When Shirley and Don Conrad stopped in Clarksville, Tenn., last month, a man noticed the Tonganoxie license tag on their car and came over and asked them about it.

When he learned they lived there, he said he wanted to show them a painting he had done.

Turns out, James E. Brown, who lived in Tonganoxie from 1926 to 1933, likes to paint pictures of farm silos, and sells prints and postcards of his art.

Now living in Overland Park, Brown, showed the Conrads the above picture, titled “Tonganoxie Silo.”

“Brown painted the rural scene several years ago before the house was torn down, and the silo moved to the Agricultural Hall of Fame,” Don Conrad said.

The farmsite is the current home of the Tonganoxie school district’s cross country track on Evans Road, east of Pleasant Street.

Anyone wishing to order copies of the postcard or print, may call (785) 825-2700. This is a project of the Association of Community Arts Agencies of Kansas.

Former Tonganoxie resident editing Capper’s

Vicki (Groshong) Parks, a 1998 graduate of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas, is now an editor of Capper’s, Topeka.

Parks started working as an editorial assistant at Capper’s Magazine in August. Since then, she has been promoted to assistant editor, and now is associate editor.

Parks, who edits the “Heart of the Home” section and writes a column for the bi-weekly publication, also serves as food editor.

She described the magazine as “a down-home sort of publication that places an emphasis on reader contributions and human interest pieces.” Capper’s has a circulation of 250,000.

A 1986 graduate of Tonganoxie High School, Parks is the daughter of Winnie and Jerry Groshong, Tonganoxie.

Local student performs at forensics tournament

The Nebraska Wesleyan University forensics team recently placed first in overall sweeps and third in quality sweeps at the Wildcat Invitation, held Nov. 20 at Wayne State College.

Jeff Clinger, Tonganoxie, earned second place in drama, third in prose and sixth in poetry.

fun&games

video alert

Releases for the week of December 1.

The Wild, Wild West

The Black Mask

Midsummer’s Night Dream

Winter’s End (Sarah Plain and Tall)

(Courtesy of The Studio)