Stories from Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Irene Margaret Elder, age 98, a resident of Fort Scott, KS, died Tuesday, December 4, 2007, at the Mercy Health Center. She was born May 22, 1909, in Redfield, KS, the daughter of Edgar M. Kimbley and Mable Lucas Kimbley. She married Ralph Elder in Girard, KS, in 1934. He preceded her in death in 1976. She was a member of Grace Baptist Tabernacle and enjoyed quilting. She was the last of her family...

Ethel Berry Smith, age 85, resident of Uniontown, Kansas, died Sunday, December 2, 2007, at her home. She was born January 8, 1922, in Fort Scott, the daughter of James Lesley Berry and Jenny Bell Sales Berry. Ethel graduated from Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College. ...

It was a nice evening and we had a good attendance at the Senior Swingers Monday Night dance at Buck Run Community Center. New guests for the evening were Bob and Raylene Dennis from the Sacremento, Calif. area. They grew up here and just moved back recently. Originally from Mapleton, they were guests of Varrella and Shirley  Forgey. Bob and Raylene were introduced and given a hand of welcome, and we hope they will come back again. ...

100 YEARS AGO (1907) The dust this morning was something terrible. It was a cold, raw wind, just the kind to make things disagreeable. Pedestrians were inconvenienced somewhat and as a result there were not many shoppers on the street. Mark Pinkston left his wife's umbrella in The Tribune office recently and when he thought of it again he could not find it. As this his the third umbrella belonging to his wife that he has lost this year, he would like very much to recover it...

There are still nearly 100 children from between 30 and 40 families that need to be adopted through The Beacon's annual holiday Adopt-A-Child program, agency officials said Tuesday. A greater number of children and families registered this year for assistance from the program than last year; about 114 families and nearly 300 children, but organizers still need to obtain sponsors for several area children and families within the next two weeks, The Beacon Director Bob Eckles said...

An sumptuous menu has been planned for Moonlight and Mistletoe tour guests to enjoy from 6-8 p.m. Friday evening at the home of Nate Lyons, 750 S. National Ave. Nate's mother and business partner, Pat Lyons, said the Lyons Twin Mansions have been abuzz for weeks in preparation for Homes for the Holidays tour weekend. ...

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says there is a silent environmental hazard that can have harmful effects on children's learning and behavior. Lead poisoning is one of today's major preventable environmental health problems, according to a KDHE Web site, www.unleadks.com...

Some have speculated that last week's purchase of Great West Health Care by the Cigna Corp. may lead to lay-offs. However, interim City Manager and City Attorney Bob Farmer said at the Fort Scott City Commission meeting Tuesday that Great West officials told him during a meeting last week the company will be entering into a hiring phase in which they'll be adding upwards of 100 employees next year...

The assets of a local restaurant franchisee were seized Tuesday morning by the Kansas Department of Revenue for the business' failure to pay nearly $99,000 in state sales and withholding taxes over the last four years, a KDOR statement said. KDOR officials and local police officers executed tax warrants that had been filed in Bourbon County District Court, and seized the business assets of Trend Enterprises Inc., D.B.A. ...

LaCYGNE -- Jayhawk-Linn's girls rolled over rival Pleasanton, 55-21, here Tuesday night in the opening game of the round-robin Linn County Tournament. The Jayhawks improved to 2-0 behind the efforts of leading scorers Taylor Dawson, Kaylee Brownback and Cassie Rockers, who had 13, 11 and 10 points, respectively...

PITTSBURG -- If there were only 16 minutes in a basketball game, Fort Scott's boys would have had a convincing victory here Tuesday night. But basketball games have four eight-minute quarters and rival Pittsburg played much better in the second half than the first half as it won a Southeast Kansas League battle, 52-44...

PITTSBURG -- Lessons learned by Fort Scott High's girls at the Willard Tournament were applied in their Southeast Kansas League-opening game against rival Pittsburg here Tuesday night. The Tigers came into the contest with an 0-3 record but had just concluded a weekend of play that included two games against 2007 Arkansas state tournament finalists. They continued to show the form that gave Greenwood fits Saturday night as they engaged in a 55-25 routing of the Purple Dragons...