Stories from Thursday, July 28, 2011

The summer of 2011 has been a hot and dry one, and it looks like it will continue on that course for at least a few more weeks. These conditions always help to temper any anxiety toward colder weather, as the cooler fall days will present a welcome change...

Forget that over-the-hill party ware. Landmark birthdays signal a gift of time. Our population is living longer. The average life expectancy at birth for someone born in the U.S. in 1900 was 47 years, according to 2006 data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Center for Health Statistics...

When thinking about the potential economic and political ramifications of our government leaders to raise the authorized level of outstanding federal debt, it reminds me of the phrase "through a glass, darkly." However, the issue of debt ceiling increases and the great debate of "what do we want from our government" is coming to some kind of head. ...

Ellen Biggs and Jonah Eisenbrandt Sr., Fort Scott, along with siblings Tavin, Josiah, Jonah, Nevaeh, Gabrielle and Ezra, are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter and sister Elliana Eve Eisenbrandt on Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at 10:55 a.m. at Mercy Health Center, Fort Scott. Elliana weighed 6 pounds, 14.5 ounces...

Una Ladell Wells, 79, a resident of Fort Scott, died Tuesday, July 26, 2011, at the home of a friend in rural Cherokee, Kan. Services for Una Wells will be announced by the Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kan.

The Golf Course Advisory Board will meet at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2 at City Hall, 123 S. Main St. The meeting is open to the public.

The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees elected new officers, appointed officials and set meeting dates and times for the 2011-12 year during their gathering earlier this week. The board elected Jim Sather as board chairman and Myrtle Anne Colum as vice chairman for the 2011-12 school year. ...

From quilts to crafts to canned foods, there is something for everyone inside the Myers Building at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds, but at this year's fair, one special exhibit took center stage. As the state of Kansas continues to celebrate its 150th anniversary, the first and only Sesquicentennial Awards Class is being shown through the week. Myers Building superintendent Joyce Gobl said the fair board decided to host a unique contest to mark the occasion...

Taming his light brown hair with a show cow comb, Drew George sits on a lawn chair outside the ring where livestock took the spotlight during the beef and open-class judging contests Wednesday evening at the Bourbon County Fair. At 18, George is a veteran of these contests having been in Uniontown 4-H for 12 years. ...

USD 234 in Fort Scott is proposing a slight increase in the mill levy to help offset reductions in base state aid per pupil and a loss in funding due to declining enrollment. The proposed 1.225 mill increase, if approved by the USD 234 Board of Education during an Aug. ...

Fort Scott High School fall sports photos will be taken on August 23. All sports and related activities will have their pictures taken on the same day this year. Band will be the first for photos. Members need to be a Frary Field at 8:30 a.m. The drill team photos will be next at 8:50 at Frary Field...

The local gospel music group the Cherry Jammers will be performing at the Heritage Park Pavilion, at First and Main streets in Fort Scott, at 7 p.m. Aug. 13. Sponsored by the Cherry Grove Baptist Church, located eight miles south of Fort Scott on U.S. Highway 69, the Cherry Jammers have previously performed in the Friday Night Concert Series, Good Ol' Days and other area events. The group primarily performs traditional country church-style gospel hymns...