Stories from Sunday, April 23, 2006

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- After 84 years, Frank Haynes may be leaving Fort Scott, but he's taking all of the memories from his beloved hometown with him. John Franklin Haynes, or simply "Frank" as his friends and family call him, 89, is a retired carpenter who has lived in Fort Scott since 1922. ...

NEVADA, Mo. -- Iowa has recently reported over 800 cases of mumps, mostly occurring in young adults and college age students. The disease has spread to six other Midwestern states, including Missouri and Kansas. Officials say that currently there isn't any reported cases of mumps in Vernon County...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Bourbon County officials now know what their options are in improving the water quality of Lake Fort Scott. An engineering firm has released findings from a study that outlined four options the county has to choose from to correct wastewater that drains into the lake...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting at noon on Wednesday, April 26, in the FSCC Heritage Room, 2108 South Horton Street, Fort Scott. Items on the agenda for the meeting include an executive session to discuss personnel matters dealing with the contract of an unidentified FSCC employee. Following the closed session, the board will return to open session to discuss the outcome of the executive session, FSCC officials said...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- A special meeting of the USD 234 Board of Education will be conducted at noon Monday, April 24, at the Board of Education office, 424 South Main Street in Fort Scott, Kan. The meeting was called to discuss and consider employment matters...

NEVADA, Mo. -- The deadline to sign up for Conservation Reserve Program enrollment is April 28. Land eligible for this general sign-up includes CRP acreage that expires on Sept. 30, 2006, or land not currently under a CRP contract that was either planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity in four of the six crop years from 1996 through 2001. ...

"We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give." -- Winston Churchill NEVADA, Mo. -- Moore-Few Care Center held their volunteer awards ceremony early. National Volunteer appreciation week doesn't start until the week of April 23...

First graders from Mary Love Guthrie's class listen to Nevada Public Library's Youth Librarian Martha Bledsoe describe how the library operates. Bledsoe told the children the library has books for all ages and how to tell which book is right for them...

Jeffrey Williams and Amy Ellifrits, Nevada, and Paige are proud to announce the birth of their son and brother, Timothy Ryan Williams. Timothy was born at 8:05 a.m., April 13, 2006, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 5 pounds, 15 ounces, and measured 18.5 inches...

Anna Mae Tough, 90, Nevada, Mo., died Friday, April 21, 2006, at Moore-Few Care Center, Nevada. Family information and funeral arrangements will be announced later by Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada.

Virginia L. Ulbright, 78, Nevada, Mo., died Saturday, April 22, 2006, at her residence. Funeral services and family information will be provided by Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada.

When we first moved to town in 1968, we bought a house on 23rd Street, and little did we realize how fortunate we were. Not only were there lots of young families, but there was togetherness and an extension of family for about two blocks. Our oldest was a mere 7 months when we moved in and, sometime thereafter, we had an occasion to need a baby sitter...

Hi neighbors. Quick! What's your favorite planet? Come on, you know this. Earth! There you go. Did you know this weekend is set aside to celebrate Earth? All around the globe, people took time Saturday to do their part in saving the planet. What can you do, you might ask? Since this is after all the only planet we have, we'd best figure out how to keep it healthy for a few more generations...

In her most recent letter, Helen Washburn notified Ginny and me that husband George has taken over the entire basement of their house in Columbia, Mo., and is busy with the project of modeling his sizeable miniature train layout after the environment he best remembers in Idaho. I was struck dumb by that ambition, which must include not only hills and fruit orchards and railroad stations and stores with parking lots and cars, but tiny people walking the streets...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Rosalyn Nelson won three medals Friday night as she helped Fort Scott High School's girls finish second to Labette County (Kan.) at the Fort Scott Relay at Frary Field. The Tigers scored 111 points to finish second to LCHS, making its first visit to this event. The Grizzlies scored 167 points...

CARTHAGE, Mo. -- Nevada High School sophomore Kristen Badgley qualified for state in a fourth swimming event while winning the individual title at the Cathage Pentathlon Thursday. Badgley, who is only allowed to compete in two events at the state swimming championships in May, will have her choice of the 100-yard backstroke, 100 butterfly, 100 freestyle and now the 200 individual medley, after swimming a qualifying 2 minutes, 21.45 seconds in the IM Thursday...

