Stories from Friday, March 7, 2025

Wendell Oliver Arnold, age 89, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away early Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at the Medicalodge in Fort Scott. He was born July 1, 1935, in Ottawa, Kan., the son of Oscar C.R. Arnold and Effie Lynne Walker Arnold. Wendell graduated from the Ottawa High School. ...

David Allen Ayers, age 76, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at the Mercy Hospital Emergency Room in Joplin, Mo. He was born June 7, 1948, in Mound City, Kan., the son of Chester Ayers and Reba Henderson Ayers. David graduated from the Blue Mound High School. ...

Betty Pauli Ruddick, age 91, resident of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Sunday March 2, 2025, in Camdenton, Mo. She was born July 3, 1933, in Manhattan, Kan., the daughter of Lowell Carl and Wilma Swart Pauli. Betty graduated from Paseo High School in Kansas City in 1951 and graduated from Drury College in 1955. ...

Michael "Mike" Shelden, 58, of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away March 3, 2025, surrounded by those who loved him. Born on July 24, 1966, in Fort Scott, Kan., he was the son of Virgil Shelden (deceased) and Mary Shelden. Mike was a devoted family man, known for his warm heart and deep love for those around him. ...

Michial “Mike” Leon Spurling, 68, of Liberal, Mo., passed away on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., after a lengthy illness. Mike was born on July 27, 1956, in Lamar, Mo., to Wilbur and Ethel Spurling. He lived his entire life in the Liberal, Mo., area, where he was raised by Wilbur and Velma Spurling...

Lester Waring, age 89, resident of Garland, Kan., passed away Thursday, March 6, 2025, at Girard Medical Center. He was born Aug. 20, 1935, in Garland, the son of Albert Lester Waring, Sr. and Annie Marguerite Dobelbower Waring. Following high school, Lester served in the U. ...

The Fort Scott High School Lady Tigers are one game away from a return trip to the state tournament after handling the Ottawa High School Cyclones, 49-23, in a first-round Sub-State matchup Wednesday night in the FSHS gym. The win over the No. 13 seed Cyclones (9-12) sets the No. ...

The 2024-25 basketball season for the Fort Scott High School Tiger boys was one filled with challenges, but also growth, according to first-year Head Coach Brennen Feeback. The Tigers finished 3-17 overall in Feeback’s first year at the helm after a 2023-24 season in which the Tigers made a trip to the state basketball tournament in Salina, ultimately falling 61-48 in the quarterfinals to the eventual Class 4A champion McPherson Bullpups. The Tigers finished that campaign with a record of 16-7...

Bourbon County Commissioners on Monday approved transfer of money from the sheriff’s fund as officials work to close out finances for 2024. During an end-of-year financial review, commissioners voted to move $31,130.25 from the sheriff’s fund to the general fund. County Clerk Susan Walker said cash from those funds remained at the end of the year and will help cover partial expenses from a previous transfer...

Fort Scott City Commissioners on Tuesday outlined their recommendations for projects that could be funded through grant opportunities. During a discussion on options for grant applications, Fort Scott Planning, Housing and Business Development Director Mary Wyatt asked commissioners if they had made a decision on which projects to seek grant funding following a recent review of project options through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Kansas Department of Transportation...