Stories from Saturday, November 19, 2011

Lanie Ann Watkins, 2, of El Dorado Springs, Mo., received her miracle as she won her battle with cancer and went be with her heavenly father on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011. Lanie was born on March 12, 2009, in Nevada, Mo. She is the daughter of Brandon and Tessie Watkins. Lanie enjoyed feeding the cows, playing with her cousins, and riding in her John Deere wagon...

Annita DeRidder, 98, former resident of Fort Scott, more recently of Claremore, Okla., died Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011, at the Claremore, Okla., Regional Hospital. She was born Feb. 14, 1913, in Fosato DiVico, Italy, the daughter of Rinaldo Piccini and Emilia Giacometti Piccini. ...

Betty Mae "King" Gilkey, 82, of Rich Hill, Mo., died on Nov. 16, 2011, at Christian Health Care, Nevada, Mo. Funeral services will be held on Sunday, Nov. 21, at the Heuser Funeral Home with burial in the Greenlawn Cemetery, Rich Hill. The family will receive friends Saturday, from 6-7 p.m., at the Heuser Funeral Home...

Elizabeth N. Robison, 85, Fort Scott, died Nov. 18, 2011, at her home. Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Details will be announced later.

Nov. 4 Kadean M. Beckford, Hume, Mo., expired license plate, no proof of insurance. Cameron E. Bobbett, Nevada, speeding 42/30. Jessica D. Clark, Columbia, Mo., speeding 41/30. Eric B. Leavell, Sheldon, Mo., no license plates. Roger D. Owings Jr., Milo, Mo., no proof of insurance...

The Vernon County Sheriff's Office Friday night was investigating the stabbing of a woman in Richards on the northwest side of the county. Sheriff Ron Peckman said at 7 p.m. that one of his deputies was interviewing the victim in the emergency room at Nevada Regional Medical Center, where a Richards resident had taken her in a private vehicle...

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad will continue to keep the Sixth Street railroad track crossing closed from Friday through the weekend and the business day on Monday, according to a news release from the city. The street should reopen at 5 p.m. Monday. The closing is needed to repair the railroad crossing at Sixth Street...

The transformation of U.S. 71 Highway to Interstate 49 came another step closer to completion when the interchange at U.S. 71 and Highway E, north of Milo, opened to traffic on Friday. Information found on the Missouri Department of Transportation's Web site, www.modot.org, indicates motorists are likely to see workers in the area of this interchange next week, when they expect to be doing such things as installing white plastic lane markers along ramps and removing the crossover on U.S. 71...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Ralph Carlson received a surprise at a Fort Scott City Commission meeting he attended earlier this month. A longtime community volunteer, Carlson said he thought he would be appearing at the Nov. 1 meeting to talk about a recent project by the Fort Scott Kiwanis Club to trim trees throughout the city...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Take a trip down National Avenue and go past the Hawkins Public Safety Building. There on the front lawn by the parking lot are a wrecked pick-up truck and two banners filled with signatures representing Fort Scott High School Students who pledged to Stomp Out Texting and Driving this past week...

Retiring next month after 50 years, Dr. Melvin "Mel" and Carolyn Mabra look back on challenging careers of carrying Southern Baptist theology out of the South and helping start churches in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri. Natives of Corpus Christi, Texas, they're retiring from Cornerstone Baptist Church and staying in Nevada...