Stories from Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Gary Francis Coffman Jr. "Chip", age 51, Pleasanton, Kan. passed away Sunday April 7, 2013. He was born on Jan. 15, 1962 at Steubenville, Ohio, the son of Gary Francis Coffman and Mary Beth Grigsby. He graduated from Jayhawk Linn High School in the Class of 1980. ...

Beatrice Mae Johnson, age 77, died Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at the Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, Mo. Services for Beatrice Johnson will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott.

Clifford Peterson, age 84, resident of Redfield, Kansas, died Saturday, April 6, 2013, at his home. His wishes were to donate his body to science. No services are scheduled at this time. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott...

The USD 234 Board of Education dealt with a number of issues during its regular monthly meeting on Monday, but those given the lion's share of attention were matters relating to district finances. Superintendent Diane Gross reemphasized that the district is looking to decrease staff through attrition (retirements and resignations), rather than staff or program cuts and as part of that process, lobbied to reopen options for early retirement for staff. The board approved the idea...

Perhaps you saw a man walking on US Hwy. 54 Monday, heading east, with his American flag blowing in the wind atop his backpack. The walker, B.J. Timoner, of Albuquerque, N.M., is on a mission to increase awareness of pancreatic cancer. He started at the Santa Monica Pier in California 96 days and 1,600 miles ago and his journey will end in Bethpage, N.Y. at the end of June...

There is a secretive population in Bourbon County that are making their homes in cars, abandoned buildings and tents set up in parks and along the river. They are Bourbon County's homeless and because of their secret lifestyle, they are more numerous than most people realize, according to Jay Preston, executive director of My Father's House Community Services...

Fort Scottians came up big Saturday, raising almost $10,000 for two families with children who are going through treatments for leukemia. Sixth grader Hunter Hawley was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006 and was treated at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. ...

The spring weather season in Kansas means there is often the potential for a dangerous thunderstorm or hailstorm like the one that hit Bourbon County Sunday evening. Bourbon County Emergency Manager Terri Coop said Sunday's storm should serve as a reminder to be ready and have plans in place. Area residents should keep themselves informed and be prepared...

Lavon Hill is happy to be 100. "Everybody has been so good, it almost pays to be 100," Lavon Hill said. The centenarian celebrated during a reception in her honor at Scott View Apartments. "She is a girly girl. She always wears jewelry, gets her hair fixed every week and loves to go to movies and the theater," said her niece, Ruth Lybarger of Iola...

Uniontown USD 235 Superintendent Randy Rockhold presented the first phase of his iPad implementation plan to the district board during its regular meeting on Monday night. He said more information will be presented to the board during the May meeting, when he plans to ask the board to approve the plan...

For two hours on Saturday, Tri-Valley Developmental Services opened its doors to the public in an effort to raise money for its horticultural therapy program and in doing so netted more than $5,000 during its biannual Tri-Valley Gardeners Christmas Auction at TVDS, 4305 Campbell Dr...

PITTSBURG -- Fort Scott High's junior varsity softball team took both games of a doubleheader here Monday by scores of 13-1 and 15-5. The games were originally scheduled to be played at Don Hewett Field but moved to Pittsburg due to field conditions. The Tigers batted as the home team in both games...

OSWEGO -- Uniontown's baseball team dropped a pair of Three Rivers League games here Monday night. The opener went just three innings before the run rule put a stop to Oswego's 18-2 win. The Eagles led the second game 3-1 after 3 1/2 innings but the Indians rallied for a 6-3 win...

The box score from Tuesday evening's game might deceive those who see it. Fort Scott High out-hit host Nevada 10-6 and put an army's worth of runners on base. But the Tigers were unable to score as the hosts won 4-0...

Fort Scott High School pitcher Kyenne Wade probably didn't realize just how special her effort as the Tigers' starting pitcher in the opener of Tuesday's doubleheader at Don Hewett Field was. The sophomore retired the first 10 Parsons batters in order, walked two batters, hit one and struck out 15 as she threw a no-hitter in a 10-0 victory...