Stories from Friday, January 18, 2008

Opal Helen Smith, 81, Nevada, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008, at Barone Alzheimer's Care Center, Nevada, following a lengthy illness. She was born Feb. 17, 1926, in Montevallo, Mo., to Loyd James Shafer and Bertha Ellen Richey Shafer. She married Elza Smith on Oct. 19, 1946, in El Dorado, Kan., and he survives of the home...

My Grandfather's desk was a place of enchantment for me as a child. Even today all these many years later, it still evokes clear and familiar memories. The lamp that brightened the workplace had a base made of what appeared to be brass. At the top of the stand was a horizontal cylinder glass shade of the most brilliant green. ...

In 2000, Missouri was a haven for meth, likely the top producing state in the country. Drug production and related incidents were on the increase. Flash forward to 2008. Missouri has made huge strides in our state's fight against meth, in large part due to the Missouri Sheriffs Meth-Amphetamine Relief Team -- also known as MOSMART. Meth-related incidents have declined more than 40 percent and anti-meth legislation has successfully reduced meth production in Missouri...

Dear editor: January 22, 1973, was no ordinary day in history. News ran rampant. A ceasefire in Vietnam was just one day away. The U.S. Ambassador to Haiti was kidnapped. A deadly siege at a Brooklyn sporting goods store ended. The world's worst airplane crash (up to that time) occurred in Nigeria. ...

The Cottey College Comets rolled by the Baptist Bible College Lady Patriots Thursday night. The Comets, led by Brittany Smith with 20 points, dominated the game in almost all categories, outscoring the Lady Patriots 79-58 in the game. They were led on the offensive side by Elizabeth Wagoner with 6 rebounds and on the defensive end, Brittany Smith hauled in 9...

Several hundred Nevada High School wrestling fans yelled and cheered as Nevada's wrestling team demolished the Webb City Cardinals 52-19 to win their sixth dual meet of the season and their second conference win of the season, while losing only one dual meet to Southwest Conference rival Carthage...

The Vernon County University Extension Council has announced that now is the time to participate in the election of council members, which is slated to begin today. The extension council is responsible for helping to secure funds, hire staff and give guidance in the extension programs in Vernon County...

The recent wreck of a pickup truck into a train locomotive near Milo got the attention of Bill Thornton, Nevada firefighter and volunteer for Operation Lifesaver, a national program to help increase railroad safety. Thornton said that when he looked at the accident report there were no obvious contributing factors to the wreck. The man, Eddie Hassey, was fairly young at 39, it was daylight on a clear day and the crossing was not obstructed...

The Vernon County Collection Office reported smooth operations after ending the busiest part of its debut year as a countywide collector of personal property and real estate tax payments. Previously, Vernon County utilized 20 township collectors who were responsible for the collection of tax payments only in their township. ...

A thief broke into the Nevada High School, ate a pie and went home. Unfortunately for the juvenile his actions were caught by the school's security system and he was identified. He broke in at approximately 4:15 a.m. and ate Mrs. Dryer's pumpkin pie, which was left over from Thursday's Matwarming dinner, then left at approximately 5 a.m...