Stories from Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Gift giving should be a fun experience, but sometimes it can become a big source of stress. Not having the time or money and not really knowing what the person wants can take the joy out of shopping. Then there are the unspoken rules -- like giving a gift of equal value to what you received and being consistent with the value of last year's gift...

I decided to share my Christmas letter with all of my readers again this year. It is that time of year to sit down and visit with all of you. For most of you it is the only time that we correspond. Even though we write only at Christmas time, it doesn't mean that I don't think of you. ...

Dwayne "Gabe" Davenport, 75, of Girard, Kan., died at 8:45 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 at his home. He was born Oct. 19, 1934 in Arcadia, Kansas, a son of Arthur "Art" and Doris (Easter) Davenport. He grew up and attended schools in Farlington and graduated from Girard High School in 1952...

Derick Dryden, age 25, of Ottawa, Kan., died Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. He was born on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 1984, in Ottawa, Kan. He was the son of Steve and Karen (Johnson) Dryden. He was a lifelong Ottawa resident. Derick graduated from Ottawa High School with the class of 2004 and Fort Scott Junior College in 2007 with a degree in Agricultural Science...

Joe Gary Jones, age 62, of Pleasanton, Kan., passed away on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009 after a two year struggle with cancer. A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m., Thursday Dec. 10, 2009 at the Mount Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home 10507 Holmes Rd Kansas City, Mo., with a visitation to follow until 8 p.m...

Reba Maxine Ayers, age 95, lifelong Linn County resident, died Sunday Dec. 6, 2009 at Prescott Country View. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday Dec. 11, 2009 at the Coffel-Schneider Chapel in Mound City, Kan. Burial will be in the Pleasanton Cemetery...

Necie Jean Holman, age 80, a resident of Fredonia, Kan., died Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, at the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, St. Francis Facility in Wichita, Kansas. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, at the Bronson Cemetery...

Emergency personnel had a busy night Monday as two significant accidents left one man dead and several injured. Emergency crews responded to a fatal accident shortly before 6 p.m. Monday on Kansas Highway 7 near the Linn County line. Billy Joe Miller, 33, of Pleasanton, died after being involved in a head-on collission on K-7 about 1.5 miles north of Kansas Highway 31...

PITTSBURG -- Fort Scott High School's basketball teams have each won two in a row after a sweep of Pittsburg in the first games of Southeast Kansas League play here Tuesday night. Tiger girls held off the Purple Dragons to prevailed 42-40. The boys had to rely on other players as Gary Floyd didn't score in the first three quarter before producing 11 in the fourth period of a 52-45 victory...