Stories from Saturday, May 14, 2011

Donovan Carrol Ball, 76, of Kansas City, Kan., died Thursday, May 12, 2011, at the Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Merriam, Kan. He was born on Sept. 26, 1934, near Centerville, Kan., the son of Forrest Donovan and Cecile Louise Knight Ball. He attended school at Keokuk and Centerville. He graduated from Parker Rural High School in 1952...

Catherine (Cathy) L. Tuttle, 53, Independence, Mo., died Friday, April 29, 2011, at the Kansas City Hospice House after a long battle with cancer. Cathy was born on June 5, 1957, to Carl L. and Ginger Hickman Rogers. Inurnment and remembrance will be held at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, June 5, at Sheldon Cemetery, Sheldon, Mo...

Lee Ellen Alexander, 77, a former resident of Fort Scott, Kan., and more recently of Lansing, Kan., died Friday, May 13, 2011, at her home in Lansing. Services for Lee Alexander will be announced by the Cheney Witt Memorial Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kan...

Elden H. Corban, 75, of Nixa, Mo., formerly of Butler, Mo., died on May 10, 2011, at his home. The family will receive friends Friday, 7-8 p.m., at the Heuser Funeral Home, Rich Hill, Mo., with cremation following. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association in care of the Heuser Funeral Home, Box 42, Rich Hill, MO 64779...

Meghan and Abel Miranda, and Anna Marie, of Nevada, are proud to announce the birth of their son and brother, Jovani Alexis Lazaro Miranda. Jovani was born at 8:19 a.m., May 5, 2011, at Neavda Regional Medical Center, Nevada. He weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 19.5 inches...

Mike and Cheryl Combs along with Stewart and Carla Guss announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their children, Brooke Nicole Combs and Devon Stewart Guss. Brooke, a graduate of Fort Scott High School, is a student at Missouri State University pursuing a degree as a physician's assistant. She is employed by Outback Steakhouse...

Announcement is made of the engagement and approaching marriage of Brittney Sprague to Seth Meiwes. Brittney is the daughter of Max Sprague, of LaHarpe, Kan., and Raye Sprague, of Walker, Mo. Seth is the son of Gene and Karen Meiwes, of Iola, Kan. Brittney is a graduate of Crest High School and Allen Community College in Iola. She will graduate from Pittsburg State University in December with a degree in history education...

Heidi Walker and Peter Villa, both of Juno Beach, Fla., will be married on May 28, 2011, in a 5 o'clock ceremony at the Walker Family Farm in Uniontown, Kan. Heidi is the daughter of Jessie and Theresa Walker of Uniontown. She grew up in Bourbon County, Kan., and received an Associate of Arts in Business Administration in 2008 from Kansas City Metropolitan Community College-Blue River Campus...

Robert and Kristina Weisensee, of Walker, Mo., celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary on May 13, 2011, with an intimate gathering of their children, close family and friends. Robert and the former Kristina Wilson were married on May 13, 1995, in Springfield, Mo. They are parents of four children...

Bethany Jill Balk and Drew Cotten Liles exchanged wedding vows on April 2, 2011, at the First Christian Church, in Rich Hill, Mo. Parents of the couple are Larry and Debbie Balk, of Rich Hill; and Doris and Gregg Rice of Brownwood, Texas, and Jim and Vicky Liles, of Nevada, Mo...

John and Frances Lewis of Schell City, Mo., will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary with a reception hosted by their family at the Schell City Community Building on May 22, 2011, from 1 to 4 p.m. Friends and family are welcome. The omission of gifts is requested...

The Vernon County jail recently had an influx of prisoners from Jasper County, because that county's jail was woefully overcrowded, but an effort to house those prisoners in the Vernon County jail instead was short-lived. Sheriff Ron Peckman said that there were about 20 prisoners being held in the jail at the request of Jasper County Sheriff Archie Dunn, but all of the prisoners were sent back to Jasper County at the first of May...

Several personnel resignations and transfers were accepted during a special meeting of the USD 234 school board Friday. The non-renewals were funded by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This is the last year that funding will be provided, Business Manager Tiffany Forester said...

Calling all travelers! Readers of school age will travel the globe this summer as the Nevada Public Library presents "One World, Many Stories" during their summer reading program. Children will explore places from Australia to Russia through stories, crafts, art and food. The 2011 Summer Reading Program is open and free to all Vernon County young people who have finished kindergarten. The program runs through sixth grade...

More than 80 people from various countries are now naturalized United States citizens following a ceremony Friday afternoon at the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Eighty-seven applicants were sworn in at the public ceremony conducted by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas as part of its year-long 150th anniversary celebration. The event attracted about 300 people, including those in the ceremony and their guests and numerous local residents...

NEVADA -- The Nevada Multisport Club, Osage Prairie YMCA and On My Own, Inc. encourage summer health, fitness and safety by offering a Kids' Fun Triathlon and Bike Rodeo. The Nevada Multisport Club and the Osage Prairie YMCA are presenting the Second Annual Kids Fun Triathlon May 21. ...

When I had my garden spot plowed recently, I was reminded of my uncle, Sam White, who never used an artifical lure, but caught lots of fish. Sam would follow any plow in the neighborhood to pick up worms that were uncovered by the plow and could often be found with a potato fork digging his own. The fork was always with him on a fishing trip just in case he ran out of bait...

NEVADA -- Cottey College head basketball coach Dave Ketterman has signed two more players to play for the Comets next season. Jessica Holland of Everton, Mo., a 5' 9" forward, averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds, 3.9 steals, 3.6 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game for her team. In her career at Everton, she scored over 1,500 points and hauled down over 1,100 rebounds. She was named First Team All-Conference and First Team All-District three times each...