Stories from Wednesday, May 15, 2002

The Slater High School Class of 2002 celebrated its achievements during commencement ceremonies Tuesday night in the school gymnasium. The senior choir sang "Leaving On a Jet Plane" before commencement speaker Nina Butner addressed the 29 graduates to share a little encouragement and commend them for a job well done...

Something to consider "Vacations are a little like love - anticipated with relish, experienced with inconvenience, and remembered with nostalgia." -- author unknown From the desk of the director Vacation time is fast approaching! Have you put any thought into planning the destinations for your summer vacations?...

BASEBALL District 13AAA Tournament, Marshall (1st Round) California 8, Marshall 1 Holden 9, Knob Noster 4 Warrensburg 1, Odessa 0 - District 15A Tournament, Pilot Grove (1st Round) Santa Fe 14, Pilot Grove 2 (5) Bunceton 5, St. Paul 4 Northwest 3, Sweet Springs 1...

PILOT GROVE -- Except for top-seeded Santa Fe's 14-2, five-inning rout of host Pilot Grove, Tuesday's first-round baseball games at the District 15A Tournament were tight, gripping affairs -- two of them upsets. Those occurred in the bottom half of the bracket, where Northwest of Hughesville avenged a season-opening loss by beating No. ...

SPRINGFIELD -- The second round didn't go any better than the opening day at the MSHSAA Class AAA Boys' Golf Championships for Marshall senior Robert Nyenhuis. "It was a shame that Robert did not have his 'A' game with him," remarked Owls coach Erek Dusenberry after Nyenhuis followed Monday's 86 with an 88 on Tuesday at par-72 Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield -- his two-round total of 174 placing him tied for 77th in the 125-golfer field...

A 10-day absence from the baseball diamond had its effect on Marshall. The Owls managed just six scattered hits, stranded seven of their eight runners and were struck out 13 times -- five on called third strikes -- by California's Clint Rogers during an 8-1 loss Tuesday during the first round of the District 13AAA Tournament at MHS field...

There is sadness when anyone dies, but the emotions seem to run deeper when death comes to a child. And reports of the tragic loss of life among teen-agers, often as the result of underage drinking or an automobile accident - or a combination of both, are particularly heart-wrenching at this time of year when the hopes of high school seniors are soaring...

The Marshall Planning and Zoning Commission's regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday was postponed when a quorum could not be obtained. The 12-member commission is legally required to have a minimum of seven members present to conduct business. After waiting 15 minutes past the scheduled 5:15 p.m. starting time, only six members were present Tuesday...

A drug- and alcohol-free, all-night party for Marshall High School's 182 graduates is taking shape, with the graduates' parents rushing to finish preparations for the traditional Project Graduation. "We're getting there. Anybody that would like to come out and decorate is welcome," said Sara Kirchhoff, chair of the project's decorating committee. "The more the merrier."...

The Marshall Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring its annual Spring Fling, featuring wares from area greenhouses and nurseries, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18, on the courthouse lawn. In addition to the plants and flowers from greenhouses, the Marshall Mid-Day Optimist Club will be hosting "A Day with Grandma Moses" from 9 a.m. until supplies run out...

The Sweet Springs Board of Aldermen has approved a contract with Vance Brothers of Kansas City to have resealing work done on several city streets. At a cost of $18,375, many of the city's main thoroughfares will be recovered with the mixture of gravel, oil and tar later this summer...

The Marshall-Saline Development Corporation's Board of Directors approved a grant application and reviewed contract policies at its regular meeting held Tuesday morning. MSDC Executive Director Roy Hunter said work is currently under way to complete an application for a $45,100 rural business opportunity grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The grant would be used for the development of a soy diesel facility...

The Malta Bend Board of Aldermen declared four more addresses as nuisance properties Tuesday evening as it continued a drive to clean up the town. This is the second group of properties to be declared nuisances and the board's enforcement of the new ordinance has been producing some results...

Lester Adams (left) and Billy Miller (right) put in the bolts on the Rocket Plane ride Tuesday as the Jones and Co. Kiddieland Carnival prepared for opening day of its run at the Marshall Plaza shopping center. Democrat-News photo by Jack Tynan

If you aren't doing so already, it is time to examine the materials you use and make a conscious effort to recycle or reuse items you routinely throw away. The daily and weekly newspapers that quickly pile up at home are a perfect example of a recyclable and reusable resource that is often overlooked...