Stories from Saturday, February 2, 2008

Hi neighbors. Anyone up for a snowball fight? Yes, it might be cold, but it beats sitting around watching the kids have all the fun. Children always find a way to turn almost any situation into a fun time. While you're groaning and moaning about cleaning off your sidewalk, putting on your hip boots to clean off the car then dig it out; think back to when you were ten years old...

I always read Leonard Ernsbarger's columns in this newspaper, because he is, and probably always has been, one of Nevada's faithful and tireless pillars. And I always read his columns on the topic of diabetes, because I, too, have suffered for one year less than half a century from the same disease Leonard has...

The following bits of humor and wisdom from children were shared with me by a good friend via e-mail. She was in the bathroom putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!"...

Ryan and Cameron Bobbett, and big sister Riley Bobbett, of Nevada, are proud to announce the birth of their son and baby brother, Trevor Dale Bobbett. Trevor was born at 8:12 a.m., on Jan. 21, 2008, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces, and measured 19 1/4 inches...

Carolyn Ludlow Prather, 60, died Friday, Feb. 1, 2008, at the Mercy Health Center. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

She is survived by a son, Jeff Thurlow and his wife Dianna of Kelliher, Minn.; Janneane Hazlip and her husband Frank, of Fort Scott; a daughter-in-law Rebekah Thurlow; seven grandchildren, Kerry Anderson, Dan Anderson, Ben Hazlip, Chad Hazlip, Trevor Hazlip, Pam Guenther, and Wesley Thurlow; and four sisters, Alice Fatland, Marvis Juedes, Kitty Hansen, and Phyllis Keller. ...

Travis Michael Maiseroulle and Tyana Marie Deck were wed on Saturday, July 28, 2007, at the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Scott. The Rev. George Powers officiated, and a reception followed at the Elk's Lodge. The bride is the granddaughter of Richard Hall and the late Helen Hall and the late Bill and Lucille Deck. She is a 2005 Pittsburg High School graduate and works at The Mall Deli while attending Pittsburg State University...

Regina E. Swisher, of Fort Scott, announces the engagement and approaching marriage of her daughter, Dawny Jo Swisher, to Jacob Leroy Anderson. Dawny is the daughter of the late Donald L. Swisher and the granddaughter of the late Robert and Naomi Elbrader of Fort Scott, and the late Paul and Georgia Swisher of Bronson, Kan. ...

Ms. Sheila Wilson and Mr. Michael Callaghan, the parents of Brittany Nacole Callaghan, along with Mr. and Mrs. James and Vickie Houchin, parents of Kyle James Houchin, announce the upcoming marriage of their children. The 6 p.m. ceremony is set for Feb. 14, 2008, at the Pine Street Baptist Church...

The sports staff at the Sunday Herald-Tribune thought it would be interesting to see how other members of our staff think Super Bowl XLII will come out. In retrospect, this may not have been such a good idea. But we made the commitment, so here they are (along with some comments made when predictions were submitted)...

The Giants have a strong defense that will put pressure on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during Super Bowl XLII, especially later in the game as the Giants' defensive line has shown hot it seems to get stronger and faster as the game progresses. It pressured Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and the Packers' Brett Favre late and prevented those high-powered offenses from scoring in the fourth quarter of their NFC playoff games...

The New England Patriots won't miss Adam Vinatieri in this Super Bowl because it's not going to come down to another last-season kick. Vinatieri, now kicking for the Indianapolis Colts, won several playoff games in the past for the Patriots with last-minute or overtime kicks such as the ones that won Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVII or the infamous "Tuck Rule" game in 2001 against the Oakland Raiders...

UNIONTOWN, Kan. -- Rival Marmaton Valley visited Uniontown Friday night and left the West Bourbon Elementary School gymnasium with a sweep of the Eagles in Three Rivers League play. Uniontown's boys fell when the Wildcats (3-1 TRL, 12-3 overall) scored the final seven points of the contest...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott High's girls defeated Independence for the seventh consecutive time Friday night, taking a Southeast Kansas League contest, 50-39, at the FSHS gymnasium. The Bulldogs came into the contest off a 36-34 win over third-place Iola Tuesday. That was a big win considering that the Fillies are just one of two teams that have defeated Labette County this season...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- In the first quarter, Fort Scott High's boys showed offensive power. In the second, they showed defensive domination. The net effect was a 56-38 Southeast Kansas League victory over Independence at the FSHS gymnasium Friday night...

Editor's note: This is the third in a series delving into the causes and impact of sex crimes on the lives of local citizens. The series will continue in next Sunday's edition of the Sunday Herald-Tribune. -------- Readers often wonder what goes into the decision to prosecute those accused of sex crimes. Why was one prosecuted while another was not. The Herald-Tribune recently sat down with Bourbon County Attorney Terri Johnson to find out about what goes into the prosecution of a sex crime...

Nowadays, if parents hear their children talking about wanting some cheese, they may need to do a little investigating in order to discover if the cheese their children want is healthy for them. According to information provided by Fort Scott Police officer Toby Nighswonger, school resource officer for USD 234, cheese is the name of a new drug sweeping the nation. Cheese, a starter form of heroine, is usually found folded inside a small paper bundle...

Superintendent, Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site May 19, 2008 is the 150th anniversary of one of the most violent incidents in Kansas History, and this is the first in a series of articles that will focus on the memories, markers and monuments that were created to remember the Marais des Cygnes massacre from 1858 to the present day...

The Mt. Orum Baptist Church, 1050 115th St., southwest of Redfield, will hold a miscellaneous show for the family at 7 p.m. Saturday. Open to the public...

The Nevada Public Library has kicked off a 10-week program for local students to meet, learn and voice their opinions as to which book will receive the next Show Me Readers award. As part of a program developed by the Missouri Association of School Librarians, first through third grade students have been invited to the Nevada Library to participate in an after-school program de-signed to give children a vote in literary awards...

Joplin, Mo. -- On Feb. 20, University of Missouri Extension and ParentLink, a state-wide non-for-profit parent resource agency, will host 10 interactive resource fairs statewide specifically designed for grandparents raising children. Locally, the 2008 Grandfamily Resource Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 20 in the conference room at the Freeman Business Center, 675 S Black Cat Rd., Joplin, Mo...