NEOSHO, Mo. -- Avenging an earlier loss at home, the Nevada Tiger tennis team climbed back into the Southwest Conference race by knocking off Neosho on the road Thursday, 5-4. Earning big wins for the Tigers were Ryan Kimbrough, Jake Holmes and two doubles teams, as the match was highly contested up and down the lineup...

This Monday, April 24, marks the 46th opening day of the modern regular spring turkey season in Missouri, and boy how it has changed since that first opening day back in 1960. We opened that first season in Douglas County and back then not too many hunters knew much about turkey hunting, including us. ...

EL DORADO SPRINGS, Mo. -- El Dorado Springs slipped past Nevada's golf team in a nine-hole triangular Thursday, 176-178. Playing on their home course, the Bulldogs had the lowest individual score (41 by Michael McCormick) as they aslo dropped Stockton, Mo., which shot 203...

PARSONS, Kan. -- Fort Scott High's tennis team continued its season-long run of success when it placed second to Southeast Kansas League power Independence, Kan. here Thursday. Independence scored 15 points while the Tigers had 12. Parsons, Kan. was third with seven points followed by Coffeyville, Kan. with six and Pittsburg, Kan. with none...

Lisa Pendrak signs a letter of intent to play tennis at Northwest Missouri State University Thursday. Lisa will be joining sister Gina Pendrak, who is also going to play tennis for the Bearcats after spending the past two years at Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kan. ...

NEVADA, Mo. -- Nevada playing for the fourth consecutive day had a huge impact in Friday's game against Neosho (Mo.) at Lyons Stadium. Despite jumping ahead 4-0 after three innings of play, the Nevada Tigers fell to the visiting Wildcats, 10-5. Tiger pitching was stretched thin and it started to show in the fourth inning when Nevada starter Brett Clark walked two batters with two outs. ...

Opening Day. Used in one context, it is a proper noun. Sure, all sports have their openers. But in only one sport do you have an official Opening Day. I think the reason Opening Day is so special in baseball is because it is the unofficial start of spring. It is a real stretch to link the beginning of spring with the equinox on March 20. As often as not, it's still cold and we are still in winter's icy grasp...

Phil and Becky Gragg, Nevada, Mo., announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter, Sabrina Lea Gragg, to Brian Nathaniel Nikodim, son of Darrell and Julie Nikodim of Nevada. Gragg is the granddaughter of Jim and Shirley Gragg of Nevada, and the late James and Gloria Pascoe of Nevada. ...

Raymond and Laura Paul, La Cygne, Kan., have announced the engagement of their daughter, Rachel Erin Paul, Pittsburg, Kan., to Jeffrey Dennis Pommier, Arma, Kan., son of Gary and Susan Pommier, Arma. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Blanche Paul and the late Charles Paul, La Cygne, and the late Edna Weitman and the late Ivan Weitman, LaBelle, Mo. ...

Planning to be married May 1, 2006, at Runaway Bay in St. Ann, Jamaica, are Darth Creason of Grand Island, Neb., and Eric Coatney of Pittsburg, Kan. Parents of the bride-elect are Robert and Elsie Creason of Nebraska City, Neb. The future groom is the son of Kathy and Roy Yokley of Bronaugh, Mo. Maternal grandparent is Katherine Baldus of Independence, Mo. Paternal grandparent is Earney Coatney of Independence, Mo...

Kenneth and Rosemary Lalman announce the engagement of their daughter Kacy Leanne Lalman to Robert Cole Thompson, son of Curt and Robin Thompson of Lake Charles, La. Kacy is a student at Pensacola Christian College. Robert Cole attends McNeesse University of Lake Charles, La. Their wedding will be at the Gazebo of Great West Health Care, 2801 S. Horton, Fort Scott, Kan. at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 10, 2006...

Darla Torno and Greg and Vannessa Hardy announce the engagement of their daughter, Suzanne Allene Hardy, to Gregory Scot Prough, son of Roger and Carol rough of Schell City, Mo. Bride-elect Hardy is a 2003 graduate of Stockton High School and is employed by Dairi Concepts of El Dorado Springs, Mo...