Stories from Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Jewell LeRoy Smith, Jr., age 76, a resident of Girard, Kan., passed away Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg, Kan. He was born Aug. 19, 1948, in Fort Scott, Kan., the son of Jewell LeRoy Smith and Myrtle May Baker Smith. Jewell grew up in Fort Scott and graduated from Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College. ...

On June 7, 2025, Helen Rife went to join our Savior and her soulmate, Sam. Helen was born Nov. 9, 1938, to Leslie (Pete) and Bertha (Perry) Fuhrman at Fort Scott Mercy Hospital. Helen graduated from Blue Mound High School in 1956. She went on to attend Iola Junior College, then later graduated from Pittsburg State University in 1961 with a teaching degree...

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Craig Marshall McKenney, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. Craig, age 72, of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away on June 4, 2025, at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, Minn. Born on Oct. 23, 1952, in Lawrence, Kan., he was the son of Lloyd James McKenney and Myla O. McKenney, who preceded him in death along with his cherished daughter, Parker Lea McKenney...

Interviews for the Fort Scott Community College president applicants will begin this week. FSCC received 32 applications for the position and reviewed the resumes and CVs of each candidate. From this group, the board and Greenbush selected seven semifinalists who participated in a one-way interview process, submitting recorded responses to a series of predetermined questions...

The Bourbon County Commission will form an advisory committee to help commissioners through budget season. On Monday, commissioners approved a motion by Commissioner Mika Milburn-Kee to form a committee that will be called the Board of Bourbon County Commissioners Advisory Board. The committee will operate under a set of bylaws and commissioners will accept letters of interest until June 16...

Fort Scott City Commissioners on June 3 outlined the timeframe for their work on setting the city’s 2026 budget. After Ben Hart with BakerTilly discussed the upcoming budget timeline, commissioners agreed to keep a similar schedule as last year with workshops planned for August...