Stories from Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Merle Dean Karns, age 89, resident of Wichita, Kan., died Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, at the Robert J. Dole Veterans Hospital in Wichita. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main St.

The Valley of Fort Scott Scottish Rite Masons have officially come to what members of the organization are calling "an end of an era." Due to financial issues and other factors, the Valley of Fort Scott Scottish Rite Masons organization has moved from its longtime location at 110 S. Main St. Since the historic building was dedicated in 1926, the organization has hosted numerous monthly meetings, reunions, dinners, weddings and receptions, and several other fraternal and community activities...

The long awaited water system improvement project in Uniontown is beginning next week, barring inclement weather. Jack Lathrop, owner of Lathrop Construction of Nevada, Mo., told the Tribune they could start work Monday, Feb. 3. "We've got materials on the job site," Lathrop said...

Three-year-old Brylynn Koppa just celebrated the one year anniversary of her double organ transplant which took place Jan. 22, 2013 at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. It was a 22-hour surgery ending on Jan. 23 at 3 a.m. with two surgeons, Dr. Walter Andrews and Dr. Richard Hendrickson, performing the rare kidney and liver transplant surgery...

Recent reports from Fort Scott Middle School basketball based on statistics turned in from the coaches: The seventh-grade "A" team took third place in the Iola Tournament on Saturday. In the first round, Iola hit a 3-point shot with two seconds left in the contest for a 36-35 win. ...

MOUND CITY -- Jayhawk-Linn swept a Three Rivers League doubleheader from Uniontown here Tuesday night. Jayhawk- Linn's girls claimed a 65-41 win while the boys took a 56-50 decision. Uniontown's boys (1-2 TRL, 5-8 overall) trailed 10-4 after one period and 31-17 at the half...

PITTSBURG -- Riverton defeated Fort Scott High's boys for the second time in six days, shrugging off the Tigers' 11-0 first-half ending run to take a 38-33 win Tuesday night at John Lance Arena on the campus of Pittsburg State University. Riverton (8-1) also defeated Fort Scott, 56-52, Thursday night in the first round of the Frontenac tournament. That night, they held off Fort Scott after the Tigers rallied to cut a 25-point lead down to two...

PITTSBURG -- Fort Scott High School's girls jumped out to an 11-0 lead and never looked back here Tuesday night as the Tigers (9-3) rolled by Riverton, 65-27, at Pittsburg State University's John Lance Arena. Katren Rienbolt, who signed with Pitt State's women's basketball, cross-country and track programs, led all players with 23 points and has scored 53 in her last two outings. Ashley Cook added 18 points and has scored 43 in her last two games...