Stories from Friday, June 23, 2017

I was awakened recently by the clap of thunder and the familiar drum of rain on the window, which immediately transported my mind back to summer days of my youth, in the “Neighborhood.” I am always amazed that such now distant memories from my childhood remain fresh, when I can’t remember what I had reminded myself to put on my to do list just 5 minutes ago!...

Editor’s note: The following column originally appeared in the Oct. 16, 2009 edition of the Daily Mail. Eighty-five years ago tomorrow, Lester I. Thornton was born in a log cabin in Taney County, Mo., a few miles north of the Arkansas state line. He was the youngest of four children born to Ruic Harve and Smitha Jane Thornton. ...

Eula “Faye” Hester, 96, Nevada, passed away on Tuesday, June 20, at Barone Alzheimer’s Care Center in Nevada. Faye was born July 22, 1920, in Nevada to Watson Henry and Lettie Mae (Hunter) Shumaker. She was united in marriage to Daniel “Pete” Hester and he preceded her in death...

Robert Gene Lawson, 59, Sheldon, passed away on Tuesday, June 20, at his home in Sheldon. Robert was born May 30, 1958, in Clinton, to Cleo and Diana (Bybee) Lawson. Robert was raised in Clinton and attended school there. He was a member of The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers and Boilermakers Local No. ...

George T. Lyons, a pitcher who played for two major league clubs in the 1920s, was born in Illinois in 1891. In the early 1920’s, Lyons purchased a family farm west of Nevada. Lyons married a local girl, and moved into town in 1929 Lyons, whose nickname was “Smooth,” was a local merchant, also serving one term as Vernon County Treasurer...

The Nevada Griffons offense is clicking on all cylinders. Coming off Wednesday’s 10-1 thrashing of the visiting Jefferson City Renegades, the Griffons stayed red-hot at the dish, with a 10-2 victory over the North division Clarinda (Iowa) A’s, Thursday night at Lyons Stadium...

On a muggy afternoon in mid-June, Fort Scott High School product Kaleb DeLaTorre was among the first players to arrive on game-day at the Joplin Outlaws clubhouse. With a chiseled 6-foot, 185 pound frame and a megawatt smile, second baseman DeLaTorre looks like he was born to play the game of baseball. ...

The city of Nevada is currently replacing the irrigation system at the Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf course at a cost of about $666,387.98 and when the project is finished the course will see a reduction in water usage and in the man-hours it currently takes to irrigate the course...

Wednesday’s meeting of the Northeast Vernon County R-1 school board focused on school breakfast, the gym floor and the upcoming budget. Children need a good breakfast in order to be able to concentrate and learn in school. Student participation in breakfast at each of NEVC’s two campuses could be improved, especially at the elementary school in Walker...

Chloe Bartlett is in the process of taking the next big step in her budding modeling career. The Nevada High School class of 2017 grad, and Miss Missouri Teen USA first runner-up last September was chosen as one of seven finalists to become the next Jovani IT Girl...

Gary Tolle from Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline Inc. briefed the Local Emergency Planning Committee on Southern Star’s distribution network and natural gas safety Wednesday. “Pipeline ruptures are very rare,” Tolle said. “It’s much more common to have damage by someone that didn’t call 811, damage by an excavator or boring company …”...

Preacher, Firefighter, Veteran, on Tuesday Deerfield’s Bill Smith will add another title: retiree. He has been the pastor at the Deerfield Church of God Holiness for almost four decades and has served as chief of the Deerfield Fire Department for the past two decades...

Ironman World Champion. Ultraman World Champion. USAT Paratriathlete of the Year. These are but a few of the titles, distinctions and honors held by Washington native and paratriathlete André Kajlich. “It took two years and four attempts, but I’ve realized the dream,” Kajlich writes on his website. “Finally, I qualified — and just received the official invite — to compete in Race Across America as the first ever solo hand-cyclist!...