In the News

The Wayne County Press is published on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Local subscribers outside Fairfield get it on Wednesdays and Friday.  If you are in Fairfield driving around, you always slow down to see what's up on the Press window. They actually write breaking news on large pieces of paper and tape them to the window.  Always look out for gawkers near 213 East Main and don't rear end anyone.  

Those of us who live outside Wayne County get the paper much later and sometimes get two issues on the same day.  

Anyway, here are some good stories about relatives from the September papers I thought I'd share. 

September 5, 2017, Crumbacher Reunion Held Recently

There were 46 members in attendance at the 7th Crumbacher reunion held at the Gathering on Saturday, July 22, with all eight children of the late Albert and Agnes Crumbacher in attendance. 

The eight children are Shirley McKibben, Darlene "Joy" Flack, Louise Schick, Judy Scarbrough, Faye McIlvoy, Allan Crumbacher, George Crumbacher and Faye Johnson.

Seated l to r: Faye Johnson, George Crumbacher, Kay McIlvoy
Standing l to r: Allan Crumbacher, Louise Schick, Judy Scarbrough, Darlene (Joy) Flack, Shirley McKibben

Attending from Fairfield were Shirley McKibben, Bruce and Debbie McKibben, Judy Scarbrough, Valerie Scarbrough, Tammy Meyers and Xavier, Ashlyn and Daniel Turner, Rich and Darlene Winter, Richard Scarbrough and Hillary Scarbrough, George Crumbacher, Ben Scarbrough and Tim and Teresa Medler. 

Attending from out of town were Rick and Cindy Simmons, Salem, Melissaa Smith, Wayne City, John McKinney, Cisne, Patsy Scarbrough, Johnsonville, Lisa Youngblood, Keenes, Floyd and Faye Johnson, Mariona nd Doug Schick II, Dixon. 

Other family members present were Kay McIlvoy, Doug and Louise Schick, and Allan Crumbacher, Rochelle, Angela, Tessa and Jacob Bush, Rock Falls. 

Those traveling from out of state to attend were Charles and Darlene "Joy" Flack, Crosby, Texas, Matt, Eleanor and Mattias Fiser, Port Huesene, California, Mark Baker, Louisville, Kentucky, Jared Simmons and Sarah Gardner, St. Louis, Missouri, Duane Crumbacher, Midwest City, Oklahoma, Tyler Simmons, Vincennes, Indiana and Joshua Barrett, Sherri Crumbacher and Eric Orozco, Overland, Missouri.

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September 5, 2017 issue - Elliott, Denise. Jasper Grade School Teacher of the Year 2016 Creates "Can Do Kids" Butterfly Garden with Cash Prize

Debbie McKibben's first grade class surrounds her during the ceremony to dedicate the butterfly garden to her. From left in back: Debbie McKibben, Dr. D.M. Mills (Principal-Superintendent of Jasper School), Jackson Mills & Josh Zurliene. 

Debbie McKibben of Jasper School faculty was named the Wayne County Teacher of the Year in 2016 and awarded a plaque and cash prize by the local Lions Club. She decided to make a butterfly garden for Jasper School with her cash prize. 

McKibben is the senior faculty member at Jasper, is a Jasper alumna, and currently teaches first grade. Her class does a science project on butterflies each year. She has a class mascot called "Can Do" Kangaroo and the class motto is "We are Can Do Kids!" 

McKibben chose former student, Jackson Mills (an active Boy Scout) to design and build the project. McKibben was a former Girl Scout Leader herself and understood the project would be a good fit for a scout.

A location for the 700 square foot butterfly garden was selected beside the bus barn. This location allowed for full sun, access to water and when built up would help with soil and water conservation in that area.

Mills drew up lans for the area and marked out the spot in early June. 

Josh Zurliene of Zebra Landscaping helped clear the area and built it up with quality topsoil.

On June 16, McKibben, along with Mills and Dr. David M. Mills (Jackson's father) did the construction of the butterfly garden: framing, laying landscaping fabric, building / mounting seed boxes, installing an irrigation system, and mulching. 

Past and present Jasper students arrived on June 20 to help McKibben plant the seed plots. Steve Liston, Wayne County Soil and Water Board, provided technical assistance and arranged for seeds for planting. 

McKibben spent time in June and July to weed and water the butterfly garden. On August 9, the first blooms of the butterfly garden began to appear and have sprouted and grown since.

Jackson Mills is a Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 282 and will use this project to earn the Boy Scouts of America Horenday Conservation Award, their highest award for conservation. Mills attends the seventh grade at Jasper this year. 

On Friday, August 18, first day of school at Jasper, all students gathered around while Jackson Mills gave the presentation speech and then presented McKibben with a certificate reflecting the butterfly garden as a registered Monarch Waystation in her name.

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September 14, 2017 Bean Days Special 

Three Wayne City FFA Alumni had the idea for a way to promote the FFA to younger generations. Their idea turned into the Annual Wayne City FFA Alumni Day.  From left: Fred Tubbs, David Reed, and Greg Dickey, all from Wayne City. 

Mari-Anne Wilkerson, 17, senior, daughter of Travis & Holly Woods, Bean Day Queen candidate. 

Macy Wiggins, 5, kindergarten, daughter of Dustin & Renee Wiggins, Little Miss Bean Day candidate. 






For those outside Wayne City . . . Bean Days is the annual town festival celebrating soybean farmers, well all farmers in the area each year.  Activities include a 5K run, parade, quilt show, horse show, queen coronation and last, but not least free ham and beans lunch with cornbread. In the old days (when I was growing up) Saturday night was the Toby Show in the high school gym.  Billy "Toby" Choate always put on an old time vaudeville show with local talent.