Stories from Saturday, March 22, 2008

Robert S. "Huck" Rogers, 87, of Columbus,, passed away Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at Medicalodge, of Columbus. Huck was born Sept. 21, 1920, in Nevada, the son of Robert F. and Maggie (Dahmer) Rogers. He was an Army veteran of World War II and received a Purple Heart for injuries incurred in "The Battle of the Bulge." After the war he worked for the P & M Coal Company, retiring after 32 years. ...

Jack Eldon Grubb Sr., 71, of Fort Scott, died 5:10 p.m., Thursday, March 20, 2008, at Girard Medical Center, following a short illness. Jack was born March 16, 1937 in Fort Scott, the son of William McKinley "Sam" and Iva Leora (Bolling) Grubb. He grew up in Fort Scott, and attended area schools. In 1954 he enlisted in the National Guard 109th Artillery Unit and recieved his discharge in 1956...

Betty J. McQueen, 83, of Nevada, passed away on Friday, March 21, 2008, at Moore-Few Care Center, in Nevada. She was born Aug. 21, 1924, in Nevada, to Lyle Baker and Suzie Bell Baker. She was married to Forrest Neil McQueen on Dec. 11, 1945, in Fort Scott, and he survives of the home...

Shanece R. Graham, of Fort Scott is proud to announce the birth of her son Treyveone Keiondre Graham. Treyveone was born at 6:09 p.m., on Thursday, March 20, 2008, at Mercy Health Center, in Fort Scott. He weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces. Maternal grandparents are Sharrita Graham, of Pittsburg, and William and Donna Graham, of Joplin. Maternal great-grandparents are Elizabeth Ferguson, of Grove, Okla., and Ella Mae V. Grant, of Fort Scott...

Ruby Myrtle Peoples, age 96, a resident of Fort Scott, died Wednesday, March 19, 2008, at the Mercy Health Center, in Fort Scott. She was born Dec. 29, 1911, in Bourbon County, Kansas, the daughter of Thomas Clifford Johnson and Marietta Jones Johnson. ...

John H. Morris, 82, of Deerfield, Mo., passed away on Friday, March 21, 2008, at Nevada Regional Medical Center, following a sudden illness. He was born on Dec. 3, 1925, in Arcadia, Kan., to John Robert Morris and Della May Garrett Morris. He married Elena Largo on July 20, 1991, in Dipolog City, Phillipines, and she survives of the home...

Hi neighbors. Happy Easter! I hope you have time to celebrate (or not) according to your own religious or spiritual beliefs. Isn't it wonderful that we live in a country where we can choose what religious holidays to honor and which religion to accept as our own? Even having no religious affiliations is a choice we in America have that some people in other countries do not have...

When I was young enough to be taking courses in American history, from high school to graduate school, one of the unquestioned truths I absorbed about our governance system was that "no matter how brainless or dishonest the man we elect President, it doesn't really matter, because the American political system is strong enough to keep on ticking regardless, on automatic pilot, as it were, until a competent fellow comes along." The cases in point were usually Presidents Ulysses S. ...

In 1907 health officials showed up at the doorstep of one Mary Mallory. They took her to a doctor's office where they ran a series of tests. It had been determined that each family she had worked for as a cook, sickness soon followed. She earned the dubious distinction of being known as "Typhoid Mary."...

At the age of 47, Russell Johnson is learning to read. Johnson, a client at Tri-Valley Developmental Services, meets once a week with TVDS Life Enrichment Supervisor Desa Arnold to practice reading using the Laubach Literary Program, a reading program provided to the agency through Fort Scott Community College...

Nevada, Mo. -- The Vernon County Sheriff's Office has released the name of a man who was fatally shot in eastern Vernon County Wednesday night, in a mobile home near the small town of Dederick. Jimmy Duncan, 47, Neosho, was shot once in the right side of his chest and once in the left abdomen after a reported argument grew out of control. Alcohol is believed to have provoked the fight between himself and the shooter, according to the Vernon County Sheriff's Office...

"When you see the looks on their faces, it makes it all worthwhile," said Darlene Tweten of the VFW Post 2175 Ladies Auxiliary. The auxiliary, along with post members and the men's auxiliary, work tirelessly to help men and women in the service and to help veterans of all ages. One of their favorite activities, Tweten says, is collecting and sending boxes full of treats and other items to the troops overseas...

FORT SCOTT -- When Bourbon County Emergency Preparedness Manager Laura Hyer accepted a position in Shawnee County, the Bourbon County Commission began the hunt for Hyer's replacement. According to Bourbon County Clerk Joanne Long, the open position generated about 13 applications from interested people. ...

The Missouri National Guard is currently preparing for its largest deployment since World War II. Approximately 1,000 citizen-soldiers from more than 300 communities across the state will be deploying some time around June or July, to support the NATO-led Kosovo Force Mission...

Dylan Harreld has been skateboarding for close to three years now but only recently found a way to channel his passion into a cause that touches people's lives. Harreld is involved with Skate 4 Cancer, a non-profit Canadian organization that aims to raise cancer awareness by putting on skateboarding shows across Canada and the United States at hospitals and music venues. ...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- New Fort Scott High School baseball coach B.J. Pruitt seems to be having a lot of fun as he takes over the Tiger program from Jeff DeLaTorre this season. We say that because he uses that word to describe his experiences so far. In fact, it would also be evident that he doesn't feel any pressure in taking over the team as indicated by the fact that he never used that word in describing the job...

As the sky lightened on Saturday morning March 15, boats were lined up along the bank of the Osage River near Osceola waiting to kickoff the 2008 snagging season for the strange- looking fish called spoonbill. Just a few minutes after hitting the water, Kent Davis, Warrensburg, called out," I got one." After a 15 minute battle, Davis hauled in a 46 pound fish, only his second fish in 4 years of snagging. "If it didn't cost so much, I would have that fish mounted," he said...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Alvin Metcalf isn't bragging when he says that he expects his Fort Scott High School softball team to go back to the State Tournament this season. It's simply that, during his time as assistant coach -- and now in his second season as head coach -- the bar has been raised that high...