Stories from Saturday, April 24, 2010

Funeral services for Tommy "Tom" Dean Allen, 63, of Cleburne, Texas, will be conducted at 2 p.m., Monday, April 26, 2010, in the Rosser Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Randy McLelland officiating. Burial will follow in Greenacres Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, April 25, at the funeral home...

Amber and John Palmer, of Milo, and siblings Johnathan, Brenton and Kiersten are proud to announce the birth of their daughter and baby sister, Caitlyn Diane Palmer. Caitlyn was born at 4:42 p.m., on April 20, 2010, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and measured 20 inches...

Heidi and Robbie Duncan, of Sheldon, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Casyn Jae Michael Duncan. Siblings are Kyler Duncan and the late Jae Boyd. Casyn was born at 4:05 p.m., on April 20, 2010, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and measured 19 1/2 inches...

Karrie Brown and Chad Robbins, or Rich Hill, and big sisters Haleigh, Layla and Kiahna, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter and baby sister, Rylie Lynn Robbins. Rylie was born at 4:36 p.m., on April 16, 2010, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She weighed 5 pounds, and measured 18 1/2 inches...

Hi neighbors. There is good news this month for the living and the dead here in Vernon County. The "2010 Vernon County, Missouri Cemetery Directory" is finally available! Nancy Thompson, Neoma Foreman and at least 30 volunteers from the Tri-County Genealogical Society contributed thousands of hours over the past six years to get this tome completed. The work is published by the Vernon county Historical Society...

It wasn't like that with Clayton Coots's father J. Fred. Seeing "The Selected Songs of J, Fred Coots," a somewhat dusty and worn-looking 33-rpm record, in one of the record-holding bins at Plaza Record Store, in Larchmont, one summer afternoon, I began to wonder if the man really did write pop songs, as Ned Bellamy, one of our next door neighbors' sons, had told me when the two of us were wrestling disruptively, one sunny summer afternoon, in one of the Coots' front yard gardens...

Chief Seattle, delivered this speech in 1854 -- one year before a great treaty-making council between Indian tribes and the U.S. government. The government proposed that reservations be established and although several tribes opposed this, treaties were signed: each of the tribes was to select its favorite home valley as its reservation. Three months later, war broke out...

A celebration to honor the 50th wedding anniversary of Joe and Shirley Winter, of Richards, Mo., will be held May 2, 2010, from 2 to 5 p.m.. at the Richards Community Building. Friends and family are welcome. Memories and stories are the only gifts desired...

Announcement is made of the 60th wedding anniversary of Betty (Lay) and Bernie Guilfoyle, of Omaha, Neb., formerly of Kansas. The Guilfoyles were married June 11, 1950, in Mound City, Kan., and are parents of two children. Cards may be addressed to: Guilfoyles, 13436 Westwood Lane, Omaha NE 68144...

The family of Kenneth Lee and Rosemary Lalman, Mapleton, announce the couple's 50th wedding anniversary. A celebration event will be held in the Good News Center at First Baptist Church, 118 North Forest Ave., Chanute, Kan., Sunday, May 30, 2010, at 2 p.m. Open to all...

Bob and Becky Burney, of Schell City, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Brittany Burney, to Steven Tarchala, son of Marc and Keri Tarchala, Overland Park, Kan. Brittany graduated from Pittsburg State University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in communication, with an emphasis in photojournalism. She is employed as a graphic designer with Captured Images Inc. in Fort Scott...

Mike and LaDanta Bush, of El Dorado Springs, Mo., announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter, Amber Brannan Mikenzie Bush, to Brandon Joe Beltram, son of Larry and Jan Beltram, of Fort Scott. Grandparents of the bride are Kenneth and Charlene Broughton of El Dorado Springs. Grandparents of the groom are Elmer and Ella Judy, of Fort Scott...

Jo and Gary Herrmann, of Girard, Kan., formerly of Fort Scott, announce the engagement of their son, Garth Herrmann, to Kieu Nguyen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nhien Nguyen, of Wichita, Kan. Kieu is a graduate of Wichita East High School, the University of Colorado, and will be a spring 2011 graduate of Wichita State University with a degree in audiology...

Michelle Worthington and Darrill Mize, of Nevada, announce their plans to marry on May 29, 2010, at the Franklin P. Norman Community Center in Nevada, Mo. The bride-elect is the daughter of Lula Bradley of Nevada. The prospective groom is the son of Bobby and Kelle Mize of Tulsa, Okla., and William and Rosemary Blaylock, of Cameron, Okla...

Wayne and Teresa Prewitt, of Walker, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachel Prewitt, to Alex Fetters, son of Kevin and Jessie Fetters, of Lee's Summit, Mo. An Oct. 9, 2010, wedding is planned at Cottey College Chapel, Nevada. The bride-to-be is a 2005 graduate of Nevada High School and a 2009 graduate of Missouri University of Science and Technology where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering. ...

Doniele Kane, a spokesperson for the the Kansas City Southern Railway Company said a tie gang will be in the Vernon County area making improvements to crossings from Richards to Kansas City. On Monday, April 26, the crossing at H Highway near Richards will be closed for this work; and on Tuesday, April 27, the crossing at V Highway near Stotesbury will be closed for this work. ...

Daryl Roller will soon leave behind a 10-year career at Fort Scott Community College. The director of development at FSCC, who recently announced his retirement, began working with the college 10 years ago after a rewarding career working in sales for a local business forms and labels company. After leaving that job, Roller decided to spend the remainder of his working years in a position of public service to the community...

A federal district judge ruled April 15 that a law passed by Congress in 1952 authorizing the President to designate a national day of prayer is unconstitutional. Judge Barbara Crabb ruled on the case, filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Congress established the day in 1952 and in 1988 set the first Thursday in May as the day for presidents to issue proclamations asking Americans to pray...

INMAN, Kan. -- It was announced Thursday at the Kansas Sampler Foundation headquarters that the Fort Scott National Historic Site has been named a finalist in the 8 Wonders of Kansas History contest. More than 170 historical locations were nominated for the contest and only 24 were chosen as finalists. According to a statement by the Kansas Sampler Foundation, the 24 finalists will compete for votes from the public, hoping to make it into the top eight...