Stories from Friday, June 12, 2009

We live in a world where courtesy seems to be in short supply. A few weekends ago I was in Steamboat Springs, Colo., where I had spent three days helping my oldest son, Jeff, move into his condominium (a story I'll save for later). At our farewell lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, the waitress commented on how kind we were to her, and she thanked us for being so nice. ...

The Kansas Committee on Arson Prevention is offering a reward to anyone who can help them apprehend the individual or individuals responsible for setting two suspicious fires, which occurred in Crawford County on Tuesday. According to a press release from the Crawford County Sheriff's Department, the first fire was reported around 3:30 a.m. ...

Area residents who enjoy watching Fort Scott's annual Fourth of July Fireworks display can help the Elks Lodge raise the necessary funds for the upcoming show. According to Bill Brittain, the Fort Scott Elks Lodge 579 will be conducting an 18-Hole Three-Person Scramble Golf Tournament in order to raise some of the needed funds to conduct the 2009 City-Wide Fireworks Display...

A few minutes might not seem like a long time, but there are circumstances when it can mean the difference between life and death. As temperatures begin to heat up, children are at a serious risk for heat stroke when left alone even for a few minutes in a closed vehicle. Last year, at least 42 children across the United States died from heat stroke caused by being left or trapped in a vehicle, a statement from the Safe Kids Kansas organization said...

Fort Scott City Commissioners are faced with a daunting task in preparing the 2010 budget. Prior to the Fort Scott City Commission meeting June 2, the commissioners sat down with city staff to begin preparations for the 2010 budget, and get a feel for how the 2009 budget was managed...

Fort Scott Public Works Director Eric Bailey said the water line project is 90 percent complete. He added the only work remaining consists of final touches and clean-up. "They're just doing some clean up and finishing up some concrete," Bailey said. "Everything went very well, very smooth ... the contractor did an outstanding job."...

A local family of musicians will bring their talents back to the Heritage Park Pavilion stage Friday evening. Steve and Melody Fortenberry, and their son, Chase, all long-time Fort Scott residents, are scheduled to perform a concert at 7 p.m. Friday at the Heritage Park Pavilion located near the corner of First and Main streets. The weekly summer concert series is sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce Downtown Division...

A major local employer's emergency response plan was put to the test Tuesday when severe storms hit the area. As tornado sirens blared early Tuesday afternoon, officials at Mercy Health Center were faced with getting at least 250 physicians, office staff, medical staff and patients into areas of the building that are deemed safe during tornados and severe storms...

During the 2009 Secret Gardens of Bourbon County, event attendees will have the opportunity to visit a local greenhouse and listen to two different short gardening seminars. The greenhouse at Tri-Valley Developmental Services, 4305 Campbell Drive, provides an accessible garden area for the clients at Tri-Valley to learn about gardening. ...