Just a test

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100

If you hear tornado sirens at 1:30 p.m. today, don't panic. It's the statewide tornado drill.

Typically, the city of Smithville tests the sirens at noon on Wednesdays.

This event reminds me that for nearly a year now, the city has had outdoor weather sirens. Almost one year ago, the city put 11 sirens in place.

So in a way, it will be a sound of safety.

Look who's 98

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100

The Girl Scouts are turning 98.

In honor of the birthday, local Girl Scouts were honored during a March 2 Board of Aldermen meeting.

City hall was packed with Girl Scouts and scout leaders while mayor Carol Troutwine read a proclamation in the scouts' honor.

Just two more years till the scouts celebrate the century mark.

Kansas City schools shakeup could impact Warriors

andymeyer@npgco.com — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100

The dramatic and impending shakeup of the Kansas City School District could trigger a rash of unprecedented conundrums for state officials - and potentially impact Smithville's football team.

Under Kansas City Superintendent John Covington's most recent plan, 26 schools in his district would close their doors, including Westport High and Southeast at Manual High. Northeast High recently was dropped from the list of potential closings.

Of the two schools in jeopardy, only W [...]

Trout shrink elbow room

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

I'm certainly not into trout fishing. But considering I received at least three press releases on the opening of Missouri's trout parks Monday (March 1), it seems as though trout fishing is a big deal to many people.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, "Trout can be easier to find than elbow room on opening day at Missouri’s four trout parks."

For details on changes to the state's trout parks, click here for department of conservation information.

Fire light?

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

The Smithville Area Fire Protection District probably won’t be able to do anything more to warn motorists on U.S. Highway 169 that a fire truck needs to enter traffic.

During the fire board’s meeting yesterday evening (Monday, Feb. 22), fire chief John Callahan said a representative from the Missouri Department of Transportation said that if the district wants a traffic light on the highway near the fire station, the district would have to fund the $150,000 project.

Snow hits summer fun

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

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School greenhouse?

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Smithville High School might get a greenhouse.

During the Wednesday, Feb. 17, Smithville R-II Board of Education meeting, the board gave FFA students and adviser Johnny Viebrock permission to apply for a grant that would help fund a greenhouse building at the Smithville High School campus.

If the program receives the grant, the district would have to pay 25 percent of the structure’s cost. The board didn’t commit to helping fund the facility. Boar [...]

Valentine boots

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Because Smithville schools have such strong parent support, I had to spend some time cleaning my boots this weekend.

When I arrived at Smithville Primary Elementary School for some classroom Valentine’s Day parties on Thursday, Feb. 11, there wasn’t an open parking space within a few blocks of the school.

The good news was that a lot of parents showed up to help out in their children’s classrooms or just take photos of the memorable moment.

< [...]

The importance of pancakes

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

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The death of a designer

meaganodonnell@npgco.com — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Famed fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found dead today. The tragic news has struck the fashion community hard. Many style blogs, Web sites and Twitter feeds reflect the industry's feelings on the designer's death.

According to Women's Wear Daily the 40-year-old British designer committed suicide in his home.

The publication reported that this statement was released (Lee Alexander McQueen is Alexander McQueen's full legal name):

Free groceries

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Last week, the Clay County Farm Bureau told me that this week, Feb. 7-13, is Thank a Farmer Week. We had a couple of paragraphs about the effort in today’s paper.

Today, I received a press release on another farmer related initiative. A long list of Missouri agricultural groups are giving to lucky families free groceries for a year, courtesy of Missouri farmers. The giveaway is part of the Missouri Farmers Feed US promotion. Through April 10, Missouri residents can register [...]

She made this

meaganodonnell@npgco.com — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Here is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. I'm always searching for new blogs and Web sites for inspiration. This one has inspired me to want go to home and make a necklace out of things lying around my garage. I probably won't, but it is fun to think that way.

There's not much to say about it other than it's a Web site that features handmade items by the site creator, so just check it out. It's called "P.S.- I made this..."

Let it in [...]

Drama

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Smithville High School play director Catherine Warren told the Smithville Board of Aldermen that the high school’s drama club would like to strengthen its ties with the community.

After Warren spoke during the Tuesday, Feb. 2, meeting, the board made a decision that could help accomplish Warren’s goal.

The board designated the club as a civic organization. As a result, the club is exempt from temporary sign permit fees. So if the club would like to [...]

Olympic clothing by Ralph Lauren

meaganodonnell@npgco.com — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Who better to outfit the U.S. Olympians for the upcoming 2010 winter games than classic American designer Ralph Lauren?

The athletes will march into the games during the opening ceremony wearing classic Ralph Lauren-styled outfits. They'll wear navy and red puffer jackets and slim white pants. The outfits look classy and very patriotic on the models, but I'm not sure how well some of the athletes will carry the look.

The styles are [...]

Skate idea

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Much more happens during local board meetings than what appears in our paper.

For example, Smithville R-II Board of Education meetings often last two to three hours. And what I report from those meetings covers just a small fraction of the conversations.

Here is just one of several interesting tidbits from last month's meetings:

During a discussion about student extracurricular activities, someone on the board asked how the district could reach out to students who aren't inv [...]

Alligator shoes

meaganodonnell@npgco.com — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

I apologize readers, it's been a while, but I'm back.

I just came across this interesting little piece about Tod's, an Italian design company that produces fine leather shoes and other goods.

The $5,400 men's shoes are hand stitched from two pieces of leather. If you haven't yet, flip through the photos on the link I have linked above to see the artisanship that goes into each of the slip-on shoes. Although I'm not advocating the use of alligators [...]

Education dollars

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0100

During last week's Smithville R-II Board of Education meeting, school administrators talked about the possibility of cuts in the state's K-12 education funding.

Administrators seemed hopeful that the state wouldn't cut funding for what's known as the "foundation formula." That chunk of funding is largely based on student enrollment numbers and serves as funding for basic expenses.

However, administrators talked as though the state would likely cut some funding that flows into sp [...]

Words of wisdom from Andrew Jones

andymeyer@npgco.com — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0100

After watching Dillon Deck rip down yet another double-double against St. Pius X, Andrew Jones had a couple words of wisdom for his protégé.

"If I could give him anything, I would just want him to be a little bit meaner and a little bit tougher," said Jones, the former Smithville standout and current tight end at Missouri.

No surprise coming from Jones, who dominated the post at Smithville for four years with the aggression and physicality you'd expect from a gridiron su [...]

Campaign time

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0100

The races have officially started.

Yesterday, candidate filing closed for the April 6 election.

Those competing to help oversee the city of Smithville, Smithville R-II School District, Smithville Area Fire Protection District and Northland Regional Ambulance District are already promoting themselves.

So far, I've seen one Smithville mayor candidate's Facebook campaign page and a Smithville alderman candidate's campaign Web site.

I'm sure we'll see much more campaigni [...]

Alma turns 105

nancyrigdon@npgco.com — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Perhaps you remember the 2004 story in the Herald about Alma Sego’s 100th birthday. Or the story I did on her 104th birthday in 2008.

Well, the Smithville resident is doing well and celebrated her 105th birthday last month, her son Jim Taylor told me.

Taylor, who lives with Sego, said that his mother is still doing one of her favorite hobbies: memorizing scripture.

I hope to report news of her 106th birthday in December.< [...]

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