelle Meyer, Jamie Oberg and Cale Wiehe, Basehor-Linwood; and Timothy Hickman, Tyler McGown and Jessica Miles, Tonganoxie; Travis Brownrigg, Jennifer Dean, Nicole Ferris, Jacqueline Fluker, Stephanie Hatfield, Jed Killough, Cassandra McPheron, Kristy Morton, Julie Oglesby, Nathan Oglesby, Renee Posey, Mary Ransom, Lindsay Roecker, Sterling Smith, Johnnie Taul and Joseph Thomas, Ottawa; Brent Judd, Pomona; and Jacqueline Hutchens, Wellsville.

Gary Freeman, Lecompton, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, this spring.

Pittsburg State University announces area students who received degrees during the spring semester. They are: Megan Nelson and Jenna Schulte, Baldwin; Heather Martley, Margaret Mishler and Sarah De Motte, Basehor; Amy Benlon and Jon Lobner, De Soto; Melissa Peters, Edgerton; Michelle Bartlett, Eudora; Patrick Darnell, Christopher Koenig, Gerald Thomason, Becky Wenger and Joseph Wiles, Lawrence; Michael Newton, Linwood; Ryan Carlson and Travis Heck, Ottawa; Tabbitha Meyer, Pomona; and Scott Breuer and Candance Carty, Tonganoxie.