Stories from Friday, May 20, 2011

Transparent toasters. Banana guards. Toilet seat lifters. Anti-theft coffee cups. Lucky us. We live in a world of conveniences, all intended to make our lives easier. Yet in spite of these time-savers, many of us remain frenzied with all the unchecked responsibilities on our relentless to-do-list. ...

Many thanks to the citizens of Fort Scott and the surrounding area for the strong support of Presbyterian Village's Annual Dinner and Auction on May 12. "All of the proceeds directly benefit tenants at Fort Scott Presbyterian Village," said Executive Director Ginger Dierksen...

Sherry Louise (Phillips) Yoke went home to be with Jesus on May 11, 2011, in Dallas following a nine-year battle with leukemia. Sherry was born on April 13, 1946, in Fort Scott, Kan., to Jack and Virginia Phillips. She married Thomas Yoke on Nov. 15, 1963. Sherry lived in Plano for 35 years and retired from Plano Senior High School in 2010 where she worked as a registrar. She attended Chase Oaks Church in Plano...

Amber and Devin Kerr of Pittsburg, Kan., are pleased to announce the birth of their son Liam James Kerr on Friday, May 6, 2011, at Via Christi Hospital, Pittsburg. Liam weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Maternal grandparents are Larry and Alice Maffett, Redfield, Kan...

John and Brooke Wilson of Nevada, Mo., are pleased to announce the birth of their son Casen Lane Wilson on Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at 1:19 p.m. at Mercy Health Center. Casen weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces. Maternal grandparents are Bruce and Beth Pettibon, Moundville, Mo. Paternal grandparents are Bill and Kaye Wilson, Nevada...

Stephanie Mincks and Jimmy Watts of Pleasanton, Kan., along with sister Rylee Brooke are pleased to announce the birth of their son and brother Weslie Lane Mincks on Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at 3:33 p.m. at Mercy Health Center. Weslie weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces...

Adia Grace Dill, 103 of Fort Scott, died Wednesday evening, May 18, 2011, at the Medicalodges Nursing Home. Funeral arrangements for Adia Dill are incomplete and will be announced later by the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

The Uniontown Saddle Club annually awards the Warren McKinnis Scholarship. To qualify, an applicant must be a Uniontown High School senior or their family must be an active club member. This year, to help graduates pursue their college dreams, a total of $1,000 was awarded. All of the recipients are members of the USD 235 graduating class...

The Old Fort Genealogical Society is sponsoring a tour of Bourbon County with local historian Fred Campbell on Tuesday, May 24, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Old Fort Genealogy Society library locaterd at 3rd and National, Fort Scott. The four-stop car pool tour will include the drive to Barnesville Cemetery to learn about the legend of Peter Duncan, visit the Fort Lincoln whirlpool, the Freedom Colony site and Gunthrie's Mound. ...

Very often during the Civil War and, for that matter in any branch of any military service today, an individual could find him or herself today doing things that they did not enlist to do or were not trained to do (some things never change)! Such was the case of some of the soldiers and officers of Company E of the 12th Kansas Volunteer Infantry Regiment when they were stationed at Fort Scott from April to August in 1863...

100 YEARS AGO (1911) Yesterday and last night, Bronson turned over its every resource of entertainment to the students who were given diplomas for work at the high school in that city. It was a day of good fellowship and seniors were the center of attention. The 11 graduates include Abbie Ford, Mollie Camp, William Drake, Carrie Johnston, Faye Irene Thompson, Ethel Perry, Mary Helen Rohles, Mabel Holeman, Emilie Heaton, Lonna Brown and Lois Matter...

Dear Lord, I'm asking Your help to be given to the graduates. Thank you for this special milestone in their lives. They have worked hard to reach this point. Most of them have no idea how much their lives will change over the next few years. There are so many pathways which they can choose from this point. Most will choose college. Some will choose to begin their life in the work-place. Still others may choose to go to the military...

Over the last several weeks, I have been in a bit of a slump as far as my weight loss journey. It happens to a lot of people and I'm sure it will happen to me again. To get out of my slump, I decided to participate in the Nevada Rotary's "Run Amuck" 5K on May 7. ...

Representatives from the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University will offer free individual counseling sessions from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, June 16, in the Greyhound Room of the Administration Building at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton...

Mercy Health for Life is offering the Fit-n-Fun program for 6-10 year olds Monday-Thursday, June 6-23. The three-week program is designed to provide children with a chance to participate in physical fitness with a variety of activities in a safe, engaging environment...

By Ruth Campbell The Fort Scott Tribune In preparation for the 2011 edition of the Friends of Tri-Valley Foundation Celebration, Ruddick's Furniture in Fort Scott has donated a recliner for auction. The fete, which raises funds for the Tri-Valley Foundation, starts off with a silent auction July 11 at the Scottish Rite Temple ballroom, 110 S. ...

Although he's an Easterner by birth, Don Edwards has been in love with the cowboy way of life since he was a youth, and for the past 50 years, he's offered audiences a return to simpler times with his music. Edwards will be performing as part of the 15th annual Echoes of the Trail Cowboy Gathering, set for June 10-12, at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the Fort Scott Community College campus. ...

Kansas Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kent Beisner stopped in Fort Scott Thursday as part of a two-day swing through Southeast Kansas. While in town, Beisner had lunch with Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce members, then boarded Dolly the Trolley to take a brief tour of notable local sites and visit a local manufacturing plant. ...

Representatives from several local entities began discussions Thursday afternoon about bringing fiber optic cable and Internet to Fort Scott. Casey Russell, director of information technology at Fort Scott Community College, led the gathering in the Heritage Room of FSCC in which representatives from the city of Fort Scott, Bourbon County, Fort Scott Community College, Mercy Heath Center and RTS Electronics discussed with Cox Communications representatives their collective interest having fiber optic Internet cables installed here.. ...

NEVADA -- The Fort Scott Tigers 14-and-under baseball team won the Champro Appreciation Baseball Tournament, held at Champion Diamonds here last weekend. The Tigers were a perfect 5-0 on the weekend and are ranked eighth in Kansas Power Ratings for United States Specialty Sports Association 14-and-under Baseball...

Pittsburg High School has tied a league record by winning the Southeast Kansas League's Martin Rohde All-Sports Trophy for the fourth consecutive school year. Pittsburg won eight league sports in the 2010-11 school year -- Girls' cross-country, volleyball, football, wrestling, boys' golf, girls' track, boys' track out right and sharing baseball with Columbus. This is very likely a league record. Previously, Labette County won seven sports in 1997-98 school year...