Stories from Friday, November 13, 2015

Area firefighters responded to two house fires in two days in Bourbon County and Fort Scott. The Fort Scott Fire Department is investigating a house fire that occurred Wednesday afternoon in a Crawford Street residence. FSFD Chief Paul Ballou said Thursday Fort Scott firefighters responded just after 3 p.m. to a report of a structure fire at 416 S. Crawford Street. Ballou said the fire primarily did damage in the upstairs portion of the two-story house...

Bourbon County rural firefighters spent a windy Veterans Day dealing with high winds and grass fires throughout parts of the county. A major grass fire that started about 2 p.m. Wednesday burned a large portion of grassland near Hammond. Two other smaller grass fires in various locations were extinguished quickly, Bourbon County Fire District No. 3 Chief Delwin Mumbower said Thursday...

After getting off to what turned out to be a false start, Bourbon County Commissioners on Thursday announced a site has been located for the new Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center. A vote to proceed with the purchase of about six acres at 323 W. 20th Street was made after commissioners held two executive sessions to discuss the acquisition of real property. ...

Christine Jaye Hammonds, age 52, of Bartlesville, Okla., passed away on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, at her home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, at Hope Chapel in Moran, Kan. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, in Mildred, Kan...

Christine Jaye Hammonds, age 52, of Bartlesville, Okla., passed away on Monday, Nov. 9, 2015, at her home. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., on Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, at Hope Chapel in Moran, Kan. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, in Mildred, Kan...

Esther Rose Secrest, age 98, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., died Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015, at the Fort Scott Medicalodge. She was born July 15, 1917, in Bourbon County, Kan., the daughter of Ralph A. Singmaster and Lottie Viola Query Singmaster. Esther graduated from Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Junior College and then received her teaching degree from Pittsburg State University. ...

Doris Louise (Findley) Query passed away Nov. 11, 2015 in her home after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her loving family including her first great grandson, born October 8. Doris was born July 7, 1936 in Parsons, Kan., the daughter of Eldon and Ula (Carr) Findley. ...

Gerald Francis Kerr, M.D., 71, of Fort Scott, passed away Wednesday evening Nov. 11, 2015. He was born Sept. 30, 1944 in Modesto, Calif., the son of Dr. Russell Waite and Frances DeSales (O'Meara) Kerr. He married Mary Margaret "Maggie" Leonard July 30, 1966 in Downers Grove, Ill...

Nevada won three of four games from Fort Scott Middle School in girls' basketball action at the FSMS gymnasium Thursday evening. Fort Scott's only win on the evening came in the seventh-grade "B" game, won by the Tigers 14-13 in overtime. Nevada won the seventh-grade "A" game, 39-17, the eighth-grade "B" game, 20-12, and the eighth-grade "A" game, 39-12...

Charles L. "Chuck" Hurd, age 56, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., died Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015, at the Fort Scott Medicalodge. He was born May 23, 1959, in Fort Scott, the son of Willis L. "Doc" Hurd and Linda June Wiggans Hurd. Chuck had worked as a farmer. He loved the outdoors where he enjoyed fishing, hunting and trapping as well as riding his four-wheeler...

Winfield Scott Elementary second graders raise their arms and letters spelling out "America" while singing to a crowd of about 400 people Wednesday during their Veterans Day Program. Other programs recognizing veterans were held at Uniontown High School, Eugene Ware Elementary, St. Mary's Catholic School, Fort Scott Middle School and the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Scott...

Fort Scott Community College's women rallied to lead Wednesday night's home opener versus the University of Saint Mary junior varsity after three quarters but could not hold on in the final stanza and fell to the Spires, 62-54. Saint Mary scored 11 of the final 13 points of the first quarter -- with 6 points coming from sophomore forward Sabrina Golubski -- to take an 11-7 lead. The Spires scored 8 straight to increase the lead to 29-17 with 3:18 left in the first half...

Sophomore's 10 3s are likely a school record

Almost a year after voters passed a $40.8 million school bond issue to make district-wide improvements at USD 234, bids are expected to be coming in soon for the first phase of projects at all district schools. The USD 234 Board of Education heard information on timelines and the bid process regarding upcoming school bond projects during its Monday meeting. ...

The search for a permanent superintendent will soon get underway at USD 235 Uniontown School District. USD 235 Board of Education President Matt Wood told board members during Monday's meeting they need to "get the ball rolling on a superintendent search."...

The Kiwanis Pioneer Club held its annual chili feed Thursday. The biggest fundraiser of the year, proceeds help the Kiwanis assist other community organizations and children's programs throughout the year.

Gerald Francis Kerr, M.D., 71, of Fort Scott, passed away Wednesday evening Nov. 11, 2015. He was born Sept. 30, 1944 in Modesto, Calif., the son of Dr. Russell Waite and Frances DeSales (O'Meara) Kerr. He married Mary Margaret "Maggie" Leonard July 30, 1966 in Downers Grove, Ill...

Paulette Catherine Crays, 69, died Nov. 10, 2015, at Hospice House, Hutchinson. She was born Jan. 19, 1946, in Evanston, Ill., to Matthias and Corlise (Thielke) Dahm. She worked for the Buhler School District offices in accounts payable for many years...