Stories from Thursday, October 4, 2012

To the Editor: This letter is in response to one you published Sept. 25 from Jess Black of Fort Scott. Mr. Black, I am truly happy that you have embraced the world of the Internet at your tender age of 80-plus. However, like so many that send emails that are most often political or religious in nature meant primarily to inflame feelings of prejudice against one political party or religion are doing a real disservice to those you send them to. ...

100 YEARS AGO (1912) Fire discovered in the plant of the Fort Scott Brick and Tile Company last night at 7:55 did damage variously estimated at from $25,000 to $30,000 before it was brought under control. The plant will be put out of operation and many of the 80 or more employees thrown out of work until it can be rebuilt, which at the most conservative estimate will be two months from the time the insurance adjustments are made. ...

Recent rains have visibly changed the appearance of the landscape. For many weeks through this summer, I was not sure whether most of our grass was alive or dead. It sure looked dead. Then we got some rain in September and the countryside greened unbelievably. What an amazing creation we live in...

The KSU Bressner Range Unit consists of two-adjacent half sections of native grass near Yates Center, Kan., donated by the Willie J Bressner estate in 1988. The past seven years, the research project has been focused on "patch-burn" vs. "full-burn" management practices each spring and the resulting cattle performance and plant composition changes. Of the eight individual pastures, four were patch-burned and four were full-burned each April...

President Drew George called the Sept. 12 monthly meeting of the Uniontown 4-H Club to order at 7 p.m. Secretary Amber Bartlett called the roll with seven members stating their favorite summer memory. Cassidy Fuhrman led the group in the 4-H pledge and Danielle Nading led the flag salute...

Jason Ray Mayes, 29, Mapleton, was arrested at 12:39 p.m. Tuesday by the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office on a Bourbon County warrant for possession of hallucinogenic drugs or other substances and is still being held at this time. Jacob Dale Sweat, 20, Mapleton, was arrested at 8:14 p.m. Tuesday by the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office for domestic battery and is still being held at this time...

Betty L. Miller age 82 of Louisburg, Kan., died Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, at the Olathe Medical Center. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Louisburg, Kan. Burial will be in the St. Mary's Cemetery. Rosary will be said at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7, at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, LaCygne Chapel followed by visitation until 4 p.m...

Janice Carol Johnson, age 78, a former resident of Fort Scott and more recently of Kirbyville, Texas, died Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, at her home. She was born Oct. 16, 1933, in Kingman, Kan., the daughter of Lester Dennett and Gladys Pavey Dennett. She married Edgar L. "Red" Johnson on Oct. 20, 1956. He preceded her in death on May 9, 1999...

Freda Elaine Cowen, 86, of Fort Scott, Kan., died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012, at the Medicalodges Nursing Home, Fort Scott. She was born May 4, 1926, in Laverne, Okla., the daughter of Roy Sylvester and Anna Lula (Thompson) Bentley. She married Glenn Richard Cowen July 31, 1948, in Fort Scott, Kan., and he survives of the home...

Matt and Heather Baldwin, and siblings Dawson, Braden and Lincoln, are pleased to announce the birth of their son and brother, Hudson Dale Baldwin, at 8:14 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012, at Mercy Hospital Fort Scott. Hudson weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces at birth...

Dan and Christy Scharenberg, Overland Park, and siblings Joel, Serenity, Klaus and Sasha, are pleased to announce the birth of their son and brother, Jules Forrest Scharenberg. Jules was born at 12:34 p.m. Sept. 27, 2012, at Menorah Hospital. He weighed 9 pounds and 19 inches in length at birth...

Uniontown Ruritan Club brought its annual awards meeting to order at the Uniontown High School commons area. President Randy Rockhold called the meeting to order and welcomed guests. The club provided fried chicken; tea was provided by Skeet George and members brought salads and desserts...

Founded in 1984, the Streeter Family Association is an international not-for-profit organization for anyone who descends from any Streeter family. The association is in the process of compiling and publishing genealogies on all Streeter immigrants to America, their English ancestors and all of their known descendants...

On Thursday, Sept. 27, Pioneer Kiwanis met for the annual installation of officers and board of directors. John Shields, lieutenant governor of Kansas Kiwanis Division 3, performed the honors. First to be saluted was outgoing President Mallory Allen...

Just two weeks in and the Fort Scott debate team has been to five tournaments and argued more than 150 rounds of debate. Coach Brian Weilert said this squad is much younger and inexperienced compared to past years. "We are starting a little behind just based on how many tournaments the upper-classmen have debated. ...

People of all denominations in Southeast Kansas are invited to a presentation aimed at making a "strong connection" between local health and leadership from the faith community, a news release said. "Leadership and Faith: Southeast Kansas" is a three-session program offered by the Wichita-based Kansas Leadership Center and designed for people of faith who believe they are called to build stronger, healthier, more prosperous communities, a news release said...

Three generations of Streeter men may have taken the expression "The apple doesn't fall from the tree" to the extreme. Last Saturday, Ray, 72, Bernard, 41, and Lake, 11, all captured first place in their respective divisions in the 5K race during Mercy Hospital's Mercy Day Run...

The onset of fall means Ronnie Brown can often be found one place -- on his 10-acre garden near Hiattville, tending to his huge pumpkins and other various produce. Brown said he has spent the last 10 or 12 years growing pumpkins and other produce, much of which he sells at the Fort Scott Farmers' Market, local craft shows, festivals and fairs. ...

COLONY -- Uniontown's varsity volleyball squad wrapped up Three Rivers Play here Tuesday night with two-set sweeps of Pleasanton and Crest. The Eagles are currently in a three-way tie for first place in the league with Oswego and Jayhawk-Linn. That could change as both schools have league matches left to play...

The Lowell Milken Center, dedicated to "repairing the world" through project-based learning, announced that projects from Prince George County, Virginia, Carlisle, Iowa, and Denver, Colorado, earned first, second and third place, respectively, in its first annual Discovery Award competition...