Stories from Saturday, January 19, 2008

Four and a half years ago, my oldest son and I each bought a pup from a litter of English setters in Cunningham, Kan. They were brothers; I named mine Drifter because of his tendency to run big while out in the field, and my son, Lance, named his Tripper because as a pup he always seemed to be underfoot in their household...

Hi neighbors. I hope you are all warm and dry, snug in your homes. Unfortunately there are people who are not. Here in Nevada we know there are people facing difficult times. I don't know if we have any actual 'street people' or not. I haven't seen anyone sleeping on the square or in cars parked around town...

Funny! Some short time before I opened our front door to pick up Wednesday's "Nevada Daily Mail" off the porch, I slipped on one of our cats' fiendishly clever little Christmas gifts -- a cigarette butt-sized fabric mouse which, when you budge it, sets up a tiger-size yowling -- and barely missed falling on the hardwood floor of our living room. ...

Clinton (Jerry) H. Biggs, passed away on Jan. 6, 2008, at his home 840, E. Wooter, in Nevada, after a lengthy illness. He was born on Nov. 5, 1940. He was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Leona Biggs Sr., and a son Clinton (Toby) Biggs Jr. Surviving the home are his wife Cheryl, a son Troy and grandson Bryston. ...

Marie Rosebaugh, age 86, of Moran, Kan., passed away Friday, Jan. 18, 2008, at the Moran Manor. Marie was born July 28, 1921, the daughter of John William and Maye King Lantz, at Bedford, Iowa. Marie grew up in the LaHarpe and Iola area, graduating from Iola High School. ...

John Raiden-Gauge Hill, infant son of Lamai and John Hill, of Twentynine Palms, Calif., died Jan. 16, 2008, at the Naval Hospital, in Twentynine Palms, Calif. Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m., Wed. Jan. 23, at the Schell City Christian Church, in Schell City. Burial will be at Green Mound Cemetery, in Harwood...

"THINK." It's a the word that you can find on signs in in nearly every office of The Ellis Foundation. And thinking inside and outside the box and acting on those thoughts appears to be what Danny, Chris and Willa Ellis do best when it comes to funding educational scholarships for low-income students...

Nevada, Mo. -- Nevada High School has once again been recognized for excellence, and this time it's by a national independent news organization, U.S. News and World Report. Nevada was one of only 29 high schools in Missouri to be recognized for excellence by the magazine...

Fort Scott, Kan. -- A local committee is scheduled to unveil its plans to revitalize portions of downtown Fort Scott during a public meeting later this month. The Mayor's Phoenix Downtown Redevelopment Committee, formed in 2005 by then-Fort Scott Mayor Gary Billionis, will present plans to redevelop portions of the downtown area during the special meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. ...

Do the words "sex crime" mean more than just rape, as many people think when they see or hear those words? Yes, according to Kansas statutes. Sexual assault can mean rape, but it can also refer to indecent liberties with a child, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy, aggravated criminal sodomy, incest and aggravated incest...

Nevada, Mo. --Experience Works, a national, nonprofit senior workforce organization is seeking nominations for Outstanding Older Worker. Each year, Bill Thole of Experience Works' Clinton office, travels to Nevada to urge local residents to nominate a Vernon Countian for the award. ...

Current U.S. Department of Justice statistics show that one in four women and one in six men will experience some form of sexual assault in their lifetime. Sixty-seven percent of sexual assaults are perpetrated against minors. Missouri implemented a sex offender registration program in January 1995, in accordance with the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act...

State Rep. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg and a candidate for Missouri's 31st Senatorial District, will serve as a panel member during the 2008 conference of the Missouri Music Educators Association on Jan. 25 at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Lake of the Ozarks. The conference is expected to attract attendance of around 5,000 teachers, parents and performing students...

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott City Clerk Diane Clay announces that more than a majority of a quorum of the Fort Scott City Commission may attend the Fort Scott/Bourbon County Riverfront Authority meeting scheduled for 5:15 p.m., Monday, Jan. 21, at the Gordon Parks Center in the Fort Scott Community College Academic Building, 2108 Horton St...

Stockton, Mo. -- The Cedar County Farm Bureau will hold it's annual farm commodity economic outlook meeting Thursday evening, Jan. 24, at 6 p.m. at the Stockton United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in Stockton. The program will follow a free dinner furnished by the Cedar County Farm Bureau and prepared and served by members of the Stockton FFA Chapter...

CHANUTE, Kan. -- Two lucky sports fans will have the time of their life at the Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament this year. Tri-Valley Developmental Services is sponsoring a drawing to give two people courtside seats at all of the games during the tournament March 13-16 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City...