Stories from Tuesday, November 20, 2012

100 YEARS AGO (1912) C.D. Kirby, of near Walkertown, whose father took a claim adjoining Uniontown, in this county in 1855, calls attention to an error that crept into the paper a few days ago as to how Uniontown came to have that name. Mr. Kirby says the town was named by Alif Goff, a very early settler here, who came to Bourbon County from Uniontown, Pa., and who lived at Uniontown when the town was laid out in 1858. ...

Well, it's that time of the year again -- my favorite holiday -- Thanksgiving. Each year I have written a column for The Fort Scott Tribune about things I am thankful for. It is the easiest column that I write each year because I have so many things to be thankful for...

Harold Dean Simpson, age 79, resident of rural Arcadia, died Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kan. He was born Dec. 17, 1932, in rural Crawford County, Kan., the son of Hubert Keeney Simpson and Etta Frances Willets Simpson. ...

Rose DeLyte Johnston, age 90, a resident of Fort Scott, died early Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012, at the Mercy Health Center. She was born on Jan. 29, 1922, in Altoona, Kan., the daughter of Austin Hines and Goldie Kirkman Hines. She married Chester Charley Johnston on Nov. 1, 1939, in Fort Scott...

Margaret C. Cox, resident of 506 East 16th St., Fort Scott, died Monday morning, Nov. 19, at her home. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main.

Jerry Michael Wright, 24, Fort Scott, was arrested at 8:16 a.m. Thursday by the Fort Scott Police Department for driving while suspended, no vehicle registration, and on a Bourbon County warrant for aggravated assault and domestic battery and is still being held at this time...

James and LeeAnna Seek, and siblings Bryceton, Isaiah, and Keagan, Fort Scott, are proud to announce the birth of their son and brother, Gaige Liam Seek, at 8:23 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, at Mercy Hospital Fort Scott. Gaige weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces at birth...

The annual whitetail deer season made its appearance on Saturday, Nov. 17 in Wisconsin. On Wednesday, Bob's brother, John, who lives on Hilton Head, S.C., arrived early to do a little turkey hunting before the deer season. On Thursday he asked if I had anything planned for Friday. ...

After the gathering, most Thanksgiving hosts find they have an abundance of turkey leftovers. Lucky you! Even if your family quickly tires of re-heated turkey, these leftovers can be counted among your Thanksgiving blessings with just a little planning. Cooked turkey freezes beautifully and can then be used in many dishes for a quick, easy meal. This is especially nice with the busy holiday season upon us...

The city of Fort Scott offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Offices will re-open on Monday, Nov. 26. The city's brush dump site will also be closed on Thursday and Saturday. It will re-open at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27...

The Fort Scott National Historic Site will be closed Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday. Visitors may explore the fort grounds during daytime hours, but the buildings and visitor's center will not be open, a news release said. Administered by the National Park Service, the historic site commemorates Fort Scott's role in the opening of the west, Bleeding Kansas and the Civil War. Normal operating hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no charge to enter the park...

Mercy Clinic has announced that Leigh Scharff, advanced practice registered nurse-family nurse practitioner, has joined the practice full time as of Nov. 12. Scharff's primary responsibilities include nurse practitioner coverage at Mercy Clinic locations, including the two Mercy Convenient Care clinics...

Purchase of a rubber tire excavator may have to wait a little longer than Bourbon County Commissioners had hoped after the unsealing of bids on Monday revealed that the cost of the equipment would exceed the amount budgeted for the machine. Commissioners had originally budgeted $75,000 for the excavator, but the lowest bid opened Monday during the regular commission meeting was still $4,500 above that for a 1995 Cat M318C with 2,680 hours of use from Foley Implement...

Plans are in the works for two of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce's annual holiday events -- the Dolly HollyDay tours, which runs Dec. 13-22, and the Light Up Fort Scott decoration contest. On the tours, which start at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. nightly each evening except for Sunday, passengers will board Dolly the Trolley to view area homes lit up and decorated for the Christmas season and are entries in the annual Light Up Fort Scott contest, as well as a few local favorites...

Hundreds of people turned out for some holiday shopping and fun during the fourth annual Fall Extravaganza hosted by the Fort Scott Middle School Very Involved Parents (VIP) organization Monday evening at the school. The shopping event, which featured nearly 60 local vendors selling a variety of products including jewelry, baked goods, homemade gifts such as crafts, jewelry and scarves, and decor, serves as a fundraiser for the school, sixth-grade teacher and event coordinator Stephanie George said.. ...

The November meeting of the Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees got off to a contentious start as resident Jim Scott urged the panel to consider the incomes and economic picture of Fort Scottians before any future decision to raise the mill levy is made...

Sophomore Austin Danner led Fort Scott Community College's men with 25 points Saturday afternoon. But the two that mattered most came from 16 feet out at the right wing with six seconds left in a battle with Wentworth Military Academy at Arnold Arena, breaking a tie and giving the Greyhounds the lead for good...

Molly Foster Berry Chapter of National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution met at the First United Methodist at 1 p.m., Friday, Nov. 16. Donations for the Project Patriot were packaged to be sent to Fort Dodge Soldier's home. Also, Bernita Hill presented a receipt for labels she sent to Bacone College...