From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for April 17, 1988:

• Cyrus Mody, a seventh-grader at Central Junior High School, this week became the 1988 Kansas Spelling Bee champion. As one of about 100 students competing at the state Bee in Topeka, he had currently spelled “hirsute,” “cholesterol,” and “succotash” on his way to the title, finally winning the top prize with his spelling of “pickerel.” Mody had won a free trip to the National Spelling Bee, to be held for five days in late May in Washington, D.C.
• About 450 local residents had participated this past weekend in the March of Dimes Walk America Walk-a-Thon. According to organizers, walkers had raised $17,910, with another $1,000 or so to be donated this week.
• The city of Linwood announced today that it would be holding its third annual kite festival on the upcoming Saturday. For a registration fee of 25 cents, participants ranging from preschoolers to senior citizens could vie for trophies for oldest and youngest kite flyer and for most beautiful kite.