Stories from Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Bourbon County Commissioners spent most of their day Tuesday hearing sales pitches from three companies vying for the construction manager at risk contract for the $6.8 million jail project. Responding to the county's request for qualifications were Crossland Construction of Columbus; Universal Construction of Lenexa; and Loyd Builders of Ottawa...

The USD 234 Board of Education got its first glimpse Tuesday of what district officials are calling a flat budget. During a special meeting Tuesday that included a budget workshop, board members heard information on the proposed 2015-16 budget from Superintendent Bob Beckham and Business Manager Susan Peery. ...

Uniontown's school district will have a flat mill rate for the 2015-16 year and is in good financial shape, Superintendent Randy Rockhold said, even with recent state funding issues. "USD 235 is positioned to pursue a progressive plan of action of continual improvement without putting additional burden on our local taxpayers," Rockhold said in his budget summary to the board of education Monday night. ...

Owen Stites Dunavan, age 88, passed away at his home Aug. 3, 2015. Service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7 at the Wall Street Christian Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 6 at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory in Mound City. ...

Vera Margaret Johnston, age 93, Joplin, passed away at 1:15 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, 2015 at Spring River Christian Village. Vera was born March 22, 1922 in Redfield, Kan., to the late Clyde Henry Comstock and Mabel Gunsaullus Comstock and had lived in Joplin since 1952 moving from Fort Scott, Kan...

Betty Louise Hixon, 87, of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away on the evening of Tuesday, July 28, 2015, at Benton House of Shoal Creek in Kansas City, Mo., after a lengthy battle with cancer. Betty was surrounded by family and friends at the time of her death...

Ellen Stienbarger, left, helps her son, Aiden, 3, guide a kite through the light wind Tuesday evening in the Gunn Park Kite Field in Fort Scott.