Stories from Thursday, July 10, 2008

Ricky Bryan Boyd, 54, of Nevada, passed away on Tuesday, July 8, 2008, at Freeman West Health System, in Joplin, Mo., following a sudden illness. He was born Dec. 25, 1953, in Nevada, to Murl Wilfor and Lois Mae Bryan Boyd. Ricky was born and reared in Nevada and graduated from Nevada High School. He made his living as a baker and also managed rentals for many years. He was a member of the Boy Scouts as a youth and the Eagles Lodge No. 3770...

July 7 There were reports of phone harassment in the Nevada area, an alarm in the Nevada area, a child custody matter in the Moundville area, a check well being in the Nevad area, a civil matter in the Walker area, a check well being in the Mount Vernon area, an ex parte violation in the Nevada area, an alarm in the Schell City area, fraud in the Moundville area, a wanted person in the Nevada area, a controlled burn in the Horton area, a wanted person in the Nevada area, an ambulance request in the Nevada area, property damage in the Montevallo area and trespassing in the Walker area.. ...

July 4 An accident occurred at 11:38 a.m., at the Fuel Mart Parking lot, involving a parked tractor/trailer owned by CRST Van Expedited, of Oklahoma City, Okla., and an unknown vehicle. No injuries were reported. July 5 An accident occurred at the Wal-Mart parking lot, involving a parked van owned by Jackie and Melvin Klotz, of Nevada, and an unknown vehicle. No injuries were reported...

Dear Editor: Even though a few more people are now becoming pro-immigrant, most Americans are still opposed to helping make illegal immigrants legal United States citizens. Most still favor massive deportations, an action that breaks up families and is not typical of the way our country normally acts or treats people. ...

Last Thursday was a very unsettling day for me. I had just been hostess to the Ellis Domestic Science Club the day before and was tired from all the housecleaning and planning I had done to make our meeting enjoyable and to hide all the corners I might not have gotten completely clean before my friends arrived. ...

Dear Editor: I am writing in response to the article you ran regarding the building now in progress on our community's l0th Nevada, Mo., Area Habitat for Humanity home. Thank you so much for your interest and the information you shared. It is our belief that it is because the people of the Nevada area understand the Habitat for Humanity philosophy that they are so incredibly generous and supportive of its goals and objectives...

As rain fell on the Fort Scott Middle School parking lot Tuesday night, the determination of area residents and the Youth Activity Team continued to rise as the community attempts to break an unusual world record. About 14 weeks has passed since YAT, an organization formed through the Fort Scott Visioning process and in place to seek out and assist in the realization of activities desired by local youths, announced their plans to upgrade facilities at Ellis Park in Fort Scott by approximately $4 million.. ...

Nevada native Joshua Ray Person was there during the historic first 40 days of the Iraq war, and some of his role in the effort has been chronicled, first in a book by Evan Wright -- an "embedded" reporter that traveled with Person's unit in the United States Marine Corps First Recon Battalion -- then in a mini-series to air on HBO, starting on Sunday, July 13...

It's official -- Aquila has been acquired by Great Plains Energy, which also has Kansas City Power and Light under its leadership. The official changeover will be Monday, July 14, and customers can expect one more bill with Aquila's name on the envelope once the changeover takes place...

As the Aug. 5 election approaches, candidates for the 31st District seat in the Missouri Legislature are racking up endorsements. Each announced a new group of supporters on Thursday, evidence that the campaign is heating up. Concerned Women for America Legisla-tive Action Commit-tee of Missouri "considers it an honor to endorse Rex Rector for the Senate." Rector, a Republican, is from Harrisonville...

They trot around the floor of the pavilion at the Vernon County Youth Fair controlling animals much larger than themselves. They are the Pee Wee swine exhibitors, and 5-year-old Kylie Alexander and 7-year-old twins Makinsey and Logan Conner are three such participants...

Payton Dahmer stages his sheep for the judge in one of several sheep judging categories at the Vernon County Youth Fair on Thursday. Payton came away with first place.

Brooklynn Vincent watches as judge Wade Burkhalter of Sedalia looks over rabbits during the meat rabbit judging Friday evening. Brooklynn showed several rabbits in various categories. Above, Samantha Stone, Heath Sutton, Madeline Garrett and Brooklynn Vincent watch the judge's brisk assessment of the rabbits. Meanwhile, at right, Alexis Brown's grand champion feather-legged chicken, having earned the ribbon earlier on Friday, cast a suspicious eye on the photographer...

Despite numerous roster changes and being slightly behind some of the season's goals, Griffons head coach John Hill III says he feels good about the team thus far. The Griffons are sitting on at 18-11 on the season and 12-10 in league play, tied for third in the Jayhawk League with the Liberal Beejays at two games out of first. The goal set for the team was to finish out the season with a .667 winning percentage, a mark they currently sit four games behind...

Taylor "Tex" Scotten connected for a two RBI triple in the first inning to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead which they parlayed into a 9-1 Class AA district championship game win over the Warrensburg AA American Legion team Thursday afternoon at Lyons Stadium. ...