Stories from Saturday, April 17, 2010

Hi neighbors. One night this week there was a show on TV about nostalgia of the 1970s. One thing mentioned was the television show "Mr. Rogers." How many of us still say, "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood" and think of that pleasant man? Although the more rambunctious youths of the day would belittle him, mothers and younger children enjoyed watching his calm mannered and non-abrasive discussions...

There has been a lot of material written about how people are affected by names. Some psychologists have even gone so far as to tell us that children are handicapped by names which they find unattractive. I wonder what happens in a dog's world? My good friend, Charlie, had a litter mate out of the same bunch as my long-departed three-legged dog. ...

I whirled around, not wanting to miss two celebrities in one morning "No, not here, Silly! I mean, when they were shooting 'Shane', for instance, they had to build foot-and-a-half-tall wood walkways so he could stand on them and look as tall as other people in the film -- Jack Palance, especially, who's a giant in comparison. ...

Dustin and Ashley Goalden, Uniontown, Kan., and big brother Gunner James Goalden, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter and sister, Tailynn Breanne Goalden. Tailynn was born at 12:08 p.m., Monday, April 12, 2010, at Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott. She weighed 6 pounds, 14 1/2 ounces...

Dorothy and Joshua Francis, of Nevada, and big sister Gracie, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter and baby sister, Haylie Marie Francis. Haylie was born at 8:16 a.m., on April 7, 2010, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces, and measured 20 inches...

Edna Elsielee (Luney) Kramer, age 84, of El Dorado Springs, Mo., departed her life at St. John Regional Medical Center, Springfield, Mo., at 7:30 p.m., on April 14, 2010. She was a twin born on Dec. 25, 1925, to Galileo and Lucy (Ames) Luney, the last living sibling, ninth child of 10 children...

Ronald Raymond Durbin Sr., age 68, resident of Fort Scott, died Thursday, April 15, 2010, at his home following a cancer illness. He was born May 16, 1941, in Devon, Kan., the son of Ward Augustus Durbin and Ethel Caroline Phillips Durbin. He served his country in the United States Army. ...

Lavon (Bonnie) Meek, 96, Fort Scott, died early Friday morning April 16, 2010, at the Mercy Health Center. She was born April 8, 1914, in Hiattville, Kan., the daughter of Jesse D. and Anna K. (Cordts) Warren. She married Wayne Dwight Meek on Dec. 29, 1935. They were married for 65 years. He preceded her in death Sept. 15, 2001...

David Errol Willeman, 60, Ft. Smith, Ark., passed away unexpectedly on Monday, April 12, 2010, at Kaufman Presbyterian Hospital, Kaufman, Texas. He was born July 6, 1949, in Ottawa, Kan., to Ernest Errol Willeman and Kathryn Mignon Hereford Willeman. He married Debra L. Souders on June 29, 1974, in Gower, Mo., and she survives of the home...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced Friday that a Nevada, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing child pornography and to illegally possessing several firearms...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- In just nine months, the Sisters of Mercy Health System -- a group of 30 hospitals in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma -- has already saved nearly $800,000 and diverted more than 20,000 pounds of waste from local landfills...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- During the last week, the Fort Scott Police Department has honored its communication officers for in celebration of National Telecommunicator Week. Currently, the FSPD has five full-time and four part-time communication officers, a records clerk and a communication officer supervisor working for the dispatch center. ...

Sold-out performances this weekend of "Afiwa," an opera by Nicholas Ballanta marked a special occasion. For the first time, the production was presented in America. Ballanta was a prolific writer of folk operas, depicting life in Africa and combining American and British musical elements with African elements. The most popular of these was "Afiwa," and was first performed in Keta, Gold Coast, in 1936 and was performed in Freetown, Sierra Leone, as recently as 1997...

While most parents don't believe they could ever harm their child, each year, more than 900,000 cases of suspected child abuse are investigated nationally. Even more alarming, the number of children in the United States who die from neglect or abuse each year in most states ranges from two to three per 100,000, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service -Administration for Children and Families. This equates to 50 child deaths in Missouri, based on 2007 numbers...

April is National Occupational Therapy month, Occupational therapists are rehab professionals that help individuals suffering from debilitating diseases and disabilities achieve maximum independence and quality of life through therapeutic use of work, exercise and self-care activities...

The Women's Health Services Clinics will be held on May 11 and May 25, for all clients at the Vernon County Health Department on North Washington Street. Other clinic locations are also available in surrounding counties. Participants must call for an appointment and cancellations should be made at least 24 hours in advance. ...

Mr. and Mrs. Reed Benson, Halley's Bluff, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Katarina Beth, to Lucas Pennington, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Pennington, rural Harwood, Mo. Katie is a sophomore at Crowder College in Nevada, Mo., where she will graduate with an associate's degree in May before pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Education in English at Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, Mo...

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Moyers, of Fort Scott, announce the engagement of their daughter, Abigail Moyers, to Logan Harris, son of Randy and Carmen Harris, Jerico Springs, Mo. Abigail is a 2007 graduate of Fort Scott High School and a 2009 graduate of Fort Scott Community College with an associate's degree in applied science. She is also a graduate of the Fort Scott School of Cosmetology. She is currently employed by Dr. Fly's Hair Salon in Joplin, Mo...

Mr. and Mrs. Pat Sims, of Meade, Kan., announce the engagement of their daughter, Shauncey Sims, to Jonathan Moyers, son of Kevin and Cindy Moyers, Fort Scott. Shauncey is attending Pittsburg State University pursuing her bachelor's in nursing and will graduate in May 2011. She is a 2007 graduate of Meade High School...

Doug and Lena Wilson, LaCygne, Kan., announce the engagement of their daughter, Katie Wilson, to Tylor Hermanson, son of Kelly McGinnis, Overland Park, Kan. Katie is a 2007 graduate of Prairie View High School and will graduate from Pittsburg State University in 2011 with a degree in elementary education. She is the granddaughter of the late George Aikman and Pat Aikman, Pittsburg, Kan., the late Rolland E Wilson and Maxine Wilson, Fort Scott, and the late Danna Wilson...

Joy Anne Ellifrits and Cole Evan Bond announce their plans to marry on May 8, 2010, at 5 p.m. at First Christian Church, Nevada. The bride-elect is the daughter of Randy and Tracy Ellifrits of Nevada. She is the granddaughter of Emily F. Barritt, Nevada, and the late Lawrence Barritt, and the late Pup and Mae Jones, Nevada...

The children of Bryan and Sue Reinecke will honor their parents with a surprise 25th wedding anniversary open house at Buck Run Community Center in Fort Scott on Sunday, April 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. Friends and family are encouraged to stop by and the children note, "Please remember, it's a surprise."...