Stories from Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Vernon County Soil and Water Conservation District held an open house Monday inviting landowners to come in enjoy a hot dog and other goodies, register for a free rental of a pasture renovator and learn about some of the programs the district is offering for Special Land Treatment Areas, or SALTs...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- You can save yourself some yardwork this year and do your lawn a favor by not bagging those grass clippings you mow, said a University of Missouri Extension turf scientist. "Grass clippings do not have to be removed to have a healthy, vigorous lawn," said Brad Fresenburg. ...

Officer Steve Schlup of the Vernon County Sheriff's office was quite surprised after responding to a report of an unusual phone call in which a Nevada man allegedly pretended to be him. At approximately 7:20 p.m., Jan. 30, Schlup was dispatched to a residence after Miranda Overman, Nevada, reported getting a suspicious call from a man who identified himself as Officer Schlup. ...

Editor's Note: Second year Cottey College students are visiting Rome and Florence, Italy as part of an annual cultural experience for students. While in Italy, students will learn of different cultures, and will participate in a variety of educational modules as well. Meanwhile, Cottey Public Information Officer Steve Reed is sharing his experience with readers through letters back home. This is the second of his letters...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gasoline prices shot above the $3 mark across much of Missouri this week. With the likelihood of even higher fuel prices to come, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Energy Center is renewing its "Saving Green on Gasoline" campaign, offering tips and information to help Missourians save on fuel costs...

Gwendolyn Leona "Tiny" Kennedy, 84, of Metz, passed away on Tuesday, March 11, 2008, at Moore-Few Care Center, Nevada. She was born Nov. 20, 1923, in Arcadia, Kan., to Elmer Joseph and Alice Mae Morris. She married Walter Harold Kennedy on Aug. 24, 1952, in Belle Vista, Ark., and he preceded her in death on Sept. 7, 1992...

Ashley Jenkins and Quincey Anderson, of Nevada, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Cameron James Anderson. Cameron was born at 5:26 p.m., on Feb. 28, 2008, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and measured 19 1/2 inches...

Assuming, on the basis of her Feb. 28 column, that my esteemed colleague Carolyn Gray Thornton is as fascinated by idiomatic sayings as I am, I can't help urging her to invest in "The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms" and "The Wordsworth Dictionary of Proverbs," both of which were recently offered for sale on remaindered lists for peanuts...

Helen Gast would have been the last person to want any special recognition for her life. She always preferred to stay in the background, devoting herself to her pets, flowers and family. Yet several generations of Vernon County youngsters can attribute much more than that to "Miss Helen."...