Stories from Saturday, December 15, 2018

One of the first things many people notice upon entry to the Neal Center dining room is a series of three large paintings that hang neatly, side by side, along the west wall. At first glance, they may appear to be simple paintings, but a closer look reveals several different scenes, each one a story in itself, which are painted with a talented hand and an eye for color and detail...

On Sunday, Dec. 9, Shirley Jean Gragg, age 82, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at Freeman Medical Center in Joplin. From the moment she entered the world on April 3, 1936, in a farmhouse near Butler, Mo., Shirley was a vibrant spirit who brought laughter and enthusiasm to everyone she encountered...

he Nevada Lady Tiger basketball team improved to 5-1 on the season with a 59-29 drubbing of Harrisonville, in a non-conference road contest Thursday night. “It was a really great team effort,” said Nevada head coach Brent Bartlett. “I felt like our team defense really helped win the game, because we got into foul trouble tonight. We were able to keep the defensive pressure on, and also knocked down shots more consistently.”...

MOUNT VERNON — Multiple extended stretches of offensive inefficiency, including over the final four minutes of regulation, spelled doom for the Nevada Tigers in a Big 8 Conference cross-division hoops match-up with the Mount Vernon Mountaineers Friday night...

Nevada High School wrestlers stayed busy on the mat this week with a with a pair of varsity meets, while Nevada Middle School grapplers wrapped their season at the Big 8 Conference Tournament in Marshfield. Nevada’s varsity squad kicked things off Tuesday at Cassville, sweeping the hosts and Diamond at the double dual. ...