Stories from Wednesday, February 11, 2009

It was a great surprise to me when Steve Moyer, Nevada Daily Mail reporter, called me and informed me that Governor Nixon has proposed cutting funding to the University of Missouri Extension Service by 50 percent. A cut might have been expected and has happen frequently during the past 30 years, but not 50 percent at one time...

Mary J. Wille, 78, Nevada, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009, at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada following an illness of several months. She was born Dec. 20, 1930, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Arthur Adam Kneller and Iona Lena Isley Kneller. She married Vernon Wille on May 20, 1954, in Lawson, Mo., and he preceded her in death in April 1991...

Larry Schmidt, 68, Nevada, was taken to be with his Lord Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009, at Moore-Few Care Center in Nevada. Larry was born in Hosmer, S.D., to Ludwig Leopold Schmidt and Clara Lacher Schmidt on June 28, 1940. Larry attended Hosmer grade school until the eighth grade, at which time the family moved to Igloo, S.D., and Larry went on to attend three years at the Assumption Abbey in Richerton, N.D., returning to Igloo to attend his senior year. ...

Billy Jack Coverdale, 23, Brunswick, Ga., passed away on Nov. 1, 2008, in Brunswick, Ga. He was born April 4, 1985, in Massilon, Ohio, to Jack Howard Coverdale and Sandra Louise Forbis Coverdale. Billy was born in Ohio and spent his younger years in Vernon County. He had resided in Georgia since 1998. Billy was an electrician by trade. He was a Civil War Buff...

The Hume Hornets added another strong road victory to their record as they squared off against the Vikings of Lakeland on Friday, Feb. 6. Cameron Hinton led the offensive effort for the Hornets with 23 points as Hume rolled their way to a 65-45 victory. Ryan Austin and Cody Franklin broke into double figures in the contest as well, finishing with 15 and 11 points, respectively...

The Nevada Middle School seventh grade boys' basketball A team opened up their trip to the Tri-County tournament at McDonald County with a strong victory over Joplin North Monday night. The Tigers showed a dominant performance throughout the game, taking the victory by a very one-sided final score of 61-10. Two Nevada players broke into double figures on the night, led by Grant Wolfe with 14 points. Lane Ketterman wasn't far off that total as he finished the night with 11...

Sheldon R-8 school's two high school teams and their junior high team beat out 54 teams and earned an invitation to the Missouri State LifeSmarts competition by successfully fielding on-line questions about real-life marketplace issues. LifeSmarts, a consumer education competition that challenges teens in grades 6-12 about personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights and responsibilities, is a program of the National Consumers League. ...

The Vernon County Relay for Life Committee hosted an Open House Birthday Party to celebrate "25 Years of Hope" on Monday, Feb 9, in the YMCA Meeting Room. Committee members, team captains and members and survivors gathered to have some finger foods and punch, cake provided by Daylight Donuts and ice cream compliments of Highland Dairy, while discussing upcoming activities in this year's Relay for Life...

The Corporation for National and Community Service honored Cottey College today with a place on the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to America's communities. Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement...

The Paola Panthers took a 54-43 win over the Nevada Tigers Tuesday at Paola, Kan. Parker Richardson racked up 21 points in the second half on his way to a game-high 29 points. Nevada's record is 5-16. Nevada's Lady Tigers also fell to the Lady Panthers, 73-38. ...