Stories from Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Gary Lyle William Livingston, 23, Fort Scott, was arrested by the Fort Scott Police Department at 6:59 p.m. Monday on a Fort Scott warrant for pedestrian under the influence. He is still being held at this time on a $111.50 cash-only bond. Wendy Ann Ballinger, 52, Bronson, was arrested by the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office at 1:31 p.m. Monday on a Bourbon County warrant for driving while suspended. She is still being held with no bond...

Esther Tassi, 94, of Arma, Kan., died at 7:22 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, at the Girard Medical Center at Girard, Kan. Mrs. Tassi was born April 27, 1917, in Malito Cosenza Calabria, Italy, the daughter of Eugenio and Luisa Carpino Fioramante. Esther came to America through Ellis Island in 1920 on the USS America. She was a homemaker and lifetime resident of Arma. She had a great love of her family and was known as "Grams" to her grandchildren and "Great" to her great-grandchildren...

Edward Nathan Vaughn passed away at the age of 84 on Feb. 10, 2012, at Christian Health. He was born on May 5, 1928, in Humansville, Mo. His parents were John and Nellie Vaughn. He married Wanda Clearwater on Nov. 4, 1945, in Ottawa, Kan. He farmed until he retired in 1987. He served as volunteer minister of Jehovah's Witnesses from 1957 until his death...

Doris Lucille Cochran, 91, of Pittsburg, Kan., died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, at Via Christi Village, Pittsburg, Kan. Services will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Schneider Funeral Home, Pleasanton Chapel, Pleasanton, Kan. Friends may call from 1 p.m. until service time. Interment will be in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Mound City, Kan...

Area residents interested in beginning their own business are encouraged to attend a free two-hour "How to Start Your Own Business" workshop from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in the Greyhound Room of the administration building at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton...

Walk Kansas registration packets are now available from local Southwind Extension District offices. The Kansas State University Research and Extension's fitness program is scheduled to begin locally on March 18 and continue through May 12 The program is designed for teams of six friends, neighbors, family, or co-workers to cover the distance across Kansas during the eight-week program...

With 1,200 people turning out for the two performances of this year's edition of "Dancing with Our Stars," more than $26,000 was raised for local charities, shattering the $20,000 goal. Thirteen teams of dancers gave of their time to participate in the Rotary Club-sponsored event, held Saturday at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College. Six-hundred tickets were sold for each sold-out show...

A $25,000 donation from a Colorado businessman has helped the Fort Scott Skatepark Committee reach its goal to create a facility for skateboarders. Steven Tedesco, who owns oil and gas exploration and production companies based in Centennial, Colo., that generate revenues for landowners, and his wife, Christine, donated $25,000 to help the committee secure funding needed to make the skatepark a reality...

BUFFALO -- Uniontown's basketball teams swept Altoona-Midway here Tuesday night, keeping both of the home school's teams winless on the season. Uniontown boys didn't take control until the second quarter but didn't look back after that on their way to a 56-31 win in the nightcap...

With my last article on calving season preparations, let us continue this week with the importance of colostrum to newborn calves. Northwest Area Livestock SpecialistSandy Johnson provided the summary from past calving management schools. Research has shown passive immunity obtained from colostrum is an important factor in determining the health of calves both pre- and post-weaning and indirectly influences calf growth rate during those same periods. ...

Ethel Josephine "Jo" Knopp, 82, of Fort Scott, died early Tuesday morning, Feb. 14, 2012, at Fort Scott Manor. She was born June 6, 1929, in Hepler, Kan., the daughter of David Richard and Ethel Gertrude (Hardin) Huber. She married Willis Henry Knopp June 24, 1949, in Hepler, and he survives of the home...

The Hospitality/Community Relations/Outreach Committee of First United Methodist Church will serve a Friendship Soup Lunch from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the church's Fellowship Hall on Friday. The menu includes vegetable soup, chicken noodle soup, potato soup, chili, an assortment of pies and a drink. Free-will donations will be accepted and the public is invited...

Hammond United Methodist Church, 222 Sunflower Road, Hammond, will have an Ash Wednesday Service at 7 p.m. Feb. 22. Pastor is Donna Clark Fuller and it will include special music. Everyone is invited to attend.

Fort Scott's city offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 20, in observance of President's Day. Offices will reopen Tuesday, Feb. 21.