Stories from Thursday, December 6, 2007

Volunteers flocked to the Spainhower Building at the Marshall Habilitation Center Thursday, Dec. 6, to help stock the temporary shopping center created annually by the Saline County Holiday Project. This year, however, organizers are finding stocks a bit short of the need, according to Debbie Wallace, project coordinator...

Marshall school officials announced early Thursday afternoon, Dec. 6, that the after-school program sessions that normally meet at the four elementary schools are canceled because of wintry weather moving into the area.

Jerome E. Nichols, 75, of Kansas City, died Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007, at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence. Visitation will be held Friday, Dec. 7, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Lawrence A. Jones and Sons Funeral Chapel, 1800 E. Linwood Blvd., Kansas City, with graveside services and burial following at Brooking Cemetery in Raytown...

Helen E. Hufford, 73, of Marshall, died Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007, at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, 2007, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall, with Rev. Douglas A. Dubisar officiating. Visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Miami Cemetery in Miami. Memorials may be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Marshall. Online condolences may be sent to www.campbell-lewis.com...

LAS VEGAS -- Missouri Valley College wrestler Chris Jones gave every indication he was going to accomplish some fine feats this season when he won the 165-pound championship at the Central Missouri Open. The sophomore from Edmond, Okla., a transfer from Bacone (Okla.), became the Vikings' first medalist in three years Saturday at the Las Vegas Invitational. Jones won five of his seven matches during the two-day meet, winding up in seventh place...

The Marshall Democrat-News is offering its readers the chance to win a $10,000 grand prize by participating in the Survivor Football Contest. The Survivor concept is simple: from the beginning of the bowl season on Dec. 19 through the New Year's Day games, contestants need only choose one -- and only one -- of the winning teams for each day. However, the first day a player does not select a winner over the 12-day span will result in elimination...

The American Football Coaches Association has selected Missouri Valley College's Paul Troth as its NAIA Region III "coach of the year." He will be recognized during the 2008 AFCA convention Jan. 9 in Anaheim, Calif. Troth led the Vikings to a 10-3 record and, for the second year in a row, the NAIA Championship Series semifinal round, where they lost Saturday at top-ranked defending champion Sioux Falls (S.D.), 11-10. ...

MOBERLY -- The Marshall girls' basketball team was so upset by losing its NCMC opener to Fulton two days earlier that it took it out on winless Moberly during Wednesday's 54-23 road win. Senior Amy Durham drained a pair of three-pointers as the Lady Owls rolled out to a 16-8 first-quarter lead, which was the high point for the Lady Spartans' offensive production. They wouldn't score more than six points in any of the remaining periods...

Area Selections Class 4 Running Back -- (2nd Team) Solomon Watkins, Smith-Cotton, Jr., 5-10, 175 Receiver -- (1st Team) Anthony Thompson, Marshall, Sr., 5-10, 170 Offensive Line -- (2nd Team) Nathan Lawson, Helias, SR., 6-2, 276...

Indian Foothills Park had some unexpected activity during the night hours last night as six rather large items were removed from the "Winter Wonderland" displays. "I am just disappointed," said Lori Godsey, program coordinator. "We have tried to put something together that is nice for the community and a few rotten apples had to spoil it for everyone."...

"Where do we put the tuna?" "Did any coffee come in yet? "Where's the cereal?" "Soup! Where does the soup go? Boxes, jars, cans and bags of food. Toys and games, hundreds of books and piles of stuffed toys, rows of bikes and rocking horses -- every bit of it, and a lot of cash, donated to the Saline County Community Holiday Project...

An interim superintendent took the reins of the Marshall Public School District Thursday morning, Dec. 6, to fill in while the board of education works to resolve the situation with Superintendent Rob Gordon, who was placed on paid adminstrative leave Monday, Dec. 3...

Thursday, Dec. 6 The first of three holiday performances at Benton Elementary School will be held Thursday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7 The Mid-Day Optimist Club will sponsor a chance for kids to visit Santa from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Wood & Huston Bank Community Room on the north side of the square. Parents are encouraged to bring cameras to take pictures of kids with Santa...