By MIKE CORN

Hays Daily News

JERICHO (aka Oakley) -- Come Memorial Day weekend, Oakley once again will become Jericho, that fabled community that only exists on television.

That's right, plans are in the works for the 2008 edition of Jerichon -- the Jericho Convention, a gathering of the TV show's aficionados. The convention is, bottom line, a gathering of hard-core fans of the fabled Kansas community.

Brought back from the ashes, Jericho is nearing the end of its second season on CBS, and is a tale about life in a Kansas community in the wake of nuclear explosions in major metropolitan areas. While the mountains can't be seen on the horizon from Oakley, it is the only place where Interstate 70 intersects with U.S. highways 40 and 83.

This year, Jerichon is taking place earlier, starting May 23, when Oakley Mayor Frank Munk will declare that Oakley will be Jericho for the weekend, according to Carinda McConnell, Oakley's Chamber of Commerce executive director and a member of the Jerichon planning committee.

Last year, the convention was in September.

The event is organized by the Guardians of Jericho, an online community that waged a campaign against CBS last year when it decided to drop the program.

In light of the objections, CBS relented and brought Jericho back for seven more episodes this year.

Activities are scheduled throughout the weekend, and will once again include a barbecue.

At the first Jerichon, the barbecue was followed by a dance and at 9:02 p.m., the lights at "Jericho Field" were dropped and videos of nuclear explosions were projected on a nearby building.

That is the time of the detonation of the nuclear bombs in the weekly series.

This year, two people associated with the program will be attending.

Mike Loomer, the on-set dresser for Jericho will be attending, as will Matt Federman, one of the series' writers. Both have told Guardians of Jericho that they will be bringing props and costumes for display.

"They say some of the cast has expressed interest in coming but they haven't said yet," McConnell said.

Again this year, Oakley is planning to arrange for tours to Monument Rocks and Keystone Gallery in southern Logan County.

There will also be educational talks about disasters and alternative energy, much as the cast faces in the on-screen Jericho.

Details of the event are still subject to change, McConnell said, but the hope is that the turnout might be slightly higher, numbering about 100 this go-round.

"They are thinking it will be a little big bigger than last year," she said.

Developing details about the convention are available at www.jerichon.com, which details the cost of admission.

Guardians of Jericho also plan to conduct its annual meeting at the Oakley event, at which time new members of the group's board of directors will be elected.

Special-projects coordinator Mike Corn can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 129, or by e-mail at mcorn@dailynews.net.