Stories from Saturday, March 5, 2011

Mary Ione (Catherwood) Balk, 92, of rural Walker, Mo., passed away March 3, 2011, at Barone Alzheimer's Care Center in Nevada. She was born July 22, 1918, near Metz, Mo., the daughter of John Wray and Bernice Marie (Swarens) Catherwood. Graduating from Metz High School in 1936, Mary immediately began her teaching career at Belvoir, a county school with six students near Schell City. ...

Jean Smith, 67, of Elsmore, Kan., died Friday, March 4, 2011, at her home. Services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, March 7, at the Coffel-Schneider Chapel, Pleasanton, Kan. Visitation will be from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, at the Chapel. Contributions are suggested to the Jean Smith Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home...

February 17 Brian G. Bliss, Nevada, failure to maintain lane. Justin M. Duncan, El Dorado Springs, Mo., excessive noise-stereo, driving while suspended. Thomas E. Smith, Nevada, no proof of insurance. Rachelle R. Talley, Nevada, speeding 42/30. February 18...

The Bourbon County Arts Council will open the 19th Annual Fine Art Exhibit and Sale with a reception honoring the artists and juror at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Scottish Rite Temple, 110 S. Main St. Artists from Kansas and Missouri will have their work on display and for sale in this multimedia exhibit...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- The Bourbon County Republican Central Committee plans to meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday, in the Administration Building at Fort Scott Community College to consider applicants for the county's register of deeds position. The purpose of the meeting, in the Heritage Room, is to hold a convention to elect someone to be appointed by Gov. Sam Brownback to fill the vacancy left by former Bourbon County Register of Deeds Sharon Elder, who has resigned, effective April 1...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- The old Fort Scott Middle School was the site of excitement Friday morning as police arrested four local men for shooting off fireworks from the roof of the vacant building. According to the Fort Scott Police Department, Fort Scott residents Kevin Don Richwine, 32, Matthew Scott Trotter, 27, Rusty Ray Lalman, 26, and Tilly Erin Wilkinson, 27, were arrested at 2:17 a.m., Friday, by the Fort Scott Police Department and charged with obstruction of legal process and criminal trespass. ...

Osceola, Mo. -- The Colonel John T. Coffee Camp No. 1934 will be holding its 11th annual Confederate Heritage Dinner on April 30, at the Assembly of God church in Osceola, Mo. This year's guest speaker will be Master Sgt. Paul R. Petersen, an award-winning author and educator who lectures on the Missouri-Kansas Border War. He is a member of the William Clarke Quantrill Society, the National James-Younger Gang Association, and the Sons of the American Revolution...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri payrolls added 7,600 new jobs in January, while final statistics for 2010 reported a net gain of approximately 1,000 jobs for the state, according to data released today by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. ...

Beginning Monday, March 28, Cottey College students, in partnership with the city of Nevada Parks and Recreation Department, will teach a six-week series of free, creative movement classes for children in grades K-3. According to Jo Byrnes, assistant professor of dance at Cottey College, MASH (Movement Activities for Smarts and Health) classes will provide activities that combine physical health with cognitive learning. ...

On My Own will be hosting a Look Good... Feel Better Class, Tuesday at 10 a.m., at 428 E. Highland, Nevada. Look Good ... Feel Better is an American Cancer Society class for ladies receiving active cancer treatment. All participants receive a free makeup kit, turban and wig, all donated by the American Cancer Society...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Power politics have come to the foreground in the 96th General Assembly's review of proposed legislation to change the way medications are prescribed and provided. The Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons has thrown its weight behind Senate Bill 236, but Vernon County representatives say the plan faces tough opposition from Express Scripts of St. Louis and other pharmacy benefits managers...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott Community College freshman Jolee Sharp, a graduate of Fort Scott High School, earned Honorable Mention status on this year's All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College-Eastern Division team. Sharp was honored after leading the conference in steals with 4.1 per game, finishing 10th in rebounds with 7.4 per game and 11th in scoring at 13 points per game. Among just players from the Eastern Division, she was sixth in rebounds and sixth in scoring...

PARSONS Kan. -- The Second Annual U.S. Army MO-KAN Classic All-Star Senior Wrestling Dual is set to be held at 6:30 Monday night at the Labette Community College gymnasium here. The Missouri-Kansas border competition will match up 34 wrestlers...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- The Fort Scott Community College volleyball roster continues to grow as Coach Lindsay Hill added another commitment recently, bringing the total to nine for the 2011 season. The latest signee is Erika Getz, a 5' 9" outside hitter from Parsons, Kan. Getz attends Parsons High School and was coached by Megan Mantooth. She participated in volleyball, basketball, and track and was also a member of FCA, Key Club, Sports Club and was President of SADD Club...

PAOLA, Kan. -- Top-seeded Ottawa ended the season for Fort Scott High's girls in dominant fashion here Friday night with a 46-31 victory in the semifinals of the Paola Class 4A Sub-State Tournament. The Cyclones (18-3), ranked No. 8 by the Kansas State Basketball Coaches Association, were the more aggressive team and used that to build a 13-4 lead after one period of play as Jordan Baldwin scored 8 of her game-high 22 points...

Fort Scott, Kan. -- Sixth District Judge Mark Ward, right, presents Bourbon County District Court Clerk Karen Paddock, left, with a certificate of appreciation from the Kansas Supreme Court Friday morning. Paddock retired Friday after nearly 31 years in the office. ...

Students participating in the Character Education, After School and the Future Business Leaders of America programs at the Bronaugh R-7 school present several boxes of items to Sergeant Chris Haynes of Moundville, Mo., on Thursday. Students in grades K-12 collected various food items, magazines, toiletries, bug spray, socks and many other things for Sgt. ...

Paul and Betty (Burns) Hixson of Wichita, Kan., will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary at a reception hosted by their granddaughter, Krista Hall, on Saturday, March 12, in Goddard, Kan. The Hixsons were married March 11, 1946, in Canadian, Texas. They have four children...

Keith and Georgia Thomas, Lawrence, Kan., will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary with a family dinner. The couple were married March 11, 1951, in Pawnee Station, Kan. The couple have two children, Dwayne K. Thomas and wife Elisa of Kansas City, Kan., and Debbie L. Harrison and husband Bruce of Louisville, Miss. They have six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren...

Ken and Edee (Thomas) McCoy, of Schell City, Mo., will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house hosted by their children on March 19, at the Schell City Community Building from 2 to 5 p.m. The McCoys were married Feb. 19, 1961, at the Harwood Baptist Church...

Bill and Shirley Rainey, of Nevada, announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Marissa Rainey, to Michael Steele, son of Mark and Christie Steele, of Springfield, Mo. Marissa graduated from Nevada High School in 2001 and Pittsburg State University in 2005, with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She is employed by TEKsystems in Overland Park, Kan., as a professional recruiter...