Stories from Thursday, February 19, 2009

By Rayma Silvers The Fort Scott Tribune With a recent decision by Kansas lawmakers to cut school districts' funding by $7 million in 2008-09, field trips could be among the first areas school make budget cuts. In order to help schools educate their students both inside and outside of the classroom during the economic crisis, Target department stores is offering some schools funding from the Target Field Trips Grant program. ...

By Michael Pommier The Fort Scott Tribune Local residents over the age of 50 will have the opportunity to attend a defensive driving class which is co-sponsored by Mercy Health Center and AARP. This class will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Mercy Medical Plaza, 902 Horton St., and is open to AARP members as well as non-members...

The Fort Scott Tribune During a press conference at Carnie Smith Stadium Wednesday, Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Game Executive Director Dave Mize announced Pittsburg State University as the hosting facility of the 2010 Shrine Bowl. The city of Pittsburg and the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau will host next year's event...

The Fort Scott Tribune Beginning their operation in a 10-foot-by-16-foot greenhouse which held 160 flats of plants in 1977, George and Rita Arnold have grown over the years. And grown some more. Now 31 years later, the gardening duo own one of the largest greenhouse organizations in the state. ...

By Jason E. Silvers The Fort Scott Tribune A state budget deficit and a struggling national economy have been major topics of discussion of late, and the effects may stick around for awhile, according to one local financial planner. "We keep going on the fact that we just came off the worst year in the (financial) market in 77 years," Jim Sather of BSD Financial Services said. "We are also saying that with everything that is happening, we don't anticipate a quick recovery."...

UNIONTOWN -- Uniontown's basketball teams swept Altoona-Midway here Tuesday night in Three Rivers League play. Uniontown's girls (4-2 TRL, 6-11 overall) won 46-22 as Jacy Ermel scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Breanna Esslinger added eight points for the Eagles...

Fort Scott High School's basketball teams are not only playing to ensure success in the Southeast Kansas League but also to gain the best possible seed for the upcoming Ottawa Class 4A Sub-State Tournament. Seeding for the tournament will be determined Wednesday. At that time, Fort Scott's teams -- along with most of the rest of the field -- will have only 19 of their 20 regular-season games on their record...