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Topics - Janet Harrington

#41
Have been told via Facebook and other sources that Harold Whittaker was killed in a vehicle accident around Bartlesville, OK, this morning. No other details. Harold graduated from West Elk in 2001, I think. He grew up in Severy, Kansas, the son of Gary Whittaker.
#42
Politics / Somalia Pirates kill 4 Americans
February 22, 2011, 07:45:45 PM
I put this on here because I was surprised that no one has discussed what is happening with these pirates.

4 American hostages killed by pirates off Somalia

By JASON STRAZIUSO and MALKHADIR M. MUHUMED


NAIROBI, Kenya

A U.S. Navy destroyer was shadowing a hijacked yacht with four Americans aboard when a pirate fired a rocket-propelled grenade, followed by bursts of gunfire. U.S. special forces scrambled onto the occupied vessel only to find the four Americans fatally wounded.

The yachting enthusiasts from California and Washington killed off the coast of East Africa on Tuesday were the first Americans slain by Somali pirates since a wave of attacks began six years ago. One of the American couples had been sailing around the world since 2004 handing out Bibles.

The deaths of the four travelers, all in their late 50s or 60s, appeared to underscore an increasingly brutal and aggressive shift by pirates in their treatment of hostages.

Killing hostages "has now become part of our rules," said a pirate who identified himself as Muse Abdi. He referred as a turning point to last week's sentencing of a pirate to 33 years in prison for the 2009 attack on the U.S. cargo vessel the Maersk Alabama -- just two days before the hijacking.

"From now on, anyone who tries to rescue the hostages in our hands will only collect dead bodies," Abdi said. "It will never, ever happen that hostages are rescued and we are hauled to prison."

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton strongly condemned the killing of the Americans as "deplorable," saying in a statement the slayings underscored the need for international cooperation in fighting the scourge of piracy in waters off the Horn of Africa.

Jean and Scott Adam of Marina del Rey, near Los Angeles, had been sailing their 58-foot yacht Quest around the world since December 2004, and had been joined in recent months by Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle of Seattle.

Four U.S. warships had been shadowing the Quest since shortly after it was seized south of Oman on Friday, and U.S. officials were in radio contact with the captors as the pirates tried to sail it to the Somali shore. The power behind such abductions for ransom -- a multimillion-dollar business -- lies not with the pirates at sea but their financial backers on land. And once the kidnappers reach shore with their hostages, options for rescue are limited.

A channel of negotiations had been opened, and on Monday two pirates boarded the USS Sterett, a guided-missile destroyer some 600 yards (meters) from the seized yacht, and they stayed overnight, said Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander of the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain.

By the next morning, though, things quickly turned deadly, with all signs pointing to a dispute among the pirates

At 8 a.m. local time, Fox said, a rocket-propelled grenade was fired from the Quest at the Sterett and missed, followed almost immediately by the sound of small arms fire coming from the yacht.

Several pirates then appeared on the yacht deck with their hands up. U.S. naval forces rushed aboard the vessel and found all four Americans had been shot; two pirates also lay dead from gun shot wounds.

The special forces troops tried to provide lifesaving care to the Americans, but they died, Fox said.

Fifteen pirates were taken into custody -- 13 aboard the yacht as well as the two who had been negotiating aboard the Sterett, Fox said. In addition, two pirates were killed in the operation, including one who was knifed by a member of the U.S. force, Fox said.

President Barack Obama, who was notified about killing of the Americans at 4:42 a.m. Washington time, had authorized the military on Saturday to use force in case of an imminent threat to the hostages, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

Pirates have increased attacks off the coast of East Africa despite an international flotilla of warships dedicated to protecting vessels and stopping the pirate assaults.

But the conventional wisdom in the shipping industry had been that Somali pirates are businessmen looking for a multimillion-dollar ransom payday, not insurgents looking to terrorize people.

"We have heard threats against the lives of Americans before but it strikes me as being very, very unusual why they would kill hostages outright," said Graeme Gibbon-Brooks, the head of Dryad Maritime Intelligence, adding that the pirates must realize that killing Americans would invite a military response.

