Stories from Saturday, August 1, 2009

Wanda LaBelle, age 58, resident of Marion, Kan., died Thursday, July 30, 2009, at the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kan. Father Nick Voelter will preside the Rosary at 7 p.m., Monday, at the Saint Joseph Catholic Church in McPherson, Kan. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday at the church in McPherson. ...

Thelma Ruth Acridge, 76, of Hume, Mo., died Friday, July 24, 2009, at Joplin Health and Rehabilitation in Joplin. Ruth was born Jan. 21, 1933, at her parents home in Hammond, Kan. She was daughter of William W. and Thelma Pearl Headrick Acridge. She attended Fulton High School until 1951 at which time she moved with her family to Veneta, Ore. ...

Emma Kathleen Harrison, 4 1/2 months, died Saturday, June 13, 2009 at her home. She was born Jan. 21, 2009, to Jacquelyn Cathleen Ritchie in Colorado Springs, Colo. Memorial services were held Thursday June 18, 2009, at 2 p.m., at Woodman Valley Church Stone Chapel in Colorado Springs...

Tri-County Genealogical Society meeting, 10 a.m., El Dorado Springs Church of Christ Fellowship Hall, 302 Hospital Rd., El Dorado Springs. Guest speaker Ellen Miller, reference assistant at the Midwest Genealogy Center, Independence, will talk about how to prepare for a Sept. 21 family history research trip to the new genealogy center. The program is open to the public and there is no fee...

While schools across the nation are preparing for the start of a new school year, some parents may be a little concerned about the possibility of an H1N1 influenza virus outbreak amongst school children. With the recent confirmation of one case of the H1N1 virus in Bourbon County, the local school district will be looking for proactive measures to keep students safe when school starts. ...

Road work is scheduled at several sites throughout Vernon County during the coming week. Travelers along U.S. 54 Highway between Nevada, Mo., and Fort Scott, Kan., should be on the lookout for activity throughout next week, Aug. 3-6, when highway workers will be repairing shoulders from Route H to Route 43 and from Route T to Route H...

Vernon County, Mo. -- A 49-year-old Hume man was seriously injured in a one-vehicle accident on Route V one mile north of Stotesbury, Friday, at 9:25 a.m. John Hamel was southbound on Route V riding a 2004 Kawasaki motorcycle when he swerved to avoid a dog in the road. The motorcycle overturned and he was ejected...

Nevada, Mo. -- "We're used to working with committees of people," Joel Chamberlain, Chamberlain Architects P.C., Springfield, told the parks board before they voted to recommend that the city council retain them to design the update for Earp Park. Chamberlain and landscape architect Guy Headland, Springfield, told the board that they could tailor their design for Earp Park, 302 W. Austin Blvd., to meet the park board's wishes...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- An upcoming local seminar is designed to help area business owners and managers feel a little more comfortable. The Fort Scott Police Department, in conjunction with the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, will conduct an educational safety seminar later this month that will give attendees a chance to learn about ways to make their businesses safer and more secure...

GARLAND, Kan. -- The third time is indeed a charm for the people of Drywood Township as they recently received news on a grant for a new community shelter. After two failed attempts in less than three years, Drywood Township trustees have received funding from a Community Block Development Grant through the Kansas Department of Commerce for a 1,800 square-foot storm shelter and community building in Garland, Kan...

GARLAND, Kan. -- The third time is indeed a charm for the people of Drywood Township as they recently received news on a grant for a new community shelter. After two failed attempts in less than three years, Drywood Township trustees have received funding from a Community Block Development Grant through the Kansas Department of Commerce for a 1,800 square-foot storm shelter and community building in Garland, Kan...

I received the following e-mail from a friend: AGE CHECK Have you ever been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, "Surely I can't look that old?" Well. . . You'll love this one. My name is Alice, and I was sitting the in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist. ...

Hi neighbors. I suppose it is old news to tell you Michael Jackson is dead. The poor man must be stone cold dead with no doubts about it because I haven't heard any rumors -- yet -- of his body being kept in some bio-tank or cryogen-freezer somewhere...

"Keep your powder dry" is an old axiom that originated with the firing of flintlock weapons in the 17th, 18th and first half of the 19th century. A piece of flint would strike a spring operated iron frizzen causing sparks to ricochet into a shallow depression, igniting a small amount of gunpowder and that would, in turn, ignite the gunpowder in the barrel to fire or discharge the musket or rifle. ...

NEVADA, Mo. -- Adam Dean, local United Way of Vernon County president, announced that the United Way of Vernon County has successfully completed all of United Way's national membership requirements by their respective due dates. The annual certification process includes completing the Membership Requirements Certification. ...

Shyla Robinson and Darren Delp were married Friday, June 12, 2009, in an outdoor ceremony at Mercury Hall, in Austin, Texas. The couple exchanged vows beneath three large oak trees decorated with hanging candles. Bruce Gilson solemnized the vows of the ceremony...

Announcement is made of the engagement and forthcoming marriage of Leah Nicole Harper to Derek Keith Hall. Parents of the couple are Charles and Connie Harper, Fort Scott, Kan., and Brian and Joyce Hall, also of Fort Scott. Bride-elect Harper graduated from Fort Scott High School in 2005. She is currently employed by CIGNA Healthcare...

Mark and Rhonda Walker and Mark and Joy Ervin, all of Fort Scott, announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their children, Ginger Smith and Jess Ervin. Ginger is a 2005 graduate of Fort Scott High School and a 2008 graduate of Fort Scott Community College. She is the granddaughter of Pat and Janet Tubbs, of Neodesha and Sam and Norma Walker, of Lamar. She is currently employed by Mercy Health Center as a cook...