Stories from Friday, April 29, 2011

Two weekends ago, I had the privilege of being the "humorist" for a Christian conference. Nearly 1,000 women attended, and I was completely humbled by the faith and intelligence of the other keynote speakers and singers who used their expertise to impact the women present...

Before the Civil War, cotton was the king of all the agricultural products that were produced south of the Mason-Dixon Line. In addition to cotton, the south produced tobacco, indigo and rice, but Cotton was the King. The southern gross national product of all of these agricultural crops was many millions of dollars and then came the Civil War...

100 YEARS AGO (1911) John Cole, of northeast of the city, was in town today to meet John Thompson of Farlinville, of Linn County. Mr. Cole says farmers out in the Shiloh neighborhood are doling pretty well and that the crops look like they will be bumpers...

One of the biggest fears and even source of controversy when it comes to weight loss is stepping on that little piece of metal, plastic, or glass on your bathroom floor -- that's right, the scale. All too often, the scale becomes the source of bad news for men and women across the world. ...

Virginia M. McHenry, 89, a resident of Fort Scott, died Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at the Golden Living Center in Pittsburg, Kan. Funeral services for Virginia McHenry will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott.

Southeast Kansas Community Action Program announces the election of Linda Broyles as incoming vice chair of the National Head Start Association. On Monday, April 4, during the National Head Start Association Annual Conference held in Kansas City, Mo., Broyles was elected as the vice chair elect of the National Head Start Association. She will be officially seated on July 1, in Washington, D.C...

Jason Lee Bohlken, 29, 2374 Lucky Rd., Fort Scott, was arrested by the Fort Scott Police Department on April 27 at 9:42 p.m. for DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container. He was released the same day at 11:50 p.m. on a $2,500 bond...

Veterans should know that the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs representative will not be making a local stop in May due to scheduling conflicts. If immediate assistance is needed, veterans and family members may call (800) 827-1000 to speak with a VA representative...

Bernice Pruitt, a lifelong resident of Bourbon County, celebrates her 100th birthday on Saturday, April 30. She resides at the Fort Scott Manor, 736 Heylman.

Pittsburg State University will host the 2011 Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Forum today (Friday, April 29). It will be held on the top floor of Overman Student Center from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 after the interactive panel session. Guest speakers this year include Dr. Michael Meador, chief of NASA's Polymers, Structures and Materials Division; Professor Jean Ebothe of the Universite de Reims, France; as well as many other distinguished professors and experts from across the United States...

A two-vehicle accident in Pittsburg on April 28 resulted in the death of a Pittsburg State University student. The accident occurred at 12:42 a.m. at Fourth and Free King Highway, police said in a news release. Matthew Steven Wright, 20, of Gardner, Kan., was traveling south on Free King Highway in a 2006 Ford F-150. Wright was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the crash, the release said...

A story that appeared in Wednesday's Tribune incorrectly reported that a 2011 Camaro convertible donated by Shepherd Team Auto Plaza would be included in a live auction hosted by Fort Scott Community College in June. In fact, the dealership will provide a car for the auction, but cannot commit on the exact make and model at this time. The Tribune regrets the error...

Two private Christian schools -- Fort Scott Christian Heights and Christian Learning Center -- will take their fifth- and sixth-grade classes to re-enact a full day of school at the Lincoln School on the Fort Scott Community College campus on May 3...

People nationwide will gather May 5 to pray for their country as part of National Day of Prayer. "Certainly our country needs prayer as one considers the economic times in which we live, and even more than that, the lack of moral restraints in our country calls for us to cry out to God for His help and mercy," said Kevin Moyers, pastor of Community Christian Church...

Representatives of various professions are scheduled to give Fort Scott Middle School students a taste of what their jobs are like during a career fair Friday at the school. More than 30 area professionals were slated to talk to students about their occupations and provide information on their career choices during the event, hosted by FSMS and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce...

Bourbon County Emergency Manager Keith Jeffers hosted a tabletop discussion Thursday as part of the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. Jeffers, along with Bourbon County Sheriff Ron Gray, Bourbon County Public Health Nurse Alice Maffett and representatives from rural fire departments and other agencies, met for three hours to discuss the possible effects Fort Scott would feel if an earthquake were to occur along the New Madrid Seismic Zone, which covers parts of eight states including Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas.. ...

ARMA -- Uniontown's baseball team came out on the losing end of a 12-7 decision to Northeast in Three Rivers League play here Tuesday. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was suspended tied 2-2 after 3 innings. Uniontown and Northeast were tied 4-4 after 4 innings but the Vikings scored 8 times in the bottom of the fifth...

Fort Scott High's baseball team had only played once in the previous 20 days. But the Tigers were as sharp as a team could be in all areas as they swept Coffeyville by scores of 7-2 and 9-3 in a Southeast Kansas League doubleheader at Lions Field Thursday night...

A benefit auction for Pleasanton native Alexandra (Alex) Umphenour is set for Saturday (May 1) at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Mound City. Alex was critically injured Feb. 13 while riding her favorite horse. Easy suffered an apparent heart attack and collapsed almost instantly, slamming Alex to the ground...