Friends, family and fellow sailors said that despite an adventurous spirit, the four Americans were meticulous planners who knew the dangers they faced.

Jean and Scott Adams, both in their 60s, had been sailing around the world since December 2004 with a yacht full of Bibles to distribute to remote regions. They were joined by Riggle, a veterinarian who volunteered at the Seattle Animal Shelter, and 59-year-old Macay, a sailing enthusiast.

"Great sailors, good people. They were doing what they wanted to do, but that's small comfort in the face of this," said Joe Grande of the Seattle Singles Yacht Club, where Riggle and Macay were members.

Around Christmas, the Quest joined the Blue Water Rally, an around-the-world race. But race organizers said the Americans recently left the race despite what Fox said were warnings about the dangers of sailing in the Horn of Africa region.

The Blue Water Rally said in a statement Tuesday that though yachtsmen are discouraged from sailing in the region, the only other choices are to sail around the stormy and dangerous tip of South Africa or sail back across the Pacific.

The Adams had traveled from Panama in 2005 to Fiji in 2007 and Cambodia last year. They most recently sailed from Thailand to Sri Lanka and India, and were on their way to Oman when captured.

Pirates have become increasingly bold in their attacks despite a flotilla of international warships patrolling the waters off East Africa. The last time pirates kidnapped a U.S. citizen -- during the 2009 hijacking of the Maersk Alabama -- Navy sharpshooters killed two pirates and rescued the cargo ship's captain.

But Tuesday's bloody events are apt to leave U.S. military planners in a quandary: Do they go after the pirates harder? Do they attack their bases on Somalia's ungoverned shores?

One maritime expert said it's too early to tell.

"This is a first," said Gibbon-Brooks, the analyst. "We don't know if the situation is related to a straight execution. We don't know if it was related to an attempt to break free. We don't know if it was related to an accident."

He said the killings were "extremely unwise" by the Somalis, and that the deaths threaten what has been a lucrative if illicit business.

After last week's sentencing by a New York court of a Somali pirate in the Maersk Alabama attack, some pirates warned that Americans would be targeted.

"It's a black day for us and also the Americans, but they lost bigger than us," a pirate who gave his name as Bile Hussein told the AP. "If they still want a solution and safety for their citizens in the oceans, let them release our men they arrested."

Just minutes before the news of the American deaths, a pirate who gave his name as Abdullahi Mohamed told AP by phone that if the yacht were attacked, "the hostages will be the first to go."

"Some pirates have even suggested rigging the yacht with land mines and explosives so as the whole yacht explodes with the first gunshot," said Mohamed, who claimed to be a friend of the pirates holding the four Americans.

The military said U.S. forces have been monitoring the Quest for about three days, since shortly after the Friday attack. Four Navy warships were involved, including the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.

Mohamed, the pirate in Somalia, told AP that pirate leaders had been expecting the yacht to make landfall soon.

Five cars full of pirates were headed toward the pirate dens of Eyl and Gara'ad in anticipation of the Quest reaching land Monday, he said.

Had the Americans been brought ashore, they may have faced a long hostage ordeal like the 388 days the British sailing couple Paul and Rachel Chandler spent in the hands of pirates. The two were released in November.

"This incident is a clear message ... that it's time the world community quickly steps up to stop these pirate criminal activities. They should be treated mercilessly," said Gen. Yusuf Ahmed Khayr, the security minister in the northern Somalia region of Puntland, a pirate haven
#43
On facebook there are postings that Jack High, Elk Falls, passed away. Does anyone have any knowledge on this?
#44
Wilma Maree (Elledge) Purdy, 87, of Blackwell, Oklahoma, died Thursday, January 6, 2011, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in Blackwell.
She was born November 12, 1923, to Ray and Ruth Elledge on the homestead west of Blackwell that William Payne's family staked out in the Cherokee Strip Run.

