2007 -- a Year in Review

It was a year to remember, a year to lay in preparations for the future, and a year to honor those who served the community in many ways, from the soldiers toiling in the war-torn Middle East, to those here at home, striving to keep Nevada a great place to live, both for today and for tomorrow. In the next few issues of the Nevada Daily Mail, we'll present a month-by-month recap of 2007's news and newsmakers.

JANUARY

In Nevada, like much of the Midwest, the new year was about the recovery from hard-hitting winter storms which hit the area throughout December. Local events began to resume and students were returning to school after Christmas break. However, two more storms which came over the Saturdays of Jan. 20 and Jan. 27 caused further problems for the area. Once again many local functions closed and students enjoyed some extra days off of school. Building in the community suffered from the storms as well, with multiple roofs collapsing and others, like the jail, taking on water from the melting ice and snow.

On Jan. 15, Cottey College hosted a special event bringing the Harlem Gospel Choir to perform for students and residents in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. day.

Sergei Shapoval traveled to the area to visit with students of Sheldon about foreign culture. As part of Sheldon School's Kaleidoscope of Culture the Ukrainian performer returned to Sheldon informing students about life in Russia. The year before Shapoval spoke to children of the school about his Mother Country, Ukraine a European country bordering Russia, Hungary and Poland.

United Way co-chairman Pat Chambers announced that their annual fund raising drive met and exceeded its goal of raising $112,000. With the help of local businesses like 3M, Wal-Mart and Team Bank, United Way was able to raise $113,654.66. Vernon County's United Way has been in operation for 50 years and currently helps in supporting around 20 local groups and agencies. The first ever fund-raising drive presented by the organization in Vernon County was hosted by 15 people and had a goal of raising $12,000.

On Jan. 16 Kennon Shaw was sworn in as Vernon County's Southern Commis-sioner by Governor Matt Blunt. The position was vvacated by Bonnie McCord who became the county's Presiding Commissioner by election.

On Jan. 31 Missouri Sen. Chris Koster announced the electrical utility responsibility act of 2007. The legislative action was presented as a way to hold large utility monopolies accountable for maintenance and service of trees and limbs which could interfere with power during winter storms. The act came as a response to devastating power losses from several very large damaging storms throughout the 2006-2007 winter season.

Former Jr. ROTC cadet Leona Bastow presented Sgt. Pete Quinlan, Jr. Air Force ROTC instructor, with an American flag flown during a combat mission in Iraq, by her husband, Rodney Bastow.

FEBRUARY

The Nevada Parks and Recreation Department previously received $300,000 in funding generated from a sales tax originally approved in 1977, but interim city manager Harlan Moore stopped the practice in February.

In 1977 Nevada voters approved the city's 1/2-cent general sales tax and in a resolution the city council stated that for the first five years the parks department should receive about 21 percent of the money that tax raised.

Moore told the parks board in February that they cannot find any written authority to continue giving that money to the parks department, so they decided to discontinue the practice.

Vernon County had three offers on the table from possible donors for land for a new jail facility proposed and later approved by voters. February saw several meetings where the Vernon County Commissioners and Sheriff Ron Peckman discussed the need for a new facility.

During an architectural presentation for the new jail at the Soroptomist luncheon held at the Nevada Country Club, Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman said, "The prisoners are still human and they need a more safe, more clean, up-to-date jail to be kept in."

Billie Curtis, Dr. Russ Kemm and Jim Hedges all offered parcels of land for the project. The Curtis offer was eventually selected.

A student at Cottey College was diagnosed with tuberculosis and college officials worked with the Vernon County Health Unit to make sure the students and all who had contact with her received appropriate care.

"We are working directly with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Vernon County Health Department following the guidelines of the CDC," Cottey president Dr. Judy Rogers said. "Diana Fortune, the tuberculosis program nurse, has been very helpful. We have really had wonderful advice from her."

Slightly more than $11,000 in tourism grants was awarded by the city to seven different organizations for 2007. Nevada Speedway, $2,900; FFA Booster Club, $2,678; Eagles picnic, $1,400; Champion Diamonds tournament, $2.500; Nevada High School Boosters, Nevada Band Festival, $500; Nevada Neptunes, $440 and Nevada Show Choir, $750.

Approximately 500 Nevada residents were without power for two and a half hours after equipment on an overhead line failed.

"A set of dead-end bells (insulators) on the overhead distribution failed and had to be replaced," Brian Bell, former field operations supervisor for Aquila, said. "Power was out from 1:34 a.m. until 3:50 a.m."

Bell said 518 customers were affected when the insulators on the line, a feeder out of the 3M sub-station, failed.

