U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts has released the names of the Kansans he will nominate for appointments to U.S. service academies.

Once nominated, the applicants must meet the individual admission requirements of each academy. The academies will make the final decision on who will receive an appointment of admission. The academies will announce appointments this spring for the class entering in June 2010. Area nominees are:

• Air Force Academy: Richard “Dan” Cook, Todd Lee and Calvin Morgan, all of Lawrence.

• Naval Academy: Jacob Barren, Bonner Springs; and Pamina Buechner, Lawrence.

• U.S. Military Academy: Michael Beachem, Basehor.

Roberts will begin accepting applications in March for nominations to academy classes entering in June 2011. Applications should be directed to Karin Wisdom at Roberts’ Wichita office, 155 North Market St., Suite 120, Wichita, KS 67202 or (316) 263-0416.

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Myron Feuerborn, Linwood, will celebrate his 75th birthday on Dec. 28 with a card shower. Cards may be sent to P.O. Box 355, Lawrence, KS 66044.

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Jennifer Johnson graduated from Washburn University on Dec. 12, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, with a minor in psychology. She is the daughter of Robert and Fran Johnson, Lawrence.

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More than 200 scholastic chess players from Eastern Kansas and Western Missouri competed at the Cordley Chess Tournament on Dec. 12 in the Kansas Union at Kansas University. Southwest Junior High School won the first place trophy in K-9, while Lawrence High School and Sunflower School placed second in K-12 and K-6. West Junior High School finished third in K-9, and Sunset Hill School was third in K-6.

Individual champions were SWJH’s Andrei Elliott in K-9 and Sunflower’s Apramay Mishra in K-6.

Other local medal winners in K-12 were: Peter Lesslie, Free State High School, fifth; Jason Chang, LHS, 11th; Andrew Galbraith, LHS, 13th; and Brandon Marcure, LHS, 20th.

In K-9: Kaustubh Nimkar, SWJH, second; Aaron Simon, WJH, third; Sam Beaulieu, Central Junior High School, fifth; Caleb Ledbetter, WJH, sixth; Robert Newman, South Junior High School, 10th; Eddie Wilson, CJH, 11th; Austin Bailey, CJH, 12th; Venkata Malladi, SWJH, 14th; Jacob Magnuson, SWJH, 15th; Wynn Feddema, SWJH, 16th; Eddie Loupe, SWJH, 17th; Luke Lesslie, SWJH, 18th; and Tom Brooks, WJH, 20th.

In K-6: Bennett Haase-Divine, Sunset Hill, fourth; Kelsey Jian, Sunflower, seventh; Josh Kallenbach, Quail Run, 10th; Roscoe Bradt, Cordley, 11th; Jonathan Lesslie, Quail Run, 12th; and Jackson Maher, Cordley, 14th.

In K-3: Shrivatsa Malladi, Langston Hughes, third; Lincoln Edgecomb, Sunset Hill, ninth; Cole Burenheide, Quail Run, 12th; Caleb Prescott, Sunset Hill, 14th; Ryan Duan, Quail Run, 15th; and Jasmine Mihu, Prairie Park, 20th.

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Shelly Ann Maas graduated from Baker University on Dec. 12 with a master’s degree in education. She teaches for USD 377 in Effingham and is the daughter of Jon Maas and Linda Maas, both of Lawrence.

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The Newland-Rockhold family reunion was Oct. 1 in Centropolis.

Norma Sconce of Baldwin City, and Charlene Rockhold of Centropolis organized the event. Area families attending were: Barb, George and Jennifer Goff, Norma and Scott Sconce, Dudley Gilliland, Thelma and Lee Randel and Dan and Jennifer Coates, and their children, Britten and Riley, all of Baldwin City; Keith and Charlene Rockhold, Centropolis; Jim and Florence Gilliland, Pam Bone, and Becki, Jacob and Rosie Holbert, all of Lawrence; Cassie and Hunter Rockhold, Brenda and Kenny Roberts, Cecil and Jennifer Rockhold, and Julie, Jake, Johnnie and Rosie Mendez, all of Ottawa; and Ann and Richard Suddarth, Lisa Young, and Kendal and Penny Anderson, all of Wellsville.

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Deborah Bohlander of Lawrence has been awarded the WGU AARP Foundation Scholarship from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City.