Rex and Staci Phillips, Lawrence, announce the birth of their son, Rylan Jacob Phillips, born May 27, 2007, in Lawrence. Rylan’s siblings are Greyson, 3, and Jayden, 2. Maternal grandparents are Orville and Mary Jane Church, and Doug and Janell Pritchard, all of Lawrence. Paternal grandparents are Wayne and Marilyn Phillips, McLouth.

¢Jason and Rebecca Barrett-Fox, Lawrence, announce the birth of their daughter, Mae Hazel Barrett-Fox, born May 25, 2007, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. Mae has a sibling, Gus, 2. Her maternal grandparents are Jim and Rhonda Baldwin, Lancaster, Pa. Paternal grandparents are Steve and Reba Fox, Clay Center. Great-grandparents are Lester Fox, Fairbury, Neb.; C.W. Addison, Florida; Judy Groseclose, Nottingham, Pa.; David and Pamela Barrett, Cochranville, Pa.; and Delmer and Edna McQueary, Dayton, Ohio. Her great-great-grandmother is Mary McFall, Nancy, Ky.

¢The Old West Lawrence Neighborhood Association announces the first round of 2007 Applause Awards, which recognize homeowners for making improvements to their properties that add to the neighborhood’s beauty.

Andrea and Lance Albright, 607 La., painted their house in colors of persimmon and cream, and added a hedge along the sidewalk and plantings by the front porch.

Kyle Van Vliet, 728 Miss. Mark Van Vliet restored one of the neighborhood’s oldest homes. The stucco was painted a buff color with olive trim, and a red roof with copper gutters and downspouts were added. The backyard has new landscaping.

Angela Nascimiento and Kent Smalter, 817 Ala., have refurbished the exterior of their classic bungalow. They restored the original lap siding on the front gable, rebuilt the porch and added “platform”-style stairs. The house was painted white with butter yellow and mustard yellow trim. Red bricks will be added to the base of the pillars.

Shane and Allison Lopez, 817 Maine, repainted their home in moss green with cream and maroon trim. They added a wide flagstone walkway from the curb to the front porch. The front yard has been landscaped with small redbud trees and area gardens.

Plaques have been installed to acknowledge these homeowners and will remain in place until July. Committee members are Angela Candela, chairwoman; Sarah Trulove, Jennifer Oldridge and Jerry Masinton.

¢Jessica Hermesch has been named to the President’s List for grades achieved during the spring 2007 semester at Benedictine College in Atchison. Hermesch achieved a 4.0 grade-point average for the semester. She is a 2005 graduate of Lawrence High School.

¢Megan Blair, Candice Lahm, Sarah Martin and Haley Smith, all of Lawrence, and Lauren Donnelly, Tonganoxie, graduated from the Washburn University School of Nursing and were honored during a pinning ceremony and commencement May 12.

Blair was named to the Dean’s List. Lahm was a member of the Dean’s Council and was named to the Dean’s List. Smith was named to the President’s Honor Roll and received School of Nursing academic honors. A Sibberson Award candidate, she was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Donnelly participated on the Washburn Residential Judicial Board and was named to the Dean’s and President’s honor rolls.

¢Brett Yulich will earn an associate’s degree in business management from the Wyoming Technical Institute on June 21. Yulich plans to continue his education in Laramie, Wyo. He is a 2006 graduate of Lawrence High School.

¢Joshua Ryan Lorenzo, Lawrence, was a candidate to earn an Associate of Arts from Cloud County Community College in Concordia during commencement May 18.

¢Allison Edwards, Lawrence, was honored as a Top Junior Student at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Edwards was recognized for extraordinary contributions to the university through leadership, campus involvement and for demonstrating a commitment to improving the university community.

¢Civil Air Patrol Cadet Daniel Edmondson and officer Byron Edmondson, both of Lawrence, were honored at the Kansas City Composite Squadron’s promotion and charter ceremony May 11 in Kansas City, Mo. Daniel Edmondson received the Aerospace Excellence Award, the Academic Excellence Award and the Community Service Award. He was promoted to cadet staff sergeant and received the Mary Feik and Wright Brothers Award. Byron Edmondson was promoted to second lieutenant and is the squadron’s operations officer.

¢Pittsburg State University honored spring graduates at its 103rd spring commencement exercises May 18-19. Area residents who were candidates for graduation include:

¢ Baldwin City: Scott Russell Grammer, B.S.; and Kristin M. Messer, B.S. in education.

¢ Basehor: Amy L. Garver, M.S.; Debra J. Haynes, B.S. in education; Quentin Eugene Holmes, B.S. in engineering technology; Kyle J. Hundley, B.S. in technology; Tiffany R. Johnson, M.S.; Megan Marie Laffoon, Bachelor of Business Administration; and Heather D. Osterhaus, M.S.

¢ De Soto: Kimberly Sue Anderson, B.S. in education.

