Stories from Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Donald W. Johnson, 81, of Joplin, Mo., died on July 1, 2012, at Joplin Health and Rehabilitation Center, Joplin, Mo. He was born March 15, 1931, in Decatur, Neb., to Elmer and Edna Lucille (Layman) Johnson. Funeral services will be 10 a.m., today, at Elkton Baptist Church with burial following in Robinson Cemetery, west of Weaubleau, Mo...

June 20 Ronald E. Dighero, Nevada, expired license plate. Jordan M. Smith, Nevada, no valid operator's license. June 21 Cody E. Barker, Nevada, failure to register vehicle. Marvin E. Barker Jr., Fort Scott, Kan., failure to register vehicle. Emily E. Ferrell, Tulsa, Okla., speeding 90/70...

We have a new minister at the Nevada United Methodist Church. Lester and I know some of the things she must be feeling since we have been the new people in a church several times when Lester was the new minister on his first day. The Reverend Linda Pagel wore a name tag her first day so that the congregation would know who she was. ...

Work to extend acceleration ramps at five interchanges along U.S. 71 in Vernon, Jasper and Cass counties will mean narrowed ramp lanes and lane closings along U.S. 71, the Missouri Department of Transporta-tion said. The project begins on Monday, July 9, at the U.S. 71/U.S. 54 interchange in Nevada...

By Rusty Murry Nevada Daily Mail Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman was sworn in as the newest member of the Missouri Peace Officer's Association executive committee on Monday, June 25, during the Missouri Law Enforcement Conference held at Osage Beach, Mo., near the Lake of the Ozarks...

Missourians are being asked in the Aug. 7 party primaries to decide if the freedoms to express religious beliefs and for children voluntarily to acknowledge God and pray at school should be constitutionally guaranteed. Called the "Missouri Public Prayer Amendment," proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2 also would require all public schools in the state to display the Bill of Rights...

Travis Claypool, Vernon County Farm Service Agency executive director, presents Shelley Pitts, Nevada, with a plaque recognizing her 30 years of dedicated service to the agency, during an open house held at the USDA offices in Nevada on Friday. Friends, relatives and coworkers came in and out during the day to congratulate Pitts and thank her for doing what Earl Rogers, who was on the committee that hired Pitts, called "a wonderful job." Pitts said she has enjoyed "waiting on my farmers" during her time at the agency. ...

Nevada Daliy Mail Kansas City Power and Light has issued a warning to customers of scammers who are trying to illegally obtain the Social Security information of utility customers in Kansas and Missouri. The scam claims President Obama is applying payments or credits of up to $1,500 to customer utility bills. ...

Nevada Daily Mail PITTSBURG, Kan. -- Patrick Kregeloh's home run in the 10th inning proved to be the game-winner as the Nevada Griffons defeated the Joplin Outlaws 8-7 in a back and forth contest at Pittsburg's JayCee Ballpark in the Tyler Jeck Memorial Game...