Stories from Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Chris and Heather Crews, of Ashland, Ky., and big brother Brayden, are proud to annuounce the birth of their daughter and baby sister, Brianna Marie Crews. Brianna was born at 8:30 a.m., on Jan. 6, 2010, at King's Daughter Medical Center, in Ashland, Ky. She weighed 11 pounds, 9 ounces, and measured, 23 inches...

Joel and Chrystie Braden, of Nevada, and big brother Kellen, are proud to announce the birth of their daughter and baby sister, Cora Ann Braden. Cora was born at 8:13 a.m., on Dec. 28, 2009, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and measured 20 1/2 inches...

Merritt Clinton "Doc" Irwin, 99, of Hume, Mo., died Monday, Jan. 11, 2010, at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada. He was born June 13, 1910, to William Orlando and Berlie Maria Hanon Irwin in Nevada. Doc is survived by his wife Esther Mae Irwin of Hume; five sons, Keith Clinton Irwin and wife Linda of Hume, Braxton Eldon Irwin and wife Harriett, of Balch Springs, Texas, and Mark Wayne Irwin and wife Dorothy, Everett Ogden Irwin and wife Karen and Terry Lynn Irwin, all of Hume; two daughters, Roberlie Rene` Morales and husband Abel of Bell Gardens, Calif., and Tina Marise Conner, of Lind, Wash.; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. ...

Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a McDonald County, Mo., man was convicted in federal court today of illegally possessing firearms and explosives at his 200-acre property in southern Missouri...

The management contracts for five local license offices will be awarded using a competitive bidding process. During the process all of the offices will remain open. Requests for Proposals were issued Monday by the Office of Administration for the license offices in Joplin, Nevada, Olivette, Poplar Bluff and the Landers State Office Building location in Springfield. Individuals or groups interested in running the offices will have five weeks (until Feb. 16) to respond to the RFPs...

"There's some truth to it, but I don't have that kind of power," James McKenzie said of a rumor circulating around town that he stopped the demolition of the old First Baptist Church building, 114 W. Hunter. In actuality, the city itself made the demolition of the building a moot point by securing the building so no one can get in and pieces of the plastic covering the windows cannot fall off and hit someone...

Nearly three dozen sixth grade girls gathered in the Nevada Middle School cafeteria to hear about Internet safety from local experts, at Tuesday's meeting of the Girl emPOWERment Club. The smaller than usual group was joined by teachers volunteers and guest speakers from several area organizations...

Three hundred wins. That's a number that many high school coaches in any sport simply look up at in blind hope. After coaching just 426 career games, Nevada Lady Tigers head basketball coach Brent Bartlett can now start looking back as he leaves that milestone number behind...

Fresh off of a three-day break, the Nevada Middle School seventh grade boys' basketball teams got back into action as they took on Webb City. Neither team had much luck against the Cardinals as the B team lost by a final score of 33-13. Ben Sommer led the offensive effort for the Tigers with five points...