Stories from Tuesday, April 24, 2012

It has been four years in the making, but Fort Scott High School senior Baker Weilert has been recognized by the South Kansas National Forensic League Speech and Debate Society as the districts graduating Senior of the Year. The honor recognizes the top student for their successes and contribution to the activity...

The regular forensics season concluded the same way it began -- with success. The Tigers headed in two directions to compete -- one group went to Coffeyville for the final leg of the national qualifying tournaments and the other was in Tonganoxie. At the National Forensics League qualifier, Fort Scott earned three more national spots...

Spring cleaning is a tradition that encourages us to freshen up our homes and get ready for the hectic season of summer. Taking advantage of the natural urge that comes each spring to get rid of items that are weighing you down can allow you to begin fresh with a more streamlined lifestyle. Cleaning, in general, will be a lot easier when the clutter is gone...

Thomas Fredrick Endicott, 84, loving husband and father passed away Saturday April 21, 2012. He was born May 5, 1927, in Fort Scott, Kan. He was retired from Beech Aircraft after 25 years and was in the Air Force for four years. Tom married Charlene Downs on Oct. 4, 1952, in Fort Scott. He enjoyed fishing, bowling, mowing and yard work...

Ruth Marie Coon, 97, of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away early Wednesday morning, April 18, 2012, at the Fort Scott Manor. She was born Sept. 2, 1914, in Racine, Ill., the daughter of Joseph and Minnie Marie (Utter) Houser. Ruth is survived by her children; Larry Coon, Tom Coon, Jerry Coon, Laraine Coon, Marilyn Coon, and Ray D. Coon; 18 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren...

Beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and son, Ronald K. Alexander, 72, of Los Fresnos, Texas, "drove his Corvette to the sock hop in the sky" on Friday, March 30, 2012. He was hospitalized after a sudden, unexpected illness and never recovered...

Cavin Kelly Ford, 50, Fort Scott, was arrested by the Fort Scott Police Department at 3:50 p.m. Saturday for domestic battery. He is still being held at this time with no bond. Trenton Laverne Demott, 35, Fort Scott, was arrested by the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office at 11:04 a.m. Saturday for aggravated assault. He is still being held at this time with no bond...

The April Starlite F.C.E. meeting was held at the home of Betty and Dale Johnson on April 19, with 14 members and guests present. We were happy to have Karen Peery from Mapleton as a guest. Also present was Ann Ludlum, Southwind County Extension Agent from Bourbon County...

100 YEARS AGO (1912) WASHINGTON, April 22 -- Hours before the resumption here of the Titanic Senate inquiry great crowds swarmed to the Senate office building, and when the hearing opened, the room was crowded to the doors. Many women were present. ST. ...

Students, parents and Fort Scott High School administration and staff attended the 24th annual Honors Banquet at 6:30 p.m. April 19. The catered dinner was held in the high school commons. Under the direction of Vanessa Poyner and Nicole Goldston, FSCC cheer and dance team members attended the tables...

About 50 participants laced up their sneakers for the fourth annual 5K Run/Walk and one-mile walk fundraiser Saturday to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bourbon County. The route for this year's event started and ended at Fort Scott Middle School...

The Fort Scott Preschool Center will be hosting preschool screenings for children up to the age of 5 years in the USD 234 district on May 4. Screenings can potentially locate and identify children with developmental delays who may need special education preschool or related services, a news release said...

A rather large contingent of animal lovers brought their furry, four-legged companions out to the Fort Scott Community College walking track for the first annual Strut Your Mutt fundraiser for Lee's Paw and Claws Animal Shelter on Saturday. Event organizers estimated about 100 people left their foot -- and paw -- prints during the four-hour event. About 20 types of canines in varying shapes, sizes and breeds -- many in costume -- graced the venue with their presence...

A preliminary hearing was set Monday afternoon in the case of murder and arson suspect Brent Bollinger. Bourbon County Magistrate Judge Rebecca Stephan discussed dates for the proceeding with attorneys in the case during a brief status conference Monday in Bourbon County District Court...

The Kansas Department of Transportation recently honored the Fort Scott High School Seatbelts Are For Everyone Team. Two FSHS students, Katie Jo Hull and Ashton Mason, traveled to Topeka last week and accepted the 2012 SAFE Teacher's Pet award on behalf of the 15 team members who could not be present...

Fort Scott High School's baseball team was swept by leader Labette County at home Friday but went on the road Monday and dominated Coffeyville in a pair of Southeast Kansas League doubleheaders. On Friday, Labette County (10-0 SEK, 12-0 overall) kept up its high-scoring ways in sweeping the Tigers 10-3 and 12-1 at Don Hewett Field. The Grizzlies have failed to score at least 10 runs just once this season...

PARSONS -- Despite holding Labette to a total of one hit here Sunday, Fort Scott Community College's baseball team did not improve its playoff position in its bid to overtake the Cardinals for eighth place in the Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division in a four-game series that concluded Monday...

CHANUTE -- Fort Scott High School's tennis team got ready for Thursday's Southeast Kansas League Tournament by winning the Chanute Invitational here Friday. This was a bracketed tournament instead of the usual round-robin format, so entrants received points for how many matches they won instead of where they placed. Fort Scott and Paola both scored 9 points but the Tigers took the tie-breakers by winning more games in their matches, 90 to Paola's 85...

James and Virginia Golden and sibling Sarah, Fort Scott, Kan., are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter and sister Eyka Rose Golden at 1:58 p.m. April 20, 2012, at Mercy. Eryka Golden weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces at birth. Maternal grandparents are Pamela Bloomfield, Fort Scott, and Daniel Ornstein, Fort Scott. Paternal grandparents are James Golden Sr., Fort Scott, and Connie Golden, Fort Scott...

Fort Scott Community College is gearing up for its fourth Annual Community Appreciation Day set for 2 p.m. Saturday on the FSCC campus, 2108 S. Horton. Most of the events will be held in the parking lot between Bailey Hall and the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center. Other activities will take place inside the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center...