She attended Star Country School and graduated from Blackwell High School in 1941. She married Marvin Purdy on March 27, 1944, in Blackwell and lived in rural Blackwell for awhile before moving to Oxford, Kansas in 1950. While living in the Oxford area, she was active in the First United Methodist Church and served as a 4-H community leader in Cowley County. She and her husband moved back to Oklahoma in 1964. They celebrated 66 years of marriage before her death.  Mrs. Purdy was a member of Blackwell First United Methodist Church, Alco Club, Domestic Science EHU, Kay County Free Fair, and the National, State and Bethel Grange.

Survivors include her husband, of the home; a son, Ray Purdy and his wife, Dena, of Garden City, Kansas; a daughter, Marvis Gaddie and her husband, Jim, of Winfield, Kansas; seven grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, January 8, 2011 at the Blackwell First United Methodist Church with her grandson, Pastor Mike Gaddie, and Pastor Kristen Brown officiating. Arrangements are under the directions of the Blackwell Funeral Home, Blackwell, Oklahoma.

Memorials may be made to the Blackwell First United Methodist Church in care of Blackwell Funeral Home, 301 W. Blackwell, Blackwell, OK 74631. Condolences may be sent to the family using the online guest book at www.blackwellfh.com.

#45
Larry Helms, former resident of Howard, Kansas, died this evening in Arizona. Larry is a brother to Beryl Helms, who currently lives in Howard. No other details at this time. I learned this from his son, Jason Helms. Larry had three children that grew up in Howard and graduated from West Elk, Tina Helms Silvers, Samantha Helms Thomas, and Jason Helms.
#46
Travis D. Guyot
(November 11, 1994 - October 27, 2010)

Travis D. Guyot , 15, passed away at his home Wednesday, October 27, 2010. Cremation has taken place and Celebration of Life Services will be held 2P.M. Tuesday at Potts Chapel of Independence. Travis Don Guyot was born November 11, 1994 at Parsons, Kansas the son of Larry Guyot and Dorothy Hale. He attended Elk Valley High School and was in the ninth grade. He loved playing football, video games and listening to his favorite music by Tech N9ne. Survivors include his mom and step father, Dorothy and Dennis Patry of Elk City, KS, father, Larry Guyot of Las Cruces, New Mexico, brothers, Nathan Pierce of Afghanistan, Corey Sanders and his wife Alexis of Independence, Daniel Patry of New York; sisters, Shyanne Guyot of Independence, KS, Heather Pierce of Independence, KS, Jennifer Patry and her fiancé Ryan Thomas of Boston, Massachusetts, Cindy Vaughan and her husband Ben of Cambridge, Vermont; grandmother Carolyn Hale of Elk City, KS, grandmother Eileen Hilbert of Las Cruces, New Mexico, grandparents Roland and Juliette Patry of Berlin, New Hampshire, great grandmother, Irene Guyot of Longton, KS, uncles and aunts, Richard and Jill Patry of New Hampshire, Earl and Diane Berry of Gorham, Maine, Jim & Joanne Michaud of New Hampshire, Bob & Lucy Patry of Berlin, New Hampshire, Carl Patry of New Hampshire and Dwayne Hale of Independence, KS; special friends, Jolene and Greg Dozier of Independence, KS, Danny and Stacy Blevins of Independence, KS, best friend, Timmy Vance and his dog, Ringo. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Walter E. Guyot

#47
I have received information that Ron Lawless, formerly of Elk County, passed away on 8-31-2010.  Ron is the father of Toby Lawless, married to Anna Johnson Lawless, and Megan Lawless.  Ron's former wife is Trish Malone Lawless.  I know that the funeral is Friday at 10:00 at the Mount Olivet Cemetery, graveside services only; at least we think that is where it will be.  That is all the info that I have.  Ron used to work for the Montgomery County Road Department, but I am not aware of what his employment was at the time of his death.  I am sure that patryn will put the obit on here when Zimmerman (Countryside) puts it online.
#48
The Coffee Shop / Johnson grass
August 05, 2010, 03:27:41 PM
When is the best time to spray Johnson grass?
#49
Sharon Hillis, Welcome to the Elk County Forum.  It has been a long time since I have been in touch with you.  So glad that you have joined this little group.
#50
The Coffee Shop / Our Waldo Gray
June 16, 2010, 01:06:42 PM
Waldo was here visiting Rosie - she had cataract surgery. He complained, while here, of a stomach ache and spent the last day or so curled up on her couch. He was feeling so poorly on the way home that he stopped in Goodland at the emergency room. They sent him on to Denver. His wife, June, said they took part of the lower intestine and "everything else that wasn't needed."

