Stories from Friday, November 21, 2014

Carthage Invitational: The boys bracket for the upcoming 68th Annual Carthage Invitational basketball tournament has been unveiled, with the Nevada Tigers drawing the 3-seed. The Tigers will open the tournament against sixth-seeded Monett at 7:30pm., Tuesday, Dec. 2...

Nevada Daily Mail The Northeast Vernon County (NEVC) Knights basketball teams added not just new players to their roster, but a new coach for their rapidly approaching 2014-15 season. Joel McDuffey's history with basketball began when he played the sport in junior high and high school. He then played for a junior college in Mobile, Ala...

Dale Elton Davidson, 86, Joplin, Mo., passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at Nevada Nursing and Rehab, in Nevada. He was born June 14, 1928, in Joplin, Mo., to Lester Orel and Ethel Mina (Stansbury) Davidson. Dale was united in marriage to Geneva Mae Smith on July 27, 1947, in Joplin, Mo., and she survives of the home...

Ronald L. Estes, 56, Sheldon, Mo., died on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at Freeman West Hospital, in Joplin, Mo. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22, at Ferry Funeral Home, in Nevada, with interment following in Moore Cemetery, Nevada...

Martha Caroline Olive, 67, of Nevada, Mo., passed from this life on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at her home. She was born July 20, 1947, in Fort Scott, Kan., the daughter of Joe Cannon and Sophia Mildred (Ballinger) Olive. Martha grew up along with her sisters and parents on the family farm in the Metz area. ...

Michael B. Hancock Sr., 59, Nevada, Mo., passed from this life on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at Freeman West, in Joplin, Mo., following a brief illness. Mike was born on Sept. 16, 1955, in Kansas City, Mo., to Donald M. and Frances L. (Adams) Hancock. Mike was raised in Vernon County and attended Walker High School. ...

I attended the memorial service for the mother of a long-time friend this past week. During the service, as is often my wont, my mind began to reflect upon the passing of this woman, her family, her friends, and the entire process of the funeral. I wanted to share some of these musings with you...

Last week I heard about the death of our friend, neighbor and my editor of the Butler newspaper, C.A. Moore. During the years that Lester was minister of the Ohio Street and Mt. Zion United Methodist Churches, C.A. and his wife, Ann, were neighbors across the street. His mother, Bea Moore, was a member of our church, but C.A. and his wife were good Presbyterians where he sang in the choir among other responsibilities...

Nevada Daily Mail The United Way fundraising campaign has reached just over a fourth of the amount needed this year. The goal for the campaign is 112,000, which will help support 18 local agencies. "So far we have 35,400," estimated Director Peggy Tedlock. "We do not receive most of our Corporate Challenge gifts until December. Many of those do payroll deductions...

Nevada Daily Mail The NRTC-DECA chapter has begun a community service project to help Community Outreach replenish their emergency food supplies. From now until Dec. 19, they will be conducting a community wide food drive with a goal of collecting 5,000 pounds of non-perishable food items. Their campaign is built around the theme "A City without Hunger is a City with a Heart."...

Nevada Daily Mail Members of the Vernon County Health Department, emergency management and county commission went through an exercise Tuesday on how to respond if a medical emergency struck the county. Participants received a scenario of a high school basketball team infected by what ended up being a bioterrorism attack of small pox. As the representatives of the departments received the scenario in stages, they had to share how they would address the situation as it developed over several days...

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" was first shown as an animated television special in 1965 and has been part of the holiday tradition ever since. The stage adaptation was completed in 2013. The classic animated television special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" comes to life in this faithful stage adaptation where Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the other Peanuts grapple with the real meaning of Christmas...

Vernon County Route Y will be closed between 3050 Road and Earhart Road east of Harwood, on Nov. 24 for Pipe Replacement Work from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. MoDOT crews are replacing drain pipes underneath the road. Drivers will have to find an alternate route around the closing. Drivers will be able to get to driveways and other entrances on either side of the closing. However, they will not be able to travel through the work zone...