Stories from Saturday, September 18, 2010

Steven Loren Mitts Sr., 58, of Milo, Mo., died Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010, at Freeman Hospital West, Joplin, after a sudden illness. Steven was born Oct. 4, 1951, in Nevada, to Willie F. and Ruth (Howell) Mitts and was raised by Willie and Vera (Burdick) Mitts. ...

Rickey Lane Ward, 54, Nevada, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010, at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin. He was born May 16, 1956, in Oroville, Calif., to Lloyd Harless and Edith Ida Pickering Harless. Rickey came to Nevada in 1995. He worked at the Nevada Recycling Center and was a mechanic for various garages in Nevada. ...

Mary Elizabeth Sharp, 90, Pratt, Kan., went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sept. 17, 2010, at South Wind Hospice Home in Pratt. She was born July 2, 1920, near Hiattville, Kan., to Ray and Lena Allison. Survivors include her two daughters; Marilyn (Vic) Hook, Wilson, Kan., and Carolyn (Galen) Banks, Pratt, Kan. ...

Ret. Colonel John Nichols Barley, 90, of Bedford, Texas, died Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Joshua Risley Adams and Amy Lynn Graves Adams, Columbia, Mo., are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Lillian Ella Adams. Lillian was born 8:27 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010, at the Columbia Regional Hospital. She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces, and measured 20 inches...

On Sept. 17, Eileen Leininger's World History class hosted the Constitutional assembly at Sheldon R-VIII Schools. The assembly opened with Josie Loyd and Erica Conner presenting the flags and Andrea Gastel leading the student body in the "Pledge of Allegiance." Nicole Arrington welcomed everyone and Eric Leavell explained why the schools across America honor the Constitution on Sept. ...

Dani Wydick won first place in the Baby Photo Contest held during the Lamar Free Fair. It was open to babies ages newborn to 18 months, and sponsored by the Barton County Right to Life. Dani is the daughter of Daniel and Andrea Wydick. She is the granddaughter of Lynn Nims, David and Sally Wydick, and Bill Nims. She is the great-granddaughter of Joan Wydick and the great-great-granddaughter of Mary Alexander...

Drew Hinkle, of Nevada, recently received the Scott Scholarship for the 2010-2011 academic semester at Pittsburg State University. The scholarship amount is $5,000. Hinkle is the son of Jill Cash, Nevada, and Don Hinkle, Moundville, and he is an Electrical Technology major at Pittsburg State University...

Liddie (Bright) Foust, of Centerville, Iowa, formerly of Nevada, turned 90 years old on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010. Mrs. Foust's children and grandchildren honored her with a "surprise" birthday open house at Grace Tabernacle Baptist Church, in Centerville, on Sept. 4...

An El Dorado Springs, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court Friday for his role in the arson fire of his business in Stockton, Mo., according to Beth Phillips, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. Dan Thornton, 39, of El Dorado Springs, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr to five years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Thornton to pay $295,494 in restitution...

FORT SCOTT -- The Fort Scott Police Department is currently investigating a string of break-ins and thefts of newspaper machines that took place during the past four weeks. The Fort Scott Tribune has had five of its 12 machines broken into, including machines located at Woods Supermarket, Deerfield Conoco, Pump 'N' Pete's (on Main Street), Wendy's, and Cowan's Country Corner. ...

On Friday, residents, state and local officials, along with Missouri Department of Transportation. personnel, celebrated the completion of four interchanges on U.S. 71, a milestone that brings the conversion to Interstate 49 closer to a reality. The four interchanges include:...

Pittsburg, Kan -- Hickory Creek Farms, Wood Farms and Circle's Pecans and Country Store, three agritourism operations located in Crawford County, Kan., are scheduled to open during the next few weeks for a lineup of fall activities and offer a number of fall specials...

The steering committee for the 2010 Nevada High School All-School Reunion continues to seek volunteers to help put on the two-day celebration slated for Friday, Oct. 15 and Saturday, Oct. 16. The group reports that several volunteers have stepped forward, but there are still have some open slots to fill during reunion events. ...

Nevada, Mo. -- Michael McClure works in the hot afternoon sun Friday to restore the mural located at the southeast corner of Osage and Cherry. "The Train Arrives" was painted by El Dorado Springs artist Ed Koski in 1999. McClure, from Willow Springs, also painted the mural "Vernon County Valor," which was located in the 100 block of South Cedar until it was damaged by wind, and a mural depicting scenes from the Civil War era located in the 100 block of North Ash Street. ...

The Kansas City Alliance Against Human Trafficking has opened a bank account to collect donations for the victim in the recently announced human trafficking case United States v. Bagley, et al. The case involves suspended Nevada postmaster Dennis Henry, who, along with four other Missouri men were arrested last week on an 11-count federal indictment that was returned by a Kansas City jury on Wednesday, Sept. 8...