I received this as a prayer concern from the United Methodist Church here in Howard.  Please keep Waldo in your prayers.  I'm sure he will be home soon and I don't know what hospital he is in.  I just saw Waldo last week when I was in the donut shop.
#51
The Coffee Shop / Snake identification
May 24, 2010, 08:34:42 PM
Someone please tell me what kind of snake this is.  A guy I work with says it is a copperhead.  I think it is a bull snake.
#52
Miscellaneous / Tom Eubank
May 24, 2010, 04:45:11 AM
Had a notice from the United Methodist Church that Tom Eubank had been in a motorcycle accident.  Does anyone know anything about this?  He is in the hospital in Wichita.
#53
This is a postcard picture of the Metropolitan Hotel.  It has a one cent stamp on it postmarked 1911.  The addressee is a Miss E.N. Ayres, Fort Collins, Col. at 202 W. Magnolia St.  What little I can read says, "Miss Lees died Wed. at 3 p.m. of pnumonia.  She had been sick about ten days.  The funeral will be Friday at 3 p.m.  Ma and pa left monday for Hot Springs, Ark.  Ma has eczema.  Pa will home next week. "  I can't read the signature as whoever had this postcard trimmed it up and put it in a scrapbook.  Anyway, wanted to share.
#54
The Good Old Days / Oklahoma "streamlined" Hoosegow
March 26, 2010, 07:30:42 PM
This is a black and white picture that I found on eBay several years ago when I was trying to collect pictures of different kinds of jails throughout the nation.  Here are a couple of newspaper links that will take you to The Pittsburgh Press and the Berkley Daily Gazette newspapers.  I thought the little invention was kind of neat.  This was published in the media in August, 1936.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K5coAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IgYGAAAAIBAJ&pg=925%2C3490587

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1SEbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_EsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4124%2C5530938
#55
Welcome to the Shadow.  I just happen to click on and saw "the shadow" had joined.
#56
The Coffee Shop / www.vpike.com
February 12, 2010, 05:57:13 PM
  

 Pick any address, it works...............
Here is a website you can spend the rest of the day at looking at pictures from your hometown or anywhere else.  Rotate the page to look up and down the streets.  Not every street in US has been photographed, but amazing how many are.  I just put the town name in on some and saw even little towns of 250 people in North Dakota.


This is really amazing...check out some of your old addresses or favorite "haunts".
 
When you enter an address you will see a picture of that place.  There's a little map with a little man on it - you can move the little man up and down the block if you need to.    Really nice website!  http://www.vpike.com

I got this from one of Jim's cousins's wife, Donna Larson, from Utah.
#57
The Coffee Shop / Surprised
February 08, 2010, 11:32:04 PM
I find it surprising that not one person has started a thread on the new security methods at the courthouse.  What are your thoughts on this?  I'm not going to give an opinion because I am sure that someone would tell me I was just mad over the election that happened 5 years ago.  LOL
#58
Greetings, Birthdays & Anniversaries / Welcome Patriot
November 06, 2009, 05:18:43 PM
Is patriot and Patriot dad the same?  If not, welcome to the forum Patriot.  I don't get on here very often to welcome people, but i managed to today.  LOL
#59
Since I haven't been participating on this forum for awhile I thought I would take this space to say welcome to everyone who has joined in the past few months.  I apologize for being out of touch, but hey, stuff happens.  Welcome, welcome, welcome, to the Elk County Forum.
#60
The Coffee Shop / Tony Sweet, Grenola, Kansas
May 11, 2008, 12:18:54 AM
It appears that our David Oakleaf is not the only one who is making big moves in the music business.  See the article below about Tonyi Sweet originally from Grenola, Kansas. 

