Stories from Wednesday, February 20, 2019

COLUMBIA, Mo. —Overcoming a series of injuries during his first three seasons on the mat, Nevada High School senior Caleb Longobardi’s prep wrestling career culminated at the Missouri Class 2 State championship meet with a third-place finish in the heavyweight division. Nevada freshman grappler Lotus Van Dyk, meanwhile, collected a sixth-place finish at the inaugural girls’ championship meet...

In the penultimate game of their 2018-19 season, the Cottey Comets were defeated by College of the Ozarks, 90-46, Feb. 13 in Point Lookout, Missouri. Cottey (1-17) trailed No. 6 ranked College of the Ozarks, 24-9, at the conclusion of the opening frame. Cottey was then outscored 14-3 in the second, as the Ozark lead swelled to 38-12 at the break. The Comets picked it up offensively in the second half, but were still outscored 52-34 en route to the 44-point loss...

Nevada High School and middle school are hosting the Class 1 District 5 boys and girls basketball tournaments. Although, details were not disclosed to the Daily Mail, host-school Sheldon R-8 recently came to an agreement with Nevada R-5 to host the tournaments...

With construction begun on a new space for non-livestock exhibits at the Vernon County Fairgrounds, a remodel of the Diner and Home Economics Buildings is currently underway. “We’ve got about a dozen volunteers working here – fair board members and other supporters of the fair – and I think this is our seventh workday,” said Vernon County Fair Board Chair Nathan Forkner in a Monday interview. “This is our seventh 12-hour work day; we hope to be done by mid-March.”...

James Herbert Gotschall, 93, of Nevada, passed away on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, at the Joe Clark Residential Care Home, in Nevada, following a short illness. Herb was born March 2, 1925, in Moundville, Mo., to James R. and Evelena (Williams ) Gotschall. On Oct. 16, 1946, he married Opal Mae Beshore and she preceded him in death on Jan. 24, 2015...

Virginia Lorene Johnson, 89, Deerfield, Mo., passed away on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019, at Moore-Few Care Center in Nevada. Virginia was born on Jan. 10, 1930, in Deerfield, to Curt and Irene (Klontz) Weber. She fixed her eyes upon a certain handsome fellow named William C. “Bill” Johnson on the school bus and eventually she became his girl, and they were married on Nov. 25, 1948, in Nevada, and he preceded her in death on March 3, 2012...

Billie R. Dill, 77, of Nevada went home to God’s arms on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. Billie was born on Jan. 23, 1942, in Jasper, Ala. He was married to his childhood friend and sweetheart, Nancy Annette Millwood on April 26, 1962, and she survives of the home...