Stories from Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Last week I forgot to mention that our next vehicle was a "brand spankin' new Chevy" panel bread truck, and we paid $1,500 for it. But it wasn't long before Bob realized that he wasn't a "born" salesman (or, for that matter, any kind of a salesman), so he sold the new panel truck and we headed back to Fort Scott with our "over the hill" '37 Chevy car. It wasn't long before it "gave up the ghost" and died...

"What's your favorite thing about Kansas?" was the roll call question answered by 35 members and four leaders at the Northeast Scott 4-H Club meeting on Jan. 12. Olivia Walker and Alex Rice were welcomed to the club as new members. Son leaders Wil Wunderly and John Emmerson led the club in singing "If You Are Happy and You Know It."...

The monthly meeting of the Uniontown 4-H Club was held Wednesday, Jan. 11. President Drew George called the meeting to order. Twenty members answered roll call by saying their favorite winter activity and donating a canned good. Madelyn Ard led the group in the flag salute. Amber Bartlett led everyone in the 4-H Pledge...

Bobby Dean Shipley, 63, a former resident of Fort Scott, and more recently of Osawatomie, Kan., died Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, at the Life Care Center of Osawatomie. He was born Sept. 13, 1948, in Fort Scott, the son of Ralph Richard Shipley and Fern Maxine Dennis Shipley...

Everett Earl Wiggans, 79, former resident of Fort Scott and Arma, Kan., died Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, at the Beautiful Savior Nursing Home in Belton, Mo. He was born Feb. 2, 1932, in rural Fort Scott, the son of Grant Wiggans and Osa Morrow Wiggans...

Mary Jane Ayers, 76, resident of Fort Scott, died Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, at the Mercy Health Center. She was born April 19, 1935, in Pittsburg, Kan., the daughter of Frank Leslie McVickers and Blanche Alice Keplinger McVickers. She married James Walter Lance in 1955. They later divorced. She married Raymond Edward Ayers in June of 1966 in Fort Scott. He preceded her in death on July 19, 1995...

Robert Byron Caldwell, 86, Stockton, Mo., passed away Jan. 12, 2012, in St. John's Hospital, Springfield, Mo. He was born Nov. 20, 1925, in Barton County, Mo., to Charles S. and Myrtia M. Kindred Caldwell. Robert was a veteran of the U.S. Army. He retired from Trans World Airlines as a power plant operator...

Gary Cole, 69, of Ozark Acres, died on Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward Cole and Ruth Cobb, and a sister, Jean Eggleston. Gary is survived by his wife DeWilma Cole; sons, Russel and Tina Harris of Springfield, Mo., Gordon and Rosemary Harris of Fort Scott, Kan., Troy and Cathy Cole of Rifle, Colo., and Brian and Emily Cole of Springfield, Mo.; a daughter, Dian`a and Richard Schmidt; 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren...

Dawnelle and Alan Ornstein, Fort Scott, and sibling Terrian Joseph Ornstein are pleased to announce the birth of their son and brother Tavian Alan Ornstein on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, at 5:49 a.m. at Mercy Health Center, Fort Scott, Kan. Tavian weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Maternal grandparents are Donna Chaplin and Jimmy Kimler, Fort Scott. Paternal grandparents are Pamela Bloomfield and Daniel Ornstein, Fort Scott...

Kendall Lloyd Logue, 32, Chanute, was arrested at 3:22 p.m. Sunday by the Fort Scott Police Department on a Bourbon County warrant and new charges of possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. He posted a bond of $2,750 at 6:06 p.m. Sunday and was released...

Every new year brings with it a spate of "Best Of" lists, the traditional "Top Ten" list of movies and predictions from prognosticators. In addition, each January two of Michigan's colleges present their list of words that should be banned and list of words that should be resurrected and used. ...

100 YEARS AGO (1912) Fort Scott was so near without natural gas today that many people were unable to use it for fuel at all and had to improvise other means of cooking their meals. Not since we have been on the natural gas line has the pressure been as low as it was today. Coincident with the shortage of gas, the coal dealers hiked the price of coal $1 per ton. They agree that the price was raised that much at their mines today and that it cannot be sold at a cent less...

