Stories from Monday, July 2, 2012

George "Toad" White Jr., 68, of Slater died Saturday, June 30, 2012, at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall. Funeral arrangments are pending at Weiker Funeral Home in Slater.

Hundreds of people gazed at fireworks during Alma's traditional Fourth of July celebration Saturday, June 30. A bit of rain brought reprieve to hot weather that dominated the region for several days. Children played games while adults enjoyed live music, food and conversation throughout the Independence Day celebration...

She never thought documentation of a 75-year-old mystery would turn up in the closet -- and well preserved at that. But going through a bag of her mother's clippings revealed past events for Barbara Adcock and her family. The clippings contained a Daily Democrat-News article featuring Adcock's uncle, William S. Herndon. Among the bonds of family and the stories lost in generational cracks, the yellowed clip held a piece of history that continues to surprise her...

Joyce Elaine Huff Robison, 46, of Marshall, died Wednesday, June 27, 2012, in rural Saline County. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at Campbell-Lewis chapel in Marshall. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home and memorials may be made to family choice. An online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com...

Back home this week for two doubleheaders

On Friday, June 29, Sweet Springs students presented a play and songs to celebrate their final day of summer school. They performed the play "Tide-Pool Condos" in which sea creatures teach a real estate developer there's more to a beachfront environment than sand. Following the play, Spanish students sang songs, invited their parents onto the gym floor for a game of Hokey Pokey and took turns breaking piņatas...

"Hydrate or die!" That was the advice Julie Major of Miss Major and Her Minor Mood Swings, opening act of the ninth annual Bear Creek Blues Festival Saturday, June 30. It could have been the festival theme as it was a suggestion performers and fans alike took to heart...

Missouri's American Indian Cultural Center will host Native American games at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 4. This program will explore activities that would have traditionally been played by Native American children for the purposes of entertainment and skill development. Games will include Rattlesnake, Tender of the Fire, a leather ball toss and handheld games made from deer toe bones and flower stems...

The Marshall Knights of Columbus will host a barbecue lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 4, at the K of C Hall, English Avenue and College Street in Marshall. Proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. The cost is $8.

The City of Marshall approved several ordinances during a regular council meeting Monday, July 2, including rezoning land in south Marshall. Owned by resident Doug Carney, a 60-foot by 350-foot tract of land on Drake Road is now C-2 Highway business. The land was previously zoned R-1 Residential with the expectation a church and the ambulance district would eventually build on the property...