Stories from Friday, September 24, 2004

After beginning the season on such a high note with a 23-13 upset of sixth-ranked defending Heart of America Conference champion MidAmerica Nazarene, the Missouri Valley College football team has fallen on hard times. A pair of close losses -- to Avila (20-13) and Baker (21-17) -- have been disappointing to the Vikings, largely because the wounds were largely self-inflicted...

What does one say to a young team after experiencing a loss like it did last week against Hannibal? For Marshall head football coach Paul Thomas, the message remains the same. "We've always told our kids that if they give great effort and we get beat, we're proud of them," Thomas said. "We are proud of them. They played with intensity."...

Even defending Class 3, District 13 Tournament champion Boonville isn't able to dispose of the Marshall volleyball team without a fight. The Lady Owls dropped to 2-3 against district foes, but Thursday's 27-25, 25-14 loss to the Lady Pirates (14-1) was typical of those setbacks. The first game indicated, as MHS head coach Becky Harrold asserted, that the Birds "were ready to play."...

ALMA -- Sophomores Holly Schmidt and Michelle Aversman combined for 11 kills and had a pair of blocks apiece as the Santa Fe volleyball team posted its first I-70 Conference victory of the season by downing Orrick, 25-21, 25-19, Thursday at Alma. Junior Monica Plattner served up four aces and sophomore Paula Tieman came up with seven digs for the Lady Chiefs, who overcame some serving difficulties -- committing seven of their nine faults during the first game...

WINDSOR -- The Sweet Springs volleyball team did a good job of pounding and an even better one of scrambling Thursday to end a five-match losing streak with a 25-22, 23-25, 25-9 I-70 Conference victory at Windsor. The Lady Greyhounds got seven kills, 17 digs and a pair of blocks from sophomore Jennifer Vogelsmeier. ...

MALTA BEND -- Otterville used an eight-run third inning Thursday to put an early end to its 13-2 CCAA victory at Malta Bend. The Lady Eagles held a slim 3-1 lead heading into the frame, but then got four hits -- including an RBI double from senior Shelby Geromini and sophomore Katie Shirley's two-run triple -- to go along with four walks and a two-run error to pad the margin to 10 runs...

Thursday, Sept. 23 BOYS' SOCCER NCMC at Marshall 9, Mexico 0 Non-conference Fulton 8, at Southern Boone 0 at Missouri Military 3, Kirksville 1 VOLLEYBALL I-70 at Santa Fe 25-25, Orrick 21-19 Sweet Springs 25-23-25, at Windsor 22-25-9 at Crest Ridge 29-25, Concordia 27-22...

"Because students who do not learn to read will have difficulty mastering academic content, succeeding in school, and fulfilling their life potential, the schools' fundamental responsibility is to ensure that all students read proficiently." This statement taken from a March 2004 article in the magazine Educational Leadership summarizes the importance of having a balanced and comprehensive reading program...

Over the last couple of weeks, American media has been whipped into a frenzy by the CBS/Dan Rather flap. As an editor, I suppose one might expect it would be in my vested interest to come to the defense of Rather and Co. But I'm far from convinced that the media status quo is worthy of defending, especially when what's in question is the impunity of giant corporations controlled by the interests of stockholders...

Ruth Petty Nichols, 79, of rural Slater, died Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004, at Big Bend Retreat in Slater. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. William W. Harlow will officiate. Visitation will be from 10 until 11 a.m. Saturday at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall. Burial will be in Sunset Gardens Cemetery in Marshall. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association...

Harry K. McCoy, 94, of Marshall Junction, died Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2004, at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock, Ark. Arrangements are pending at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Sweet Springs.

Stanley M. Hopkins, 80, of Olathe, Kan., formerly of Marshall, died Saturday, Sept. 11, 2004, in Olathe. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall. Rev. Kevin Gormley will officiate. Military graveside services will be conducted by American Legion Post 191 and the U.S. Air Force. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Sweeney-Reser-Wills Funeral Home in Marshall...

Dora Lou Campbell, 80, of Marshall, died Thursday, Sept. 23, 2004, at The Living Center in Marshall. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 27, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Rev. Gene Ekstrand will officiate. Pallbearers will be Robert Campbell, Dave Howard, Mike Deal, Maurice Campbell, Jim Crusha and Joe Morrow. ...

Those 20-year-old aerosol cans collecting cobwebs in the garage, the dead batteries in the remote control and the leftover rat poison under the sink from when that little mouse scurried across the living room floor two years ago all finally have a place to go. ...

The Saline County Commission gave its approval Friday for an automotive show to be held at the Saline County Court-house next month. Saline County Presiding Commissioner Becky Platt-ner said the commission had received a request from the local chapter of the Freedom of Road Riders motorcycle organization to use the courthouse lawn and surrounding parking spaces for a car and motorcycle show on Saturday, Oct. 16...

Main hurdle appears to be getting parts

The St. Louis-based Metro Theater Company is returning to Marshall for five days of performances, education programs and community activities, Sunday, Sept. 26, through Thursday, Sept. 30. Underwritten by the Monstanto Fund, National Endowment for the Arts and the Missouri Arts Council, actors with the touring theater company last visited the Marshall area in April 2001 for a three-day residency...

Saline County's infamous Clyde's Corner on U.S. Highway 65 at its intersection with Route N has been the site of numerous crashes over the years, including one early Friday that claimed the life of an Arkansas man. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that the crash occurred just before 2 a.m. when 23-year-old Ross W. Lee, of Paris, Ark., failed to negotiate the curve...