Stories from Tuesday, January 11, 2005

By Marc Powers Nevada Daily Mail JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Ushering in the first Republican-dominated Missouri government in 84 years, Gov. Matt Blunt vowed immediate change after his inauguration Monday as the state's 54th governor. In ending 12 years of Democratic control of the governor's office and bolstering the Republican majorities in the General Assembly, Blunt said Missourians mandated a new direction and tone for state government...

By Steve Moyer Nevada Daily Mail Stuttering is a problem that sometimes starts as soon as a child starts to speak and can cause problems their entire life but there is help for the parent who looks for it, sometimes as close as their child's school. Under federal law, public and private schools must provide special education services such as speech therapy to children who need them...

By Nancy Malcom Nevada Daily Mail Jim Long, herbalist and historian spoke at the January meeting of the Vernon County Historical Society Sunday at the Bushwhacker Museum. A Missouri native, Long held an interest in plants and particularly herbs since he was five years old. ...

By Steve Moyer Nevada Daily Mail Firefighters responded to an alarm at the home of Brian and Lorie Hansell Monday at 2 p.m. Brian Hansell was upstairs taping drywall when the fire alarm went off and everyone in the house evacuated. "We were upstairs when the fire alarm went off," Hansell said. "We all got out into the back yard."...

Heather Morgan and David Serna, Nevada, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Ella Olivia Serna. Ella was born at 11:24 p.m., Dec. 28, 2004, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces, and measured 19.5 inches. She joins three sisters, Emalea, Bailey and Isabel. ...

Mr. and Mrs. Andy Williams, Nevada, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Weston Ray Williams. Weston was born at 8:35 a.m., on Jan. 4, 2005, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and measured 20 inches. He joins a brother Wyatt Andrew Williams. ...

Susan Amelia Arndt Smith, 98, Rich Hill, died Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005, in Nevada. She was born Feb. 24, 1906, in Clarksville, Ark., to Gustav Fred and Sarah Ann (Clymer) Arndt. She married Leonard Oren Smith on Aug. 4, 1926, in Rich Hill. She was a farm wife. She belonged to the Sprague Community Club, the Sprague Church and the Rich Hill First Christian Church...

William Darrell Foster, 45, Nevada, died Sunday, Jan. 9, 2005, at his residence following an illness of several months. He was born June 24, 1959, in Oneida, Tenn., to Eugene Foster and Kathleen Landrum Foster. He grew up in Oklahoma. He graduated from high school in Richmond, Mo. He has been a partner with his brother Carl in Foster Brothers Siding in Nevada, for the past 17 years...

How Missouri funds public education will be one of the toughest issues in the legislative session that began last week. The current system is broken. But that may be the only point regarding education funding on which there is consensus. Adding pressure to the school-funding situation is a statewide lawsuit brought by dozens of districts who want a judge to force the legislature to act. ...

100 years ago: Master Masons at school of instruction here Grand Lecturer Allan McDowell, of St. Louis, is conduction a lodge of instruction in Masonic Hall for the benefit of the Masonic Lodges in Vernon and Barton counties. Sessions will be held tonight and tomorrow morning, afternoon and night. This is an occasion of much interest to Masons...

By Joe Warren Nevada Daily Mail Overcoming a nine-point deficit in the second half, the Nevada Lady Tigers won the championship game of the Carthage Lady Tiger Invitational, beating the host team for the second straight year for the title. The 46-43 victory was the third win in four seasons for Nevada in the Carthage basketball tourney, and their fourth overall in the 10-year history of the event...

By Joe Warren Nevada Daily Mail When your tallest player is 6-3, you are going to have problems matching up with a player that is 6-7. That is what happened Saturday when the Nevada Tigers visited Warrensburg. Nevada coach John McNeley was given the daunting task of trying to find a way to stop a guy who had at least four inches on any player he could put on the floor...

Nevada Daily Mail The Hume boys beat Northeast Vernon County in basketball Friday, 62-56 during the Hornets homecoming game. James Salters scored 19 points to lead the Hornets while Justin Wehar had 16 and Clayton Brooks scored 13. The game went into overtime with the score tied at 50. Wehar scored seven of his points in the extra period to get the Hornets going...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Peyton Manning spends countless hours inside his home theater, poring over game footage and scouting for advantages. To Manning, it's all part of the job. On Monday, he was rewarded for his diligence, his attention to detail and his record-breaking season by winning his second straight Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award...