Stories from Friday, June 10, 2011

During the Civil War, the excessive consumption of whiskey could and often did lead to fistfights between comrades of the Blue and comrades of the Gray. Occasionally, the result of a fistfight or quarrel could be fatal to one of the combatants, especially if he was drunk...

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. My husband retired in January. He was feeling the physical pains caused from years of athletic activity and could no longer perform the grueling demands of his coaching job. That meant we would actually be able to take a summer vacation together, the first that would include pleasurable, pre-selected stops as opposed to harried cross-country sojourns controlled by Dave's baseball schedule...

STERLING -- On May 14, Jason Phillips was one of 119 students who graduated from Sterling College, located in Sterling, Kan. Phillips received a bachelor of arts degree in history. The commencement ceremonies were held on Cooper Hall's east lawn and began at 9:45 a.m. ...

Sometimes the reason that it is so hard to overcome the hurdles that keep the weight from coming off is because we get stuck in the same old routine. I am a creature of habit. I love routines. When I jog, I have a playlist set on my iPod and I use the songs to gauge my pace. When I get to Kelly Clarkson's song "Walk Away," I know it is time to walking a little to begin my cool-down period...

JOPLIN -- Communication in this community was almost non-existent immediately following the EF-5 tornado on May 22. At St. John's Regional Medical Center, the information technology infrastructure was destroyed along with the building. However, less than one week after Joplin was hit by one of the deadliest tornado es in U.S. ...

Lacy Wayne Bealer, 44, 1420 Oak, Fort Scott, was arrested by the Fort Scott Municipal Court on June 8 at 3:09 p.m. on a Bourbon County Sheriff's Office bench warrant for driving an ATV on roadway and released the same day at 3:09 p.m. on a $25 bond...

4.0 Honor Roll Kristin Allen Austin Bailey Kayla Beaman Seth Bohlken Marcus Brennon Kacie Brown Michelle Buntain Brittany Burns Jeanette Campbell Taylor Cation Jessica Combs Courtney Crain Amber Davish Zachar Denton Kirk Durnal Jacob Durossette Hali Eads...

A total of 31 students from the Southeast District FFA were awarded State FFA Degrees at the 83rd Kansas FFA State Convention. The State Degree is the highest honor the Kansas FFA Association can bestow upon its members. To achieve this award, members must meet the following requirements: must have received their Chapter FFA Degree, been an FFA member and agricultural education student for at least two years, earned at least $2,000 or worked 600 hours in their supervised agricultural experience program, given a six-minute speech about agriculture or FFA, participated in eight different leadership activities and received a "C" average or better in high school and shown a record of outstanding leadership and community involvement. ...

MANHATTAN -- The Kansas 4-H Foundation is making more than $40,000 in scholarships available to 4-H members for post-secondary education for the 2011--2012 academic year. One of the recipients is Caitlin Jackson, from Uniontown. She was awarded the Extension Step Ahead SE Scholarship. Jackson is the daughter of Dale and Alicia Jackson...

GIRARD -- Southeast Kansas Community Action Program, a nonprofit agency, is seeking names for consideration as a candidate for election to the SEK-CAP Governing Board of Directors as a representative of low-income citizens. As a Community Action Agency, SEK-CAP must conform to federal legislation that calls for a tri-partite board, with equal representation from the private sector and low-income sectors, and elected public officials...

The May meeting of the Uniontown 4-H Club was called to order by Vice President Drew George. Seventeen members answered roll call by telling their favorite color. Cole George led the flag salute, and Mathew Harclerode led the 4-H Pledge. Minutes of the April meeting were read by club Secretary Caitlin Jackson. ...

Old Fort Genealogical Society announces Fred Campbell's rescheduled Bourbon County Tour for Tuesday, June 14. The original tour date was cancelled because of rain. Campbell will be leading a tour to the Barnesville Cemetery to learn about the legend of Peter Duncan, visit the Fort Lincoln whirlpool, the Freedom Colony site and Guthrie's Mound...

A baby shower for Brayden Russell, son of Matt and Megan (Jackson) Russell, will be held at the Uniontown Baptist Church on Sunday, June 12, at 2 p.m.

APAC-Springfield, Mo., in conjunction with the city of Fort Scott, is scheduled to begin the 2011 Street Program on Monday. The project will begin at Lakin Drive and Horton and move north to Sixth Street and east to Lowman Street. There may be sections of street closed during this time and may be traffic delays. Flagmen may be present and pilot cars used...

Sterling Braun, a 2009 Fort Scott High School graduate, has been selected to participate in the Summer Medical and Research Training (SMART) program at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The nine-week employment/educational program for students interested in exploring a career in scientific research pairs undergraduate students with BCM mentors to conduct biomedical research in a broad range of areas. ...

The Fort Scott Design Review Board will meet on Monday, June 13, at 4 p.m. in the Commission Room at City Hall, 123 S. Main. The meeting is open to the public.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon toured St. John's Mercy Hospital in Joplin Thursday, June 9. St. John's is part of the Mercy Health System, which is associated with the hospital in Fort Scott. The field hospital, available through federal funds, is being used until a temporary facility can be put into place...

Everything from a white Mustang convertible to Royals tickets and outdoor furniture will be up for bid as part of the Live & Silent Auction, set for 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at the Liberty Theatre, 113 S. Main St. "Summer Bash" tickets are $25 and include "heavy" hors d'oeuvres and a free drink ticket, a news release said. They are available at the FSCC campus, 2108 S. Horton, Country Cupboard, 12 N. Main, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall St., or at the door...

After turning a profit of nearly $1,000 during last year's festivities, the Airport Advisory Board has decided to host Airport Day again this year. During a May 27 board meeting, the decision to host airport day was on the agenda. Despite turning a profit last year after being canceled in 2009, the discussion was not one-sided...

Tribune Staff Report The city of Fort Scott will begin smoke testing the city's sanitary sewer system starting Monday morning. City officials said the testing crew will begin in the Fort Scott Industrial Park and make its way north toward the wastewater plant. The duration of the testing depends on the weather and could last all summer...

The Good Neighbor Action Team and about 75 local volunteers got to work Thursday on several projects involving repairs or improvements to the homes of several eligible local residents. The fourth annual Good Neighbor Blitz, a six-day home improvement initiative organized each year by the GNAT, began with volunteers starting work on 10 homes throughout Fort Scott, with another few projects expected to be tackled within the next week, GNAT co-convenor Treva Williams said...

Children of two Mercy Health Center co-workers are among 20 students in a five-state area named as recipients of the 2011 Charles Thoele Scholarship Program offered by Mercy. Recipients will receive $1,000 each to be used toward educational expenses at undergraduate and vocational-technical schools during the coming school year...