Stories from Thursday, December 16, 2021

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Thursday announced that the state Health and Environmental Laboratories has found the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in one Kansas resident. The Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories are screening all current positive PCR COVID-19 samples received at the lab to look for a specific genetic characteristic that would indicate the Omicron variant. ...

Rachel Marie Hall, age 52, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, at her home. She was born June 17, 1969, in Fort Scott, the daughter of Harvey Wayne Hall and Barbara Louise Taylor Hall. Rachel enjoyed listening to music and spending time with her family and friends. She was also a great fan of the Kansas City Chiefs. Rachel will be remembered for her fantastic fried chicken...

Nellie Ann Hall, 83, Nevada, Mo., passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, at Nevada Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. Nellie was born Oct. 11, 1938, in Galveston, Texas, to John E. and Daisy I. (Felton) Swait. She married Raymond “Pete” Hall on May 1, 1958, in Nevada, Mo., and he preceded her in death on Jan. 28, 2020...