Stories from Sunday, December 14, 2003

For the second time in a week, area residents woke up to a snow-covered county Saturday morning. Little activity was seen in Nevada, as snow continued to fall steadily. As of mid-morning on Saturday, few accidents had been reported, but one involving two vehicles which blocked the road on U.S. 54 Highway near Deerfield occurred at about 7:15 Saturday morning. Details of the incident were not immediately available...

The seventh annual Masterpiece Art Show will be held at the Nevada High School Monday, Dec. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. A variety of art styles will be on display in the art room hallway. The public is encouraged to attend. Kelly Gray, NHS art teacher, said 70 students from the Accelerated Art, Art II, Art III, Art IV and Advanced Placement classes have participated...

Recently, Sheldon schools released the district's annual report card and like most report cards it held both good and bad news. The state of Missouri requires every school district to complete a district report card that contains information on the school, from test scores to budget details...

For the second time since moving to the area four and a half years ago, Lulu Kranz has a vet bill to pay because someone shot one of her cats. The first cat recovered from the gunshot wound and lived until being struck by a car, the other cat, Dallas, lost one of his hind legs and is house-bound until he recovers from the surgery. The shooter is unknown but Kranz would like to have some words with the person responsible...

Frederick L. Thompson, Jr., 84, died Dec. 8, 2003. Services were held at Ferry Funeral Home on Dec. 13, at 2 p.m., with the Rev. Greg Ferree officiating. Musical selection was "Amazing Grace." Honorary pallbearers were grandsons; Curt Reimer, Grant Fay, Will Thompson, Adam Thompson, Trent Thompson and Matthew Thompson. Interment will be in Caldwell City Cemetery, Caldwell, Kan., on Dec. 15, at 12 p.m. Arrangements by Ferry Funeral Home...

Alma H. Phillips, 81, died Dec. 11, 2003. Services were held at the Sheldon Cemetery on Dec. 12, at 2 p.m., with Bobby Hart officiating. Pallbearers were grandsons; Gary Piper, Jr., Shon Bogart, Rick Piper, Eric Sneed, Bo Bogart and Tom Piper. Interment was in the Sheldon Cemetery. Arrangements by Beeny-Ferry Funeral Home...

Marian A. Butler, 101, Raymore, Mo., formerly of Nevada, Mo., died Dec. 12, 2003, at Foxwood Springs, Raymore, Mo. She was born on June 28, 1902, in Charlestown, Ind., the daughter of James H. and Bessie M. Waters Ruddell. On June 2, 1934, she married Edgar W. Butler in Fort Scott, Kan., and he preceded her in death on Nov. 25, 1975...

Hi neighbors. I can only think of one other time of year -- tax time -- when people are so busy spending money. Everywhere I look there are crowds of people moving headlong into stores, then down aisles, tossing things frantically aside in deep storage bins, looking for that mythical perfect gift...

100 Years Ago -- December 14, 1903 Tom Donohue, superintendent of the Missouri Water, Light & Traction Company, will hold the same responsible position with the Union Light & Traction Company. Donohue held a conference with Mr. Gore, the head of the company that recently purchased the J.B. Quigley plants in this city...

The Nevada Tiger basketball team opened its home season on a winning note with a 55-42 win over El Dorado Springs on Friday. All wins are good, but neither Nevada coach John McNeley nor his players were thrilled with their spotty offensive execution...

The Nevada Tiger wrestling team wrapped up a busy week of action with a respectable tournament finish, a dual-match win and two close losses in a triangular meet. "Right now, we're an inexperienced team with six wrestlers in our lineup with either no varsity or no wrestling experience at any level," said Nevada coach Larron Hurst. "So our goal is to improve early and get better by the first of the year."...

The Nevada Lady Tigers defeated Neosho 56-45 in a consolation game of the Freeman-Lady Eagles Classic at Joplin, Mo., on Friday. Details were unavailable at press time. Nevada meets Joplin for fifth place on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The holiday break couldn't come at a better time for the Cottey College Comets. The Comets' losing streak stretched to eight with a 53-30 defeat at the hands of the Ozark Christian College Lady Ambassadors on Friday. "We definitely need a break," said Cottey coach Brenda Rose. "Losing streaks sometimes take on a life of their own and a month off will give our players a chance to get away from that...

The surging Bronaugh Wildcats poured it on in the fourth quarter to break open a tight contest. Bronaugh (6-0), with 25 fourth-quarter points, came from behind to trip Liberal 68-57 on Friday. "We played a very sluggish game and were fortunate to come out with a win," said Bronaugh coach Tim Judd. "After a terrible third quarter, we came out and played strong in the fourth to get the win."...

HUME, Mo. -- Sheldon surprised Hume with a 32-30 win in a Vernon County Conference matchup on Friday. The Lady Hornets had handled the Lady Panthers rather easily with a 45-30 victory in the final of the VCC tournament last week. "We gave one away to a Sheldon team that wouldn't quit," said Hume coach Larry Berry...