Stories from Saturday, July 7, 2007

By Crystal D. Hancock Herald-Tribune Nevada, Mo. -- Drinking and driving is a serious issue among not just Americans, but all around the world. A perfect example of this is the vehicle accident that occurred Sunday, June 24 on U.S. Highway 71 just outside of Nevada. ...

By Ralph Pokorny Herald-Tribune Nevada, Mo. -- History buffs with internet access are in for a treat. They'll love the assortment of Revolutionary War documents that footnote.com. through a partnership with the National Archives, will have available for free for the first time during the month of July...

A driver of this truck attempted to cross a low water crossing at the south end of Farlington Lake on June 30. The truck was washed off the road and wedged against a tree. The driver, Randy Bauder, 17, of Frontenac, and a passenger, Theola Kinnard, 17, of Pittsburg, climbed onto the cab, according to the Crawford County Sheriff's Office. ...

By Jason E. Silvers Herald-Tribune UNIONTOWN, Kan. -- Organizers of the Second Annual Food, Fireworks and Fun event on July 3 are calling the Independence Day celebration a huge success. The event, which is sponsored by two area businesses and one global company, was organized by the Uniontown Park Improvement Committee and conducted last week in an effort to raise money for projects that will upgrade facilities and equipment at Uniontown City Park, located in the city's downtown area...

By Michael Glover Herald-Tribune ARMA, Kan. -- Fort Scott native Al Combs will start as Arma Police Chief on July 18. Combs said he wants the department to be progressive and increase training for it officers. "I want people to be trained up to the standard," he said...

Mike Farran, Nevada, flew above Vernon County Friday morning in an ultralight aircraft, and a bird's eye view gives a new perspective to the devastation in flooded areas of the county. North of Nevada, a broad expanse of water still covers many acres of farm land and portions of some rural roads near Schell City, although all four lanes of U.S. ...

Hi neighbors. We should all have the water poured out of our boots by now. Now that it's over we'll have the flood of '07 to talk about for a few years. I do hope none of you lost your homes or livestock to the flood. Floods always take something away with them -- and leave a lot of mud and yuck behind...

You know how some people use the expression "top drawer" to denote quality or real distinction? Examples: "His new Brooks Brothers jacket is sure top drawer," or "Check out that tall blond crossing the street. Is she top drawer or what?" No, you probably wouldn't hear either one near Cottey, but where I grew up, pre-feminist era, you heard the expression all the time. And I plan to challenge its legitimacy. There's nothing special about "top drawer."...

Bob and Alberta Hagenson, of Nevada, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 1, 2007. The Hagensons were married at St. Mary's Church in Nevada by the Rev. White in 1957. The wedding party consisted of Patsy Campbell, Nevada, Mo., and Arlean Dobeak, Stanley, Wis., as bridesmaids. Bestmen were Richard Groves, of St. Louis, and Charles Burrow from Arkansas...

Raymond and Betty Brooks, of Joplin, Mo., will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on July 22, with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Community of Christ Church, in Joplin. The couple's six children are hosting the event. Raymond and the former Betty Feagins were married July 20, 1947, in Fort Scott, Kan. They are the grandparents of 22 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren...

By Joe Warren Herald-Tribune KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- As the Royals approach the All-Star break it is becoming increasingly apparent that this is a different team than graced the Kauffman Stadium field the past few years. While the Royals continue to hold down the AL Central cellar with a 36-50 record following Friday night's loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, a closer inspection at the numbers says this young team is improving...

It is always a shock to pick up a newspaper or hear a TV or radio report on the death of another retired ballplayer who somehow got old on me when I wasn't looking. And so it went when I read on June 5 that Clete Boyer had died. What shocked me more than anything else was the fact that he was 70 years old...

With all the rain this spring and summer, I had thought of planting rice in my garden and it looks like it might have worked. Lakes and streams in the state have been high and flooded fields and high water have caused many people misery. However, when I think about it, by this time last year my garden had burned up and the drought had caused many other problems for a lot of people...

One of the most feared ways of being wounded during the Civil War was being "cut" by an edged weapon such as a cavalry saber or bowie knife in hand-to-hand combat or worst of all being "run through by a bayonet. According to "Mr. Webster" a bayonet is " a detachable daggerlike blade put on the end of a rifle for hand-to-hand fighting." A sharply pointed bayonet attached to the end of a rifle was and is used today to stab the body of an enemy soldier with one or more fierce thrusts! Normally, during the Civil War bayonets were used by the "Infantry Soldiers" (or "walk-a-heaps": American Indian nickname for Infantry) attached to the end of their long muskets or rifles. ...