Stories from Friday, December 11, 2015

Peggy Eldora Wix (Mullen) Pilcher, 78, Milo, Mo., passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015, in Fulton, Mo., following an illness of several months. Peggy was born Aug. 20, 1937, in Butler, Mo., to Joseph Warden and Dorothy Alma (Bearce) Wix. She was united in marriage to Richard L. Mullen on Jan. 1, 1968, and he preceded her in death on May 28, 2002. She later married Daniel B. Pilcher on May 14, 2005, and he survives of the home...

Eileen Leona Powell, 97, of Excelsior Springs, Mo., formerly of Schell City, passed from this life Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, at the Excelsior Springs Medical Center. She was born June 4, 1918, in Melrose, Mo., the daughter of Alfred Gustav and Sophie Amilie (Bartold) Kreienkamp. On July 1, 1944, she was united in marriage to Eldon Gibbs Powell in St. Louis County, Mo. Their union was blessed with three children. Eldon preceded her in death on Dec. 8, 2008...

Phillip Watchous, 88, of Lamar, Mo., formerly of Schell City, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015, at Barton County Memorial Hospital, in Lamar, Mo. Funeral services are at 1 p.m., today, at the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home, in Schell City, with Brother Doug Reynolds officiating. Interment will be in Olive Branch Cemetery, in Milo, Mo...

Nevada Daily Mail The Annual Nevada Vernon County Chamber of Commerce Coat Drive is underway and will go until Dec. 16. Clean coats of all sizes new or gently worn can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Chamber or at either of the other designated locations. These will be distributed during the annual Community Outreach Giveaway...

Nevada Daily Mail Nevada director of public works Tom Hutchison announced Thursday the city would begin a third round of leaf pick up on Dec. 21. The pick up will begin in the southeast part of town and finish in the northeast. Residents are requested to rake their leaves into the parkway, not the street, for pickup...

Nevada Daily Mail Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher said this week that he would be lowering the cost of the CCW (concealed carry weapons) permit fee at the Sheriff's Office for the foreseeable future. The sheriff said the current amount has been $100 but will now be lowered to $65. "We are living in troubling times that appear to be growing more and more dangerous. We want to encourage citizens to exercise their legal right to carry and protect their families and property," said Mosher...

Nevada Daily Mail Jerry Penticuff, 33, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a reduced count of child abuse in the death of 3-year-old Ethan Warner of Nevada. Penticuff was sentenced to a 10-year prison term. He pleaded guilty to a Class C felony county of second-degree child abuse in a plea agreement. He had been facing second-degree murder, a class A felony or child abuse resulting in death...

The Nevada Daily Mail The nation's fallen soldiers will be remembered and honored next week through the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony. The wreath-laying ceremony, set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Fort Scott National Cemetery, 900 E. ...

Remember those letters you wrote to Santa Claus back during your grade school days? Don't you wish you could experience that same feeling again? That special time, as you so carefully wrote to Santa Claus, sending him your wish list for Christmas? I can clearly remember a few of those letters. ...

One of my favorite poets, Mary Elizabeth Mahnkey, a former newspaper columnist for a Springfield, Mo., newspaper, wrote little common sense poems about women's lives in the Ozarks. One of her poems dedicated to a discontented wife gave the remedy for her unhappiness this way, "raise some guineas, grow some gourds."...

The Nevada Lady Tigers varsity, junior varsity, and C-teams, were recently honored at their post-season awards banquet and recognized for both team and individual achievements. The varsity team compiled a 22-11 overall record while finishing second in the West Central Conference with a 9-3 record. ...

Hume finished Tuesday night with a split against visiting Appleton City's varsity basketball teams. The Lady Hornets, led by senior Megan Sutcliffe, walked away with a resounding 57-31 victory. However, the Hornets evening was much more difficult, finishing with a 52-28 loss...

By Noah Jones Nevada Daily Mail As the average age of licensed practical nurses continues to climb toward the retirement age, the national nursing shortage grows with it. According to the Missouri State of Nursing 2015 Fiscal year Annual Report, the average age of Missouri LPNs is just over 46 years old...