Stories from Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Ruth Ann Jones, 80, Milo, Mo., passed away on Saturday, March 5, 2011, at Barton County Memorial Hospital, Lamar, Mo., following a lengthy illness. She was born on April 11, 1930, in Deerfield, Mo., to Arthur Howard Barker and Sadie Jewel Thurston Barker. She married Lewis Joseph Jones on July 24, 1945, in Fort Scott, Kan., and he survives of the home...

Marc and Kayla Hawks of Nevada and big sister, Halle, are proud to announce the birth of their baby son and brother, Heston Lane Hawks. Heston was born at 2:52 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011, at Nevada Regional Medical Center. He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and measured 21 and 1/2 inches...

Matthew and Michelle Branham of Nevada and older sister and brother, Alexandra and Brayden, are proud to announce the birth of their baby daughter and sister, Katherine DeAnn Branham. Katherine was born at 2:05 p.m., Friday, March 4, 2011, at Freeman Health Systems, Joplin, Mo. She weighed 7 pounds, 10.6 ounces, and measured 20 and 1/2 inches...

February 26 Clayton Ledbetter was arrested for failure to appear. Bond is $100. Michael Ritter was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. Bond is $5,000. Jesse Zaldana was arrested for hold. No bond amount. Stephanie Pierce was released on $350 bond...

Vernon County's representatives in the Missouri General Assembly back eliminating the state's minimum wage escalator provision, indicating the measure stands a good chance of gaining House and Senate approval and reaching Gov. Jay Nixon's desk. Joined by Republican Rep. Barney Fisher, District 125, state representatives approved House Bill 61 Tuesday by a 96-61 vote to rescind the automatic adjustment that could bring a higher minimum wage than the federally mandated $7.25 per hour...

Severe weather season is upon us, and even though rain and storms in the forecast aren't expected to be severe at this time, the statewide tornado drill has been postponed until Thursday, to avoid any confusion due to rainy weather.

The Nevada Planning Commission will be considering two issues at the meeting at 5:30 this afternoon in the council chambers in the Public Safety Building , 120 S. Ash St. The planning commission will be holding a public hearing and considering the rezoning of property at 612 W. Cherry from R-2, two family, to R-3, apartment district, at the request of the property owner, Cynthia Niedens, to allow an adult day care facility in the owners home at that location...

The faculty and students at Northeast Vernon County R-I honored the life and service of World War I Veteran Frank W. Buckles. Frank Buckles was the last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I. Buckles died Feb. 28, at the age of 110. He attended Walker schools from 1911 to 1916, completing grade 9...

Less than a month before he was scheduled to go on trial for the May 24, 2009, slayings of Nevada teens, Annie Reed and Kylie Leyva, Garrett Matthew Mason, 19, of Nevada, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in the second degree and was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences in a Joplin, Mo., courtroom Monday...