Stories from Saturday, March 8, 2008

James Lynne Ramsey, 87, of Fort Scott, died Friday morning, March 7, 2008, at the Medicalodge Nursing Home. He was born Aug. 1, 1920, in Uniontown, Kan., the son of Dr. Arch L. and Nellie Dean (Kelly) Ramsey. He married Helena E. Greenfield, his college sweetheart, on April 26, 1942, in Garland, Kan. She survives of the home...

Reva Wisdom, of Mapleton, Kan., Kaylee Jane Wisdom. Kaylee was born at at 10:10 a.m., on Thursday, March 6, 2008, at Mercy Health Center, Fort Scott. She weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces. She joins a sister, Krystal Ann Wisdom. Maternal grandparents are Homer and Deloris Wisdom, Mapleton, and Wanda Wisdom, Darlington, Mo...

Franklin C. Davis Sr., age 82, of Lamar, Mo., passed away at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at Landmark Hospital, in Joplin, following a three month illness. Franklin was born Sept. 29, 1925, in Mullins, S.C., to Samuel Lester and Lula Mattie (Nance) Davis. He was a D-A3 supervisor at the State Hospital, in Nevada, retiring in 1985. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and was a United States Navy Veteran of World War II...

Edward Leigh "Bud" Penniman, 83, of Fort Scott died Friday morning, March 7, 2008, at the Guest Home Estates, in Fort Scott. He was born May 27, 1924, in Fort Scott, the son of James Brown and Kathryn Johnston Pratt Penniman. Mr. Penniman attended Fort Scott schools graduating in the High School Class of 1941. ...

Richard and Bobbie Koppa, and big sister Addison, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Aiden Robert Koppa. Aiden was born at Olathe Medical Center, Olathe, on Wednesday, Feb.. 27, 2008. He weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces at birth. Maternal grandparents are Robert and Jo Fowler, Fort Scott. Paternal grandparents are George and Marsha Koppa, Fort Scott. Maternal great-grandparents are the late Gladys Alexander and the late Joseph Gibson...

I heard it on the NBC Evening News late last week: Warren Buffett, one of the top three richest Americans, claimed we are now, unofficially, in a Recession. And I must say I'd rather trust a self-made billionaire like Buffett, than a careless spender of our money like George W., whose sole achievements as our two-term President have been largely negative. ...

In his book, "Rules of the Red Rubber Ball," Kevin Carroll talks about encouragers in our life: Sustaining your life's work cannot be done alone, and you must build relationships with people who have a genuine interest in you and appreciate your commitment. ...

Hi neighbors. This week I'm starting something new, being a facilitator at a discussion group for people who are caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer's. I don't claim to be an expert on Alzheimer's or the myriad problems involved in caring for a person with that disease. ...

The Quaker Oats Company, which purchased the Aunt Jemima Mills Company in 1926, has announced a recall on some of its Aunt Jemima products. Due to potential salmonella contamination, Aunt Jemima Pancake and Waffle Mix: Original, Original Complete and Buttermilk Complete are being recalled, according to information on the Quaker Oats Company Web site, www.quakeroats.com...

The Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review awarded the city of Fort Scott $6,000 to help hire a preservation consultant to help them further their quest to create a national registered historic district downtown. The city is currently proposing a grant project to compile information, photographs and surveys of downtown buildings for historical significance in the hope of creating the historic district, which has been talked about for years in Fort Scott...

NEVADA, Mo. -- Public transportation for people with disabilities will still be available after the city's contract with the Vernon County Ambulance District ends on March 31, Nevada City Manager Bill McGuire told the city council during their meeting Tuesday night...

What does it take to be a teacher? According to District 4 Kansas State Rep. Shirley Palmer, "it takes someone who is willing to touch the future." This quote, she acknowledges, was paraphrased from one made by an astonishing teacher back in the mid-1980s. The teacher was Christa McAuliffe, the first civilian chosen for space travel. McAuliffe once said, "I touch the future. I teach."...

"Branson on the Road," a touring show direct from Branson, Mo., is coming to the Fox Playhouse in Nevada, Mo., at 7 p.m., March 21-22. With more than 20 years of experience of performing at the top theatres in Branson on the famous 76 Country Music Boulevard, this is the first touring show named for the city of Branson...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott Community College's baseball team started off conference play on the right foot with a sweep of Highland in a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference-Eastern Division doubleheader at Lions Field Thursday. These games were originally set to be held at Highland but bad field conditions there prevented that. The teams then agreed to swap their home dates, with the April 10 doubleheader originally set for Fort Scott switched over to Highland's home field...

Nevada High School baseball practice is under way and senior first baseman Kyle Hughes has a clear idea of what a successful 2008 season will look like. "District champs," Hughes quipped before practice Wednesday. Winning district would be a far cry from Nevada's 2007 season when it won its first two games only to go 3-10 for the rest of the season, finishing 5-10. ...

One of the best hunting trips of the year came last week while waiting for the trout opener. While hunting for shed antlers, I saw at least 13 different species of game. First off, as I stepped off my back porch, and heard a turkey sound off. So, I looked in it's direction and counted more than 40 turkeys at the edge of my pond while all the while snow geese were passing overhead,...

Jack Thompson, Clinton, is a trout angler who hasn't missed an opening day at Bennett Spring in more than 30 years and this March 1 was no exception. He joined more than 3,000 other trout anglers for the annual opening of what many anglers say is the unofficial opening of the fishing season in Missouri...

A multi-state, multi-jurisdictional methamphetamine and pseudoephedrine drug task force bust on Wednesday resulted in 36 arrests between Kansas and Missouri, including the arrest of an area high school's athletic director. Mitch Warmbrodt, 46, the athletic director of Butler High School was arrested at approximately 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, for purchasing more pseudoephedrine than allowed by state law -- more than 9 grams within 30 days...

Erma T. Wilcox, 89, went meet her Savior on Thursday, March 6, 2008. She was born August 5, 1918 to Laud T. and Rose B. Taggard Metcalf in Springfield, MO. Erma married Keith Cowden Wilcox, February 6, 1935. To that union she bore four children, Shirley Joanne, Keith Jr., Gary Porter and Thomas Michael Wilcox...