Stories from Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Dr. Ira Ellis Spencer, longtime optometrist and businessman in Nevada, Mo., recently residing in Fort Scott, Kan., passed away at 9:55 a.m. Sept. 8, 2014 at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott. He was born Sept. 19, 1926, in Walker, the son of Elmer and Martha Odessa (Gilbert) Spencer. On Dec. 15, 1945, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth (Betty) Nadine Simpson and she preceded him in death on June 10, 2012. Together the couple became parents of three children...

Loren Dean Ward, age 84, a former resident of Uniontown, died Tuesday, Sept. 9 at the Guest Home Estates in Fort Scott. Services for Loren Ward will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott.

During their first meeting of the school year, USD 235 board members heard from two groups who want help funding special trips. FFA leaders and agriculture teacher Kevin Gleason asked the board for help with potential expenses for the 2105 FFA Denver educational trip...

USD 234 Superintendent Bob Beckham said district officials are in "full-scale informational" mode regarding a proposed $40.8 million bond issue that will go in front of voters in November. Beckham briefly discussed the proposed bond issue with USD 234 Board of Education members during their Monday meeting. ...

Motorists may want to take note of school zone changes currently being put in place by the Fort Scott Police Department. The FSPD is changing the afternoon hours when officers monitor school speed zones on roads throughout the city. The previously posted hours, which were 2:45 to 4 p.m., will change to run from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. due to the school day running longer than in the past...