Stories from Saturday, April 2, 2011

Dr. and Mrs. Gregory Shipman, Hereford, Ariz., announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Katherine Elizabeth Shipman, to Lynden Michael Judy, son of Michael and Carma Judy, of Orange, Texas, formerly of Fort Scott, Kan. Katie is a 2007 graduate of Cochise College, Sierra Vista, Ariz. She is currently employed by J3 Metals, Vidor, Texas...

Dr. and Mrs. Brad Copeland of Moundville, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Alana Lynne Copeland, to Robert James "Jim" Nolan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Nolan, of New Albany, Ind. The bride-to-be is a 2002 graduate of Nevada High School. Alana received her Bachelor of Science in 2006, from Central Missouri State University, majoring in tourism. Alana is self-employed as a corporate event coordinator...

Roy and Carol Davis, of rural Fort Scott, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on March 19, 2011, with their immediate family at Jim's Steak House in Pittsburg. The couple were married on March 20, 1971, at the First Baptist Church in Fort Scott...

March 17 Anna Bagby was arrested for hold. Bond is $425. Roy Rufus was released for time served. Jail population: Total census, 65; state, 9; Vernon County Re-entry program, 2; Bates County, 8; Cedar County, 5; El Dorado Springs, 2; and Cole County, 1...

James Edward Ritchie, born July 16, 1930, in Rich Hill, Mo., died April 11, 2011, in his home at age 80. He is survived by his wife, Karol; two children, Karen (Ritchie) Ritter and Mark Ritchie; his daughter-in-law, Leah Hardy; and his three grandchildren, Kathryn and Emily Ritter and Ky Hardy-Ritchie...

Christopher Allen Culp, 86, of Fort Scott, passed away Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at the Guest Home Estates in Fort Scott. He was born Jan. 8, 1925, in Fort Scott, the son of Christopher Allen and Edith Cora (Moore) Culp. Survivors include his 12 children, Martin A. ...

JEFFERSON CITY -- A Missouri Senate committee approved a bill nearly three weeks ago to reform the way Missourians' medications are prescribed, but supporters have been unable to get Senate leaders to schedule a debate and floor vote. With the 96th General Assembly ending May 13, the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons is worried that the inaction of Senate President Pro-tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, and Majority Floor Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. ...

Nine candidates have filed for election to the Nevada R-5 school board, vying for three open seats up for election on April 5. Identical questionaires to each of the candidates. Answers from other candidates were published in the March 29-31 editions of the Nevada Daily Mail. Answers provided the ninth candidate appear below...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- More than 1,000 students flocked to Fort Scott Community College to compete in the 30th Annual Key Industries Agriculture Interscholastic Judging Contest, or Aggie Day, competition on Friday. The Aggie Day competition is one of area's the largest and longest-running agricultural contests. ...

The Bourbon County Vehicle Tag Office will be closed from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Tuesday for online training. The staff in the office apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The internationally known artist and Nigerian Ambassador of Art Ibiyinka Alao wrapped up a visit to several Vernon County schools on Wednesday at Truman Elementary where he gave a presentation on his art and Africa. After the presentation, Alao greeted students, signed prints -- and some arms -- and conducted workshops for the remainder of the day in the art classes of Lisa Melton...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- For the month of April, the Lyons Twin Mansions is taking a turn for the whimsy. Friday, Janet Tucker transformed into the Queen of Hearts and greeted guests as they entered the LTM that had been decked out to the theme of the popular tale Alice in Wonderland. Tucker and her daughter, Shelly Bradley, made the decorations which include paper mache mushrooms, rabbits, a caterpillar, and whimsical floral arrangements...

Some crappie fishermen jokingly accuse fishing tackle manufactuers of putting brush, stumps and other snags in the water to boost the sale of lures. However, I can tell you they missed a few places. Take a boat dock I have been fishing recently. After fishing for almost an hour, dropping a small jig in a boat slip without finding any brush, a bucket containing nine large crappie indicated the fish were there...

INDEPENDENCE, Kan. -- Fort Scott High School's young golf team experienced a rough first outing Thursday at the Independence Invitational. The Tigers finished ninth out of the 10 teams here and did not have any medalists. Independence won the meet with a four-man score of 326 followed by Pittsburg at 341 and Colgan at 347. Fort Scott shot 417...

INDEPENDENCE, Kan. -- Fort Scott High School's tennis team faced tough competition at a five-team round-robin tournament here Thursday and finished in fourth place. All of the Tigers' victories came against Labette County. Independence, Parsons and Arkansas City each swept Fort Scott...

David and Sue Hoskin announce the engagement of their granddaughter, Arley Hoskin, to Logan Arkenberg, son of Gale Wyse, Tecumseh, Kan., and the late Michael Arkenberg. Arley is the daughter of Melissa Morrison, Olathe, Kan., and Phil Grover, Concord, Calif...