Stories from Thursday, January 24, 2008

Homecoming at Fort Scott High School doesn't mean just the crowning of the king and queen -- it also means good food. A chili feed, proceeds benefiting the Physics Club, will be held in the FSHS commons from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday night. Chili or a chili dog, dessert and a drink costs $5 for adults or $2.50 for children 12 and under...

Dana Olsen, the leading scorer in the Jayhawk Conference, exceeded her season average in the first half of Eastern Division play Wednesday night at Arnold Arena as she led her Labette squad, ranked No. 21 in the NJCAA Division I poll, to a 92-75 win over Fort Scott Community College...

19-3 second-half run generates first winning effort since December

About 150 people attended an event Wednesday in Fort Scott to celebrate efforts made by seven Kansas communities, including Fort Scott, to rebuild from major disasters in recent years. The celebration, sponsored by the Cherokee-based regional development organization, Southeast Kansas, Inc., was called "To the Stars Through Difficulties" and took place Wednesday evening at the Liberty Theatre...

Food service workers and consumers are urged to check pantries for recalled beans. According to information provided by the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department, food safety and public health officials with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Health and Environment are urging consumers and institutional and retail food service workers to check their pantries for large cans of beans that have been recalled due to botulism concerns. ...

Mercy Health Center announces that it will host the 2008 Spirit of Women Day of Dance for Health on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008, at the Fort Scott Middle School to inspire women and their families toward better overall health. Proving that exercise can be both fun and beneficial to the heart, the program combines the fun of dancing to different forms of music, such as ballroom, zumba, country line, salsa, swing, and hip-hop, with free health screenings and a presentation by Dr. ...

Carolyn Kay Kepley Canon, 69, of Fort Scott, passed away Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 22, , at the St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo., with her family be her side. She was born Aug. 13, 1938, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Ephraim and Gladys (Carnes) Kepley. She worked at Cowen's Country Corner for 17 years...

Dorothy Mae Kastilahn, 93, of Fort Scott, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008, at Mercy Health Center. She was born Aug. 4, 1914 in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Ralph Oscar and Edith (Johnson) Willard. She married Earl George Kastilahn Nov. 1, 1942 in San Diego, Calif. He preceded her in death April 25, 1995...

Billy Ray Simons, 47, of Fort Scott, died Wednesday morning, Jan. 23, 2008, at Mercy Health Center. he was born on March 19, 1960, in Fort Scott, Kan., the son of Robert Gire and Mary Eva Dauben Simons. He is survived by three sons, Landon Simons and Jayce Simons, both of Fort Scott, and Dakota Simons of Maysville, Ark.; a granddaughter, Kinsey Simons; his mother and step-father, Mary and Cleland Allen of Fort Scott; two brothers, Gary Simons of Kearney, Mo., and Larry Joe Simons of Fort Scott; five sisters, Janice Briggs of Bushton, Kan., Connie Simons, Diane Uray, Pam Riedel and Sondra Newton, all of Fort Scott; and a step-brother, Rodney Allen of Texas.. ...

Lane Randall Milburn, a boy, was born to parents Kristyn and Matt Milburn at 7:19 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008, at Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott, Kan. He weighed 9 pounds, 8 ounces at birth. Maternal grandparents are Don and Janice Schubert, Mound City and Donald and Lori Hicks, Tunas, Mo. ...

Because of the cold wintry day, communion and worship time at the Arcadia Christian Church on Jan. 20 was held in the bungalow. Josie Bryant was taught by Vera Parrish this Sunday because teacher Patty Peterson was very hoarse and could barely speak above a whisper...

100 YEARS AGO (1908) A community does not remember a man for the extent of his wealth. The loss of those who have been useful and helpful in public ways, or who have distinguished themselves by some great accomplishment in life is often mourned but no man is so honored among his fellows nor carries with him to the sod such lasting memories of those whose lives he had touched as the one who has evidenced throughout life a substantially good heart and whose activities have been sentineled by a sensitive conscience. ...

A couple of weekends ago, my younger daughter talked me into taking a "road trip" with her to Lincoln, Neb., to attend the Jayhawks v. Huskers basketball game. She had attended the last six of these games in Lincoln, and I had just missed one during this time, so she convinced me that it would be disrupting a family tradition if we did not go...

Although New Year's Day is past and spring is months away, gardeners can make and keep resolutions now that could have a big impact on the 2008 growing season. Ward Upham, Master Gardener coordinator for Kansas State University Research and Extension, suggested the following as good possibilities:...

Conservation districts in Kansas have been around for a long time. In fact, the first conservation district was organized in 1939 in Labette County. According to Bourbon County Conservation District Vice Chairman Ronnie Brown, the district in Bourbon County has been in place for 62 years. Brown said that the organizations and the way they are made up can be somewhat confusing...