Stories from Thursday, October 9, 2008

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When homeowners decide to make changes to a house -- a wall should come out or a window should be converted into a door or a skylight would be nice -- they generally hire someone who makes the changes with deliberate care. Firefighters sometimes have to make similar "adjustments" to structures, but when flames are roaring and every second counts, their "remodeling" efforts are not as measured as a carpenter's would be...

The 2008 Halloween Promotion benefit lunch will be held Friday, Oct. 10, 2008, from 10:30 a.m. until food is gone at Casey's, 1267 S. Odell, Marshall. For a donation of $3 to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, lunch includes barbecue pork sandwiches, baked beans and coleslaw...

A wedding gift, given to a young couple in 1955, led a retired college professor to uncover perhaps one of Missouri -- and Saline County's -- great artists from the 19th century. However, the artist, William B. Cox, had been all but forgotten in art history...

Saline County Sheriff Wally George has announced the availability of the John Dennis Scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded by the Missouri Sheriff's Association. The $1,000 scholarship will be presented to 16 college-bound, Missouri high school seniors who intend to pursue a criminal justice career and will be attending a Missouri college or university...

Saline County Commissioners plan to visit the bridge on Wildcat Road Thursday, they announced at their morning session. It's estimated repairs to the bridge will require another 11 working days. Commissioners met with representatives from the Missouri State Public Defenders Office Wednesday, Oct. 8...

Slater city officials, citizens and students have taken steps to stop the vandalism that has plagued the Kiddie Park in recent months, and Mayor Stephen Allegri said the good news is that the town is pulling together to solve the problem. Vandals have hit the restroom at the Kiddie Park twice in recent months -- the facility is freshly renovated as part of a big park improvement project -- setting fires, writing graffiti on the walls and leaving feces on the floor...

The Board of Education for the Slater School District met Friday, Oct. 3, to discuss bus routes, fiscal matters, and the yearly Veterans Day program. The first item brought to the board's attention was the concern of a parent who had noticed a district bus idling throughout an entire ball game...

SWEET SPRINGS -- The Sweet Springs football team heads into its final I-70 Conference game of the season on a four-win roll. "It would be five if we didn't fumble the ball," rued head coach Tim Smith, looking at finishing no better than second in the league race. Of course, "a lot of teams in the state would be second in the conference if [top-ranked] Orrick were in their conference."...

BOONVILLE -- For a young program, development occurs in increments. The Marshall softball program took what head coach Danielle Callanan called "a big step forward" Wednesday with an 8-2 victory over Clinton in the first round of the Class 3, District 13 Tournament at Boonville...

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS -- The Marshall boys' cross country team had four runners medal Tuesday during the Excelsior Springs Invitational. Senior Matt Bledsoe (18:01) led the pack with a 10th-place finish, more than two minutes faster than his time on the course in 2006 -- the meet having been rained out last year. Senior Phillip Perkins (18:15) came in 15th, sophomore Damon Thompson (18:31) 24th and senior Alex Jenkins (18:44) 29th in a field of 85 runners...

O.K. After watching yet another Presidential Candidate Debate this week, it's fair to say that, for the most part, I am disgusted (to put it mildly) with the current presidential race. I heard nothing of substance, nothing of any value, nothing but a bunch of finger-pointing and looking backward instead of telling us what they were going to do in the future. ...