Stories from Saturday, December 4, 2010

Anita June Freidline, 61, of Prescott, Kan., died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at the Via Christi Hospital, Pittsburg, Kan. Graveside memorial services will be held at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 7, at the Garnett Cemetery, Garnett, Kan. Visitation will be from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., at the Coffel-Schneider Chapel, Pleasanton, Kan. Contributions are suggested to the American Heart Association...

James Edward Scott, 85, resident of Fort Scott, Kan., died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at the Mercy Health Center. He was born Feb. 2, 1925, in Alvarado, Texas, the son of Charles Edward Scott and Esther Sherman Scott. He served in the United States Merchant Marines before serving in the Army combat infantry. ...

Edward L. Stevens, 82, Nevada, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at his home in Nevada following a lengthy illness. He was born on Feb. 2, 1928, in Sylamore, Ark., to John Edward Stevens and Flora Mae Pitts Stevens. He married Neoma Slayton on June 15, 1948, in Mountain View, Ark., and she survives of the home...

Woodrow Edward "Woody" Strader, 95, a resident of Guest Home Estates in Fort Scott, Kan., died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at the Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott. He was born June 29, 1915, in Rockville, Mo., the son of Forest Strader and Julia Elizabeth Webster Strader. He first married Myrtle Loy on April 17, 1937. She preceded him in death on May 25, 1980. He later married Cleo Campbell Frederick on June 22, 1985...

Businesses, charities and government agencies are once again working on their budgets for the upcoming year and the Vernon County Commission is no exception. In a process that will last approximately two months, the three members of the commission and individual office holders in the county are starting to crunch their numbers and get their heads together and come up with a budget that will fund county operations throughout 2011...

Area residents once again have the opportunity to put a holiday smile on a young person's face this December, by contributing to the Teen Angel program. Donors take part in the effort by adopting a teen for Christmas gifts. This program provides Christmas gifts to disadvantaged children between 13 and 18, or 21 if handicapped, according to Bill Tschoerner, who is helping to coordinate the effort this year...

Nevada, Mo. -- More than 114,000 children are in the foster care system in the United States; some of them in Vernon County. According to a press release from the Vernon County Children's Division, children find their way into the foster care system through abuse, neglect, abandonment and other avenues, but the result is the same; they have been permanently removed from their homes. ...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott student Alaina Allen brought in some green this summer -- in the form of a huge cabbage and college scholarship funds. A fourth-grader at Eugene Ware Elementary School, Allen grew a cabbage that reached 25 pounds -- without leaves -- earning her a $1,000 scholarship from National Bonnie Plants Cabbage Program, launched in 1995...

Fort Scott Community College's home Jayhawk Conference doubleheader with Johnson County at Arnold Arena was postponed at halftime Saturday afternoon after a Johnson County men's player shattered one of the backboards. The player was dunking during warm-ups between the halves of the women's game...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Local business owners Mark and Monhmany McCoy will be honored for their community involvement and leadership later this month by the Ozark Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The McCoys, of Fort Scott, will be recognized in this centennial year of the Boy Scouts of America as Distinguished Citizens of Ozark Trails Council, BSA. They will be presented with the award during an awards banquet on Friday, Dec. 17, at the Liberty Theatre, 113 S. Main St...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- As the unpredictable Kansas weather continues to shift, a calm and peaceful winter wonderland has taken its usual spot in an unlikely place. On the first floor of the Bourbon County Courthouse the Bourbon County Appraiser's Office is alongside every other office. However, between the end of November and February, a miniature community comes to life...