October 31, 1947

• When the United States Army transport Joseph V. Connolly reached New York City Saturday with 6,300 World War II dead, the bodies included two Atchison County veterans. They were Private Harold L. Brunk and S/Sgt. John R. DeVore. Mrs. DeVore advises The Mail that her husband will be buried in the Zachary Taylor national cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.

• A rather usual happening took place during Friday evening’s Rock Port-Savannah football game. Rock Port kicked a goal at the north end of the field and the ball sailed across the street and into a tree at the home of Mrs. Louise Spieckermann. The ball remained up the tree until one of the officials climbed the tree and another shook the branches to dislodge the pigskin.

• Trapshooters from Rock Port and the surrounding territory will engage in a shooting match at the Temple Shandy home west of Phelps City Sunday afternoon, the town men versus the country men. Trapshoots at the Shandy place have been regular Sunday events during the summer months, but generally with individual competition the basis, Sunday’s match will be “for blood.”

October 26, 1972

• There are four new student teachers at Rock Port R-II. They are all here from Tarkio College and working toward their B.A. degrees in elementary education. Nanette White is student teaching for Mrs. Peck in the second grade, Janice Tuft is with Mrs. Pierce in fifth grade, Susan Pearson is with Mrs. Nixon in sixth grade, and Bernice Leiter is with Mrs. Steele in kindergarten.

• Some of the grade school students were asked what they most liked about Halloween. Some responses included: Almost everyone – trick-or-treating or candy; Lee Ann Erdman – soaping windows; Becky Brusha – throwing rotten tomatoes; and Shawna Heits – Halloween parties at school.

• The body of Miss Sharon Louise Barnett, 21, of Tarkio, Missouri, was found October 25 near the small Iowa community of Imogene. She had been missing since late Friday, October 20. Her body was found some distance from her abandoned car, in a ditch near a culvert.  Miss Barnett was a Tarkio High School graduate and at the time of her death was employed in the cafeteria at Tarkio College.

• Mr. and Mrs. Donald Brockman, formerly of Papillion, Nebraska, have purchased the John Van Orman house on 801 Summit Drive in Rock Port. Mrs. Mary Margaret Brockman has started working at Bev’s Beauty Bar. Mr. Brockman is an office manager at MBP.

October 23, 1997

• The Rock Port sixth graders were given a great opportunity to learn about herbs and their many uses, smells, and tastes on October 10. Mrs. Sidney Cooper, guest speaker, enlightened students with her avid hobby of raising herbs and her knowledge of the subject.

• Members of the Lucky Clover 4-H Club carved pumpkins and took them to the residents at Pleasant View Nursing Home Monday, October 13. Prizes were awarded to: Funniest – Afton and Kaci Demott; Scariest – Charlie and Scott Schneider; and Most Creative – Regan Griffin.

• Walter Shandy and Jerry and Lela Painter of Phelps City have been working diligently to give Phelps City’s “main street” a face lift. They have been trimming trees and mowing the ditches and vacant properties. Their interest was spurred by the village’s purchase of Christmas ornaments to be displayed on the street light poles. This will be the first time in the history of Phelps City for the village to have Christmas ornaments along its Main Street.