Stories from Friday, February 25, 2011

Vera Jewell Barbour, 98, Nevada, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011, at Christian Health Care in Nevada. She was born July 30, 1912, in Roscoe, Mo., to Edward Levi Luther and Zella Virgie Simmons Luther. She married Homer Chester Barbour on Oct. 17, 1934, in Clinton, Mo., and he preceded her in death on Jan. 15, 1999...

Pauline J. Crawford, 64, Nevada, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011, at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada. She was born Nov. 30, 1946, in Newburgh, N.Y., to Jack Decker Crose and Betty Jane White Crose. She was married to Franklin Theodore Crawford on Nov. 18, 1968, in Independence, Mo., who preceded her in death. She was later preceded in death by her companion, Larry Dean Morris, of 12 years, in 2003...

The city of Nevada will be looking for a new parks and recreation director, Ryan Renwick, interim parks and recreation director, told the park board Wednesday night. Renwick told the board that he had submitted his resignation to the city and his final day on the job will be March 11. Renwick will be joining the family business, Renwick Insurance...

Early February was cold and snowy in Vernon County, but some local residents were on a yearly vacation in Mexico that turned out to be quite different from any of the other trips they had taken to Rincon de Guayabitos. Local doctors Ted and Candice Moore have been going to the small resort community about 90 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta on the western coast of Mexico for several years. In years past other friends had joined them and this year they were accompanied by Tom and Sally Thorpe...

The Missouri health department has adopted new guidelines for obtaining copies of birth, death, marriage and divorce records to help protect Missourians from identity theft. Beginning March 1, identification will be required when requesting vital records from the state health department in Jefferson City and local health departments throughout the state...

Fort Scott, Kan. -- The famed Vienna Boys Choir will perform on Sunday, Feb. 27, at 3 p.m., at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College. The performance is sponsored by the Bourbon County Arts Council, Key Charitable Trust, and UMB Bank. Ticket prices are $30 for adults and $25 for children and students...

The 2011 Sheldon High School Homecoming Queen Briana Belew and Escort Taylor Belew, at the coronation in the Sheldon gymnasium on Feb. 17.

Class of 1960 to organize Bushwhacker Museum exhibit about 1957 high school blaze.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association has awarded its highest academic honor to the Nevada Lady Tigers High School Softball Squad. This award is based upon the semester team GPA, which was an outstanding 3.5 from the Nevada High School's State Champions. ...

As firefighters continue to battle the blaze at NAPA Auto parts, in the 300 block of E. Walnut St., local law enforcement has their hands full, trying to keep bystanders a safe distance away while acetylene tanks popped with a clanging sound. A two-block radius was evacuated and evacuees sent to the Franklin P. Norman City/County Community Center. By 6 p.m. it was clear that the NAPA building would be a total loss, and the fire had extended to the next building to the west...