Stories from Tuesday, March 7, 2006

The semi-trailer groaned as the bed of the trailer raised up as it was relieved of the 43,600 pounds of precision equipment that weighed it down. Hal Fortner was at the controls of a custom-built forklift that hoisted the Landis Tools precision roll grinder up far enough for the semi to drive out from under it. To counter-balance the heavy load Forkner extended the rear of the machine several feet...

On Friday Nevada Middle School hosted its annual Scholastic book fair. The fair began on Wednesday and will continue until today. Most of the money from the book fair goes into the library's credit fund. The book fair is sponsored by Scholastic, which allots a certain amount of credits to the library per each item sold. The children love the fairs and flock to them all week long, organizers said...

Vernon County Sheriff's deputies are looking for Dustin D. Kellogg, 22, Belton, who escaped from the New Beginnings unit on the third floor of Nevada Regional Medical Center, Saturday, at approximately 7:30 p.m. Kellogg is described as a white male, 6-feet, 1-inch tall, 170 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes...

Nevada Daily Mail Vernon County public safety officials say it's still not safe to burn trash or debris outdoors, even though some rain was received in Vernon County on Saturday. Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman said he had received several inquiries about burning over the weekend, but emphatically noted that extremely dry conditions still exist, and the likelihood of brush fires is still very high...

Charlene Johnson, right, discusses the need for handicapped accessible trails with Chad Weinand, Bucher, Willis & Ratliff consultant, during a workshop held by the Nevada Parks Board to discuss the upcoming capitol improvement projects in the city parks. ...

Lawrence G. Harper, age 66, of Nevada, Mo., passed away on Friday, March 3, 2006, at the Nevada Regional Medical Center following a lengthy illness. He was born on April 10, 1939, in Nevada to Jessie Lee Harper and Alta Ellen Hogan Harper. On July 21, 1970, he was married in Nowata, Okla., to Shelia Miller and she survives of the home...

Dear editor: Recently, the Vernon County Sheriff's Department arrested illegal Mexicans. The border disgrace has now reached Vernon County. My question is "what has happened that all illegal Mexicans and others who cross the border illegally are not arrested and deported for violations of American immigration laws?" Is not entering the country illegally a crime? Why do local authorities need to wait for illegals to commit a crime to be arrested?...

Dr. Todd taken to the state prison JEFFERSON CITY, -- Former Representative Dr. Joseph Todd, of Vernon County, gave himself up to Marshal Fink, of the supreme court, Tuesday morning, and was immediately taken to prison for the murder of Robert T. Wall, which took place in Richards, a small town in Vernon County...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Take back the pumpkin carriage and the mice pulling it, the Cinderella Cottey Comets had their storybook run ended in the NJCAA Division II, Region 16 championship game Saturday. For Cottey, the magic ran out. More aptly, the Magic ran and pressed and wore down the Comets as they fell to second-seeded St. Louis Community College-Meramec, 58-51...