Stories from Tuesday, October 6, 2015

By U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill Some folks will tell you that Missouri's most important industry, agriculture, touches only those living in rural parts of our state. But after a recent statewide tour of the many farms and ranches that help make up Missouri's agriculture economy -- a tour that took me from the Bootheel to Kansas City, from the Ozarks to Palmyra, and many places in between -- it's clearer than ever to me that the work of our farmers, ranchers, and producers affect all Missourians.. ...

Keeping the American people safe by providing for a strong national defense is the primary obligation of the federal government, and there is no duty I take more seriously in Congress. To this end, Congress is tasked each year with authorizing funding for our military. I am proud our national defense consistently rises above the partisan fray in Washington, and this week Congress passed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act -- for the 54th consecutive year...

Dear Editor: The United States Supreme Court ruling on June 26, in Obergefell vs. Hodges crossed a moral and legal divide that, when I think upon it, leaves me numb and my spirit grieved. In a remarkable divergence from custom, all four dissenting justices wrote separate opinions blasting the majority decision to declare homosexual marriage legal. ...

Nevada Daily Mail The Public School and Education Employee Retirement Systems of Missouri is doing what it needs to do, said Steve Yoakum, executive director of PSRS/PEERS. Yoakum told those attending the Vernon County Retired Teachers meeting Sept. 25, at the Bowman Building in Nevada that the system was meeting its stated goals:...

Nevada Daily Mail Of all the issues the Nevada City Council deals with zoning is one of the most complex and sensitive, since it deals with property rights. These issues arise whenever someone wishes to change the zoning on a piece of property to use it for a different purpose...

The Northeast Vernon County Knights junior high boys and girls basketball teams both came up with victories against Miami, Thursday night in Walker. Led by Justin Culbertson's 14 points, NEVC defeated Miami 43-25. NEVC's Jaxon Prough finished with 13 points, Derek Keith eight points, Caleb Coetzee four points, while Bryce Goodman and Chris Weisensee chipped in with two points apiece. Miami's Jacob Dusenberry finished with a team-high 14 points...

The Cottey Comets fell in three sets to Highland Community College (Kan.) at home Saturday. The Comets were defeated 11-25, 8-25, 15-25. Cottey is 5-11 overall. "Highland was recently ranked fourth in the Jayhawk Conference, just above Fort Scott Community College," Cottey head coach Marla Kannady-Foreman said. "So this match was one of those tough ones...

Nevada Daily Mail The Bronaugh Lady Wildcats volleyball team swept NEVC in two games, 25-8 and 25-19, Monday night at home, improving to 7-8-1 overall. In game one, the Lady Knights, scored the first point after the Lady Cats were unable to return the first serve. From there, the Lady Cats, were able to take the first game handily with the help of freshman Kailey Harrell, who served up a streak of nine straight points, rattling off three aces along the way...

Nevada Daily Mail The Nevada Lady Tigers tennis team was in action Friday at the Class 1 District 12 individual tournament in Warrensburg ---- as Nevada's top tandem ---- senior Megan Payne and sophomore Emma Cheaney placed third. Warrensburg's Anna Mori and Rachel Lindquist bested Knob Knoster's Jessie Yates and Alexis Corona in the championship match 2-6, 6-4, 6-3...

Nevada Daily Mail The Nevada Lady Tigers seventh and eighth-grade volleyball teams rolled to a sweep of Joplin East, Monday night at Nevada Middle School. Nevada seventh-grade volleyball head coach Marsha Hooper said she was impressed with the A and B teams performances, specifically in the serving department...