Stories from Thursday, April 18, 2013

When Justin Fockler's dog started scratching something hidden in a closet in the historic home of Don and Georgia Russell, he had no idea of the treasures that had been hidden away there for decades. There in the back corner of the closet Fockler discovered one box containing gold-colored silverware and a baby spoon once belonging to Finis Moss and another with what appears to be a collection of spoons with several Nevada landmarks -- the Vernon County Courthouse, Cottey College, Nevada High School, Lake Springs Park -- engraved on them. ...

A Vernon County man was arrested Wednesday morning after being involved in a domestic assault and hiding in the woods from authorities for several hours. Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher said Todd Pollard, age and address unavailable, was arrested on unrelated outstanding warrants. He also faces additional charges of domestic assault, resisting arrest, and armed criminal action. He was being held in the Vernon County Jail in lieu of bonds totaling $136,816...

Special to the Nevada Daily Mail The Community Council on the Performing Arts is proud to present PraiseFest Friday through Sunday at the Fox Playhouse. The show is sponsored, in part, by the Nevada Daily Mail. Directed by Allison Fast, the show features church choirs, soloists and ensembles all expressing the joy of their faith through music...

"Music on the Square opens tonight, rain or shine. Doug Harper, who heads the coordinating committee, announced Wednesday that in case of rain the performance will be moved to the Art Shop, 104 East Cherry St. Grandma Strange of Springfield will perform tonight with a show of blues, folk and soul. Members of Random Strangers will perform classic country...

"I don't get any storm damage reports," Dennis Kimrey, Vernon County Emergency Management director, said during Wednesday's Vernon County Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting. Kimrey said he only received a few reports of hail damage from last week's storm that blew through the southern part of thecounty and one report of someone who called the Western Missouri 9-1-1 Dispatch Center...

8th Grade Boys 6th Overall Matt Sommer Cameron Diaz Payton Bright Jacob Johnson Cameron Diaz Tyler Seaver 7th Grade Boys 2nd Overall Anthony McCulloch Shelby Trotter Hunter Mason 8th Grade Girls 1st Overall Mikayla Mohrman Megan Hold Chloe Bartlett...

By Eric Wade Daily Mail Sports Editor Nevada and the surrounding areas have taken yet another hit from the weather. A number of events were scheduled to take place Thursday involving Nevada High School, Cottey College, Hume High School and Northeast Vernon County High School teams, but none of those events ended up happening, thanks to heavy rains that moved through the area Wednesday night...

LAMAR, Mo. -- The Nevada Middle School boys' and girls' track teams competed at the Lamar Relays track and field meet Tuesday. Nevada's eighth-grade girls won the meet, while the seventh-grade boys took second. The seventh-grade girls' team took fourth and the eighth-grade boys finished sixth...

Fort Scott Community College and Fort Scott High School are teaming up to sponsor an appearance by the KU Barnstormers on April 28. The Barnstormers will be represented by Kansas University Men's Basketball seniors, Elijah Johnson, Travis Releford, Kevin Young and Jeff Withey and will take on high school seniors from around the area, including Nevada's Silas Smith...

By now, I'm sure everyone reading this has heard what happened at the Boston Marathon on Monday. For those who may not know the details, a pair of explosions about 14 seconds apart turned the elation that always comes with the finish of the historic race into utter panic and created what many at the scene likened to a war zone. Three people -- including an 8-year-old boy -- were killed and the latest counts estimate more than 180 more were injured...