May year-in-review: Western Mo. dispatch center dissolves

The end of the Western Missouri 911 dispatch center came in May, when the Nevada City Council approved dissolving the board and replacing it with dispatch services from the Vernon County Sheriff's Office.

This was the result of voters turning down a tax proposal in August 2015 to fund the center and to operate it with an independent board.

* Long-time Nevada coach, Larry Testman was recognized by the Missouri Legislature with a Missouri House of Representatives Proclamation for his lifetime accomplishments.

* Gwenda Bassett, an environmental specialist with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources visited to talk about services the DNR can offer Sheldon.

In addition to its wastewater issue, the Community Services Program can also provide assistance and information on other areas, such as dilapidated buildings, liter, etc. The program was started because of changes to wastewater system regulation.

* Paying a visit to Nevada was Dr. Gordon Christensen, who was running against incumbent Rep. Vicky Hartzler for the Missouri fourth congressional district seat.

* The Nevada R-5 School District accepted ownership of the community walking trail from Healthy Nevada, which raised the money for the construction of the concrete walking trail at Nevada Middle School. The trail is open to the public for use during non-school hours during the day.

* Truman Elementary School held its seventh annual Young Authors Conference on May 7, hosting several hundred students from Vernon County and surrounding area schools.

* Former Vernon County Ambulance District executive director James McKenzie accepted and later withdrew his acceptance of a VCAD board seat due to not residing in the district and a possible conflict of interest.

Citizen Dan Dilly told the VCAD board at its May meeting that he was organizing a petition drive to have the Missouri State Auditor's office to conduct an audit of VCAD. In a related matter the VCAD board filed a civil suit against McKenzie and Tina Werner.

The VCAD board also voted to accept a contract with the Vernon County Sheriff's Office for dispatch services.

Dilly and a group of concerned Vernon County residents met at the Franklin P. Norman City/County Community Center to discuss a petition drive for a petition audit by the Missouri State Auditor. Dilly needed to obtain 863 verified signatures by registered voters in Vernon County to be successful.

* Nevada Regional Medical Center finances continued to be an issue. NRMC announced it was cutting staff hours to cut red ink. It asked all staff to take a 5 percent cut in hours over each period. NRMC was also looking to get its behavioral health unit back in operation.

* The Nevada Police Department and the Southwest Missouri Major Case Squad investigated the May 23 murder of 28-year-old Brendon Mooreland, who was found in the apartment parking lot in the 800 block of East Ashland Street with several gunshot wounds.

Twenty-five investigators took part. As a result of the investigation, the Nevada Police Department arrested 32-year-old Casey E. Anders for the murder.