¢ Eudora: Jennifer Lynn Durkin, B.S. in technology; and Zachary J. Tyler, B.S. in engineering technology.

¢ Lawrence: Stephen E. Agnelli, B.S. in technology; Sara Gorjestani, M.S.; Eric C. Peterson, B.S.; and Gerald L. Thomason, M.S.

¢ Ottawa: Deborah Grace Brockway, B.S. in nursing; Todd Allen Brown, B.S. in technology; and Jaime Elise Walker, Bachelor of Business Administration.

¢ Ozawkie: Charles Orlando Moffet, Associate of Applied Science.

¢ Perry: Kirstie Jaye Skelton, B.S. in education.

¢ Tonganoxie: Cynthia M. Worden, Bachelor of Business Administration.

¢ Wellsville: Anjelica Marie Burris, B.S.; and Kory E. Casselman, Bachelor of General Studies.

¢Spencer Wilson, Eudora, was named to the Dean’s List at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., for grades achieved during the spring 2007 semester. He earned a grade-point average of at least 3.65.

¢Anne McEnroe, Lawrence, won the 2007 Whitcomb Essay Prize at Kansas University. She received $500 for an essay exploring a controversial grammatical change in textbooks regarding the role of the Japanese Imperial Army in a mass suicide of Okinawa natives during World War II.

McEnroe graduated from KU last month with degrees in classical languages and English.

¢Celia Smith, Lawrence, won the Best of Show award at the 2007 Arts for All Festival in Lawton, Okla. The festival was May 11-13.

¢The Coal Creek Library in Vinland will be open from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays through October. The library also can be visited by appointment by contacting Martha Smith at (785) 594-3960.

¢Cody Moore, Perry, was named to the Dean’s List for grades achieved during the spring 2007 semester at Colorado School of Mines in Golden. Moore is a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering.

¢Liz Stuewe, Lawrence, was honored as an outstanding junior at Kansas University by the KU Alumni Association. She received an official KU class ring valued at more than $300 as part of the “Just for Juniors” award program May 6. Stuewe was recognized for her dedication to the university and the community.

She is studying political science and American studies and is a graduate of Lawrence High School.

¢Jessica Foulke, Lawrence, received the Leland L. Lengel Memorial Scholarship in History, the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor and the Theatre Award of Merit for outstanding achievements during the past academic year at McPherson College.

Foulke also was named to the honor roll for earning a grade-point average of at least 3.55 during the spring 2007 semester.

¢Lindsey Ottensmeier, a 2007 graduate of Oskaloosa High School, and Wesley Weishaar, a 2007 graduate of Jefferson County North High School in Winchester, received college scholarships from Cargill Inc. Ottensmeier received $1,000 and plans to attend Kansas University this fall. Weishaar received $3,000 through a program that honors children of Cargill employees.

¢Richard Will King and Lauren Marie Krivoshia, both of Lawrence, received degrees at DePauw University’s 168th commencement May 20 in Greencastle, Ind.

King received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in economics and Spanish. Krivoshia received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in art (studio).

¢Emily Loewen, Lawrence, and Anna Skaggs, Baldwin City, were among students receiving top athletics honors from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Loewen, a senior, received the Russell W. Landis Award, which recognizes the individual who has best demonstrated academic excellence, campus leadership and athletic achievement during a four-year career at Cornell. Loewen set a school record in women’s tennis with 147 victories and was a three-time All-Iowa Conference performer in singles. She is a 2003 graduate of Free State High School.

Skaggs, also a senior, was co-winner of the Sportswoman of the Year award. She was a three-year starter in basketball and named second-team All-Iowa Conference in 2006. Skaggs is a 2003 graduate of Baldwin High School.

¢Several area residents who graduated from Kansas University were honored as newly commissioned officers in the U.S. armed forces during ceremonies May 21 at the Kansas Union.

The new officers completed requirements of KU Air Force, Army and Navy ROTC units or the Marine Corps Platoon Leadership Course. Lawrence residents who were commissioned include Justin Robert Davis and Matthew Lee Lawrence, both Air Force second lieutenants; and Jessica Marie Wall, Marines second lieutenant. Others were Noah Michael Rees, Lecompton, and Judee Herring, Winchester, who are second lieutenants in the Army.

¢Nicole Renee Shockley, Lawrence, was named to the President’s Honor Roll for grades achieved during the spring 2007 semester at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. Shockley earned a grade-point average of 4.0.

¢Rebekah Berkley, Lawrence, and Kasandra Williams, Perry, were inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi national honor society at Washburn University. Those elected to membership include juniors in the top 7.5 percent of their class and seniors in the top 10 percent of their class, along with outstanding graduate students, faculty, professional staff and alumni.

¢Braxton Lane Nottingham, Lawrence, and Megan Renee Lawrence, McLouth, were named to the Dean’s Honor Roll for grades achieved during the spring 2007 semester at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. They earned a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.