Stories from Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Lois Kraus, 81, died Feb. 28, 2011, at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center, in Enid, Okla. She was born Jan. 7, 1930, near Montevallo, Mo., to E.A. "Duke" and Flossie Rider Fletcher. Due to the death of her mother when Lois was 4 months old, she was loved and cared for by Amy J. ...

Charles "Ray" Thomas, 84, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011, at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo., following a brief illness. He was born Aug. 27, 1926, in Carthage, Texas, to Charles Ernest Thomas and Blanch Anderson Thomas. He married Betty Jean Thomas on Aug. 30, 1955, in Yuma, Ariz. She preceded him in death on Dec. 11, 2007...

Carol Jean Walker, 59, Nevada, passed away on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, in Webb City, Mo., following a lengthy illness. She was born March 1, 1952, in Yakima, Wash., to J. W. Johnson and Anna Tandberg Johnson. Carol was born and raised in Washington state. ...

The Nevada City Council voted 5-0, with several casting reluctant yes votes, Tuesday night to postpone final consideration of a lease for the I.M.P.A.C.T. Nevada Tourism office at the request of council member Seth Barrett, who had been contacted by the Nevada-Vernon County Chamber of Commerce...

Bryan Elementary students continue scholarship tradition

The Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is seeking an interim executive director. The role of the director is to report to the board of directors and is the front-line organizer of chamber activities. Many skills are required of the director, but perhaps none are more important than the ability to effectively network...

If you think America's got talent, then so does Nevada and surrounding towns! The Community Council on the Performing Arts presents their first ever Youth Showcase for young performers on March 3, 4 and 5, at 7 p.m.; and concludes Sunday, March 6, at 2 p.m. ...

M&M Motor Supply owner Alvin Briscoe searches through the remains of his business Tuesday afternoon looking for any salvageable records. Briscoe said that he had found some files and that the computers had been recovered and sent to a data recovery company and that statements would be sent to customers as soon as possible. ...

The Northeast Vernon County School Board unanimously approved a contract Thursday for an Overland Park company to map the reconstruction of R-1 Walker and Schell City schools next summer. With the $5,904 deal in hand, Energy Solutions Professionals Marketing Director Tim O'Kane said his firm will need 90-120 days to evaluate the needs of the junior high-high school in Walker and elementary school in Schell City...