Stories from Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Letha Irene Hackney will celebrate her 102nd birthday on Jan. 2, 2011, with much of her family. A life-long resident of Vernon County, she lives at home in Nevada, with her daughter. Mrs. Hackney never misses a chance to travel given the opportunity and recently spent a weekend in Branson...

Stanley L. Mowry left this life surrounded by his family on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2010. He was born on Dec. 23, 1936, to Lewis E. and Iva P. Mowry in Nevada, Mo. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Sheryl. He also leaves four children and their spouses, Stephen L. ...

Ellen Irene Bowker, 92, Lamar, Mo., formerly of Sheldon, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 27, 2010, at Barton County Memorial Hospital in Lamar, following a sudden illness. She was born Oct. 28, 1918, in rural Sheldon, to Marion Sterling Price George and Minnie Idell Duggins George. She married Robert Chester Banes on July 13, 1938, in Nevada, Mo. He preceded her in death Aug. 12, 1961. She later married William Bowker and he died Feb. 3, 1989...

Donald W. McIntosh, 67, Nevada, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010, at his home in Nevada following a brief illness. He was born Feb. 15, 1943, in Nevada, to Donald William McIntosh and Ruby Marie Gardner McIntosh. He married Janet Longstreth on June 30, 1968, in Nevada, and she survives of the home...

December 4 Rose Marie Otter, Nevada, petty theft. December 6 Jeffrey L. Fanning, Nevada, expired license plate. December 7 Maurice L. Dahmer, Nevada, speeding 43/30. Rosalind W. Mackereth, Jasper, Mo., December 8 Jay M. Brown, Nevada, no valid operator's license...

Nevada City Council member James McKenzie said during a special meeting Tuesday that he still was opposed to hiring Alliance Water Resources to manage the city's water and sewer operations for the same reasons he stated during the last meeting. "I'm asking the council to at least vote no. We can work this out in house," McKenzie said...

The new year is almost here and the Vernon County Commission and county office holders have been doing preliminary work on the 2011 budget. Office holders turned in their proposed budgets to the county clerk's office on Thursday, Dec. 23, but the real work won't "officially start" until Jan. 4, according to Vernon County Clerk Tammi Beach...

The Nevada Regional Medical Center Foundation staged a successful Dec. 11 promotion with its 10th annual "Tree of Shining Memories" lighting at Vernon County Courthouse, and it has begun planning an as-yet undefined March fundraiser. The springtime event will lead into the foundation's major annual fundraiser -- its eighth annual golf tournament on Friday, May 13, at Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf Course...

Local veteran service officer Bill Gillette said the Department of the Treasury has announced a new rule that will extend the safety and convenience of electronic payments to millions of Americans and phase out paper checks for federal benefits by March 1, 2013. Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs urge Veterans to sign up for electronic payment of their benefits...

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reminds Missouri farmers, ranchers and foresters of a January 7, 2011, deadline to apply for Conservation Stewardship Program benefits. "CSP has a continuous sign up, but only applications received by January 7 will be eligible for the next round of funding," says State Conservationist J.R. Flores...

The fight to keep Nevada Habilitation Center began in earnest in April after the Missouri Department of Mental Health announced on March that they planned to close the Nevada facility 2012, with the residents moved into individualized supported living settings...

Crime stories about kidnapping and murder were in the headlines during May of 2010. In the first week of the month, Douglas Stangeland and Andrew Wadel were extradited to New Jersey to face kidnapping charges in the strange case that began with a Nov. 9 home invasion in rural Vernon County, progressed to the Jan. 8, 2010, kidnapping of a New Jersey man that eventually led to the arrest and extradition of three other local men including Roy A Slates, William J. Barger and Lonnie E. Swarnes...

June began with a special citation for Nevada firefighters Lt. Noah Webber, engineer Taylor McKlintic and Engineer Brandon Leer, who used a thermal imaging camera to locate a fire victim at a fire in June 2009. The three were recognized during a June 2, 2010, meeting of the Nevada City Council...

Megan Greer stands with the new bike she won in a drawing at the Leon Ogier American Legion Post No. 2 on Saturday, Dec. 25. Legion members and auxiliary members hosted several dozen community members for a traditional Christmas meal and toy giveaway. The 70 dinners and more than 80 home-delivered meals and $4,000 in toys were made possible through the generosity of community businesses, citizens and Legion members...

An informational meeting for anyone interested in playing traveling softball will be held at Nevada High School on Jan. 12. The meeting is open to all interested participants of all ages and parents. The meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m., in the Nevada High School commons area, will outline a number of different items pertaining to traveling...