Stories from Thursday, July 11, 2002

While heavy winds tore down some trees, limbs and small structures across Saline County around noon Wednesday, most of the county came away relatively unscathed. In Marshall, city crews were busy cleaning up debris early Thursday but have seen little significant damage...

The conference meet for the Salt Fork YMCA Manta Rays Swim Club, which had been scheduled for Sunday at Columbia, has been moved. Responding to dissatisfaction expressed by coaches and parents over the running of the Summer Scorcher at Columbia June 24, the Manta Rays volunteered to host the event next Thursday in the 25-yard Salt Fork YMCA pool. It will just the second home contest of the season for Marshall and the first at the indoor facility...

Football camp for Bueker Middle School players begins Monday through Thursday at the on-campus field. Campers are scheduled to pick up their equipment on Saturday, at 8 a.m. for eighth-grade players and 9 a.m. for seventh-graders. The sessions are set for 8 to 10 a.m. each day. Those who have yet to register may sign up during the equipment check-in on Saturday or the first day of camp Monday...

The second thunderstorm which blew through the area wiped out Wednesday's scheduled Babe Ruth Senior League regular season finale. The contest, between Viking Athletic Goods and visiting Brunswick, was set to be played at the Marshall High School Field and was not affected by the wind damage done to Osage Field at Indian Foothills Park...

SEDALIA -- After being on the shelf for nearly a month, Marshall's Chad Clark has returned to action as strong as ever at State Fair Speedway in Sedalia. It should be no surprise that Clark, a master service technician at Elmer Hare Ford, was able to rebuild an engine that went sour during a heat race on May 31. ...

Iva Mae Saylor, 82, of Sweet Springs, died Wednesday, July 10, 2002, at her home. Arrangements are pending at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Sweet Springs.

Lula M. Gilliam, 90, of Slater, died Wednesday, July 10, 2002, at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall. Funeral arrangements are pending at Weiker Funeral Home in Slater.

Kate F. Witthar, 95, of Higginsville, died Monday, July 8, 2002, at Meyer Care Center in Higginsville. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 12, at Wiegers Funeral Home in Higginsville. Pastor Erica Harley will officiate.

Violet Frances Robinett, 87, of Boonville, formerly of Marshall, died Tuesday, July 9, 2002, at Ashley Manor Care Center in Boonville. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 11, at Wiegers Funeral Home in Higginsville. Rev. Greg Fine will officiate...

Stephanie Glenn, Saline County Health Office Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutritionist and coordinator, was selected to participate in the program for dietetics interns with the Missouri Department of Health. According to a contract approved by the Saline County Commission Thursday, Glenn will be on paid leave during the nine-month study period because of the benefits her advancement will provide for citizens of the county upon her return...

Malta Bend has joined Sweet Springs, Blackburn and Mt. Leonard in pledging support to the regional planning commission proposed by the Saline County commissioners and commissioners from three other counties. "They're having a Pioneer Trails Planning Commission and they want one person from each town, and there's four counties involved," Joana Moore, Malta Bend's city clerk, told the City Council Tuesday at the council's regular meeting...

Saline County Coroner Dr. Bedford Knipschild has requested a local physician be appointed as deputy coroner for the county to serve in his absence. "I would like to ask you to consider creating a deputy coroner. I've never really pushed for one here," Knipschild told the Saline County Commission Thursday...

State funding cuts to the Department of Health and Senior Services have forced the department to restructure its regions, creating some changes for the Saline County Health Office. Following restructuring, Saline County is now in the Northwest District under a new director, Charles Williams, according to Saline County Health Office Administrator Jill Hieronymus...

While the cause of the July 4 power outage in Marshall remains a mystery, the generator it damaged is back in service. At Wednesday's meeting of the Marshall Municipal Utilities Board of Public Works, MMU Electric Production Superintendent Kyle Gibbs discussed repairs made to the Unit 5 generator...

In an effort to recover some lost revenues in its water department, the Marshall Municipal Utilities Board of Public Works may be softening its policy of not selling water outside the county. The board discussed the matter at its regular meeting Wednesday...

The story in Wednesday's edition of the Democrat-News concerning John Bert Flowers incorrectly stated that he was on probation. Flowers was in fact out on bail pending disposition of his trial. The Democrat-News regrets the error.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold an evening program at Van Meter State Park Saturday, July 13. The park's naturalist will present a slide show titled "Black Bears in Missouri," which will discuss the bear population within the state as well as the breeding and eating habits of the black bear. Visitors will also be invited to win prizes during a round of "nature bingo" after the slide show...

Note: This is an encore presentation (and slight re-write) of one of my favorite columns. I hope you like it again this time around. There is a place that has always intrigued me, and for reasons I can't really explain. Yet, it has been a place of refuge in times of confusion and it has been a place of challenge when times were seemingly going smooth...