Stories from Monday, March 13, 2006

Lelin Walker, 82, of Marshall, died Monday, March 13, 2006, at The Living Center in Marshall. Funeral arrangements are pending at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall.

Lorene Thomason, 83, of rural Slater, died Monday, March 13, 2006, at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall. Funeral arrangements are pending at Cambpell-Lewis Funeral Home in Marshall.

Donald Merchant, 85, of Warrensburg, formerly of Marshall, died Sunday, March 12, 2006, in Warrensburg. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at First Assembly of God in Marshall. Rev. Dale Bean will officiate. Visitation will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall. Burial will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall. Memorials are suggested to First Assembly of God or the Missouri Veterans Home...

Kelli Jean Huhs, 26, of St. Louis, died Thursday, March 9, 2006, at her home. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, at Memorial Park Cemetery, Sixth and Gage, in Topeka, Kan. The family will greet friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ...

William A. "Bill" Coffman, 66, of Marshall, died Friday, March 10, 2006. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 14, at Sweeney-Reser-Wills Funeral Home in Marshall. Rev. Vernon D. Maxted will officiate. Organist Ramona Bullington will play "In The Garden" and "Somewhere My Love." Interment will be in Ridge Park Cemetery in Marshall. Memorials are suggested to the Missouri Girls Town Foundation or Missouri Valley College in care of Sweeney-Reser-Wills Funeral Home...

Jimmie Johnson only led one lap of the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Fortunately for the Daytona 500 champion, it was the last one. While Matt Kenseth looked uncatchable, leading 146 of the 270 laps, Johnson was lurking behind him in the top five throughout the race...

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Junior Loke Lastimosa began the SCAD Smash Hit Tournament Sunday at Savannah, Ga., as if she were on a personal crusade. The shortstop from Waimanalo, Hawaii, banged out four hits -- including two homers -- scored five times and drove in six runs during two victories for the Missouri Valley College softball team: a 9-7 decision of Georgetown (Ky.) and 27-1, five-inning blowout of Fisher (Mass.)...

Relief pitching was the deciding factor for the Missouri Valley College baseball team Saturday during its Heart of America Conference debut against Baker. When the Vikings' subs struggled on the mound, as they did during a five-run sixth inning of the first game, it ruined comeback bids -- both before and after -- during a 9-7 loss. When they performed well, shutting out the Wildcats during the final two frames, Valley was able to win, 6-3...

Ten years after opening its doors in a former storefront on the north edge of Marshall, the Salt Fork YMCA marked its 10th anniversary the week of March 6 to 12 with several special events including birthday cake and refreshments for members and prize drawings throughout the week...

Storms that tore through Saline County Sunday afternoon and evening appear to have left numerous reports of property damage in their wake, but no reports of severe injuries according to the Saline County Sheriff's Department Monday morning. Other areas in the state, including Pettis County immediately to the south, were not as fortunate. One death was reported in Pettis County, south of Sedalia, when a woman believed to be in her 30s was killed when a tornado struck the mobile home she lived in...