Stories from Monday, February 28, 2005

Marvin Oerke proudly held up a small vial for a crowd of farmers to see on Saturday. Inside was a liquid with a powerful smell and powerful repercussions for the area. It was denatured ethanol. Oerke, a member of the Mid-Missouri Energy Inc.'s Board of Directors, showed off some of the substance now being produced just north of Malta Bend at the second annual meeting of MME. Around 200 people, most with a stake in the farmer-owned cooperative, filled the Malta Bend school gym for the meeting...

At a special meeting last Thursday to work on the 2005-06 budget, the Sweet Springs Board of Aldermen looked into ways to trim back the budget for the city's swimming pool. City Clerk Ronda Nienhueser questioned the large general fund transfers made, particularly last year, to cover the pool's expenses. Nienhueser said the pool had other sources of income approved by taxpayers besides the city's general fund...

A vehicle fire Saturday night put on quite a show, but didn't cause much damage, the Marshall Fire Department reported Monday. Don Blackwell, assistant chief for the department, said the fire was reported at 5:03 p.m. and firefighters responded to 1180 S. Odell, where the vehicle was parked...

Saline County has little in common with the Australian Outback, except for some bonds of friendship maintained over the years and refreshed last week. The quartet of Chris Kellock, John Ryan, Greg Holmes and Chris Dowling was introduced at a Saline County Commission meeting last week by Presiding Commissioner Becky Plattner after the Australians made a special visit to the area...

A grower meeting to discuss the soybean rust fungal disease will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at Santa Fe High School in Alma. This event is sponsored by the Santa Fe Agri-Leaders. The discussion is open to the public so all growers and interested persons are invited to attend. ...

Missouri Valley College was the recipient of a national award, presented last month during the annual American Humanics Management Institute. MVC was named the 2005 winner of the Excellence in Certifications Award, recognizing the college for the graduation rate of students who have completed all requirements for American Humanics certification in nonprofit management...

Meeting briefly Monday morning, the Saline County Commission announced that it had hired a new custodian for the county courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Becky Plattner said Tim Martin, of Marshall, had been selected to fill the vacant post. He will be paid at a rate of $8 per hour...

Roscoe B. Cramer, 82, of Waverly, died Saturday, Feb. 26, 2005, at Lafayette Regional Health Center in Lexington. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, at St. Luke's Church of Christ in Grand Pass. Visitation will be on Tuesday at Walker-Nadler-Fuller Funeral Home in Lexington. Burial will be in Mt. Nemo Cemetery in Grand Pass. Memorials are suggested to St. Luke's Church in Grand Pass...

Patricia A. Cobb, 56, of Gilliam, died Friday, Feb. 25, 2005, at Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Shawnee Mission, Kan. Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at Gilliam Cemetery. Rev. Lynn Snapp officiated. Pallbearers were Brian Norris, Travis Norris, William Norris II, Michael Green, Thomas Green and Brent Young. ...

Tom Fisher Jr., 85, of Miami, died Monday, Feb. 28, 2005, at Mar-Saline Manor in Marshall. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. Burial will be in Miami Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Miami Baptist Church or Miami Cemetery...

Florence G. Heiman, 86, of Boise, Idaho, formerly of Marshall, died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at Sunbridge Health Care Center in Meridian, Idaho. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 2005, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Rev. Vernon Maxted will officiate. Visitation will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association...

John O. Myers, 53, of Marshall, died Sunday, Feb. 27, at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 1, at Sweeney-Reser-Wills Funeral Home in Marshall. Rev. Michael Hibbard will officiate. Organist Edith Pautz will play "Amazing Grace" and "How Great Thou Art." Burial will be in Utica Cemetery in Utica...

Virgil L. Palmer, 81, of Malta Bend, died Monday, Feb. 28, 2005, at the University Hospital and Clinics in Columbia. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Visitation will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. Burial with graveside military rites will be in Malta Bend Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Malta Bend Cemetery or American Diabetes Association...

Fleeta E. Smith, 87, of Gower, formerly of Gilliam, died Friday, Feb. 25, 2005, at Gower Convalescent Care Center in Gower. Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 3, at Slater City Cemetery. Rev. Robert Sisney will officiate. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association in care of Weiker Funeral Home in Slater...

CENTERVIEW -- Earlier in the afternoon Saturday, Sweet Springs head girls' basketball coach Boyd Jones was giving his counterpart from Concordia a hard time about the ugly win by Chris Damron's squad. The Lady Orioles had survived a 47-43 slugfest against Northwest in the first round of the Class 2, District 14 Tournament at Centerview, despite missing 32 of 46 free-throw attempts -- including 17 of 18 during the fourth quarter alone, by their best player...

CENTERVIEW -- Tim Smith didn't rest easily following a Friday scouting trip. The Sweet Springs boys' head basketball coach had just seen his first-round opponent in the next day's Class 2, District 14 Tournament at Centerview, and recognized the problems posed by Archie...

The Malta Bend girls' basketball team finished its season with a pair of losses, a 52-37 decision during its CCAA finale Friday at Otterville and a 61-31 whipping Saturday at the hands of Keytesville in the first round of the Class 1, District 8 Tournament at New Franklin...

MAGNOLIA, Ark. -- In no sport is the home-field advantage codified so much as it is in baseball. Southern Arkansas got to experience it for the first time this season while hosting Missouri Valley College over the weekend, the Muleriders sweeping the three-game series -- with the first two wins being decided during the last at-bat...

PARKVILLE -- The third-ranked Missouri Valley College men's volleyball team again struggled with its hitting and serves Saturday during a 3-2 loss at MAMVIC rival Park. Although the Vikings took a 2-1 lead in games, it couldn't put away the host squad during a 26-30, 30-27, 21-30, 30-25, 15-9 loss. Valley's hitting efficiency was a mere .193 and it committed 13 service errors, with only seven aces...

Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch had quite a shootout on the final lap of the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway Sunday, but it was merely for second place. Greg Biffle was already firmly in command, having taken the lead with 22 laps remaining and coasting to his second Nextel Cup victory by six car lengths over Johnson. The key for Biffle was staying on the track during a caution flag at lap 218 and then overtaking Busch for the lead seven circuits later...

BOYS Lewis & Clark Paris 45, at Marceline 42 CCAA at Otterville 2, Malta Bend 0 (forfeit) Prairie Home 54, at Higbee 51 Non-conference at Braymer 64, Wellington-Napoleon 44 Salisbury 57, at Cairo 30 at Fayette 63, Centralia 35 Class 4, District 9 Tournament (Moberly)...