By Thamar Barnett

Apologies for no news for a couple weeks. I have been down with a respiratory infection. I am better now.

Due to the recent threatening ice storms, people didn’t get out unless they had to.

Christine Black spent a couple weeks in Utah with her son, Charles. She was there for Christmas.

Word has been received here that Dean Mason, who grew up in this area, died recently. He lived in the Ozarks.

Linwood News

By Kim Downing

Library hosting dog training and behavior program next week

The Linwood Library will have a program all about dogs at noon Feb. 4. The program will cover the basic reasons dogs behave the way they do from a behavioral and training perspective. Presenter is a professional certified dog trainer with years of experience.

Pool Noodle Donation Request

Operation Wildlife is looking for any extra pool noodles that are laying around that someone might want to donate. The noodles will be used to make new perches for the raptors. Contact Diane at opwildlife@aol.com for more information.

McLouth Happenings

By Beverly Muzzy

Souper Bowl time

It’s time for Souper Bowl 2017, the lively community soup drive competition between McLouth United Methodist Church and Tonganoxie United Methodist Church.

The drive is an effort to combat hunger in Leavenworth and Jefferson counties.

Get in the game and support McLouth’s team by donating cans of condensed soup. Double your points with cans of chunky-style soup, stew, chili and pasta, such as ravioli, spaghetti or Beefaroni.

Rush those cans to any of the designated drop-off locations in McLouth: McLouth UMC, First Baptist Church, Apple Market, City Hall, McLouth Public Library, Leavenworth-Jefferson Electric Co-Op or Town Clipper. If you are not able to run down those cans, you may be a financial supporter with your cash donation at T&D’s Place, BP and Casey’s General Store. The last day for collection of cans will be Feb. 4.

Please encourage your friends, relatives and neighbors to join in on the fun, and more importantly to help those in need.

District app now available

The McLouth USD 342 smartphone application is a great way to conveniently stay up to date on what’s happening. Some of the features of the app include:

• Choose from multiple calendars.

• News and announcements.

• Push notifications. (Under Settings select the groups you would like to receive notifications from)

Android: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.socs.mclouth

Apple; itunes.apple.com/us/app/usd-342/id1164575302

School Closing Information

In the event schools are closed due to inclement weather, or other events requiring the school to alter the normal schedule, School Messenger Subscribers will be notified via telephone using our automated communication system.

Notifications will also be made using the following:

• USD 342 website: mclouth.org

• District App Push Notifications

• USD 342 Facebook and Twitter pages

• Major television news stations

(WIBW, KCTV5, KMBC, KSNT, FOX4)

We recommend staying tuned to one of the stations or websites listed above in order to receive this information in a timely manner.

— Please submit McLouth community information, announcements and upcoming events to Beverly Muzzy: mclouthhappenings@gmail.com or 913-796-6935.