Stories from Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Misty, Anthony, Kaleigh, and Kirryn Biby, of El Dorado Springs, are proud to announce the birth of their son and baby brother, Kaiden Michael Biby. Kaiden was born on Oct. 9, 2007, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and measured 20 inches...

Roy Eugene "Gene" Shields, 69, Moundville, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, near Osceola, Mo., due to a boating accident. He was born Oct. 24, 1937, in Vernon County, Mo., to Leroy Shields and Waneta May Shieids. Gene married Joann Milburn on Jan. 18, 1963, in Miami, Okla., and she survives of the home...

Linda Marie Grate, 61, Nevada, died Friday, Oct.19, 2007 at Mercy Health System, Fort Scott, Kan., following an illness of several weeks. She was born Jan. 24, 1946, in Gardenia, Calif., to James R.. Henning and Theo Margaret Kerschmer Henning. Linda was born and raised in California. She came to this area about 10 years ago and spent the remainder of her life here. She made her living as an over the road truck driver. She loved horses and was an avid fisherman. She also was a fan of Nascar...

Crossroads Community Church is set to host a parenting seminar aimed at “tweenagers” age 9-12. The event, “Leaving Cute, Entering Cool,” is to be held at Osage Prairie YMCA on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Speaking at the event will be Judy Ann Mumford. Mumford obtained a doctorate in family studies from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Since graduating in 2001, she has toured the nation speaking to parents about rearing children in the 21st century...

The Department of Veterans Affairs is searching for former prisoners of war who may not be getting the benefits they deserve. According to Nevada’s veterans’ service officer Bill Gillette, VA officials estimate that about 25,000 former prisoners of war are still alive today �" about 600 from the Vietnam War, 2,100 from the Korean War and the rest from World War II. ...

A potenial scam involving income tax has come to the attention of the Missouri Department of Revenue. Director of Revenue Trish Vincent said the department has received multiple calls from taxpayers who said that a person identifying himself as “Shane” asked for bank account and routing information so the department can return overpayments of income taxes. The phone number left to call is in the 204 area code �" in Canada...

A Vernon County man drowned just days before his 70th birthday in a boating accident at Truman Lake. According to a report from the Missouri State Water Patrol, Roy Shields, of Moundville, drowned trying to retrieve a boat that got away from him and a friend, Joe Sloniker, who were unloading it Sunday at approximately 4 p.m. The wind caught the boat as it was being unloaded and pushed it into the stream at the Brushy Creek access on Truman Lake...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. �" As the spookiest day of the year approaches, the Missouri State Fire Marshal wants to help ensure parents and kids have a safe and fun Halloween. “Our number one priority is reducing fires in the state of Missouri and we encourage everyone who celebrates Halloween to use the following safety tips to prevent injuries. Homemade costumes in particular can present a fire hazard if not made with flame-resistant fabrics,” said State Fire Marshal Randy Cole...

HARRISONVILLE -- Nevada displayed tremendous heart and composure to post a pulsating 17-25, 25-23 25-22 comeback victory over Pleasant Hill in a Class 3 District 12 volleyball semifinal match Monday night at Harrisonville High School. Third-seeded Nevada handled sixth-seeded Clinton County 25-14, 25-11 in the district opener Monday...

A recent newspaper article provided a lurid account of how Tom Cruise is building a special bunker in his Colorado mountaintop home “to protect his family in the event of an intergalactic alien attack.” According to the story in the London Evening Standard, Cruise is apparently “fearful that deposed galactic ruler ’Xenu’ is plotting an evil revenge attack on Earth.” I have to admit, I’m not up on the latest news about Xenu’s revenge attack �" I’m still trying to figure out who the celebrities are on “Dancing With the Stars” �" but this time the media have really crossed the line.. ...

The following letter contains references to sexuality. Reader discretion is advised. Opinions expressed in this forum reflect the opinion of the writer and are not the opinions of this newspaper or its staff. The quibble that dare not speak its name...