Stories from Friday, June 13, 2008

The McKinnis Family Reunion will be held on June 20-21 in Uniontown. Second cousins planning the reunion are Glenda Smith Miller of Fort Scott, Joe White, Nita McKinnis Campbell of Uniontown, and Chad McKinnis of Hutchinson. Siegle McKinnis was born in Harrison County, Mo., on June 22, 1861...

The Northeast Scott 4-H Club met at the Hammond Community Center on June 11. Two leaders and twenty members were present. President, Sabrina Minor, lead the club with the regular business part of the meeting. Leaders Alice Helton and Beth Snyder reminded members about getting fair entry papers in as soon as possible. They also reminded members to be getting non-animal projects done...

The club traveled to Nevada for their June 3, meeting. The noon meal was enjoyed at the Sunrise Cafe. Elaine Stewart and Julia Ann Rhoton provided the transportation for the eight members and two guests. President Retta Smith opened the meeting with Erma Eastwood leading the collect and the flag salute by Ednamarie Jackson. Members answered roll call with a natural wonder they had visited and why they had enjoyed it...

The public is welcome to attend a free gospel concert during an all-class reunion for Fort Scott Christian Heights at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Fort Scott High School auditorium. "It is good to see the alumni returning and renewing relationships from past years," said Christian Heights principal and music director Terry Chance in a statement...

The public is invited to the 90th annual Eastern Kansas Camp meeting starting at 6 p.m. June 15, at Fort Scott Christian Heights, 1101 S. Barbee St. The first service will emphasize missions. It will start at 6 p.m., Sunday, June 15. From Tuesday, June 17 to Saturday, June 21, there will be worship and children's services. ...

Laverne Willis, 93, of Broken Arrow, Okla., retired insurance underwriter, passed away Tuesday, June 10, 2008. Service will be 10 a.m., Saturday, June 14, 2008, at Moore's Southlawn Chapel, Tulsa, Okla. Graveside service will be at 3:30 p.m., Saturday, at Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Scott. Arrangements are under the direction of Moore's Southlawn Chapel, 9350 E. 51st, Tulsa, Okla. 44145...

100 YEARS AGO (1908) The series of ante-nuptial functions complimentary to Miss Nanna Gunn, the charming daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Gunn, whose wedding to Kenneth Calhoun will be celebrated Wednesday evening, are in progress. The first party was a breakfast given Monday by the Misses Lillian Bolevar and Pearl Bowen at the Brown residence. ...

The public will finally get to weigh in on the city's new comprehensive plan and future land use maps at a public hearing on June 24. The town hall style meeting will start at 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 24 in the academic building at the Fort Scott Community College, 2108 Horton St...

Area residents gathered at Wall and Main Street on June 6, to witness the groundbreaking ceremony for the Phoenix Downtown Redevelopment Committee's Streetscape Project. The Streetscape Project was created to restore and revitalize the portions of downtown Fort Scott that were affected by a March 11, 2005, fire which destroyed several historic buildings and other areas downtown...

On May 25-30, the Fort Scott High School band performed in the 2008 Chicago Music Festival Tour. The band's trip included a performance at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History in addition to a performance at the Hancock Observatory. At both performances, the band played five musical pieces, which were taken from the band's spring repertoire...

Summer is here and the arrival of hot weather months means hundreds of local youngsters will be heading to the pool to frolic in the cool water. But are those young people practicing safe habits while enjoying time at the pool? The Bourbon County Chapter of the American Red Cross is doing its part to make sure area youth are learning how to be safe in the water through its annual two-week swimming program that ends on Friday...

Vernon County, along with several of the surrounding counties, has experienced a rash of smash-and-grab burglaries since the end of May according to Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman. "Vernon County and the surrounding counties have been having a lot of kick in the door and grab stuff type burglaries, mainly during daylight hours out in the county," Peckman said. "It's mainly things they can carry off and get rid of easily -- electronics, guns, things like that."...