News

Wilma Elizabeth Wallis Dark died June 25, in Olney, Texas, at the age of 96. She was born July 5, 1920, in Albany County, Wyo., to Helen Elizabeth Sander and William Nickolas Wallis. She married Clarence Victor Dark on Nov. 27, 1937, in Glenwood Springs, Colo. They moved to Missouri and purchased a farm in Vernon County where they raised four children: Rosalee, Carol Ann, Mary Ellen and James William. In 1976, they retired to El Dorado Springs. Wilma moved to Olney, Texas, in 2004...

Vernon County 4-H Sport Fishing held their annual fishing derby at Walton Lake Saturday morning. “We teach them there are other things to do than watch TV,” project leader Clayton Garwood said. The derby was open to any Vernon County 4-H member between the ages of 5-18, divided into junior and senior divisions...

Reported gains in cash on hand provided positive news amid the negative financial numbers reported at Monday’s meeting of Nevada Regional Medical Center’s Finance Committee. For a number of months now, the scariest number in NRMC’s balance sheet has not been the monthly losses. Those losses have been high, stubbornly persistent and of real concern...

Ironman World Champion. Ultraman World Champion. USAT Paratriathlete of the Year. These are but a few of the titles, distinctions and honors held by Washington native and paratriathlete André Kajlich. “It took two years and four attempts, but I’ve realized the dream,” Kajlich writes on his website. “Finally, I qualified — and just received the official invite — to compete in Race Across America as the first ever solo hand-cyclist!...

Preacher, Firefighter, Veteran, on Tuesday Deerfield’s Bill Smith will add another title: retiree. He has been the pastor at the Deerfield Church of God Holiness for almost four decades and has served as chief of the Deerfield Fire Department for the past two decades...

Gary Tolle from Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline Inc. briefed the Local Emergency Planning Committee on Southern Star’s distribution network and natural gas safety Wednesday. “Pipeline ruptures are very rare,” Tolle said. “It’s much more common to have damage by someone that didn’t call 811, damage by an excavator or boring company …”...

Chloe Bartlett is in the process of taking the next big step in her budding modeling career. The Nevada High School class of 2017 grad, and Miss Missouri Teen USA first runner-up last September was chosen as one of seven finalists to become the next Jovani IT Girl...

Wednesday’s meeting of the Northeast Vernon County R-1 school board focused on school breakfast, the gym floor and the upcoming budget. Children need a good breakfast in order to be able to concentrate and learn in school. Student participation in breakfast at each of NEVC’s two campuses could be improved, especially at the elementary school in Walker...

The city of Nevada is currently replacing the irrigation system at the Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf course at a cost of about $666,387.98 and when the project is finished the course will see a reduction in water usage and in the man-hours it currently takes to irrigate the course...

On Monday, Judge Dean Dankelson issued a full order of protection on behalf of Lillian M. Davis against local attorney, Dustin W. Dunfield. On Tuesday afternoon, Dunfield filed an appeal with the Western District of the Missouri Court of Appeals. The appeal lists five issues which are expected to be raised. ...

The petition audit of Vernon County Ambulance District began Monday, and at a Tuesday evening meeting, Missouri State Auditor’s Office Audit Manager Deborah Whitis explained how the process works to the board of directors and assembled audience. “We were petitioned under section 29.230.2 of the Revised Missouri Statutes,” Whitis said. ...

Wednesday morning and early afternoon saw overlapping planning meetings for the Vernon County Youth Task Force and the Youth Enrichment Services student committee at Nevada R-5 high school. Held at On My Own, with some people in attendance at both meetings for a total of 4.5 hours, the VCYTF focused on a single issue while the YES committee set dates and topics for five events across the coming school year...

Brandon Lukenbill, 33, of Nevada, was shot and killed after an altercation following a lengthy pursuit involving a Vernon County Sheriff’s Deputy Wednesday morning according to Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Shawn Griggs, Division of Drug and Crime Control...

A suspect was shot and fatally wounded following a high-speed pursuit and altercation with a Vernon County Sheriff's Deputy early Wednesday morning. According to a press release from the Vernon County Sheriff's Office, a deputy was involved in a high-speed pursuit. At the end of which, the deputy and suspect were involved in a physical altercation. During the altercation, the deputy fired his weapon and the suspect was fatally wounded...

The first day of fireworks sales was Tuesday. The school uses the stand as a fundraiser, this year it will benefit new uniforms and renovations for their new trailer. The stand is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from June 30 to July 4 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 5...

While Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, the season itself began for those of us in the central daylight time zone at 11:24 p.m. Tuesday night and if the calendar isn’t enough of an announcement, just step outside — you will feel summer’s presence...

David Munton, presiding judge of the 28th judicial circuit and David Heumader, court administrator for the circuit sat down Monday for a review of the courts as a new funding year is set to start on July 1. The judge and administrator spoke about significant cuts in funding for adult recovery court, addressed concerns about modern day debtor’s prison and changes made in the administration of the court...

The Nevada City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, at 7 p.m., at the City Council Chambers. Mayor Pro Tem Ryan Watts called the meeting to order and invited Gary Almquist to lead the invocation. Carol Branham took part in the public participation portion congratulating Mayor Brian Leonard and Nevada Police Officer Marcus Champion on their recent awards. She then went on to tout two upcoming events being hosted by the Nevada Housing Authority...

Thursday night, the Bronaugh R-7 school board received an extensive lesson on school funding, modified its policy on fundraising by the senior class, approved changes to the district’s four handbooks, approved bathroom renovations and in closed session, approved a 2.5 percent increase to the base of the district’s salary schedule...

Late on Friday, Judge Dean Gerald Dankelson entered an order of protection against Dunfield based on testimony given about a June 6 incident in Dunfield’s driveway and his June 8 conduct at a restaurant. Following a Friday morning hearing in Vernon County’s associate circuit courtroom, late that day, Dankelson, issued a full order of protection on behalf of Lillian M. Davis against Dunfield...

On June 16, Nevada Police took one subject into custody following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in the 600 block of North Hoffman Street. Nevada Police had responded to this location on June 5, for a reported disturbance at the residence. During that investigation, officers discovered suspected illegal narcotics and items commonly used in the distribution of illegal narcotics...

“How much money does Medicare lose each hour to fraud,” Brian Henning, team coordinator of the Missouri Senior Medicare Patrol, asked those attending a “Scamboree” Friday morning at the Nevada Senior Center. The Scamboree was co-sponsored by the Missouri SMP and the Care Connection, to provide area seniors with information to protect themselves from scam artists trying to steal their personal information...

A difficult profession and Vernon County’s rural setting create recruiting challenges for Vernon County Ambulance District “Back then we averaged maybe four runs a day,” director Leland Splitter said referring to when he started in 1989. “We had a lot of days that you didn’t have anything.”...