Stories from Friday, March 5, 2010

Rejection. If you have felt its sting -- and who hasn't -- you're in good company. Thomas Edison was called "too stupid to learn" by his teacher. Abraham Lincoln failed at two businesses and lost six elections. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he "had no imagination." The first African American Academy Award Winner for Best Actor, Sidney Poitier, was told after his first audition by the casting director, "Why don't you stop wasting people's time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?" Michael Jordan, cut from his high school basketball team, went home, locked himself in his room, and cried. ...

The season of Lent began a few weeks ago and, like it has been most of my life, I find myself having to explain to friends and coworkers the purpose of Lent. I often get questions like, "How does not eating meat of Friday mean anything?" and "Why do you have to give something up?"...

During the Civil War, no matter how hard the Blue Belly Billy Yanks from and in Missouri tried to eradicate the Confederate guerrillas or Bushwhackers, and they tried very hard, the Union troops never really accomplished their mission. Sometimes the "Union" scouts or patrols were successful, but there always seemed to be another group of guerrillas who were on the hunt to attack enemy supply trains, couriers, small Yankee outposts and civilians who supported the Union cause. ...

The February meeting of the Uniontown 4-H Club was called to order with 20 members telling their favorite flower. Drew George led the 4-H pledge and Chase Gleason led the flag salute. Cole George reported that the minutes of the January meeting appeared in the paper on Feb. 10...

Dikeman, Don Howard, 56, 2403 Poplar, Fort Scott, was arrested by Bourbon County Sheriff's Office on March 1, 2010 at 9:06 a.m. on a Bourbon County warrant. He was released the same day at 12:20 p.m. per Judge. Beck, John Vincent, 28, was arrested by Bourbon County Sheriff's Office on March 1, 2010 at 1:37 p.m. for aggravated burglary and theft. He is still being held at this time...

THOMPSON -- James and Alissa Thompson, Jackson, Mo., are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Allie Kate Thompson. Allie was born at 11:41 a.m., Friday, Feb. 5, 2010 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and was 19 1/2 inches long...

Ruth Marie Goodbody, age 91, resident of Guest Home Estates, died Thursday, March 4, 2010, at the Estates. She was born Aug. 25, 1918, in Fort Scott, the daughter of John Vincent Bollinger and Anna Katherine Schmitz Bollinger. Ruth was a 1936 graduate of Fort Scott High School...

Barbara Jean Richards, age 64 of Pleasanton, died Tuesday March 2, 2010 at the Mercy Health Center at Fort Scott. A memorial visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday March 6, 2010 at the Coffel Schneider Funeral Home in Pleasanton. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.coffelschneider.com...