Stories from Thursday, December 18, 2003

In what some are calling an early Christmas present for the American people the capture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein is going to effect the war in Iraq and the current political situation -- the question is how much? And what does it mean to the people of Vernon County?...

Kicking off the Christmas season, Barone's Alzheimer's Care Unit residents were treated to a Christmas Tea Sunday, Dec. 7, at the facility. Musicians from the Maranatha Fellowship performed, Santa paid a visit and even a dancer proudly pranced. The annual event has been presented each year for 12 years and it is eagerly looked forward to by the residents each year. ...

Nevada will have two city council candidates to choose from during the April 6 municipal election. Voters will choose between former council member and Vernon County Ambulance District director James McKenzie and local businessman Jim Raburn. Last Friday, Raburn became the second and final candidate to file for the seat currently held by Marie Wessley...

Just a note to put your worries at rest: the plot of the comedy "A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody," playing at the Fox Playhouse Theater this weekend, is less complicated than the instructions for building an atomic bomb. But not by much. The plot of Ronald Jay's "rollicking farce" might well have been written by Peter Sellers as an appropriate vehicle for the Marx brothers. ...

Bernice Johnson Teel, 95, Nevada, Mo., died Dec. 16, 2003, at her residence in Nevada. Mrs. Teel was born Feb. 1, 1908, in Sarcoxie, Mo., to Dr. E.W. and Mrs. Jessie Alice (Bales) Johnson. She attended Sarcoxie School and graduated in 1925, and attended Springfield Teachers College receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education in 1929...

Alberta Janet Loiselle, 64, Nevada, Mo., died Dec. 16, 2003, at her home in Nevada. She was born Nov. 9, 1939, in Lamont, Mo., to Lawrence Alfred Stewart and Hazel Neomi Garland Stewart. She married Donald Loiselle on Jan. 25, 1971, in Miami, Okla., and he survives of Nevada, Mo...

NEOSHO, Mo. -- The Nevada Tiger wrestling team defeated perennial power Neosho in a dual meet for the first time in 12 years on Tuesday. Both teams recorded four pins, however, Nevada took advantage of two forfeits for 12 of its total points. Nevada (2-2) outscored Neosho (0-2) 40-36...

A scoreless third quarter combined with Fort Scott's 20-point fourth-quarter outburst sent the Nevada junior varsity girls to a 40-23 defeat on Tuesday. "We were pretty rusty after having the last week off due to the varsity tournament in Joplin," said JV coach Allison Gorman. "Our offense was pretty sluggish in the first three quarters and we have got to get more movement out of our zone offenses."...