Stories from Thursday, December 17, 2009

An application evaluation cutoff date of Jan. 15, 2010, for the Environmental Quality Incentives Programs (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) has been announced by Eric B. Banks, state conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Applications may be submitted anytime; however, applications will be gathered for ranking at that point...

The Kansas Forest Service (KFS) has started accepting orders for their low-cost tree and shrub seedlings for use in conservation plantings. These plants are one or two years old, and vary in size from 12 to 18 inches, depending on species. The KFS is offering bundles of year-old, Kansas-hardy seedlings for more than 30 hardwood and evergreen trees and hardwood shrubs. ...

Area artist Steven Greenwall, donated his painting "Grass Shadows" to Fort Scott Community College on Tuesday, Nov. 24, in the Kathy Ellis Academic Hall of the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. Greenwall's decision to donate a piece of art to FSCC was for many reasons, but most importantly was to honor his friend and former FSCC instructor, Gary D. Tebbets, who was choral professor of music at Allen County Community College when he died on Jan. 15, 2008...

Students in the USD 234 band program are preparing to entertain audiences with a variety of merry melodies. The band's annual holiday concert is scheduled to take place at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Fort Scott High School auditorium, 1005 S. Main St. The concert will feature holiday musical numbers performed by 200 students in fifth through eighth grades, as well as the FSHS concert band and brass choir...

Coming off one of the best seasons in the history of the Fort Scott Community College football program with an 11-1 final record and No. ranking in the final NJCAA poll, there were many standout performances throughout the season. But the efforts of three Greyhound players were recognized earlier this week as the NJCAA released the 2009 All-American football teams...

Fort Scott Community College sophomore running back Jasmin Hopkins was named the 2009 NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year by the NJCAA Football Coaches Association. This award is the NJCAA version of the Heisman Trophy. A native of Stanley, N.C., Hopkins posted the third-most rushing yards by an NJCAA running back in 10 years while helping guide the Greyhounds to their first Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference title in 35 years and their first Region VI title ever. ...

With the finishing of some final paperwork, the Fort Scott Police Department will receive nearly $75,000 in grant money. During Tuesday evening's Fort Scott City Commission meeting, commissioners accepted a grant from the Kansas Wireless Enhanced 911 Advisory Board in the amount of $50,709. According to FSPD Chief Ron Puterbaugh, the money will be used to upgrade the department's current computers and telephone equipment that are used to help determine the origin of emergency calls...

Staff at the Lowell Milken Center are helping to educate teachers and students, not just locally, but across the United States. After two years in operation, the nonprofit educational center, which is designed to help teachers and students develop historic diversity projects that deal with relevant social issues and teach respect and understanding of all people, has reached classrooms in all 50 states...

Many area families enjoy decorating, cooking