Mercy Health Center Auxiliary will host its annual meeting at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the McAuley Room at Mercy Health Center. All members are encouraged to attend. The purpose of the annual meeting is to update members about plans for the year, recognize individual member's achievements, present awards and fellowship...

The annual meeting of Southeast Kansas, Inc. was hosted at SSS Steak House in Girard with Michael Hayslip, Via Christi Hospital, Pittsburg, serving as emcee. Southeast Kansas, Inc. is an alliance of leaders from 12 counties and all sectors of the economy who work together to improve the economic vitality of the region, a news release said...

Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice and Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel will partner to host "Companions in Grief," a monthly support group session, from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday. "Companions in Grief" provides information and support for those coping with the death of a loved one. Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one is encouraged to attend. The next session will be offered at the same time on Feb. 16...

What came as a surprise to officials at Fort Scott High School could turn into a boon for some lucky students. The East Tennessee Foundation has announced the Strader Family Fort Scott High School Scholarship is available for students in the 2012-13 school year...

The topics of racism and racial equality came to the forefront during events to celebrate the birthday of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and his contributions to society Monday at Fort Scott Community College. Several local residents of varying ages participated in a panel discussion focusing on how the civil rights struggle has impacted Fort Scott. Members also shared thoughts on how the town has changed as a result of the civil rights movement...

FRONTENAC, Kan. -- Uniontown's teams suffered a sweep at the hands of Frontenac in a non-league doubleheader here Friday night. Eagle boys suffered a 35-33 setback. Raider girls handed the Eagles a 65-33 decision. Frontenac's boys won with a pair of free throws with one second remaining, according to Uniontown head coach Nathan Hinrichs...

FORT SCOTT -- Hadyn Herlocker lifted Girard team to victory Friday night as she scored 30 points and put her team ahead with 10 seconds remaining and made two free throws after that to give the visiting Trojans (7-2) a 42-39 victory over Fort Scott High...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott High's boys dominated Girard at the FSHS gymnasium Friday night, shooting 53 percent from the field and turning the ball over just 11 times in a 60-27 victory. The Tigers (7-2) used a 12-0 run at the end of the first half to break things open, taking a 35-12 lead into the locker room. It was a night head coach Jeff DeLaTorre had been looking for his team to have since its return from the holiday break...

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Fort Scott Community College's women dropped their sixth consecutive game when they fell to Kansas City Kansas here Saturday afternoon, 65-53. The Greyhounds fell to 0-4 in Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division play and 5-10 overall. Their last victory came on December 3 against Brown Mackie, which was then ranked No. 18 in NJCAA Division II, in a classic at Barton...

BASEHOR -- Seven of the eight wrestlers Fort Scott High School head coach David Brown took with him to the Basehor-Linwood Bobcat Classic last weekend returned with medals. This year's tournament had 35 teams from five states. Blue Springs, Mo., was the winner with 219.5 points followed by Collinsville, Okla., with 191 and Andale -- the defending Kansas Class 4A State champion -- third with 159.5. Fort Scott finished tied for 14th with Lenexa St. James Academy, each scoring 76.5 points...

Christy Lang of Goodwell, Okla., and Chuck Salisbury of Woodward, Okla., announce their engagement. A June 22, 2012, wedding is planned in Las Vegas, Nev. Christy is the daughter of Jeannie Swan and Scott Swan, Spearman, Texas, and Cliff and Debbie Lang, Perryton, Texas. She is the granddaughter of Mary Jane Lang, of Beloit, Wis., formerly of Nevada, Mo., and the late Ted Lang...

Betsy Leighninger and Michael Wood announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Betsy is the daughter of Judy Leighninger, Neosho, and retired Air Force Lt. Col. David Leighninger, Springfield. Michael is the son of Ricci Wood, Nevada, and the late Michael L. Wood...

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran will be the guest speaker at the Fort Scott Rotary meeting at noon today. Members of the Fort Scott Kiwanis and Pioneer Kiwanis clubs will also be in attendance at the gathering, to be held at noon at First Presbyterian Church, 308 S. Crawford...