2011 -- the year in review

July: Heat settles in, Youth Fair traditions continue

July's blistering heat didn't stop preparations for the Fourth of July celebration. Henry Bausch, Joe Brooks and Vic Hinds of the Vietnam Veterans of America, placed flags on the Nevada Square Friday evening, July 1 in honor of the national holiday. The fireworks display was well attended and great photos were front page news.

The I-49 project was still on track and good progress was being made on related projects in the county.

A proposed Northeast Vernon County school project aimed at rehabbing the schools and making them more energy efficient and putting the funds freed up by the savings in energy cost toward paying for the remodeling was still not under way -- administrative issues had delayed the plan.

The anniversary of the Civil War had given rise to a story about Vernon Countians at the Battle of Wilson's Creek and many stories about local battles and war personalities.

The Vernon County Commission began holding Board of Equalization hearings which were requested by a larger number of taxpayers because of recent re-assessment by the county assessor.

One of the big news stories of July is always the Vernon County Youth Fair. Actually, it is several days of news that covers everything about the fair. All the exhibits and animals are covered; the contests like Super Teen and the royalty coronations are always front page news this month. Michelle Westerhold was crowned as the 2011 VCYF Queen and Morgan Ernsbarger was crowned as Princess. The temperatures above 100 degrees did not deter fair participants or spectators.

In business news, the iconic Ramsey's Motel on Austin Boulevard was sold and renamed as the Nevada Inn. The Nevada/Vernon County Area Chamber of Commerce named Gina Ensor as the new director to replace interim director Jason Claspill as the fair is in full swing with livestock shows and the Civil War series highlights area monuments.

The third week of July also prompted a story marking two years since the rural Vernon County murder of Belinda Beisly. The VCYF finally ends with the annual barbecue and livestock auction going on as usual despite the oppressive heat.

The city of Nevada is also in the news. On July 20, the Nevada police Department was accused in a federal court of civil rights violations by Jeffrey Tenpenny. In another case, the city settled a lawsuit with Jessica Houts for $15,000. Houts claimed her rights had been violated during a Jan. 15, 2011 traffic stop.

Street projects in the city are nearing completion this month and the incessant heat is beginning to damage local crops. Nevada Police officers Richard Burdick and David Henley rescued a young girl from a burning building at Elmwood Estates and were recognized for their heroism. The parks board endorses the sales tax issue and Andrew Wadel of Rich Hill, Mo. was sentenced to 18 years in a New Jersey prison for his part in the failed kidnapping of N.J. pet food dealer Jeffrey Muller.

August: Dry, hot weather persists; postal service meetings held

August was hot and dry -- and residents of the small towns and rural areas of Vernon County gathered for meetings as the United States Postal Service reviewed what post offices might be marked for closure.

Area schools began their 2011-'12 sessions and with it came more events from Living Out Loud, a student-led group at Nevada High School that raises its own funds and coordinates fun, drug-free activities for area youth. The first of these for the year was a "rush party" in which clubs presented information and sought new members; and students took part in many activites. There was a "bungee run" and a dunk tank, and the event was followed by a Back-to-School Splash at Walton Family Aquatic Center.

At meetings at Deerfield, Metz and Harwood, Milo, and Moundville area citizens gathered to hear a presentation from the USPS, and shared their concerns about the ramifications of closing the sites. At Deerfield, residents mounted an educational campaign about the Deerfield Post Office's rich history. At Harwood, Jasper Postmaster Heather Mitchem gave a presentation to the group and noted that some meetings at other sites had been heated. Concerns were raised during the Harwood meeting about the difficulties the closure would present for the area's Amish population. An Amish man, one of about a dozen Amish who attended, referred to the greater time needed for traveling in a horse-drawn buggy. "Ten miles is easy for someone in a car, but for us it's a half-day's drive," the man said.

Mitchem recommended the rural carriers for those finding a trip to Schell City inconvenient, saying, "They are a post office on wheels."

Recommendations were to be acted upon in January; but the U.S. Postal service announced in December that it had decided to delay the closing or consolidation of any Post Office or mail processing facility until May 15, 2012. The Postal Service will continue all necessary steps required for the review of these facilities during the interim period, including public input meetings.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon called a special session for lawmakers; among the reasons for the session was a repeal of part of a teacher-student communication law known as the Facebook law. During the September special session, that aspect of the law prohibiting certain types of electronic communication between students and school staff was repealed. Instead, local districts were to implement their own policies on the matter.

In the business sector, Vinyard Farm and Home Supply, a fixture in Nevada since 1962, closed its doors for good, auctioning the last of its inventory in a three-day auction.

Habitat for Humanity's local chapter dedicated its 12th home in August, handing over the keys to Renee Benedict and her three children.

"We're home," Renee Benedict said during the dedication.

"It's been a very long year. I''ve learned a lot about myself and the integrity of the people in town,' Benedict said.

During the year-long construction of the house for Benedict and her three children, Renee put in hundreds of hours helping to build the house.