Stories from Friday, December 19, 2008

State legislators visited Pittsburg State University Thursday hosting a meeting with the purpose of hearing area residents and spokespersons testimonies for a new comprehensive transportation program. The Special Committee on A New Comprehensive Transportation Plan is comprised of 16 state senators and state representatives. The committee heard testimonies from area city officials, businesses and other organizations pleading their case for projects to be included in the new comprehensive plan...

Long-time police officer Ronald Puterbaugh is looking to continue his law enforcement career in Fort Scott. City officials announced Wednesday that Puterbaugh, a 27-year law enforcement veteran, has been named as the city's new police chief. Puterbaugh said Thursday that he plans to retire next month after a 23-year career with the Ottawa Police Department -- where he moved up the ranks to eventually become captain -- and plans to begin his new job duties March 4...

For most southeast Kansas residents, hectic and volatile weather patterns are nothing new. The idea that a sever storm could strike in mid-winter, or a snow storm could pass overhead in late spring is almost customary to the area. "About the only thing we don't deal with is direct effects of hurricanes, but, even then we get the remnants of hurricanes," said Central Region National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Program Manager Jim Keeney in an interview Thursday...

Fort Scott Community College has rolled out a new network service across their six major campuses. All student and public lab machines now have full IPv6 connectivity to other IPv6 resources around the world. FSCC's DNS and Web servers now use the protocol as well, and anyone at an IPv6 institution around the world who visits www.fortscott.edu will be served up the pages using IPv6. ...

William Junior Rigsbay, age 76, a resident of rural Fort Scott, Kan., died unexpectedly, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008, at his home. He was born January 19, 1932, in Parker, Texas, the son of William Zander Rigsbay and Sadie Kenyon Rigsbay. He had served with the United States Army. William married Joan A. Winters on August 5, 1968, at Ontario, Calif., She preceded him in death on Feb. 7, 2005...

Martha Nell Elbrader, age 88, former resident of 111 Andrick, Fort Scott, Kan., died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008, at Mercy Health Center. She was born January 6, 1920 in Liberal, Mo., the daughter of Paul C. Fast and Alta Jane Gilmartin Fast. She married Harold H. Elbrader on Jan. 19, 1943 at Wichita, Kan. He preceded her in death on Aug. 22, 1975. Martha was a member of the VFW Auxiliary where she quilted on Mondays. She also loved ceramics, textile painting and dancing...

Ruby Marie Duncan Fairbanks, 97 of Fort Scott, died Thursday morning, Dec. 18, 2008 at the Fort Scott Manor Nursing Home. She was born March 2, 1911 in Orcola, Mo., the daughter of Charles Burton and Eliza Jane (Thompson) Duncan. She married Charles Arthur Fairbanks Sept. 2, 1933 in Eldorado Springs, Mo. He preceded her in death June 26, 1975...

100 YEARS AGO (1908) Ever peep into that well conducted store on North National Avenue, just as the Marmaton bridge is crossed? Well, you want to. It is well worth your while, for you will see lots of things that you never thought of before. The proprietor is A. ...

LIBERTY, Mo. -- What started out as a required research project has turned into a scholarship opportunity for one college student. Jessica Schwalm, Junior biology major at William Jewell College, has turned her research project -- a graduation requirement -- into a much larger study, which resulted in her being given a TriBeta grant...

_ While many people across the United States decorate their houses and yards during the Christmas season, Jeff Michael's simple decorations speak out about Christ's birth all year round. About three years ago, Michael, Fort Scott, constructed a cross from crude materials for a parade float. ...

The results of a Jail and Justice System Assessment of the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center, conducted by Jim Rowenhorst of the National Institute of Corrections, confirmed what some people in Bourbon County have been saying for quite some time...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- You know your team has a comfortable lead when the head coach starts going deep on the bench in the second quarter. But as Fort Scott High's boys shot 50 percent from the field and forced 34 turnovers in a 62-21 rout of Columbus in Southeast Kansas League play at the FSHS gymnasium Friday night, you can see how head coach Jeff DeLaTorre had the luxury of giving some of his JV players some time during the meat of the contest instead of waiting for the fourth quarter, all of which was played under the 30-point running-clock rule, when those players were probably only going to get about two to three minutes of actual playing time.. ...

Posted at midnight Friday night/Saturday morning.