Dawn and Justin Huddleston, Baldwin City, announce the birth of their son, Bryce David Huddleston, born June 17, 2009, in Olathe.

His maternal grandparents are David and Laurie Shuck, Overbook; his paternal grandparents are Ken and Mary Huddleston, Eudora, and Shirley Huddleston, Emporia.

His great-grandparents are Don Forth, Overbrook, and Darrell and Frances Shuck, Baldwin City.

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The Liberty Memorial High School Class of 1949 will be host to its 60th reunion Oct. 2-3. There will be a social from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at the home of Bob and Marna Moore, 1720 Prestwick Circle; and a 7 p.m. dinner banquet Oct. 3 at the Lawrence Country Club, 400 Country Club Terrace.

Any graduate who hasn’t received any information can contact Marge Albright Hazlett at 843-8607, or Martha Wise Longanecker at 766-4839.

The Old West Lawrence Applause Awards program announces winners for July and August. The awards recognize homeowners who make improvements to their properties and add beauty to the neighborhood.

Virginia and James Seaver, 600 La., removed old shrubs by their front steps and the northwest corner of the house. Hostas and daylilies were planted, and beds were mulched.

Dan Schriner and Dan Reidermann, 824 La., Old West Lawrence Properties, LLC, have added onto the back of a dilapidated cottage, redone the exterior and painted it golden yellow and rust. Their company’s motto is “rebuilding Old West Lawrence one house at a time.” In the past four years they have built two new in-fill homes and restored three others.

Deb Spencer and Susan Davis of Water’s Edge, 837 Ind., received a previous award for their boutique business’s overall attractiveness and careful integration into a residential area. Spencer felt additional space was needed for their business. In 2007, they purchased the adjacent small bungalow (to the north) and have utilized the property in two ways. The yard behind the house serves as additional display space, which can be appreciated only from behind the outdoor fenced area. The garage at the end of the lot provides needed storage space. The bungalow, which is a rental, and the garage have been painted a forest green and trimmed in white and deep red. The front is simply landscaped and well-maintained.

Jim and Vicki Meadows, 644 Miss., have a pale green home with a wrap-around porch, which is always meticulously maintained. In preparation for their wedding, new plants were added along the parking area this spring.

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Jacob Esau, Lawrence, earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering on May 30 from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind.

Esau, a software engineer with Garmin International, is the son of John Esau and Mary Dillon.

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Brooke Burns, daughter of Dee Debano-Burns of Wichita, earned the 2009 title of National American Miss Kansas. She will represent the state of Kansas at the national pageant during Thanksgiving week in Anaheim, Calif.

Burns’ activities include St. Thomas Aquinas Church lector and volunteer with God’s Food Pantry, a 2007 graduate of Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Kansas University student, member of Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity, student advisory board member at the Dole Institute of Politics and various community service activities. She is a former employee of Jo Shmo’s in Lawrence.

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Savannah Tubby, 11, Perry, and Tylee Harrell, 7, Lawrence, were named local winners of KU Credit Union’s Johnny Appleseed Club coloring contest. Tubby and Harrell are both members of KU Credit Union’s Johnny Appleseed Junior Ecology Club.

Members of KU Credit Union’s Johnny Appleseed Club drew pictures of ways to save or protect our planet’s valuable resources for the coloring contest. Over 500 KU Credit Union members, ages 4 to 12 in the Johnny Appleseed Club, received entry forms. Tubby’s drawing suggested taking the beads off an old shirt and using them to make earrings. Harrell’s drawing featured making toys out of paper plates and milk jugs. Their drawings, along with all the others by local children, have been forwarded to the national Johnny Appleseed Club to be judged in the national contest. Tubby and Harrell also received Stormy Weather Kits from KU Credit Union.

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Pittsburg State University announces area students named University Scholastic Honors recipients from its May 15-16 commencement.

Students must have a cumulative grade-point average equal to or greater than 3.95 for summa cum laude; 3.90 for magna cum laude; and 3.85 for cum laude.

Area students include: Ashley Taylor, psychology, summa cum laude, Lawrence; Michelle McCullough, chemistry, Oskaloosa, and Benjamin Naumann, mechanical engineering technology, Meriden, both cum laude.

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Jake and Katie McDaniel, Lawrence, announce the birth of their son, Kyler Jacob McDaniel, born Sept. 1, 2009, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

His maternal grandparents are Bernadette Gilbert, St. Joseph, Mo., and the late Joseph Ramirez; and his paternal grandparents are Greg and Marie McDaniel, Atchison.

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Lawrence students Timothy Clark and Rodolfo Torres-Gavosto, both of Free State High School, and Jeff Miller, Bishop Seabury Academy, were awarded National Merit W. Harold Otto Scholarships at Kansas University. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced an additional 2,000 winners. These Merit Scholar designees join over 2,800 other college-sponsored award recipients who were announced in late May.

College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.

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Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, announces area students named to its dean’s and president’s list for the spring 2009 semester. To be named to the president’s list, students must earn a 4.0 grade-point average; those earning a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher were named to the dean’s list.

Lawrence students Kristen Longanecker, Jordan Ray, Aliza Rosenthal and Allyson Taylor were named to the dean’s list; and Peter Zemansky was named to the president’s list.

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Nicki Riggins, daughter of William and Stacy Riggins, Lawrence, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude in environmental studies June 14 from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.

Riggins is a 2005 graduate of Free State High School.

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Matthew Frantz, Lawrence, has accepted a $900 Academic Opportunity Award in the College of Business and Leadership to Fort Hays State University for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Frantz was involved in National Honor Society, football, basketball and was on the honor roll.

He is a 2009 graduate of Free State High School and the son of Stan and Kim Frantz.

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Wichita State University announces additional area students who completed their degrees and were named to the dean’s list for the spring 2009 semester.

Jessica Dickinson, Tonganoxie, earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy; and Rosston Eubank, Oskaloosa, was named to the dean’s honor roll, by earning at least a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher.