Stories from Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The average American home is brimming with consumer electronics and appliances, such as televisions, DVD players, stereos and kitchen gadgets. These products account for approximately 15 percent of a home's utility usage. What you may not realize is that these modern conveniences can add to the cost of the electric bill when they are turned off but still plugged in...

The day of mishaps really started out like any other day, but let me tell you, it was anything but. In the spring or early summer, Bob always takes the snow blade off his tractor and puts on his brush hog. Well, this turned out to be that day. Whenever he mentions brush hog, I always shudder. That is invariably when he says to me, "I'll need you to help me."...

The Redfield Ruritan Club met June 9 with nine members present. The club members sang "America" before the meal, and Roy Johnson voiced the table grace. The minutes of the last meeting and the treasurer's report were both read and approved. The club members voted to award the $500 Lyle Hixon Memorial Scholarship to Crystal Roberts who is a nursing student at Fort Scott Community College...

Navy Lt., J.G., Conor Stephens was recently home for pre-deployment leave. A hail and farewell barbecue was gven by his parents, Rick and Lori Stephens, of rural Bronson. Those attending were Jan and Steve Crawford, Topeka, Kan.; Sandy and Mike Weldin, Clint Weldin, Colony, Kan.; Connie Flack, Iola, Kan.; Wes and Wanda Stephens, George and Lori Stephens, Todd, Ryan and Karlie Stephens, all of Moran, Kan.; Matt and Meghan Russell and Brayden and Keagan, rural Redfield, ; Maxine Burke, Fort Scott; Luke Vincent, Joplin, Mo.; and his sister, Riley Stephens, Bronson. ...

Hospice Care of Kansas, 12 E. National, will host the Chamber Coffee on Thursday, June 23, at 8 a.m. Chamber members can make an announcement about their business, organization or the community by donating a dollar toward "Dollars for Dolly."

A 90th birthday celebration is being held for Virginia Varner on Sunday, June 26, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hammond Community Center. Friends and family are invited to celebrate this special birthday with Virginia.

Robert William Endicott, 48, resident of 730 S. Ransom, Fort Scott, Kansas, went to his heavenly home on Friday, June 17, at the Olathe Medical Center as a result of a massive stroke suffered on Tuesday, June 14. Robert passed peacefully into eternity with his family by his side...

Lula Beaman Shull, 97, passed away June 16, 2011, at Moran Manor, Moran, Kan. Mrs. Shull was born in Uniontown, Kan., on Aug. 25, 1913. An outstanding basketball player in high school, Lula later married George (Bud) Shull in 1939. They moved to California and remained there until Mr. Shull died. Lula retired to Kansas, residing in Iola and, more recently, at the manor...

Deborah Sue Clements, 46, resident of Fort Scott, Kan., died Friday, June 17, 2011, at the Mercy Health Center, Fort Scott. She was born Dec. 24, 1964, in Fort Scott, the daughter of Larry Joe and Diane Elaine Lang Clements. She graduated from Fort Scott High School in the class of 1983. Deborah loved outdoor activities as well as playing dominoes, watching movies and listening to music...

Alta Dodson and Samuel Maddux and siblings Annette Dodson, Zachary and Brittney Maddux, Fort Scott, are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter and sister Valerie Lane Maddux on Monday, June 20, 2011, at 11:25 a.m. at Mercy Health Center, Fort Scott...

Amanda and Ethan Smilie and sibling Helena, Chanute, Kan., are pleased to announce the birth of their son and brother Benedict Joseph Smilie on Wednesday, June 1, 2011, at 5:24 a.m. at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, Chanute. Benedict weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Maternal grandparents are Dave and Sheila Blubaugh, Fort Scott. Paternal grandparents are Patty and Dale Smilie, Fort Scott...

James Edward Sams, 56, 723 E. National, Fort Scott, was arrested by the Fort Scott Police Department on June 15 at 9:13 p.m. for criminal trespass and released on June 16 at 12:58 p.m. on a $500 bond. Jerry Michael Wright, 22, 2 North Main, Apt. 305, Fort Scott, was arrested by the Fort Scott Police Department on June 16 at 6:01 p.m. on a Bourbon County warrant for forgery and released on June 16 at 7:47 p.m. on a $5,000 bond...

Lawrewnce (Ed) and Betty Hunt of Neodesha, Kan., are pleased to announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter Melinda to Jason Johnson, son of Pam Phillips, Chanute, Kan., and Terry and Loretta Johnson, Erie, Kan. The bride to be is a 2006 graduate of Neodesha High School and is currently employed at Quality Health Care in Fredonia, Kan. The future bridegroom is a 2000 graduate of Chanute High School and is currently employed at Acme Foundery in Coffeyville, Kan...

In the June 18 article headlined "Fort Scottian staying busy," Gary Billionis's name was misspelled. The Tribune regrets the error.

Representatives from the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Pittsburg State University will be in Fort Scott from 9 a.m.-noon Thursday, July 14, for free individual counseling sessions. The sessions will be held in the Greyhound Room of the administration building at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton. Contact the KSBDC at PSU (620) 235-4921)...

Tragedies inFort Scott's history will be the focus of a special evening tour offered Saturday evening at Fort Scott National Historic Site. The tour, which tells the story behind the deaths of various soldiers and local citizens during the mid-1800s, will be the first in a series of evening tours that staff at the site have planned this summer. Staff will guide visitors through five different scenes that will depict how these soldiers or citizens met violent deaths...

Fort Scott was well represented at the National History Day finals on June 16 at the University of Maryland, as three projects made up of six Fort Scott students were chosen in the top 14 projects in the nation. Fort Scott Christian Learning Center students Joseph Fischer and Savanna Sullivant were awarded fourth place in the nation for their documentary titled, "Partners in Crime." Fischer and Sullivant competed in the group documentary category in the senior division...

By Michael Pommier The Fort Scott Tribune Local resident Vicky Long slowly made her way around the track at Frary Field with the help of her cane Friday night to show her support for the fight against cancer. A three-year lung cancer survivor, Long walked by herself during the annual Relay for Life event, held Friday night into Saturday morning. Diagnosed in April 2008, Long knows the impact Relay for Life participants have on cancer patients...

Austrian Christoph Strasser passed through Fort Scott at 11:15 p.m. Sunday night on pace to shatter records in the annual Race Across America coast-to-coast bicycle race. Strasser is on pace to finish the 3,000-mile-plus marathon in about 7 days, 23 hours, having left the starting line in Oceanside, Calif., at noon Eastern time Wednesday (Eastern time is used by RAAM over the entire course). The RAAM record for time is 8 days, 3 hours and 11 minutes, set by Rob Kish in 1992...

Jamie Rebecca Hallacy, 28, Walnut, Kan., died Tuesday afternoon, June 14, 2011, in an automobile accident which occurred west of Girard. She was born Dec. 12, 1982, in Girard, daughter of Jim and Claudia Ausemus. Jamie was raised in Hepler and attended school in Girard, graduating from Girard High School in 2001. She then attended Butler Community College at El Dorado, Kan...