Stories from Monday, March 30, 2009

John J. Sunia, 23, of Marshall, was arrested Wednesday, March 25, and charged with class B felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, delivery or manufacture. According to information in the probable cause statement, Sunia was arrested during a routine traffic stop in Marshall, when his nervousness caused the arresting officer to become suspicious...

Firefighters received a 911 call from the owner of Bar-B-Q at 3:57 p.m. Sunday, March 29. When they arrived on the scene at 3:59, they found the building engulfed in flames. Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, which they did before returning to the fire station, ready for the next call, at 7:34. ...

A whole hog sausage, gravy and biscuit dinner will be held Tuesday, April 7, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the multipurpose building at Saline County Fairground, hosted by Saline County Fair Association. Carry outs will be available. A freewill donation will be collected to support the fair association...

Raymond Charles "Dick" Ritchey Jr., 86, of Marshall, died Sunday, March 29, 2009, at his home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at First Christian Church in Marshall, with Rev. Mike Brown and William W. Harlow officiating. ...

Anna Mae Piper, 91, of Marshall, died Tuesday, March 24, 2009, at Fitzgibbon Hospital. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2009, at Fairview Cemetery, with Elder Wellington Gorham Jr. officiating.

William D. King, longtime resident of Mexico, Mo., passed away peacefully Saturday, March 21, 2009, at Hospice of Louisville, Ky., with his loving family at his side. He was born in Marshall on July 2, 1923, and grew up there, where his family had lived for five generations. He graduated from Marshall High School and later from Missouri Valley College...

David Glenn Bacon, 57, of Marshall, formerly of Columbia, died Wednesday, March 25, 2009. Private memorial services were held on Sunday, March 29, at the Grand Basin in Forest Park, St. Louis. Memorials in his honor may be made to St. Louis Art Museum at 1 Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63110, Attn: Sandra Jefferson, in honor of David G. Bacon...

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS -- The three Marshall girls engaging in grappling this spring have had a taste of national competition. The wrestlers -- (from left) Ellen Woolsey, Madison Woolsey and Starlyn White -- took part in two major events this month, after each medaled at the Excelsior Springs Classic on March 8. White claimed the Elementary Division 76- to 103-pound title, with Madison Woolsey fourth in the same group, and Ellen Woolsey was second in the Middle School 130-pound class...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Three players from Saline County high schools were named to the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters all-Central District teams released last week. In Class 2 boys, Sweet Springs junior Nick Peeples (above) -- a 6-foot-4 forward -- made the second team. Senior Ryan Armstrong, a 5-10 four-time all-CCAA guard from Malta Bend, was on the Class 1 boys' squad for the second year in a row...

Repairs will begin Tuesday, March 31, on U.S. Highway 65 in Saline County. Work is expected to continue through Tuesday, April 7, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. MoDOT crews will be patching asphalt on U.S. 65 beginning at Business 65 and continuing south to the Pettis county line. Traffic will be reduced to one-lane from 1 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, and from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the rest of the project...

Interesting news and features published in our print edition and e-edition March 30 On page 2: Comics, puzzles and the astrograph. On page 3: The calendar of events and TV listings. On page 4: Columnists write about government fiscal irresponsibility and the Three Mile Island disaster...

On Monday afternoon, March 30, MoDOT will shift northbound traffic onto the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 65 at the Blackwater River bridge in Saline County. The bridge is located south of Marshall approximately one and one-half miles south of Route UU...

Two Green Ridge residents were arrested later Sunday and were charged Monday with felony illegal dumping, according to a Saline County Sheriff's Department report...