Stories from Saturday, May 9, 2009

To say that the Confederate guerrillas/ bushwhackers who operated in Missouri and eastern Kansas during the Civil War were "troublesome is a bit of an understatement. They were more than "troublesome." They were a deadly enemy who would strike swiftly, kill, destroy and disappear, if they survived, to attack again until they met the "Grim Reaper" of Death, as many of them eventually did. ...

IOLA, Kan. -- Pleasanton's boys finished in second place while Uniontown's took third place at the Crest Invitational, held at Riverside Stadium here Thursday evening. Lyndon won the meet with 84 points while Pleasanton finished just one point behind. Uniontown scored 66 points to finish six ahead of fourth-place Lebo...

UNIONTOWN, Kan. -- Uniontown High School's softball team played three varsity games and one JV contest during the week. Monday, the varsity won a Three Rivers League make-up game with Oswego, 5-1, and also took a junior varsity game, 7-6. Thursday, the Eagles were swept in a non-league doubleheader by Humboldt, 13-0 and 14-0. The Cubs have one of the best small-school softball teams in the southeastern part of the state of Kansas...

NEVADA, Mo. -- Steve and Karen Marquardt have introduced a new running, cycling and swimming club in Nevada that they have dubbed Nevada Area Multisport. This is a no-cost club for anyone of any age and fitness level who simply desires to become a more healthy individual. Whether an experienced athlete or simply a person with the desire to run a mile, 5K or participate in a cycling event for the first time, this club is the right place to be...

While turkey hunters were in the woods looking for a big tom and crappie fishermen were after spawning crappie, Bill Stevens, Sedalia, was after catfish at the Lake of the Ozarks. Stevens started fishing for catfish while still in grade school. "I caught my first catfish in a small lake near home back in 1939. It was a nice yellow catfish and then I caught lots of bullheads from the same pond...

After two years of preparation, the Safe Route to Schools program is nearing completion of its first phase. The program, in which the City of Fort Scott and USD 234 are partnering, is currently in the designing process according to Susan Brown. She said they hope to have a list of sidewalks to be replaced sometime in June...

The Wax Museum, a 24-year-old tradition at Nevada Middle School, will be presented next week. This year's theme centers around presidents and first ladies of the United States. Students enrolled in Accelerated English, Science and Social Studies have researched 36 presidential personalities and have written a four-page report on each person. In addition, each student will give an oral presentation complete with costumes and props...

At the helm of a group of students little more than half dozen or so strong (there are seven consistently active members and others who help as time allows) Amanda Akers feels she's made a difference during her time at Cottey College. Quick to give others the credit for their role in the organization's success, Akers nonetheless admits she's "very proud" of her two years as president of the schools' chapter of Boosting Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students...

Area canines will get some added attention during this summer's Good Ol' Days festival. The Good Ol' Days Committee recently announced that DockDogs, the independent organization that governs the increasingly popular dock-jumping performance sport for dogs, will headline the 28th annual street festival, which is scheduled for June 4-7. ...

Rain, rain, go away. Many area residents were undoubtedly repeating that old saying as morning thunderstorms dumped an estimated 3-6 inches of rain Friday in Vernon County and about 2 inches in Bourbon County on Friday. According to Bourbon County Emergency Man-ager Keith Jeffers, the swift intensity of the rainfall caused many of the city and county streets to become flooded and left hazardous driving conditions in its wake...

I started teaching English at Cottey College in 1973, when "tests and studies" began telling all who'd listen that American women had since time immemorial been traveling along life's highway with the extra-heavy burden of low self-esteem. (You know, the old Christian hang-up about Eve's shameful role in the Garden, a myth that, in a pesky, insidious way, is with us still.)...

Hi neighbors. This is Mother's Day weekend! I hope you all get to spend some time with your mothers. Most of us have many fond memories of our mothers -- particularly the role they played in our lives when we were young. Many of us were fortunate to discover our mothers becoming our best friends as years blended and the age differences seem to matter less and less...

Jeri C. Smith and Eric R. Phillips announce their engagement and approaching marriage. The couple plan to be married at sunset, July 3, 2009, on the beach in Key West, Fla. Bride-elect Smith is the daughter of Connie Brisbin, of Lamar, and the late Joe Brisbin. Prospective-groom Phillips is the son of Bill and Susan Phillips, of Nevada, and Carol Kibler, also of Nevada...

Editor's note: This online version has ben edited to correct a mistake made in the print version of this story. The Herald-Tribune regrets the error.