The Vernon County People for Pets, Inc. held a celebratory meeting on Monday, Feb. 12, at the Nevada Sunrise Café.

The group celebrated a milestone of one year since becoming organized. With volunteers, operating solely on donations, a determined group of people has accomplished much over the past year. This includes fostering and adopting of dogs and cats, helping to promote and raise the awareness of the need for humane treatment of animals in the area, as well as, partnering with Pawprints on the Heartland, to provide low-cost spaying and neutering to those who could not otherwise afford it.

MARCH

In March 2007, Cottey College was preparing a five-year plan to expand the school's curriculum, raise enrollment and raise community awareness. A student at Cottey was diagnosed with tuberculosis and had to be hospitalized and treated. About 90 people who were friends and/or classmates of the girl had to be tested for TB. Another round of testing was conducted eight weeks later. The annual trip to Europe for the sophomores was set, and they planned on going to Paris, France. Cottey's president, Judy Rogers, said the trip gives students confidence in striking out on their own and many students choose to stay an additional week visiting other countries. Cottey also has had much success in athletics, which will remain in focus for the next several years. The college also had architects help to plan for the future; they will be needing more space to accommodate students and programs when an enrollment goal of 500 students is met.

Elmwood Estates started a comprehensive renovation of each apartment in the facility. This was to be the first time the apartments have been remodeled since 1969. Renters were provided with homes either on-site or in a separate off-site location and guaranteed that they would be able to occupy their apartments again when the project is complete. The renovations were completed in October 2007.

A local child, Rylea Bartlett, and her family have been assisted by people and churches to help take Rylea to China to have an operation. Rylea was born with optic nerve hypoplasia (under development of the optic nerve). She was diagnosed as blind, only a few months after she was born. The proposed treatment would take adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood and inject them into her spinal column like an epidural anesthesia procedure.

Her stay in China would involve an extensive physical examination before the treatment. The price was reduced by $8,000 for the operation; only a small portion of the $200,000 total.

Five local men, ages ranging from 35 to 20, were arrested and charged in connection with an investigation involving methamphetamine trafficking between several states, including Missouri. Multiple pounds of methamphetamine, $7,000 in United States currency, 23 firearms, various stolen farm equipment, and stolen all-terrain vehicles were seized in this operation.

APRIL

The good news was that Vernon County and Nevada voters decided the future of several important issues when they went to the polls in April. The bad news was that the economic future of Lamar and the area took a turn for the worse when a local manufacturer announced plans to close its doors.

On April 3, Vernon County voters overwhelmingly approved the county's law enforcement sales tax to fund the construction of a new county jail and sheriff's department but rejected a sales tax to fund the Vernon County Ambulance District. The new jail will include new facilities for the Vernon County Sheriff's office, as well as, a new combined dispatch center for the Sheriffs Office and the city of Nevada.

April 3 was also an election day for Nevada City Council members and Nevada voters said they wanted change when they elected two new city council members; Mike Hutchens, who received more 60 percent of the vote to beat incumbent councilman Jim Rayburn; and Tim Wells, who received almost 53 percent of the vote to defeat Joe Kraft.

On April 17, the Nevada City Council approved holding a special election on Aug. 7 for $9.8 million bond issue to pay part of the cost to construct a new sewage treatement plant. The remainder of the $15 million total cost is to come from another $5 million in bonds that were approved by Nevada voters in 2003, but never issued.

On April 16, O'Sullivan Industries, Lamar, announced that they were closing their Lamar plant and had sold several of their key contracts and part of their assets to Saunder Woodworking Company, leaving over 600 area people to look for new jobs. The announcement confirmed rumors that had been circulating for several days.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles of Nevada raised more than $14,000 at the organization's 25th annual Children's Mercy Hospital fund-raiser on April 7, exceeding their 2006 total of about $11,000. The event featured a variety of activities including a live auction, a silent auction, pool tournament, pony rides, face painting, golf cart races, a moon walk and children's karoke contest.

Three men and two women became the newest graduates of Vernon County's drug court in April. They joined 27 other people who successfully completed the program in Vernon County and 3,500 statewide.

Nevada writer and artist Helen White was presented the Presidential Award of outstanding contribution from the Military Writers Society of America for April 2007. White received the award for "Lipstick and a Smile," which is a compilation of photographs of her paintings and the stories of what inspired them.

Keith Shafer, Missouri Department of Mental Health director, visited the Nevada Habilitation Center in April and announced that there were no plans in place to close Benton Hall.

On April 26 the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District, held a court session in Cottey College's Recital Hall.