Stories from Wednesday, March 12, 2008

When one local student won her first spelling bee in first grade, she could not have known that her spelling skills would one day earn her a paid trip to the nation's capital. Fort Scott Christian Heights eighth grade student P.J. Self traveled to Great Bend to compete in the first ever Great Bend Tribune Sunflower Spelling Bee. Self, had advanced to the state level of the spelling bee after winning the first place spot in the Bourbon County bee...

UNIONTOWN -- Darrel and Laura George haven't made it very far since marrying in 1977. They're living on the exact same 40 acres where Darrel grew up, just north of Uniontown. Laura, born a Koester, reached adulthood no more than 18 miles away in Fort Scott. The couple got to know each other when both were teens, active in school, church and Bourbon County youth groups...

In some parts of the world, people eat to satisfy hunger. Most Americans, however, do not stop eating when their stomachs are satisfied. Each day we make more than 200 food-related decisions, according to Brian Wansink, PHD, director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think. ...

Fort Scott FFA chapter has been very busy beginning at the celebration of the New Year. Feb. 15 -- The chapter selected members to participate within contests held at Erie. Career Development Events (CDE's) hosted were meats judging and food science. The B-team present consisted of J. W. Meech and Levi Isaac. Brooke Combs, Holly Schnichels, and Whitney Nickleson represented Fort Scott as the official A-team...

The United States Achievement Academy announced today that Drew George from Uniontown has been named an All-American Scholar At-Large Award Winner in Math. Drew, will appear in the All-American Scholar Official Yearbook which is published nationally. Drew is a student at Uniontown Jr. High. This award is a prestigious honor very few students can ever hope to attain. In fact, the Academy recognizes fewer than 10% of all American high school students...

The First United Methodist Church of Fort Scott will hold a Friendship Soup Lunch from 11:30 to 1:00 p.m. in the church's Fellowship Hall on Friday, March 14th, 2008. The Menu will include chili, soups, pie, and coffee or tea. Free will donations will be accepted and will be used for mission projects. This will be the last soup lunch for this season, so be sure to come and enjoy the good food!...

The Mapleton Fire Department would like to invite everyone to come enjoy soup and chili with them on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at the Mapleton Community Center. The menu includes homemade vegetable soup, homemade chili, desserts and drink for a free will donation. Serving will be from 11a.m. till 2 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the Mapleton Volunteer Fire Department. Thank you to everyone for their continued support...

The February meeting of the Uniontown 4-H Club was called to order by President Riley Stephens. Members answered roll call by telling their favorite President. Officers gave their reports and leaders congratulated members on their accomplishments at county 4-H Days. Song leader Jana Wilkinson led the group in the song "If you're happy and you know it." Alison Warren led "Simon Says" for recreation. The meeting adjourned. Refreshments were served by the Brenton and Breanna Esslinger Family...

100 YEARS AGO (1908) Mrs. Francis Hayes, formerly Miss Chinn, who taught in the Plaza schools here, and now a teacher in the Blue Valley School, Kansas City, Mo., was badly injured in a streetcar accident at Kansas City Monday night. Mrs. Hayes and another teacher, D.G. Watson, endeavored to board a streetcar. The motorman started the car as they endeavored to step on and both were thrown and dragged. Mrs. Hayes was injured internally. The many local friends of this woman regret the accident...

UNIONTOWN -- USD 235 officials have put a plan in motion to monitor district school buses for possible bullying behaviors. During their regular monthly meeting on Monday, the USD 235 Board of Education voted to approve the $17,626 purchase of an electronic surveillance system from the Missouri-based American Digital Security Company. This will be the first time that USD 235 has used video surveillance to monitor student activity on school buses, USD 235 Superintendent Randy Rockhold said...

As was the case last season, Fort Scott High School's tennis season begins earlier than any other spring sport. This has come about because the KSHSAA moved the State championship back one week and in order to get all the allowed matches in, teams must begin earlier in the spring...

The Fort Scott National Historic Site will offer a two-day symposium titled "Voices from the Quilts," from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m March 29 and 30. The event will feature an exhibit of nine 19th century quilts as well as five speakers. Mildred Jordt, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara -- three affiliated tribes, will present information on Native American quilts and quilters. ...