Stories from Saturday, July 30, 2011

The children of Martha and Larry Compton will host a celebration of their parents 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, from 2 to 4 p.m.. at Moore-Few Community Room, 901 S. Adams, Nevada. The reception is open to family and friends, "whose presence," notes the family, "is the only gift desired."...

The children and grandchildren of Charles and Judy Cole will host an open house celebration in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Sheldon United Methodist Church/ Donaldson Center, Second and Market Street, Sheldon, Mo. The couple were married in this same church 50 years earlier. Omission of gifts is requested...

David and Tricia Miller of Nevada announce the engagement of their son, Trey Miller, to Tiffany Lynn Ann Norcross, daughter of David and Sandy Norcross, and Kelly Robertson, of Nevada. Wedding plans to be announced at a later date.

Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Spann of Nevada, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Nicki Copsey, to Derek Ast, son of Mr. and Mrs. Daryl Ast of Nevada. Nicki is a 2010 graduate of Crowder College with an associate's degree in social work. She is currently employed by West Central in Nevada...

Chase and Deandra Owen of Nevada, Mo., and older sister Kyrsten Owen, are proud to announce the birth of their son and baby brother, Graham Lewis Owen. Graham was born at 8:58 p.m., Wednesday, June 15, 2011, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce, and measured 20 inches...

Scott and Lindsey Benbrook of Warsaw, Mo., are proud to announce the birth of their son, Jackson Ingles Benbrook. Jackson was born at 2:31 a.m., Thursday, July 14, 2011, at Mercy Health Center, Fort Scott, Kan. He weighed 7 pounds and was 21 and 1/2 inches long...

James L. Meisenheimer, 65, Nevada, passed away on Thursday evening, July 28, 2011, at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada. He was born Oct. 2, 1945, in Crescent, Iowa, to Merlin T. Meisenheimer and Therisa Ann Carhoff Meisenheimer. He married Belva J. Pursley on June 5, 1967, in Miami, Okla., and she survives of the home...

John Raymond Earnest, 69, of Pleasanton, Kan., died Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at Medicalodge Nursing Home, Fort Scott, Kan. Cremation. Private family service at a later date. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.coffelschneider.com Arrangements are made by Coffel-Schneider Funeral Home, Pleasanton, Kan...

Olen W. Hampton, 93, of LaCygne, Kan., died Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at his home. Services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, Aug. 1, at the First Christian Church, LaCygne. Visitation will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Sunday, at the Coffel-Schneider Chapel, LaCygne, Kan. Memorial contributions are suggested to the First Christian Church, LaCygne. Interment will be in the Cadmus Cemetery...

A local early learning program has several openings for any parents of young children interested in preparing their youngsters for school. Focused on child development, the Parents as Teachers program is offered through the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center. It is free and voluntary and open to parents with children prenatal to age 3. Kids exit out of the program at age 3, said Cassandra Elsworth, early childhood director at the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center in Girard...

What happens to vicious vampires as they enter into their "golden" years? This year's McGennis Youth Center Old Barn Theater production, "Dracula: The Twilight Years," takes us into the castle of Count Dracula, deep in the Carpathian Mountains of Europe where we find Dracula (Bob Schlyer) still searching for blood, but at a slightly slower pace...

The Nevada Police Department will host this year's annual National Night Out to combat crime and drugs in Nevada on Aug. 2. The celebration takes place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Nevada Aquatic Center located at the intersection of Atlantic and Ash streets...

Nevada Regional Medical Center directors learned Tuesday night that the hospital, hampered by declining numbers of out-patients during most of the past fiscal year, in June recorded its fourth straight month of profits. Chief Financial Officer Cindy Buck said the month ended with $79,828 in net income, although there was a $1,103,537 net loss for the year that ended June 30...

Congressional budget cuts force reduced public hours.

Hiattville 4-H Club member Hannah Fry, left, wrings a sponge out over teammate Jonah Erickson while Ronette Vincent watches during the final event of Friday's Barnyard Olympics at the Bourbon County Fair. The competition paired 4-H members with adults and local celebrities as they faced off in seven barnyard activities such as horseshoe toss, three-legged race, feed scoop toss, and a dizzy bat race. ...

Lisa Ray and Kelley Ray of Nevada announce the engagement of their daughter, Megan Ray, to Zachary Webb, son of David and Pam Webb of Lee's Summit, Mo. The bride-to-be, a 2008 graduate of Nevada High School, is a senior at the University of Central Missouri pursuing a bachelor's degree in early childhood and elementary education...