Stories from Friday, March 14, 2008

Harold Cleveland Burns, 65, Nevada, passed away on Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at Medicalodge, in Nevada, following a lengthy illness. He was born May 16, 1942, in Climax Springs, Mo., to John Leonard Burns and Velma Victoria Rogers. Harold was born and reared in Climax Springs, and graduated from high school there. ...

For at least 20 years I've been getting a catalog from the Vermont Country Store. There is something about Vermont-style cheddar cheese that makes my mouth water and, from time to time, makes me order a sample. Or two. While past editions of the "Catalogue of Goods & Wares" have primarily featured cheeses and maple syrup and country crackers, the latest is filled with products that I will call nostalgic, because they are so familiar to me and because they are items that could be found in the farmhouse where I grew up in Killough Valley over yonder in the Ozarks.. ...

Despite all statements to the contrary, Americans are not fed up with politics. None of their protests, lamenting the daily political coverage by the media, holds any convincing evidence. The proof is in the putting so to speak. If the advertisers were not sure viewers were watching these election extravaganzas, they would have long ago left the airways...

Nevada's infrastructure committee held its annual public hearing on the city's street construction program Thursday night, and members voted to recommend that the city council approve $496,066 of construction work for the 2008 season. Joe Charles, public works director, said in response to a question from Bill Erwin that they were planning to do $100,000 of work on South Spring Street this year instead of the $200,000 originally proposed, with the work starting at Millington Lane and going south, hopefully to the narrow culvert.. ...

Fort Scott National Historic Site will be offering a two day symposium entitled "Voices from the Quilts", March 29 and 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature an exhibit of nine 19th century quilts as well as five speakers. Mildred Jordt, a member of the Mandan Hidatsa and Arikara -- Three Affiliated Tribes, will be presenting information on Native American quilts and quilters. ...

The Nevada R-5 School District's Foundation is growing every year, according to Shirley Rainey, who continues to administer the program even though she's retired from her post with the district. For years, Rainey said, school officials were looking for ways to provide more scholarships and to create a mechanism through which local residents could offer help to local students with the added advantage of reaping the tax benefits of donating to a non-profit. ...

State Representative Barney Fisher has announced that he has filed for re-election as state representative for the 125th District. The 125th District consists of all of Vernon County and the western half of Bates County. Fisher's House committee assignments are:...

In 1981 a representative of Children's Mercy Hospital came to Vernon County asking for some help. The hospital was providing services to the families of Vernon County but the costs weren't being covered. After the presentation Nevada Eagle Aerie No. 3770 members got together and came up with a fundraiser to help out. The first year $1,500 was collected, last year it raised $15,000...

Vernon County firefighters found themselves in the middle of more than a dozen fire calls between Tuesday and Thursday afternoon -- mostly grass, field and brush fires. High winds and low humidity are suspected as the biggest cause in the fire outbreaks...