Stories from Friday, January 4, 2013

100 YEARS AGO (1913) The Y.M.C.A. will have a bowling league and games will be played Tuesday and Saturday nights. Secretary Benning has long been considering just such a league to work up better bowlers who can be picked to form the All Star team. The more men who bowl the better material there will be to pick from to form an All Star team...

Having lived in Fort Scott for just more than two years, I've found it's a town very supportive of its community members and generous to a fault. When the Joplin tornado hit in May 2011, donations of provisions, time and energy from Fort Scott poured into that city. All sectors of the city pitched in whether it was volunteers, businesses or churches...

Normally during the winter in the Civil War, the opposing armies went into a sort of hibernation, or "winter quarters," because the roads were normally impassable because of snow, mud or rain. However, in the winter of 1862-1863, the "Union" Army of the Southwest, commanded by Maj. ...

I am writing this from Mazatlan -- "Paradise" as my husband and I refer to it, for good reason. Imagine deplaning and being greeted by a group of uniformed school children singing Christmas carols. Picture a live nativity scene in which Mary's donkey refuses to budge and Joseph is forced to tug and tug at the burro, enticing it toward the inn. ...

For the next several weeks. We (the 15th and Crawford Church of Christ) will be stating several Bible principles and asking the questions: Have you heard? Do you agree? Do you follow? Would you like to know more, giving everyone the opportunity to hear and believe (Romans 10:17). It is also an opportunity to learn (Acts 8:30-35). If you would like to write in, email any questions, or responses to be answered or published feel free to do so...

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce officials outlined some of the nonprofit organization's operations and goals for 2013 during the chamber coffee Thursday morning at the chamber office. The first chamber coffee of 2013 was attended by about 80 people. Chamber board member Jordan Witt welcomed the crowd...

Enrollment is now under way for the next session of adult basic education classes at Fort Scott Community College. Residents interested in completing work to obtain their General Educational Development (GED) diploma or improve their basic skills may contact the FSCC Adult Basic Education Center at (620) 223-2700, ext. 4400 or 4270...

It was a good way to end the year. The Topeka Capital-Journal named Lowell Milken Center Executive Director Norman Conard a 2012 Distinguished Kansan in the education category, a news release said. The Capital-Journal story praised Conard's extensive work with project-based learning as well as the center's outreach of now more than a half-million students...

Tiny Elizabeth Lopez, not quite seven hours old, rested serenely in the arms of her mother, Ashley Thomas, on Thursday, opening her brownish-blue eyes occasionally for the flash of a camera in her mother's room at Mercy Hospital. Elizabeth, the daughter of Thomas and Humberto Lopez, earned the distinct honor of being the first baby born in 2013 at Fort Scott's Mercy Hospital. ...

LOPEZ -- Humberto Lopez and Ashley Thomas, and siblings Kaylee and Baileigh, of Fort Scott, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter and sister, Elizabeth Lopez, at 8:14 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, at Mercy Hospital Fort Scott. Elizabeth weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces at birth...

Anita Sharlene Walters, age 58, resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, died Wednesday, January 2, 2013, at the Mercy Hospital emergency room. According to her wishes, she donated her body to science. No services are scheduled at this time. Local arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main...

Juanita "Peg" Stewart Finland, age 91, Pleasanton, Kansas passed away on Wednesday, January 2, 2013. Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 7, 2013, at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Pleasanton Chapel. Burial in the Pleasanton Cemetery. ...

Melanie R. Waddell, age 53, of Blue Mound, Kan., passed away on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, at Golden Heights, Garnett. She was born Oct. 11, 1959, in Bradford, Pa., the daughter of George and Sandra (Heffner) Hawkes. Memorial services will be held at a later date. You may send your condolences to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com...

Reba Elnora Mason, age 87, former resident of Fort Scott, and more recently of Olathe, Kan., died Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013, at the Evergreen Community of Johnson County, in Olathe. She was born Feb. 19, 1925, in North Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of Charles Wesley Leonard and Irene Shaw Leonard...

Cloma Alberta Commons, 97, of Fort Scott, died Thursday morning, Jan. 3, 2013, at Mercy Hospital. She was born Feb. 5, 1915, in Bourbon County, Kan., the daughter of Francis A. and Sarah Alice (Browning) Oharah. She married Guy Calvin Commons April 6, 1932 in Prescott, Kan. He preceded her in death Feb. 18, 1997...

Warranty Deeds Grantor: U.S. Marshal, Fort Scott-Block 175, lots/units: 10 Grantee: Danny Magee Grantor: Jason Richison, Darlene Richison, Fort Scott-Block 73, lots/units: 11, W 72' Grantee: East Wall Properties Co. LLC Grantor: Brent E. Crays, Teresa L. Crays, Fort Scott-Block: 81, lots/units: 1, W2, Fort Scott-Block 81, lots/units: 3, W2...

Fort Scott's junior varsity girls' basketball team has opened with five victories in its first six games, including winning the Fort Scott Junior Varsity Tournament Dec. 6 and 8, sweeping the competition in three games. "I'm very proud of the way our JV has started the season," Fort Scott assistant girls' basketball Coach Curt Toll said...

In what was already their final home appearance of the season, Fort Scott High School's wrestlers split a triangular with Iola and Pittsburg at the FSHS gymnasium Thursday night. The Tigers defeated former Southeast Kansas League foe Iola, 70-4, winning 13 of of the 14 matches with six coming via forfeit. But they fell to SEK rival Pittsburg, 38-37, in the final match of the evening...

Bourbon County Commissioners decided during a special meeting Thursday morning to pursue a criminal investigation against a former non-elected employee of the Bourbon County Clerk's office. Commissioners decided to pursue the examination after a 30-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel and possible litigation, followed by a 10-minute closed session for the same reason in the County Commission room...