Stories from Thursday, February 5, 2004

Mary Jean Swager, 80, Nevada, Mo., passed away Feb. 3, 2004, at Nevada Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. She was born Sept. 6, 1923, in Moundville, Mo., to Homer E. Maple and Glessner L. Weaver Maple. She married Frank L. Swager, Jr., on Oct. 27, 1942, in Vancouver, Wash., and he survives of the home...

Carl Clifton "Cliff" Wagner, 47, of Hollister, Mo., died at 11:25 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2004, at Skaggs Community Health Center in Branson, Mo., from a one-car accident. He was born in Seward, Alaska, on Nov. 15, 1956, the son of Jack and Jaunita Wagner who preceded him in death...

The Nevada Middle School eighth graders split with Joplin Memorial on Tuesday. The Tiger "A" team, led by Trevor Hinkle's 10 points defeated Memorial 38-17. The "B" team lost 54-25. Aaron Dade scored seven points for Nevada.

Local motocross racers participated in the 1st Oklahoma State Motocross Series on Sunday, January 25. Featuring 600 riders in the eight-race series, the event was held at Sooner State Cycle Park in Wellston, Okla. Mike Forkner of Richards, Mo., placed fourth in the 40-and-over class, with a field of 21 racers...

HUME, Mo. -- The Lady Hornets of Hume ripped Northeast Vernon County's Lady Knights 60-31 in a Vernon County Conference matchup on Tuesday. Kayla Morrison paced the Hornet scoring with 22 points, while Nicole Hinton added 16. Katie Foreman topped the Lady Knights with 10. Randi Carter added nine...

I came onto the dining room saying, "The telephone was off the hook in the bathroom all night." Instantly two young voices spoke up, "I didn't do it!" Even though I quickly told the two great-granddaughters whom we were baby sitting that I wasn't accusing anyone, they continued their excuses. Each suggested it might be the other one. Lester then told us that he probably did it when he was re-arranging things on the small table...

In generally friendly recent letters, the Bushwhacker Museum was gently condemned for exhibiting its Ku Klux Klan robe and hood. One visitor was "shocked and dismayed" when she encountered them "displayed with no explanation." Another felt "horror." In equally friendly responses, we pointed out that the Museum's two sites are very much in a state of transition. ...

The second storm of the week moved through the Central Plains Wednesday, working its way across Kansas and into Missouri as snow continued to fall this morning, prompting a number of schools to either call off classes or start them late. In Vernon County, Sheldon, Bronaugh, and Northeast Vernon County schools closed, and nearby Liberal schools closed as well. Nevada's Cedar Ridge school closed today, and several community events were cancelled...

Resources for victims who fight against the desire to end their own lives diminish with closing of El Dorado Springs facility.

A 1974 Nevada High School graduate and long-time Branson entertainer, Cliff Wagner, 47, Hollister, died Tuesday when when the Jeep Wagner was driving ran off of the road on West Highway 76, Branson, and ended up partly inside a Pizza Hut restaurant...

Using Walton Pool, fishing at Radio Springs Lake or picnicking at Marmaduke Park was far from the minds of most area residents heading home from work in the snow Wednesday afternoon. However that is exactly what members of Nevada's parks board were thinking about Wednesday in the city council chambers while the snow fell outside the building...