Stories from Friday, August 10, 2012

In August of 1862, the Civil War was a little more than a year old and Union officers in Kansas, Missouri and the neighboring states of Iowa and the Nebraska Territory became convinced that this was "a war of extermination" when referring to the Confederate guerrillas/bushwhackers of Missouri...

It was a terrible day. Dave had to be at the ballpark early so he and the baseball manager could release a pitcher before the rest of the team showed up. "It's easier on the player this way," I was told. "It saves him from packing up and leaving the ballpark while his teammates strain to find something encouraging to say."...

Michael Lewis Larrabee Jr., 23, Fort Scott, was arrested at 11:33 a.m. Wednesday by the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office on a Bourbon County warrant and is still being held at this time. Brandon Ray Willis, 27, Fort Scott, was arrested at 10:22 p.m. Wednesday by the Fort Scott Police Department for driving while revoked, illegal tag and no proof of insurance and is still being held at this time...

The Osaga Historical Society met at the home of Mary Beckford for the July meeting. There were four members present. Linda called the meeting to order. The minutes of the June meeting were read and approved. Russell gave the treasurer's report. The report was accepted as read...

100 YEARS AGO (1912) Last evening as C.A. Lager and wife and four children were returning from the Arcadia picnic, an automobile driven by some Fort Scott people passed them at a high rate of speed and the team Mr. Lager was driving became frightened and ran away, throwing all the occupants out along the roadside. ...

Fort Scott National Historic Site continues its commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War with an evening tour at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 18. Patriotic zeal led young men across the nation to enlist and join the fight. Many believed the war would be short and decisive. ...

The 2012-2013 budget hearing for the USD 234 school district will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, at the board office, the district announced. At a recent school board meeting, Business Manager Tiffany Forester presented members with preview of the budget. According to the projected budget at the time, the district plans to keep the local mill levy the same as last year -- 43.972 -- which Forester said she was able to do...

A budget hearing for Fort Scott Community College will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13, in the Heritage Room of the Administration Building on the FSCC campus. At a recent budget workshop, FSCC President Clayton Tatro told the college's Board of Trustees that the 2012-2013 budget includes a recommendation to raise the local mill levy for the second year in a row...

The city of Fort Scott and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce will host a job fair from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center, 2108 S. Horton.

The Fort Scott Police Department has concluded an investigation of four criminal damage reports which occurred between July 31 and Aug. 1. This resulted in the arrest of five juvenile suspects. The reports were made by USD 234, Trader Dave's, Sherwin Williams and United Missionary Baptist Church and involved damage to windows...

Kansas Department of Transportation will auction off some excess land Tuesday. The 3.44-acre tract is located approximately one mile east of Fort Scott on U.S. 54, east of Redbud Nursery and south of the old railroad tracks, KDOT Public Affairs Manager for the Southeast District Priscilla Peterson said. The auction is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 14 at the site...

A local health insurance claims processing firm recently announced a new training opportunity that company officials said will add some experienced people to its workforce. The Healthcare Academy, a new opportunity available through Firstsource Solutions USA LLC, will enable participants to learn skills needed to become health care claims examiners or data-entry specialists...

"It's about making sure people have a first chance. We talk about second chances, but some people never get a first chance. Everybody deserves that first chance." That's what Mike Weber believes the March of Dimes offers -- first chances. The organization's mission is to give babies that first chance by helping more women deliver full-term babies in the hope that fewer babies will be born prematurely and by researching causes and possible prevention measures relating to birth defects. ...

Before longtime Tri-Valley Developmental Services board member and local resident Winfred Jent died in September, he wanted to ensure that his son David would always be taken care of. To make this wish a reality, Jent arranged to have his family home, located at 1736 S. Margrave, donated to TVDS after his death so that David, 70, could remain in the house he grew up in...

PITTSBURG -- Fort Scott High and Uniontown were both picked to tie for second place in their respective leagues when pre-season polls were released at a media conference here Thursday afternoon. The annual polls, in which coaches could not vote for their own teams, have Pittsburg as the pick to repeat as the Southeast Kansas League champion, Marmaton Valley to take the Three Rivers League Eight-Man title once again, Oswego as TRL 11-Man champs, and Colgan to reclaim the Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League crown.. ...