Stories from Monday, August 20, 2007

Traffic engineers at the Kansas Department of Transportation are reviewing crash reports and agency policy related to median barriers following several crossover crashes in the past week. Five people have died in three crashes (two in Johnson County and one in McPherson County) since Saturday when vehicles traveled across medians and struck oncoming traffic...

100 YEARS AGO (1907) Railroad Notes: George Swearingen, the Frisco yard master, came near losing his diamond ring the other day while at work. He missed the sunburst and for a time the yard crew searched for the jewel, which the owner later found on his person. The diamond was a present to George and he wouldn't take a farm for it...

Sleep apnea, a disease that affects more than 12 million adults nationwide and often times is undiagnosed, can cause extraordinary problems. The Mercy Health Center Foundation plans to use some of the proceeds from this year's Capture the Spirit Gala to construct a sleep lab at Mercy Health Center, located at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd, which will make detection and treatment of sleep apnea possible, Mercy Health Center CEO John Woodrich said...

Ronnie and Bonnie Taylor and Raymond and Kathy Taylor drove to San Antonio, Texas, in July to see their son and grandson, Nathan Taylor graduate from Lackland Air Force Base there. Nathan took part in the flag ceremony at the graduation services, and graduated with the rank of Airman 3rd Class. Nathan has been assigned to duties at Fort Leonard Wood...

Students, faculty and staff at Fort Scott Community College have one last summer party to enjoy this week before getting into the thick of the school year. FSCC officials have planned a "Welcome Back Week," which begins Monday evening and continues through Thursday evening, for more than 1,200 students, and several instructors and staff members as they transition from the ease of summer life into the often more grueling academic lifestyle. ...

In one of the most important decisions of the year, the city commission will vote on whether to adopt the 2008 budget at a special meeting time Tuesday morning. The meeting will start at 8 a.m. instead of the standard 6 p.m. time and will be conducted inside the Commission Room at City Hall, 1 E. Third St...

As many as 1,500 local students' families flocked to the first-ever Back 2 School Block Party Saturday afternoon between Fort Scott High School and The Keyhole youth center. During the community-wide event, youngsters tested their prowess at the batting cages, played on a giant slide, scaled a rock climbing wall, and participated in a number of entertaining free activities. ...

Tina B. Lewis, 38 of Iola, Kan., passed away Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007, at KU Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan. She was born June 14, 1969, at Fort Scott Kan., the daughter of Britt Edward Lewis and Mary Lee Stewart. She attended Moran schools up until her senior year, then moved to Iola, graduating for the Iola High School Class of 1987. ...

M. Joe Pruitt, 76, Fort Scott, Kan., died Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007 at the home of his daughter in Olathe, Kan. Funeral arrangements for Joe will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kan.

Charles D. Mabery, 85, resident of 1818 Tiernan Road, Fort Scott, died Sunday, AUg. 19, 2007 at Fort Scott Medicalodge. Funeral arrangements for Charles will be announced by Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S, Main, Fort Scott, Kan.

Audrey Dean Bassett, a girl, was born at Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott, Kan., on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2007, at 2:10 a.m. to parents Charli Ann Bukowski and Joshua Shane Bassell, Fort Scott. She weighed 7 pounds. Maternal grandparents are Pamela and Roy Bukowski. Paternal grandparents are Kerry and Dennis Speer...

The historical fantasy epic drama, 300, based on Frank Miller (Sin City) and Lynn Varley's graphic and fictionalized novel series about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. is hard to sum up. For those of you who are not familiar with the legendary battle, the movie centers around King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and a band of 300 Spartan warriors, who must hold the pass at Thermopylae from King Xerxes and the enormous and savage Persian army determined on conquering Greece...