Stories from Friday, February 3, 2006

BOYS I-70 Orrick 48, at Wellington-Napoleon 31 Non-conference Northwest 40, at St. Paul 33 Southern Boone Classic (Ashland) (Consolation Semifinals) Fulton 62, South Callaway 40 Hallsville 67, North Callaway 58 (Semifinals) Blair Oaks 56, Southern Boone 39...

There's nothing like senior leadership, and the Missouri Valley College men's basketball team is getting it as it climbs up the Heart of America Conference standings. Senior Gary Morrow came through again for the Vikings during Thursday's 77-73 victory over visiting Baker, their seventh in the last eight league contests. ...

The Marshall football team will compete against some familiar foes in its next biennial district, released Wednesday by MSHSAA. The Owls will be in Class 4, District 13 with three teams it beat last year: Helias (20-0), NCMC rival Mexico (27-14) and former Class 14 cohort Smith-Cotton (35-7). The two other schools in Marshall's loop last year, Warrensburg and Lee's Summit West -- with 1,299 students, compared to Mexico's 803 -- remain in District 14 to be joined by Grandview and Ruskin...

The energy, emotion and enthusiasm the Marshall girls' basketball team demonstrated last week in winning the Grain Valley Tournament title was missing Thursday. The big question is, "Why?" After all, the Lady Owls had a golden opportunity to hand Mexico -- ranked sixth in Class 4 -- its first NCMC loss of the season and earn respect in the process. Instead, the Lady Bulldogs had little trouble securing a 52-35 win at Marshall...

Organizers of Project Graduation 2006 will have a planning and event meeting from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the Marshall High School Little Theater. All parents of graduating MHS seniors are urged to attend. Project Graduation is a drug- and alcohol-free celebration held the night of graduation...

The Marshall Parks and Recreation Department's 2006 activity guide is now available. The 16-page guides can be picked up at the park's administrative office, the Salt Fork YMCA, the Marshall Chamber of Commerce and the Marshall Public Library. Information contained in the guide is available on the Internet at www.marshallmoparks.net...

On Sunday, I get to plunge into the sandbox once again. I call my devotion to sports "the sandbox" based on an observation made years ago by a co-worker and roommate. He worked in sports and I worked in news at a daily newspaper in West Virginia. He said that each day he got to play in the sandbox of life -- a world where it's not life and death but rather something more, especially if you listen to the game commentators for the 40th edition of that American classic, the Super Bowl...

Aileen Dennis Perkins, 88, of Odessa, formerly of Marshall, died Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006, at home. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Rev. Russ Johnson will officiate. Visitation will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the funeral home. Burial will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall. Memorials are suggested to Gill Memorial Baptist Church in Marshall...

Emma Young Colvert, 97, of Marshall, died Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006, at Mar-Saline Manor in Marshall. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. William W. Harlow will officiate. Pallbearers will be Larry Joe Campbell, Brent Cramer, T.J. ...

Sometimes an offer is too good to be true. For the Marshall Municipal Utilities Board of Public Works, "sometimes" happened twice Wednesday. Environmental Services Director Ginny Ismay presented two sets of bid proposals to the board at its regular meeting. In both cases, she reported that the low bid was not the best bid...

The plan to initiate two "pulses," or artificial rises in the water level, on the Missouri River this spring is part of a program to aid spawning of an endangered fish, the pallid sturgeon. But the idea has stirred alarm in some Missourians. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the plan is well designed and includes a number of precautions that should prevent any damaging flooding as a result of the pulses...

When the Indian Foothills Park skateboard park has its grand opening, it won't exactly be a new experience for local skaters. Jeff Stubblefield, Marshall director of parks and recreation, said the partially-completed park regularly draws crowds of around 50 young people...

Ryan Nowlin says he has 'no tolerance for defiance of teachers or talking back'