Stories from Sunday, January 4, 2004

Hi neighbors. I trust that by now, all the revelers are up to a cup of strong coffee and a "to do" list. 2004 is here and all those things we put off doing till "next year" are now at our door. Last year my only resolution was to make no resolutions. Since the year went by pretty fast, I thought I'd stick my neck out this year and set one or two goals that involve some changes in my life...

I've just received and read an interesting book to review from the periodical Library Journal. It's called Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to their Children, and the introductory and explanatory material was written by Dorie McCullough Lawson, daughter of the noted American historian David McCullough...

100 Years Ago -- January 4, 1904 Governor Dockery has renewed the reward for $200 for the arrest of the parties who robbed the Bronaugh Bank and killed Constable Wm. Moran. The renewal of the reward tends to show that the officers must have some clue to the guilty parties...

Ray Garland Smith, 81, Nevada, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003, at Moore-Few Care Center, Nevada, Mo. He was born Sept. 14, 1922, in Harwood, Mo., to Claude C. Smith and Virginia Lee Francis Smith. He married Myrtle Ina Stueart on Sept. 14, 1947, and she preceded him in death on July 14, 1972. He later married Virginia Sue Rogers on June 24, 1973, and she preceded him in death on Jan. 4, 2003...

Clara Jeanette Foster, 96, Lamar, Mo., died Friday, Jan. 2, 2004, at Barton County Memorial Hospital following a lengthy illness. She was born March 30, 1907, near Jerico Springs, Mo., to Simon Peter Collins and Lillie Hunter Sears Collins. She was married in Stockton, Mo., Aug. 11, 1923, to Eddie Lawrence Foster who preceded her in death...

JANUARY n The Nevada Lady Tigers, the No. 2 seed, finished second to the Carthage Lady Tigers in the Lady Tiger Invitational at Carthage, Mo. Nevada lost 60-35 to Carthage which went on to a fourth-place finish in the Missouri Class 4 State High School basketball championships...

The Missouri Association of Drug Court Professionals has notified a member of the Vernon County Adult Drug Court that his entry in a contest to develop a logo for the State Association was selected as the contest winner. The winning entry was announced following the Dec. 4 MADCP Board Meeting...

Colbin Gilmore, 2, enjoys the slides at Walton Park and unseasonably warm temperatures Friday afternoon with his mom, Cheri, and his dad, Levi. Although wind gusts blasted through the area at about 30 mph, the afternoon temperature hovered at around 70 degrees. Nick Wright/Herald...

For about a week now, Nevada has had some rather special visitors. A pair of trumpeter swans have been hanging out in an old corn field across the highway from the movie theater, taking a short rest on their migratory route. These birds, which may weigh up to 30 pounds and have a wingspan of 7 feet, were nearly hunted to extinction by the late 1800s because their skin was used to make ladies' powder puffs and the pristine, white feathers were used to make hats...