Stories from Friday, January 16, 2004

I know I'm rapidly closing on four decades, so maybe that's why I'm a little befuddled about some of the recent news items and quotes. First, Brittany Spears was reported this week as saying "I do believe in the sanctity of marriage, I totally do." Whoa, Brit, maybe you should have learned a lesson about those two little words "I" and "do."...

A three-vehicle crash on Missouri Highway 240 claimed the lives of two Marshall men and left two other drivers with moderate injuries. A preliminary report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol states Gregory S. Farrell, 54, and David A. Romero, 40, died in the crash which occurred at 4:53 p.m. on Highway 240 just outside the city limits near County Road 213...

The Sweet Spring Board of Education approved a package of policy revisions during its regular meeting Thursday. The board approved the third reading of the policy, thereby accepting the new policy. The policy retained the board's control of approving early graduation requests...

The Missouri Valley College women's basketball team made a serious bid to end its six-game losing streak Thursday. Unfortunately, visiting Avila had other plans, coming back from a three-point halftime deficit with 48 points on an amazing 76.2-percent shooting binge after the break to run away with a 74-61 Heart of America Conference victory over the Lady Vikings...

CALIFORNIA -- The Marshall girls' basketball team was waylaid by Rock Bridge during a 58-26 loss in pool play Thursday at the California Tournament. The Lady Bruins took command from the outset with a 26-10 first-quarter blitz, from which shell-shocked Marshall never recovered...

ALMA -- If new Santa Fe head boys' basketball coach Tom Burton wanted to know how his Chiefs would respond to being crushed by second-ranked Higginsville two days earlier, he got a positive answer Thursday during a 55-46 victory over defending I-70 Conference champion Wellington-Napoleon...

The season won't wait for the Missouri Valley College men's wrestling team to get up to full strength. Even with illnesses and minor injuries keeping some key performers out of the lineup, the third-ranked Vikings picked up a pair of narrow road victories this week -- beating Central Missouri State, ranked 10th in NCAA Division II, 17-15, Tuesday at Warrensburg and No. 10 NAIA rival Missouri Baptist, 16-15, Wednesday at St. Louis...

BOYS I-70 at Santa Fe 55, Wellington-Napoleon 46 Non-conference at Orrick 70, Hardin-Central 29 Concordia 54, at Tipton 46 California Tournament (Semifinals) Versailles 71, Boonville 65 Mexico 45, Eldon 45 Appleton City Tournament (Semifinals) windsor 57, Osceola 40...

Ester "Ethel" Reinhardt Captain, 93, of Sweet Springs, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2003, at Sweet Springs Villa in Sweet Springs. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sweet Springs. Pastor David M. Ritoch will officiate. ...

Delia E. DeGroodt, 91, of Conoga Park, Calif., formerly of Saline County, died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004, at West Hills Hospital in West Hills, Calif. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Sweeney-Reser-Wills Funeral Home in Marshall. Private burial services will be in Slater City Cemetery...

C.O. DeWitt, 99, of Malta Bend, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2004, at his home. Graveside services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 12, at Malta Bend Cemetery in Malta Bend. William W. Harlow officiated. Pallbearers were Lester O. Rader, Jerry W. Rader, Carl E. Rader, Ronald G. Rader and Carl R. Rader. Burial was in Malta Bend Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Saline Animal League in care of Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home...

Gregory S. Farrell, 54, of Marshall, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, in Saline County, as the result of an automobile accident. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Father Kevin Gormley will officiate. Visitation will be from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. Burial will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall. Memorials are suggested to St. Peter Catholic Church in Marshall...

David Allen Romero, 40, of Marshall, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, in Saline County as the result of an automobile accident. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. Burial will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall. Memorials are suggested to the Marshall High School Orchestra...

Zach Bailey (left) and Matt Stevens from Associated Theatrical Contractors in Springfield hang new stage curtains in the Little Theater at Marshall High School Tuesday afternoon. The 200 yards of material, or eight curtains, replaced the worn curtains that had been in the theater since it was built in 1977. ...

The Marshall Police Department is investigating a double burglary reported Thursday morning. Marshall Police Chief Jim Simmerman said the break-in at the Wood Shop and Rural Beginnings was reported at 7:49 a.m. Thursday. At some point during the overnight hours, the main entrance to the Wood Shop had been forced open, he said...

A conversation about auto parts during a traffic stop led to the arrest of a Malta Bend man earlier this week. According to a search warrant report filed in Saline County Associate Circuit Court Division 6, Clarence M. Arnold Jr., 46, was stopped by a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper in Marshall for a traffic violation. ...

After leaving his four-wheeler in a storage shed last week, a Malta Bend man returned Tuesday to find it stolen. Saline County Sheriff Wally George said the 1998 Arctic Cat four-wheeler belonging to Fred Malter was last seen parked in a building in rural Saline County. While the building's doors were barred from the inside, George said it appeared a thin piece of metal had been slid between two sliding doors to lift the bar...

The Sweet Springs Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to take Richard Bishop off probation and raise his salary to $410 per week. The motion was the only one voted on Monday during closed session, according to the meeting's unofficial minutes. Bishop was hired as a police officer at $350 per week on Aug. 11, 2003, and had previously been a reserve officer...

A kickoff for the 2004 Relay For Life event will be held from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, in the Wood & Huston Bank meeting room on the Marshall square. Anyone interested in knowing more about Relay For Life, an annual fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society, is invited to attend...