Stories from Thursday, September 30, 2004

By Ben Holman Nevada Daily Mail Gina and Lawrence Cripps, of Nevada, are going ape over their banana plants which, for the first time, have produced fruit. The Crippses received their first banana plant seven years ago from Gina's sister and brother-in-law, who live in Sand Springs, Okla., and have about 30 plants, five of which are currently producing fruit...

Second in a six-part, weekly series examining key issues in the Missouri governor's race. By Marc Powers Nevada Daily Mail JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Reform of the leadership structure of the Missouri Department of Transportation and improved accountability over the use of existing road revenue will be needed before voters can be asked to consider higher taxes for transportation, the two major party candidates for governor say...

By Ralph Pokorny Nevada Daily Mail When it comes to rebuilding the city streets the city has been obligated to whichever large contractor submitted the lowest bid to install curbs and guttering and then pave the streets. Tuesday night, the city's infrastructure committee, which decides how the city spends $400,000 from the one-half cent sales tax for transportation, voted to recommend that the city council purchase a new piece of equipment to install curb and guttering. ...

By Steve Moyer Nevada Daily Mail The annual audit performed by BKD, LLP was the main item of discussion at the Nevada Regional Medical Center board of directors meeting. The audit was performed in two parts, one concerning the operations of the hospital and one a combined audit concerning the Moore-Few Care Center and the Barone Alzheimer's Care Center ...

Tim Brazzell takes a shot at one of several targets set up at Marmaduke Park Saturday for the annual blackpowder rendezvous. The event was held Saturday and Sunday and featured re-enactors, some in period dress, shooting at metal targets at various ranges. ...

Births Ella Raquel Carlin Sara Wadel and Israel Carlin, Nevada, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Ella Raquel Carlin. Ella was born at 10:36 p.m., on Sept. 13, 2004, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces, and measured 20 inches. ...

The Blitz is on This week, history is being made in Nevada. The area's first blitz build by Habitat for Humanity is in progress. During a 10-day period, a new house is being built by the group. This is the eighth house that the local chapter has built, but it's the first to be constructed in such a short period of time. ...

Store will cause traffic problems Dear editor: This is regarding the C-3 zoning change on the busiest intersection in Nevada. Casey's was not approved due to public opinion on the traffic problems the store would cause. The same reason, many times over, would apply to the video store...

100 years ago: Tornado lifts train from track Wheeler, Kan. -- An extraordinary accident occurred near here Tuesday night. A tornado struck a Burlington route combination train and lifted it from the track, completely wrecking a half dozen freight cars and setting the passenger cars, filed with passengers, into a ditch, right side up; without injury to a single passenger. The passenger cars are 20 feet from the roadbed and are surrounded by the debris of the wrecked freight cars...

Freshman, middle school teams also win By Joe Warren Nevada Daily Mail The Nevada Lady Tigers knew going in that their match with Joplin was going to be a tough one Tuesday. The two teams had met just three days earlier during pool play of the Carl Junction tournament and they had each won a game and ended with a tie...

Nevada Daily Mail The Nevada Lady Tigers did not have long to think about their loss to Neosho on Monday, since they were back on the court Tuesday in Fort Scott, Kan. Nevada faced both Fort Scott and Neodesha, beating both teams. The Lady Tigers beat Neodesha 3-1, then came back to defeat the hosts 4-0...

Nevada Daily Mail The Nevada Lady Tigers fell back to .500 this season after dropping a 7-2 decision to Carthage Tuesday. Carthage scored three runs in the first inning and never trailed as the Lady Tigers simply could not keep up. "They just wanted more than we did," Nevada coach Chris Garzone said. "We definitely could have competed better."...

Nevada Daily Mail The Nevada Lady Tigers golfers finished eighth as a team at the Pittsburg Invitational Tuesday. Playing 18 holes at Crestwood Country Club, the Lady Tigers had some trouble with the slower greens and individually were unable to break 100...

By Doug Tucker AP Sports Writer KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Since Sunday afternoon when his Kansas City Chiefs fell to 0-3, friends of Dick Vermeil have been calling, e-mailing and sending word through mutual pals. Everyone seems to have basically the same message: Hang tough, Coach -- we believe in you...

By Ben Holman Nevada Daily Mail A phone scam that seems to have started on the Eastern seaboard has reached southwest Missouri. Vernon County Clerk Tammi Beach reported that she received information from the state election directors regarding a phone scam that may be linked to identity theft. ...

By Marc Powers Nevada Daily Mail JEFFERSON CITY, Mo -- Although Gov. Bob Holden's turbulent term as Missouri's chief executive likely will be most remembered for his bitter fights with the Republican-led General Assembly, the Democrat will leave a lasting mark on the composition of the state judiciary...

At 3:15 p.m., Wednesday, Nevada Fire Department responded to a car fire in the 300 block of East Ashland. A 1973 El Camino owned by Tracy Moore was found in flames upon firemen's arrival. No one was injured. The cause of the fire was undetermined, and the vehicle is expected to be a total loss...

The local Habital for Humanity is halfway through its first-ever Blitz Build, an effort to construct a home from the ground up in 10 days of on-site work. Above, workers take a well-deserved break on Wednesday at the contruction site on Lynn Street. Much of the exterior framing has been completed. On Wednesday, a fund-raising meal was also served, to raise money to fund the organization's next project...

By Steve Moyer Nevada Daily Mail It's been a long struggle but Ray Kannard, Bronaugh, is nearly finished with a boat he started building five years ago. Although it has been a labor of love for Kannard he stopped working on the boat, named "My Happiness," when a greater love was at risk-- his wife, Rosalie...

"What was the name of that woman who made that pretty pillow for us?" "I can't come up with it right now. I remember that her son's name was Eddie" "Yes, that's right, he became a judge, didn't he?" "Yes, Let me think -- Eddie -- Oh yes, the last name is Smith"...

Testing: Say, can you hear me now? An elderly friend occasionally gives me this advice when we compare notes on our latest aches and pains: "Don't get old if you can help it." I use the word "elderly" advisedly. In some quarters I'm sure I am lumped into that category...

In the wake of Dan Rather's apology for relying on fake documents in a report on CBS's "60 Minutes II," there are lessons that should be taken to heart. One of those lessons is for the news media. News gatherers for newspapers, TV and radio stations, magazines and the Internet face the task every day of sorting through information that is found to be reliable and information that is too questionable to be passed on to readers and viewers...

100 years ago: Smelters not to close A report was current on the streets early this morning that the Cockerill smelters in this city were to be closed this evening. The report caused a great deal of a stir among the business men and citizens generally for the smelters are an important factor in the welfare of Nevada. ...

By Joe Warren Nevada Daily Mail When the Nevada Tigers host Carthage for their homecoming game Friday, there will be a familiar theme. For the fourth time in five weeks, the Tigers will be facing a football team that has yet to lose a game. The Tigers (2-2) opened with Lamar (who had not played yet, thus still had not lost), then played El Dorado Springs (still undefeated) and after getting a break from the unbeatens with a game against East Newton, the Tigers faced (Webb City (now 4-0) and now must face Carthage (also 4-0).. ...

Nevada Daily Mail Calvary Christian School bounced back after a tough week, beating Hope Christian and Faith in volleyball Tuesday to get their record back to .500. The Lady Eagles won the first match against Hope, 25-14, 11-25 and 25-11. Sarah Hall and Sha-Ree Chevalier led the team with nine points in the win, while Rachelle Talley paced the team with four kills...