Stories from Sunday, September 26, 2004

By Marc Powers Nevada Herald JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- In an effort to provide the Missouri Department of Transportation with additional money without a tax hike four years ago, state lawmakers authorized the agency to sell up to $2.25 billion in bonds to finance more road and bridge construction projects...

By Ralph Pokorny Nevada Herald Marie Wessley represented Nevada citizens as a city council member for eight years, until she retired in April to spend more time with her family. Beginning in 1997, at the urging of former city manager Wayne Neal, she began representing Nevada and other Missouri communities on the Missouri Municipal League board of directors, serving as MML president in 2001...

By Ben Holman Nevada Herald A scene of mock mayhem struck in Milo Thursday evening, and Vernon County emergency crews responded to a major incident, prepared for virtually anything. This time, the disaster wasn't real, but a similar scenario could happen any time, at any number of places in Vernon County...

Deaths Russell L. Robison Russell L. Robison, 80, died Sept. 22, 2004. Services were held at Green Mound Cemetery on Sept. 25, 2004, at 2 p.m., with the Rev. Charles Brown officiating. Music was by the Mennonite Church Choir. Interment was in Green Mound Cemetery in Harwood. Arrangements were by Ferry Funeral Home...

'Blow ye winds!' Hi neighbors. Autumn is here and with it all the pollen, allergies, and now straw itch mites! Will it never end? Killer bees have hit Oklahoma. I remember being told they would never get out of Texas. Actually, I remember being assured they would never get further north than Mexico. Someone underestimated killer bees...

Back in 1950 More than half a century ago? Wow! I was 10 years old back then, and living with my parents and new baby sister Beverly in the outskirts of New York City. The Second World War was over, and I think I can still remember neighbors honking their auto horns to celebrate VJ Day. For the next five years, a practically palpable feeling of self-congratulation and contentment (neither of which I could then put into words) settled over the land like a warm bath,...

Bush is no baboon Dear editor: I was really surprised and saddened upon turning to page 4A of the Herald for Sunday, Sept. 19. It was somewhat tragic to see our local daily publication follow in the footsteps of Dan Rather, CBS, and the left wing liberal crowd now seeking to seize control of the destiny of America...

By Joe Warren Nevada Herald When the Nevada Tigers squared off with the Webb City Cardinals Friday night, the results were not pretty. The Tigers learned exactly why the Cardinals are the state's top-ranked team in Class 4. Final score -- 70-6. Webb City (4-0) built a 57-6 halftime lead, taking advantage of some Tigers (2-2) miscues and exploiting an obvious strength advantage in the process...

Nevada Daily Mail Nevada Middle School had a busy week, with the seventh and eighth-grade volleyball teams both winning numerous matches. The seventh-grade teams beat Carthage on Monday, El Dorado Springs on Tuesday, and Joplin Memorial n Thursday. The eighth-grade teams beat Carthage on Tuesday and Joplin Memorial also on Thursday...

Nevada Herald Nevada Middle School played Neosho this week in both seventh and eighth-grade football, with little success. Neosho beat the eighth-grade teams 18-14 in the A-game and 30-0 in the B-game. The coaches said the player gave a good effort, but just were unable to turn that into success on the scoreboard...

During last week's race at Allen County Community College in Iola, Kan., the Nevada varsity boys finished 3rd in the team standings with 60 points. Pictured are freshman Bill Fay, who placed 16th (far left); junior Jim Fay, who placed seventh (#7); freshman Trevor Hinkle, who placed 10th (middle); and junior Mason Benn, who placed fifth (#17). In the JV girls race, Vanessa Hancock was first. Jacob Query placed second in the ninth-grade boys race...

Pesky cormorants a problem The early opening of the archery season on deer and turkey has resulted in a mixed bag. Many bow hunters say it's been too hot to hunt while others see the early date as a big advantage to getting a deer. Tom Johnson of Warrensburg said, "I spent more time fighting mosquitoes than looking for a deer. I think I'll wait until next month to go out."...

In late August as we pulled into Washington, D.C. for a brief stop, I couldn't help but think how nice it would have been had Washington not lost one, but two major league teams and remains as the only city to have lost its big league representation and not gotten a replacement team within a short time...