Stories from Thursday, July 16, 2009

Homer Louis "Sam" Landers, age 81, a resident of 1401 E. Charles, Fort Scott, Kansas, died Tuesday, July 14, 2009, at Medicalodge of Fort Scott. He was born December 11, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Roy Lee Landers and Mary Falkner Landers...

Governor Mark Parkinson has named Representative Josh Svaty (SWAH'-tee) as the Acting Secretary of Agriculture as outgoing Secretary Adrian Polansky takes a new post heading the Kansas Farm Service Agency with the United States Department of Agriculture...

Shirley Palmer, 4th District State Representative, was recognized July 7th for achieving perfect attendance during the 2009 legislative session. In total, 59 of 125 members in the House of Representatives achieved this distinction. In addition Representative Palmer also maintained a perfect voting record this session...

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Uniontown Junior High student Tori Hathaway took first place in the junior division at the World Pork Expo Junior National judging contest here June 2-5. Accoring to information gathered at the event's Web site, the contest included 227 participants and consisted of two market hog and four breeding gilt classes...

WICHITA -- The Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced a series of public assistance (PA) applicant briefings to help those affected by recent severe weather events apply for federal disaster recovery assistance...

A group of local musicians will perform a variety of music genres during a concert Friday at the Heritage Park Pavilion near the corner of First and Main streets. Don Carlson and his wife, Mim, are musicians who perform folk, country, traditional and historic music. ...

Many area youth have recently found themselves waiting, hoping for someone in the community to step forward and volunteer his or her time. According to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bourbon County Case Manager Sara Hassan, there are more than 20 local children who have been placed on a waiting list to be assigned a Big Brother or a Big Sister. ...

Chris Maycumber likes to cook, and this weekend he will get a chance to test his skills in front of a live crowd. The local resident will offer his services as a guest chef during the Farmer's Market "Fun Day" from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Skubitz Plaza near the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Maycumber will give cooking demonstrations throughout the morning using seasonal fresh produce provided by Fort Scott Farmer's Market vendors...

The first batch of results from the Bourbon County Fair were delivered to the Tribune Wednesday afternoon. The 2009 fair continues through Satruday at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds, 21st and Huntington. A concert by new country band Chasing Dixie highlights Thursday's fair slate...

After eight months serving the local community as the Fort Scott Fire Department fire chief, Paul Ballou is adjusting to a new routine and enjoying his new role. "It's a position (chief) that I never really thought I'd have the opportunity to try," Ballou said. "A lot of people in the firefighting business will move around to different cities or states. I was born and raised in Fort Scott, and I never had the desire to move the family around."...

Team set to host State tournament next weekend

Kansas State Treasurer Dennis McKinney announced Monday that his office has returned a record number of unclaimed property claims in fiscal year 2009. From June 30, 2008 to 2009 the State Treasurer's office had returned 38,637 claims totaling nearly $11 million dollars, up from the number of 2008 claims by almost 20 percent...

With the first day of school only a month away, Kansas Highway Patrol troopers are assisting school districts across the state ensure that students arrive to and from their destinations safely. Troopers began inspecting school buses this week, and will continue their inspections until the start of the new school year to make sure vehicles will load, transport, and unload students safely. ...

Conor William Stephens, a resident of rural Bronson and 2004 graduate of Uniontown High School, recently graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. Stephens was part of a graduating class of over 1,000 Midshipmen who were commissioned into either the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps...

Mornings can be a challenge for some parents when it comes to getting their children out of bed in time to make it to school before the final class bell rings. Pleas to stay home for the day because of stomach aches, back aches and ear aches can often leave mothers with a huge headache...

With years of hard work and planning behind them, members of Mary Queen of Angels' Parish celebrated the dedication and blessing of their new school and parish facility at 702 S. Eddy June 28 with a full day of events. The celebration began with Mass said by Bishop Michael Jackels of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita and concelebrated by Father Darrin May. The Mass featured music from three of the church's choirs...

The pigs were out in full force on Thursday morning at the Bourbon County Fair Grounds. Spectators crowded into the bleachers at the fair grounds in order to watch the 2009 Bourbon County Fair swine judging competition. According to Northeast Scott 4-H participants Kamryn Combs and Megan Smith, in the swine competition, the judges make some of their determinations on how well a participant controls his or her pig...