Stories from Friday, May 29, 2009

SALINA -- Pleasanton's Joey Morrisey won the individual title at the Class 2A State Golf Tournament at Salina Municipal Golf Course Wednesday. Morrison shot 75 on the par-70 course to win the title by two strokes over Eric Cunningham of WaKeeney. Kolbee McKee also medaled for the Blu-Jays, tying for 18th with a score of 84...

The 2009 Good Ol' Days Festival will host a disc golf tournament for the first time. The tournament will be held at 1 p.m., June 6, at Gunn Park with on site registration beginning at noon. There will be a registration fee of $5 per entry. Participants will play 18 holes of disc golf in competition to win a portion of the cash purse. ...

Area residents will soon have the opportunity to stop and smell the roses during the Bourbon County Master Gardeners and Garden Club's Secret Garden Tour. According to a press release from the Bourbon County Master Gardeners and Garden Club, this year's secret garden tour will be conducted on June 20 and 21 and will feature the gardens of six local residents...

Bourbon County officials seek disaster relief for damage caused by recent storms. A declaration of disaster for the state of Kansas was signed earlier this week which included the damage caused by storms in Bourbon County occurring between April 24 and May 13. Bourbon County Emergency Manager Keith Jeffers says the next step is a Presidential Declaration which could come in approximately three weeks...

It's not often that someone is recognized for 30 years of service to one agency, but that is exactly what local resident John Hrenak will be honored for next month. On Monday, Hrenak, a district maintenance engineer with the Kansas Department of Transportation, will celebrate his 30th year working with KDOT. He is one of several KDOT employees who will celebrate state years-of-service anniversaries in June...

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is joining thousands of organizations worldwide to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco use. World No Tobacco Day, which is Sunday, is a yearly event that is designed to inform the public about the dangers of using tobacco, what the World Health Organization is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and to protect future generations...

Marcel Normand, an adjunct faculty member at Fort Scott Community College, was named the recipient of the Alumni and Friends' newly created Mary Sue Flagg Distinguished Service Award, according to Harold Hicks, the president of the Alumni and Friends board...

Threats of pandemic flu breakouts lead to additional training for emergency management teams. Bourbon County Emergency Management is hosting a pandemic flu training from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday in the Heritage Room in the Administration Building at Fort Scott Community College. The training will be lead by Don Shafer with the Environmental Training Center at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa...

A Fort Scott woman who was involved in a fatal one-vehicle accident late last year was arrested Saturday by Fort Scott police. Vanessa Hershey, 30, 802 Heylman, was arrested shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday on a Bourbon County warrant for several charges she faces, including involuntary manslaughter while driving, driving while under the influence of alcohol, possession of simulated controlled substances, transporting an open container, and racing on highways...

Local youths make repairs after others abuse Heritage Park benches, railings

BERRY -- Alison Nicole Rodriguez and Joshua James Berry, Nevada, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Marshall Tyler Berry. Marshall was aborn at 6:45 p.m., Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott. He weighed 5 pounds, 7.7 ounces at birth...

FRYAR -- Jason and Delisa Fryar, Pittsburg, along with big brothers Coby and Boyce, announce the birth of their son and brother, Brock Alexander Fryar. Brock was born at 4:13 p.m., May 12, 2009 at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. He weighed 8 pounds, 1.7 ounces at birth...

MAGEE -- Gretchen (Jackson) and Les Magee of Bentonville, Ark., are proud to announce the birth of their son, Keagan Miles Magee. Keagan was born at 2:23 a.m., May 11, 2009. He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces at birth. Maternal grandparents are Dale and Alicia Jackson, Uniontown...

NEWTON -- Trey and Michelle Newton, Fort Scott, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Treyton Joseph Newton. Treyton was born at 7:45 a.m., Tuesday, May 26, 2009, at Olathe Medical Center in Olathe. He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and was 20 and 1/4 inches in length at birth...

WICHITA, Kan. -- Fort Scott High School senior Jerad White and sophomore Griffin Knopp won medals at the Kansas Class 3A State Track and Field Championships here Friday. Knopp finished fifth in high jump. He tied with Jesse Bahner of Carbondale-Santa Fe Trail at 6 feet, 4 inches but it took Knopp at least one more attempt to clear that height. Brian Ploude of Meriden-Jefferson West won the event with a mark of 6' 10"...

WICHITA, Kan. -- Uniontown's Colt Bartlett won a seventh-place medal at the Kansas Class 3A State Track and Field Championships here Friday. He earned it in shot put with a throw of 44 feet, 2 1/2 inches. In the same event, Pleasanton's T.J. Davis finished with a mark of 44' 11 3/4" for eighth place, one spot away from a medal...

WICHITA, Kan. -- Jayhawk-Linn junior Steven Mann won the fifth and sixth medals of his high school career at the Kansas Class 3A State Track and Field Championships here Friday. Mann took second place in long jump and third place in the triple jump, both the highest finishes he has accomplished at State...

NEVADA, Mo. -- The Nevada Griffons are looking for summer homes for seven of their team members that are either here or will be arriving shortly. Joyce Wilson, the Griffons housing coordinator, said that she has temporary housing for the seven players, but she needs to find them permanent homes as soon as possible...

NEVADA, Mo -- Not all of the 2009 Griffons players have arrived and they have only had two practices, but head coach Ryan Mans-field, who is in his second year with the Griffons, thinks they have the right mix of players for a successful season. Mansfield was assistant coach for the Griffons last season and is in his first year as the Griffons head coach. ...

The Kansas Teachers' Hall of Fame in Dodge City is pleased to announce that the Class of 2009 includes Alicia Jackson of Uniontown. The Class of 2009 will be inducted into the Kansas Teachers' Hall of Fame in Dodge City on June 6. Alicia Jackson was nominated for the honor by the Uniontown Teachers' Association. Jean Cook, UTA president and FACS teacher at Uniontown, will give the nominating speech at the Induction Ceremony...

MAPLETON -- The small town of Mapleton is gearing up for several days of big events. The Mapleton Homecoming celebration, an event that Mapleton hosts every year, is scheduled for June 13-14. The events theme this year is "Ridin' High In Mapleton" and will feature many of the same events as previous years but will include some activities that are new this year...

When Jon (not his real name) came to me right before report cards were issued and asked what he could do to raise his grade, I was flabbergasted. "Mrs. LaRoche, why do I have an F in your class?" he asked. "Well, Jon, perhaps it's because you rarely did any of the assignments and you didn't study for the tests. You have a 13 percent in my class," I answered. Jon appeared dumbfounded. "Well, is there anything I can do to get extra credit?" (He was serious)...