Stories from Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Paul Elvin Kasten, 93, formerly of Bronaugh, more recently of Nevada, died Friday, Oct. 1, 2010, at the Nevada Regional Medical Center. He was born Sept. 14, 1917, in Vernon County, the son of Rudolf Kasten and Amanda Webber Kasten. He graduated from Nevada High School. He married Hazel F. Goben on Feb. 7, 1948, in Kansas City, Mo. She preceded him in death on April 4, 2005...

Corliss Olene Kepler, 85, Nevada, died on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, at St. John's Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo. Family information will be announced later by Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada. Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 7, at Moore Cemetery, Nevada...

"I was pretty positive that we could either get first or second." Nevada Lady Tigers head golf coach Brian Leonard didn't even know who would make up the five-person team he was allowed to take into the district tournament until fairly late in the year, but still had little doubt that his squad could win its first district tournament in five seasons before the year even started...

The Nevada Middle School seventh and eighth grade volleyball teams had mixed results in tournament play over the weekend. Head coach Marsha Hooper's seventh graders went to the Joplin North tournament on Sunday, Oct. 2, and lost to Frontenac, 25-7 and 25-21, before knocking off Joplin South, 25-23 and 25-17, to finish pool play in a four-way tie. Hooper's squad went on to play for fifth place and defeated College Heights 25-9 and 25-13...

Cottey freshman and former Lady Tiger Mar-Kel West, of Rich Hill, returns a serve while sophomore and former Lady Tiger Emily Moore, Nevada, and freshman and former Lady Bulldog Ashley Helm, El Dorado Springs, watch, during Saturday's match against the Fort Scott Greyhounds...

Roy A. Slates appeared in a Vernon County courtroom on Sept. 28, and consented to extradition and signed a waiver to that effect before Associate Circuit Judge Neal Quitno. Slates is being held in the Vernon County jail as he awaits extradition to the state of New Jersey. Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman said he expects Slates to be picked up and transported "sometime this week."...

The Nevada City Council will be holding two meetings tonight; a special meeting at 6 p.m. and then the regular meeting at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers, at the Public Safety Building, 120 S. Ash St. During the special meeting, the council will meet with a representative from Global Software to receive an update on the records management system used by the city and the Western Missouri 9-1-1 Dispatch Center...

Tyler Dawson, left, Jasmine Ervine, Jonathon Gunnerson and Taylor Dawson relax during their tour of the Fire Department Saturday morning.

Local officials, members of the law enforcement community and family members gathered in Earp Park on Monday to remember those who have lost their lives to domestic violence. The mood was somber as those gathered waited for the ceremony to begin. Some loved ones talked, some shed a tear and there were a lot of hugs given to those who had lost someone close to them. Several people took a photo of the silhouette of a loved one that was displayed along with their name...

This is the column I never thought I would write. If you had asked me 45 years ago, when I got my first newspaper job, to look into the future to the day when I might retire, I would have given you a blank stare. When you are young, you think retirement is for old people. And young whippersnappers never intend to grow old...

Marty had a soft upbringing. I knew this, not because he wore cologne and always had clean brushed hair during a time in the '70s when most hippies were scraggly and unkempt. I knew it because every winter he came down with a cold and immediately, upon the advice of his mother, went to bed for a week or two...