Stories from Saturday, November 14, 2009

Charlyne L. Wilson, 76, of Fort Scott, passed away, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, at her home in Fort Scott. Charlyne was born on Dec. 28, 1932, in Kansas City, Mo., daughter of Charles L. and Hazel E. (Radford) Maupin. She attended schools in Butler, Mo. Charlyne married Joseph D. Wilson, on May 17, 1950, in Huntsville, Ark. They were happily married for 53 years until he preceded in death on July 4, 2003...

Thomas Lee Davis, 70, of Nevada, formerly of Englevale, Kan., died at 1:57 p.m., on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, at K.U. Medical Center, in Kansas City, Kan. Mr. Davis was born on Oct. 28, 1939, at Pittsburg, Kans, the son of Thomas and Hazel Janes Davis. Tom was reared in Englevale and attended Englevale and Arma grade schools. He graduated from Arcadia High School in 1957. He was a star basketball player...

The Columbia Piano Trio, all trained at the Eastman School of Music and all members of the music faculty at the University of Oregon, will present at concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, in McCray Recital Hall on the Pittsburg State University campus...

When families start decorating for the holidays, odds are pretty good that at least one family member is going to spend some time on a portable ladder. "Portable ladders are one of the handiest, simplest tools we use. But even though they are uncomplicated, planning and care are still required to use them safely," said Bob Schultheis, natural resource engineering specialist, University of Missouri Extension...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- The Fort Scott Community College Board of Trustees is expected to receive an update Monday on a FSCC program that helps eligible students while attending college. During their regular meeting at 5:30 p.m., Monday, in the FSCC Heritage Room, 2108 S. Horton St., trustees are scheduled to hear from Steve Kramer, the director of the federally-funded Student Support Services program at FSCC, a program that works to help students succeed in college...

Nevada R-5 School District Superintendent David Stephens said he was grateful to see the results of the Nov. 3 election, in which R-5 patrons overwhelmingly supported continuing the one-half cent sales tax and tax levy that was first approved a decade ago. Stephens said he felt it was a vote of confidence in the district's handling of finances but one that district officials shouldn't take for granted...

School officials in Kansas and Missouri are optimistic that a flu outbreak may be winding down -- at least for now. Nevada High School principal Thomas Moore said the first wave of the flu had not had a great impact on attendance figures. "The numbers of students with perfect attendance were down slightly and so was the 90 to 99 percent attendance but the next group down made up for that," Moore said. "Looking at attendance it appears the first wave of the flu is past."...

Nevada Regional Medical Center will be celebrating the Great American Smoke-Out, Thursday, Nov. 19, by handing out free Survival Kits for Smokers. Anyone wishing to do so may stop by the main hospital lobby at NRMC from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., to pick up the free kit. For more information call the NRMC Community Education Depart-ment at (417) 448-3622...

The Vernon County Ministerial Alliance will host a Thanksgiving service at 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 23, at Community Christian Church at 301 W. Walnut, Nevada. Open to the public.

The city of Nevada Public Works is beginning its annual leaf pickup. Twigs, bagged leaves or limbs will not be accepted. Please have the leaves raked behind the curb and not in the street. The compost site located at 702 S. Jefferson is also available to all city residence to dispose of waste items including tree limbs, grass clippings and un-bagged leaves...

Nevada High School Show Choirs recently took their show on the road, to open on the show for Neal McCoy's show in Branson. Both the Treble Effects and Soundsational Singers performed. Choir director Wes Morton said that Nevada was asked to return to the Yakov theater after they opened last year for Joe Diffie and Yakov Smirnoff. ...

IOLA, Kan. -- Three days and one player made a difference in Cottey College's rematch with Fort Scott Community College Friday afternoon as the teams met in the Citizens Bank Classic at Allen County Community College. Valencia Kelly, Fort Scott's leading scorer, did not dress out, apparently still feeling the effects of a head injury she suffered a week ago. ...

Editor's note: This letter was written in tribute to former Nevada High School head football and wrestling coach Larry Hurst by Roger Shafer. What is a great man? Society tells us that a great man is measured by his success, by what he has conquered, controlled, and dominated in his life. ...

Darrell E. Morris and Charlene (Smith) Morris will observe their 50th wedding anniversary on Nov. 25, 2009. The couple were married on Nov. 25, 1959, at the First Baptist Church parsonage by the Rev. O.V. Dodson. The Morrises are current residents of Nevada, Mo., and members of the First Baptist Church...

Susan Shopper and Corey Richardson were married Oct. 31, 2009, in The Historic Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colo. Michelle Shopper attended as maid of honor. Zack Holland served as best man. A reception followed at The Shining Ball at the Stanley Hotel...

Pfc. Gregory T. Villagomez, recently graduated from the US Army Basic Combat Training and Infantry Training as a member of the Delta Company 2nd Battalion 19 Infantry Regiment in Ft. Benning, Ga., after completing 14 weeks of vigorous physical training, discipline core values, leadership, warfare principles and skills. ...

Although we hear about Alzheimer's disease almost daily, it is still a mystery to most of us. What is it? How do you get it? Can you get over it? Here, from the Alzheimer's Association Web site, www.alz.org, is a good overview: Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder named for German physician Alois Alzheimer, who first described it in 1906. Scientists have learned a great deal about Alzheimer's disease in the century since Dr. Alzheimer first drew attention to it...

I've said a lot of goodbyes in the last 22 years and 10 months. Some were easier than others. Sometimes it was, "goodbye, see you tomorrow." Sometimes it was, "Goodbye, I don't know when I'll see you again." And sometimes it was, "goodbye, I don't ever want to see you again." The worst ones though are the ones you never get to say...