Stories from Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Ruth Ella Koester, 85, of Fort Scott, died Tuesday morning, March 14, 2017 at her home. She was born Feb. 9, 1932 in Arcadia, Kan., the daughter of Oliver Ewing and Laura Afton (Perrin) Hoover. She married Harold Dean Koester Dec. 24, 1952 in Wichita, Kan., and he preceded her in death Feb. 10, 2014...

Bourbon County officials are looking at a possible increase in the cost of emergency medical services provided by Mercy Hospital Fort Scott. During their Tuesday meeting, county commissioners heard from Christi Keating, chief nursing officer at Mercy Hospital, and Danny Hall, Mercy EMS manager, who discussed with the commission a potential 2.5 percent increase per year to the county's ambulance contract with Mercy...

The snow on these blooming daffodils Tuesday says it all -- yes, it's still winter, in spite of budding trees and the stormy spring-like weather Bourbon Countians experienced during the past two weeks. After all, spring doesn't officially arrive until March 20. Temperatures are expected to raise to the mid 60s by Saturday...

After decades of waiting, work to make U.S. Highway 69 four lanes south of Fort Scott to the Crawford County line is expected to begin this week. A groundbreaking ceremony to mark the occasion was held Monday at Cherry Grove Church located at the intersection of U.S. 69 and Cavalry Road...