Stories from Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Ten people died in traffic crashes during the 2011 July Fourth holiday -- 6 p.m., Friday, July 1, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, July 4, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol; but none of those incidents took place in Vernon County. The Missouri State Highway Patrol worked 259 crashes in which eight people died and 130 were injured. ...

The audit went very smoothly and the city staff were very cooperative and attentive, Rick Beeman, Trout Beeman & Company, told the Nevada City Council during his presentation of the city's 2010 Annual Audit Tuesday night. Beeman said their job is to "render an opinion on the fairness of the city's financial statements, which he said is a 'clean opinion.'"...

Patriotism is not something one is born with; it must be taught. And Eileen Leininger has been teaching it to the children of the Sheldon R-8 school system for 40 years. That's why she has been nominated and selected as the person in Vernon County who most emulates the July character word of the month: patriotism...

On June 11, Zevin George held a car wash at Auto Zone in Nevada, and 100 percent of the proceeds went to Joplin School District. Zevin's car wash was a huge success. He, with the help of his family, raised $360, and expressed great appreciation to Auto Zone for facilitating the car wash and for donating the water, soap, sponges and water buckets. ...

Fireworks light up the sky July 2 in Vernon County's celebration of Independence Day.

Neoma B. Johnson, 79, of south Kansas City, Mo., passed away Saturday, July 2, after a lengthy illness. She was born June 12, 1932, in Rich Hill, Mo., to Alfred and Hazel Stewart. Neoma was reared in Nevada, Mo., and graduated from Nevada High School in 1950. She was united in marriage to John S. Johnson on Jan. 1, 1953, in Nevada. They moved to the Kansas City area in 1953...

Leon and Holly Morgan of Nevada, Mo., and older brother Brayden are proud to announce the birth their baby son and daughter and brother and sister, Loralie and Logan Morgan. Loralie was born at 1:32 p.m., Saturday, June 18, 2011, at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Mo. She weighed 5 pounds and measured 18 inches...

Steven and Amy Fleener of Walker, Mo., and older siblings, Shawn Isaac, Gabriel Cruse, Savanah Skye, and Emma Raye Fleener are proud to announce the birth of their daughter and baby sister, Sophia Kendale Grace Fleener. Sophia was born at 8:25 a.m., Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. She weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and measured 21 inches...

Robert Lee Bryan, 77, Nevada, passed away Saturday, July 2, 2011, at his residence following an illness of 18 months. He was born April 30, 1934, in Nevada, to Lewis Robert Bryan and Ida Mae Darrow Bryan. He was married Dec. 24, 1987, in Southwest City, Mo., to Ruby Mae Montgomery and she survives of the home...