4/16/2008 12:31:00 PM  From the Winfield Courier


A Sweet Dream
Grenola native is a finalist in Gospel Music Channel competition

By ROY GRABER
Managing Editor

Tony Sweet is a Central High School graduate who works as a personal trainer to the stars.

After tasting success in the early stages of the Gospel Music Channel's "Gospel Dream," Sweet may become a star himself.

Sweet, a native of Grenola now living in Los Angeles, auditioned in late March at an L.A. tryout for "Gospel Dream," a gospel music equivalent of the television phenomenon "American Idol."

Now he finds himself set to compete against 14 other contestants - including one relative - for a record contract.

Sweet is savoring his shot at stardom, which does not come easily in an industry that puts so much emphasis on youth.

"Being 38 years old, this kind of seemed like it would be my last chance," said Sweet. "This is an opportunity. A door opened up to me, and it was like God was saying, 'Here you go; go for it.'"

Sweet, who describes himself as a non-denominational Christian, grew up as part of a spiritually-oriented and musically-inclined family. In his younger years, however, he didn't pursue music as much as he would have liked.

"I was always the shy one," Sweet said in a recent telephone interview.

Instead, during high school, Sweet put more of his focus on athletics. He excelled in multiple sports. He won a state championship in the shot put and also was a member of Central's 1987 state championship football team.

Sweet continued his track career at Hutchinson Community College, earning All-American honors.

He transferred to Wichita State University, where he pursued a communications degree. It was there that he also started to come out of his shell and pursued music while singing at church.

While at WSU, Sweet also got involved in the fitness industry, working part-time as a trainer.

Always interested in Christian music, Sweet frequently attended Christian concerts while living in Kansas. And although he said that type of concert is not as prevalent in California, "I still try to go as much as I can."

Watching others perform made Sweet think how much he would like to be a professional Christian musician himself.

"I just thought, 'Wow! This is what I want to do,'" Sweet said.

Sweet recently learned about the past season of Gospel Dream, and "thought that would be fun to try."

After he found out the Gospel Music Channel was going for another season, he decided to audition.

But Sweet wasn't the only member of his family who took that path.

His nephew, Kyle Peres, also tried out.

Peres, who grew up in Emporia, had earlier auditioned for American Idol in Omaha.

While Peres was eventually turned down by Idol judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, Sweet said, he was given approval by Simon Cowell, who oddly enough is normally the most critical of the three.

At the Los Angeles Gospel Dream auditions, Sweet and Peres were the only two males in the top 10 finalists.

When it came down to the final pick, the judges named Sweet the winner.

Sweet may have been thrilled with the win, but he was also saddened that his nephew did not make the cut. Sweet knew Peres had the talent, however, and encouraged him to audition again in Phoenix.

Peres took his advice. He won the Phoenix competition and will also be moving on to compete for the record contract.

Sweet occasionally still sees himself as a shy boy, but with more wisdom, he knows that he can help other people through his gifts as a musician. And with the help of a vocal coach who is best known for his work with The Imperials, Sweet is as confident as ever in his singing abilities.

"God gives you gifts, and you should try to use them," he said.

Sweet could sing any style of music, but he views this as not only an opportunity to entertain, but also to minister to others.

"I could sing any genre I want, but this is heartfelt. The songs you sing can influence people in a good way, whereas with other forms of music, it could influence people in a negative way," he said.

Sweet may be outdone by his nephew in the Gospel Dream competition. But the two occasionally sing together, and Sweet said there are good possibilities that they may collaborate in the future.

"We started putting a duo together, and we harmonize amazingly. People would pay for that kind of harmony," said Sweet.

Sweet sings baritone and Peres sings tenor.

But no matter who wins the Gospel Dream, Sweet knows the outcome will be of God's choosing.

"I totally believe in God's wisdom," he said.

(If you want to keep track of what Tony is doing, got to www.grenolaks.com/  This is a site for Grenola, Kansas, created by Tony.)



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