Stories from Friday, May 23, 2014

Myrtle Luetta Whiteside, 83, formerly of Nevada, passed away May 21, 2014, at the Carthage Health & Rehabilitation Center, in Carthage, following a lengthy illness. She was born July 21, 1930, in Milo, to Ralph Wesley and Mildred Evelyn (Hiestand) Fanning and grew up in and around the Nevada area with her five brothers and two sisters. ...

The Schell City High School Alumni Association will hold its 127th consecutive annual banquet and meeting on Saturday, in the gymnasium of the Northeast Vernon County Elementary School (formerly the Schell City High School) in Schell City. The doors will open at 5 p.m. for those who would like to come early for a time of visiting before the banquet begins at 7 p.m...

Nevada Daily Mail A heated meeting at the Vernon County Commission has many residents and business owners wondering what will happen next with their fire insurance rates. On Wednesday, the commission chambers were limited on chairs during a meeting to discuss resident complaints about increased fire insurance rates. Besides the commissioners, nearly 15 people were in attendance, including residents, Nevada insurance agents, city and county attorneys and rural fire department personnel...

Eight years ago, I wrote a column called "Mad as Hell!" My title paragraph referenced the 1976 multiple Academy Awards winning movie, "Network." A movie, perhaps best remembered for the one line from Best Actor, Peter Finch, "I'm mad, I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" Like Finch, I find I am still mad as hell too, are you?...

Lately I have been listening to two different television shows that feature young people singing and trying for the big prize. The prize includes money, but the best thing is that it helps them get ahead in the musical world. I try my best to like the songs they are singing but it's hard for me to even distinguish the words of most of the songs. ...

Hi neighbors. Monday will be Memorial Day. Of course, if you want to wait, Friday the 30th will also be Memorial Day. I don't think your boss will give you both days off as the Memorial Day holiday. You may not get to choose which one to "count" as your Memorial Day celebration...

May, June and July bring some significant milestones in our country's history. Memorial Day, Independence Day, Flag Day, the anniversary of D-Day and Armed Forces Day are just a few of the holidays and events that we celebrate and commemorate. At this time, with school out for many, vacations beckon and family gatherings are common...

By Claire McCaskill Missouri U.S. Senator My dad was a World War II veteran. When I was growing up, he made sure we understood the sacrifices of those who served, and how that service affects a family, and a community, for a lifetime. That's why I've worked tirelessly to make sure today's veterans are receiving the highest quality care, and the benefits they've earned, when they return to civilian life...

If you sit on a hill and watch the darkness fade as the sun comes over the horizon, casting just enough light, you can see a beautiful countryside at the break of dawn. So quiet that you can only hear the soft blowing wind as it gently rustles the trees, or the sound of water as it flows through the stream. In a moment like this, one can truly appreciate the beauty and greatness of the country we live in...