Stories from Sunday, February 5, 2006

A recent fire in the Rolling Acres subdivision sparked discussion about equipment available to Nevada firefighters for rural calls. The Nevada Fire Department has no tanker, a piece of equipment vital to fighting fires in areas with no nearby hydrants, like the fire that wholly consumed the home of Casey and Delpha Crain on Jan. 19...

Bourbon County commissioners extended the burn ban during their regular meeting on Friday. The first burn ban this year was voted on in a special meeting Jan. 4, at the recommendation of the area fire chiefs. The countywide burn ban was set in effect for seven days. Since then, several burn bans have been in effect throughout the last month...

REDFIELD --The Redfield Rural Fire Department received a new $40,500 fire truck on Thursday, an upgrade department officials said will be a vast improvement for safety in the area. The red 2006 Chevrolet 3500 four-wheel-drive Silverado pick-up truck, which was customized by Weis Fire and Safety Equip. ...

Two Bourbon County residents died early Friday morning when fire tore through their mobile home on Kansas Highway 39. Deborah K. Joles, 36, and Tabatha L. Joles, 13 -- mother and daughter -- were two of four persons inside the structure at the time of the blaze. ...

Missouri lawmakers have proposed a bill that would, if enacted, raise the state's minimum wage from $5.15 to $5.70 per hour, and it doesn't end there. The proposal by state lawmakers would raise the minumum wage to $6.50 per hour as of August 2007...

Charles W. Bertoncino, 64, of Arma died at 3:35 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 3, 2006, at Craig General Hospital at Vinita, Okla. Mr. Bertoncino was born Aug. 19, 1941, at Girard, Kan., the son of Charles and Jennie Careggio Bertoncino. Mr. Bertoncino was a school teacher, farmer, and stockman. ...

Judith Ann Quade of Carthage, Mo., beloved wife, mother, grandmother and siser passed away Feb. 3, 2006. She died in her home surrounded by loved ones after a courageous battle with cancer. Judy was born July 12, 1942, in Bronaugh, Mo., to the late Archie and Mibler Shields. On Dec. 14, 1981, she married her loving husband Leonard "Lefty" Quade whom survives of the home...

In the near future area residents will see "Building for Sale" signs on the Fort Scott Tribune, Fort Scott Countryside and the Sunday Herald-Tribune (Fort Scott office only) building located on the corner of Wall and National streets in Fort Scott. Let me be the first to say that it is ONLY the building that is for sale. ...

About a year-and-a-half ago, the Mapleton community women founded a Red Hat Society. The group meets once a month at the Mapleton convenience store allegedly to discuss business, but insiders say it is more of a chance for the ladies to have a night out and not have to cook...

We've commented before about the whiplash effect of news reports regarding health issues. One day you read chocolate is bad, and the next day you read that chocolate is good. Many medical researchers, asked which report is correct, will answer with an honest "Yes." Sound confusing? That's because you've just developed a case of health-reporting whiplash. ...

Hi neighbors. Did you avoid the "Black Worm" attack on Friday? The people who make and send out these virus and worm programs do a great deal of damage to computer systems around the world. And of course, we know who has to pay for it when big business or the government has extra expenses...

Fact: Did you know that singer Carly Simon's father Dick was one of the two founders of the publishing firm of Simon & Schuster, back in the 1920s? --- In the year 2006, I resolved to get out of my easy chair in our family room, and start exercising. ...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Despite falling into a 6-2 hole early on, Fort Scott High School's boys whipped up on Southeast Kansas League rival Columbus, 84-37, in the Tigers' Homecoming game at the FSHS gymnasium here Friday night. The Tigers (2-1 SEK, 8-6 overall) were led by Zach Quick's 22-point, 15-rebound, nine-assist night as well as 23 more points from Zach Smith, who made 10 of 20 shots from the field. Both point totals and Quick's rebounding numbers were all season highs...

EL DORADO SPRINGS, Mo. -- The Nevada Lady Tigers made a statement Friday as they dismantled the rival El Dorado Springs Lady Bulldogs, 56-26. Trying to finally put to bed any remnants of having to forfeit a 55-38 victory over the Bulldogs just 10 days before, the Lady Tigers came out strong and got better as the game went on, getting their best effort of the season from key reserves and riding the return to form of junior guard Amanda Wilson...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Even without their only senior, Krista Goltra, who still awaits a complete diagnosis on her injured right knee, Fort Scott High's girls rallied from a seven-point deficit early in the second quarter to defeat Columbus, the sixth-ranked team in Class 4A according to the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association, by a 49-33 score in Southeast Kansas League play...

UNIONTOWN, Kan. -- Uniontown's basketball teams were swept on their Homecoming night by Marmaton Valley here Friday night. Eagle girls lost to the Wildcats, 59-42, as 6-3 senior center Ashley Lord scored 36 points for the visitors. Marmaton Valley's boys took the nightcap, 65-44...

DETROIT -- Oh yeah, football. All the tributes to Jerome Bettis are done. The war of words between Joey Porter and Jerramy Stevens is over. The Rolling Stones and Motown greats will sing in harmony, and the purveyors of doom -- blizzards, traffic jams, a bleak setting -- have been silenced by good weather and good vibes from the locals...

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. -- Several teenagers face criminal charges after a bus filled with basketball players from a rival high school was pelted with rocks following a game in which a bottle of urine was lobbed into the crowd. The charges, filed Monday against 22 students from Aurora High School, range from misdemeanors to felonies. The crimes occurred when Aurora played host to Mount Vernon High School on Jan. 20...

As I look back at autumn 2005, I have to consider it the most consistently frustrating season I've experienced for -- maybe ever. By season, I mean like spring, summer, autumn and winter. You know, the four seasons. What I'm referring to is one particular NFL team known as the Kansas City Chiefs. For the first time in my life disappointment was replaced by the thought that I, and all Chiefs fans for that matter, were cheated. Cheated!...

Just going into February gets some anglers excited, including Jim Sullivan, who is a trout fisherman that has fished for rainbows in Missouri for more than 40 years. "I found out several years ago that the time for catching big trout in Lake Taneycomo is February. ...

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The Nevada Tigers played their third unimpressive game of the week as they held off the Bolivar junior varsity Friday, 56-47. Playing in what amounted to the third-place game in a four-team field at the 75th Annual Liberator Classic, the Tiger varsity jumped out to a 19-11 lead on the Liberator B-team, then played uninspired the rest of the way as they held on for the win...

Jana Lynn Smith and Elias Audu Paul Bichara were married Dec. 31, 2005, at the St. Peters Catholic Church in Joplin. Parents of the couple are Dan and Joy Smith of Nevada, Mo., and Hawa Bichara of Jos Nigeria and the late Paul Bichara. Monsignor Stephen A. Schneider officiated the ceremony; soloist Shari Barwick and pianist Susan Marek provided music...