Stories from Wednesday, January 21, 2004

While many government employees had Martin Luther King Day off, Nevada employees spent the day going to school. The city uses this day for an annual in-service training for most city employees, Whitney Davis, the city's human resources director, told the city council during Tuesday night's meeting...

Nevada High School Principal Dave Adams, flanked by the Soundsational Singers and garbed in a special birthday costume provided by students, blows out the candles on a cake during a Renaissance assembly Tuesday, which also happened to be Adams' birthday. The Renaissance program rewards students' academic performance and attendance with activities and prizes...

How much money does it take to keep the Vernon County juggernaught running? After several weeks of debate the Vernon County Commissioners have finally released the first draft of the Vernon County 2004 budget. This year the bill is going to run about $2,286,220.08. However, the estimated revenues for 2004 and going to run around $1,969,930.77 plus $219,867.96 in net cash which will leave an estimated ending balance of $195,578.65...

Filing closed at 5 p.m. yesterday, with five candidates vying for seats on the Vernon County Ambulance District's board of directors. Voters will elect three candidates, one each in Subdistricts 1, 2 and 5 on April 6. Running in Subdistrict 1 is Larry Spillars, Nevada. Subdistrict 2 candidates are Larry Chadd Jr., of rural Vernon County, and Mark L. Humphrey, Nevada, and candidates in Subdistrict 5 are William K. Hibbs and Robert Benn, both of Nevada...

Deerfield volunteer firefighter Kevin Sisseck helps battle a housefire in Richards Tuesday, at about 1 p.m., where firefighters from several area fire departments responded with tankers to battle the blaze in this home. Despite firefighter's efforts, the home was completely gutted by fire. ...

A group of 28 nursing students from Fort Scott Community College are about to embark on one of the first of many adventures during what for some will be a long and rewarding career as registered nurses. On Tuesday, the group participated in an orientation and tour of Nevada Regional Medical Center, where the students will begin taking part in personal patient care on Thursday...

An exciting event was held Saturday at the City/County Community Center, with an estimated 1,600 in attendance, to celebrate six new firms locating in Nevada, which is expected to result in 1,000 new jobs. The event was called Opportunity Expo -- where jobs and opportunities meet...

100 Years Ago -- January 21, 1904 R.B. Taylor, formerly of Nevada and a well-known printer, has returned to make his home here after a residence in Kansas City for the past eighteen months. While at the last named place Taylor was engaged in the shoe making and repairing business which he recently sold. ...

CARTHAGE, Mo. -- The Nevada Lady Tigers defeated Carthage 47-40 in a Southwest Conference tilt on Tuesday. Early on, it appeared Nevada was going to run away and hide, but the score tightened and the game evolved into a competitive contest. Nevada jumped to a 14-4 first-quarter lead and extended the margin to 12 early in the second period...

CARTHAGE, Mo. -- Nevada's Tigers lost 40-28 to Carthage's Tigers in Southwest Conference play on Tuesday night. Prevailing circumstances have forced Nevada to virtually start anew at midseason. The loss of the top two scorers, Matt Davis and Ty Holmes, to a team that was scoring-challenged to begin with is no small matter...

Mabel Cleone Bratcher, 96, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2004, at the Bates County Memorial Hospital, Butler, Mo. She was born July 1, 1907, in Smithville, Mo., the daughter of Hubert and Irene (Rusk) Seaman. She was married to Hershell Bratcher on March 23, 1927, in Kansas City, Mo., to this union five sons were born...