Stories from Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Front matter I just got back from the American Library Association annual convention. This year it was held in Chicago and I not only attended sessions that gave me lots of good ideas for our library but I also had the opportunity to hear Barack Obama speak at our opening session. There's nothing like a convention to exhilarate and completely exhaust you at the same time!...

A Marshall teen charged as an adult for statutory sodomy could face up to life in prison if convicted. James Le Hostetter, 16, was charged Tuesday with felony statutory sodomy in the first degree. The crime carries a sentence of 10 years to life in the Missouri Department of Corrections...

While responding to a medical emergency call at a Saline County truck stop, officers instead made an arrest. Deputy Richard Miller arrived on the scene and made contact with 55-year-old John C. Perew, an over-the-road truck driver from Lompoc, Calif. Perew said he had thought he was having a heart attack, but was feeling better and did not need assistance...

When Bonnie Humphrey took office as president of Missouri Valley College in January, there were three vacant positions on her cabinet. In the six months since then, Linda Quinley was named the college's chief financial officer and Eric Sappington has returned to the position of director of institutional advancement. The college announced last week that Earl Wellborn will assume the position of chief academic officer (CAO) of the college beginning July 1...

Van Meter State Park staff members Cynthia Stevens and Eric Fuemmeler presented a program Saturday morning about tools and techniques used by American Indians including the Missouria tribe that at one time called the area home. Above: Caleb Cochran of Lexington, son of Mike and Donita Cochran, throws a corn cob dart through the middle of a rolling tube during a game called "Running Buffalo" following the demonstration. ...

Celebrating the Independence Day holiday, the Marshall Municipal Band will have two performances over the next few days -- both capped by large fireworks displays. The band will be in concert at 8 p.m. Thursday in the gazebo at the Marshall Habilitation Center and then at 8 p.m. ...

The Marshall Writers Guild has announced its sixth annual call for manuscripts to be included in the guild's annual booklet, which is scheduled for publication in early December. This year's topic is "Once Upon a Time." Poetry, essays and stories of fact or fiction will be considered. Writers of all ages are invited to participate...

John Harold Stonner, 90, of rural Miami, died Wednesday, June 29, 2005, at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 2, at Miami United Methodist Church. Rev. Jan Schnepf and Rev. Jesse Spurgin will officiate. ...

SLATER -- Slater had a pair of 11-hit games Sunday to take both ends of a Central Missouri Adult Baseball League doubleheader at Lions Field. The Purple broke away during the middle frames to beat Sedalia, 8-7, then recovered after blowing a five-run lead in the sixth inning to down Carroll County, 8-6...

While the Marshall USSSA Seniors baseball team has been steadily improving its hitting, the pitching continues to hemorrhage runs at an alarming pace. Jefferson City Baseball Inc. knocked around three Marshall hurlers Tuesday to sweep a doubleheader -- the visitors pounding out a 14-4 victory in six innings in the first game and coming from behind for an 8-5 decision in the second. Marshall's team earned-run average is hovering over the Lima line at 10.55...