Stories from Wednesday, February 4, 2015

If all goes as planned, the dogs of Fort Scott will have something to bark about. A three-acre fenced dog park is in the works for Gunn Park, thanks to local volunteer project instigators Jim and Martha Scott and Deb Anderson. They want to name the dog park "Bark in the park."...

The USD 234 Board of Education on Monday received a combination of positive news regarding Kansas' academic success, and potentially bad news concerning possible state legislation affecting school finance and operations. In recent months, the Kansas Legislature has discussed possible cuts in education funding to help offset shortfalls in the state budget. ...

Action is set to get started this summer on construction for projects in the approved $40.8 million USD 234 school bond package. USD 234 Superintendent Bob Beckham told the USD 234 Board of Education during its Monday meeting that district-level and building-level teams have been formed and plan to meet weekly throughout the upcoming construction process. ...

Bourbon County Attorney Terri Johnson, center, talks with Gayla Mason during a reception held Tuesday in Johnson's honor. Johnson will be sworn in as a Sixth Judicial District judge Friday afternoon in Linn County. Also pictured is Terri Johnson's husband, Allen...

Jon Midkiff, 79, of Fort Scott died Monday morning at Fort Scott Mercy Hospital. He was born Dec. 21,1935, in Fort Scott the son of John Baxter and Helene Verba Long Midkiff. He married Mariann Lois Vaughn on June 7, 1959 in Fort Scott, she survives of the home...

CHETOPA -- Despite two fourth quarter surges from Chetopa, Uniontown's boys controlled the nature of Tuesday night's Three Rivers League contest here Tuesday night from start to finish, leaving Chetopa with a 57-50 victory. Uniontown's girls held a 33-26 lead after three periods but fell in overtime to the Green Hornets, 51-44...

INDEPENDENCE -- Independence's boys outscored Fort Scott High 32-13 in the second half here Tuesday night and took first place for itself with a 52-41 victory in Southeast Kansas League play. The Bulldogs, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A-Division I by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association this week, broke a tie for first with the Tigers, who led 34-24 midway through the first quarter. Indy (6-0 SEK, 14-0 overall) won its 13th consecutive league game and its 26th straight regular-season contest...