Stories from Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Ellen Irene Bowker, 92, Lamar, Mo., formerly of Sheldon, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 27, 2010, at Barton County Memorial Hospital in Lamar, Mo., following a sudden illness. She was born Oct. 28, 1918 in rural Sheldon, Mo., to Marion Sterling Price George and Minnie Idell Duggins George...

The following story took place several years ago. This is the first of a two-part series. Well, I met another grand couple at my favorite coffee house in Wisconsin Rapids. They are Dee and Colleen Stevenson, who make their home in Wisconsin Rapids. Dee, 70, and Colleen, 68, owned and operated a custom cabinet shop until eight years ago, when they retired. Dee grew up in northern Oklahoma in the town of Pond Creek. Colleen also grew up in northern Oklahoma in the town of Wakita...

Condolences to the family of Velma Eggen Jewell, 92, whose funeral is today in Lockwood, Mo., with burial in Old Arcadia Cemetery, rural Arcadia. Burial will be in the Jewel family plot beside her husband, Eugene Jewell. Velma was a 1937 graduate of Arcadia High School and PSU in 1968. She was a school teacher for many years...

The city of Fort Scott will be closed Friday, Dec. 31 in observance of the New Year's holiday. Offices will re-open at 8 a.m. Jan. 3, 2011. The city's tree and brush dump site will also be closed on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011.

LUBBOCK, Texas -- The United Sorghum Checkoff Program recently announced the election of four new officers to the Sorghum Checkoff board of directors. The officers were elected during the Sorghum Checkoff's annual meeting in Lubbock, Texas, on Dec. 15...

Working on the 2011-2012 budget, streamlining the process of returning unclaimed property and funding the state employee retirement system are some of the things Kansas State Treasurer-elect Ron Estes will be working on when he takes office -- along with a myriad of other state officials -- on Jan. 10...

The Fort Scott Tribune staff recently sifted through a list of many of the most popular and notable stories of 2010 and have identified our picks for the top 10 stories of the past 12 months. The following are summaries of five of those stories, with recaps of the other five set to appear in a future edition...

As 2011 approaches, local residents will have the opportunity to make a resolution to be more active in the community by filing to fill at least one open spot on the Fort Scott City Commission. There is a bit of uncertainty surrounding whether commissioners Gary Bukowski and Jean Parker will seek re-election this April. However, one thing is for certain, there will be at least one new commissioner as Dick Hedges, currently serving as mayor, has decided not to run again...

MANHATTAN -- Terry Arthur, general counsel of Kansas Farm Bureau will be the featured speaker at the Ag Stewardship Conference -- People Helping People -- set for Friday, Jan. 7, 2011 at Grace Community Church, 310 E. Eighth St. (Highway 56), in Overbrook, Kan...

Tiffany Forester has some big shoes to fill, but she said she's ready for the job. Forester was officially hired earlier this month by the USD 234 Board of Education as the district's new business manager and clerk. Forester replaces Alan Drake, who has worked in the position for 30 years and is retiring Feb 1, 2011...

The Fort Scott Tribune From animal cruelty allegations to sex scandals to layoffs, controversy was no stranger to Fort Scott and Bourbon County in 2010. The staff of The Fort Scott Tribune have picked 10 of the most popular and notable stories of the year...

By Gene Meyer and Rachel Whitten Kansas Reporter TOPEKA -- With a roughly $500 million budget hole to fill, Gov.-elect Sam Brownback said the core functions of state government will get top priority in the next Kansas budget, without a lot of room for much else...