Stories from Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Jewell Huckaby, 89, of Highland’s Ranch, Colo., Evergreen, Colo., Osage City, Kan., Robinson, Kan., and Nevada, passed peacefully into the arms of God from Mill Vista Lodge at Wind Crest Retirement Community on Sunday evening, July 16. Born in Nevada, to Sarah Henryetta (Moore) Huckaby and Jewel Jasper Huckaby, Jewell Jr. ...

Sharp-eyed residents noticed new banners going up around the Nevada Square during the day Monday. The banners are the first phase of a five-year plan to beautify the city according to Mark Mitchell, Nevada’s chief information officer. “Just want to celebrate our downtown,” said Mitchell. “We have a lot to offer.”...

On My Own, Inc. will celebrate their 20th anniversary Wednesday with a free lunch, facility tours, and home automation demonstrations from noon until 2 p.m. at their office located at 428 E. Highland Avenue, Nevada. “Since our inception, our mission has been to empower people with disabilities to live as full and productive members of society,” Reyna Blakely said. ...

Brent Banes, Vernon County collector, spent his lunch on Tuesday reviewing what is going on in his office. Among various items, he introduced the new deputy collector and answered questions about the property tax sale on Aug. 28. “Like many jobs, our office has a cycle of things which we work on over the course of the year,” said Banes. “And right now we’re focused on the upcoming sale of parcels which are three years delinquent on property taxes.”...

Sheldon Fire Department received a grant from the Missouri Department of Conservation Tuesday to help purchase equipment for fighting wildfires. The department has purchased four gas-powered leaf blowers which will be used for fighting fires in short grasses and leaf litter in wooded areas...

The Nevada Griffons will look to collect a playoff victory tonight, as they square off with the visiting Jefferson City Renegades, with the first pitch set for 7 p.m., tonight. The Griffons, who finished league-play 21-21 and second-place in the MINK South division, will likely start Ethan Vanderpool against the third-place Renegades, who finished 17-25 in their first season competing in the MINK League. ...

L.J. Hatch is one step closer to realizing his Major League dreams. Hatch, the Nevada Griffons starting shortstop for the past five weeks by way of New Mexico State University, has signed a contract with the Boise Hawks, a minor league (A-Ball) affiliate of the Colorado Rockies...