A Fort Scott man suffered a minor injury Monday morning in a one-vehicle crash on U.S. 54, 11 miles West of Nevada. 35-year-old Brian A. Burk was treated at Mercy Health Center, Fort Scott. Missouri Highway Patrol troopers say the wreck happened about 10:45 a.m. when the West-bound Ford pick-up truck Burk was driving ran off the right side of 54 and overturned.
Missouri's Department of Natural Resources has developed plans to improve two impaired waterways in Vernon County. DNR says the Marmaton River and Little Drywood Creek do not meet the state's water quality standards and public comments on the proposals can be made for another two weeks through the Missouri Water Protection Program in Jefferson City. Those plans propose targets for total suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus and biochemical oxygen demand to improve the quality of the water in both streams. DNR spokesman Larry Archer says suspended solids are sediment in the waterways from erosion and the nitrogen and phosphorus result from natural and organic fertilizers that can trigger the growth of algae and other plants and reduce oxygen levels. The Marmaton and Little Drywood were put on Missouri's list of impaired waterways twelve years ago, the Little Drywood was removed from the list in 2002 and put back on the list two years ago. Copies of the DNR proposals are available with a toll-free telephone call to 800-361-4827 or on-line at www.dnr.mo.gov . The Vernon County commission was scheduled to discuss the DNR proposals during a meeting this morning at the Courthouse.
Voters in the Northeast Vernon R-1 school district will be asked next month to approve a $2.4-million general obligation bond issue. If the bonds are approved April 6, they're to help finance the construction of a new school at Harwood -- replacing 80-year-old facilities at Walker and Schell City. An increase of 94-cents per $100.00 of assessed valuation in the district's debt service levy would be required to pay off the bonds over 20 years. R-1 school district officials say the election April 6 is the last opportunity for the district to approve a bond issue and qualify to receive federal economic stimulus money to help pay for the new school.
The Nevada planning commission meets at 5:15 p.m. today in the city council chambers of the Public Safety building, 120 S. Ash. The agenda for the meeting includes a public hearing on the proposed relocation of a water line easement at the city airport and a presentation by a Shafer, Kline and Warren representative about the upcoming update of the city's comprehensive land/use plan. Today's planning commission meeting is open to the public. Nevada planning director Ron Clow's scheduled as the guest on this afternoon's public affairs program, Update, with more about the comprehensive plan update process. Update airs after today's 1:00 p.m. ABC News on KNEM/KNMO and will be available, on-demand, at www.knemknmo.com .
Nevada High School junior Teryn Greer finished first in radio speaking in the recent MSHSAA Southern District competition at Carthage. She's to represent NHS in state competition April 24. Other NHS finalists in the district event at Carthage included Bailey Harbit and Scott Hampton -- fourth in duet acting. Dakota Mitchem was fifth in prose interpretation, Greer finished fifth in original oratory and Harbit was fifth in storytelling. Casey Long was sixth in poetry interpretation. Nevada High School speech and debate students are to compete in the Carver-Truman District National Forensic League Tournament March 19-20 at Joplin.
A Missouri statewide tornado drill scheduled today has been postponed to Thursday because of the possibility of severe storms this afternoon. Nevada police chief Gary Herstein says the city's storm sirens are to be sounded as part of the exercise Thursday.
Nevada police officers last weekend investigated the theft of tools, a cellular telephone and a bicycle. A toolbox and its contents were stolen during a burglary/forced entry in the 600 block of N. Ash Street. David Priest, Nevada, reported the burglary and theft Sunday. Kimberly Daggett, Nevada, reported the theft of the cellular telephone from a vehicle parked in the 800 block of S. Ash Saturday and Rebecca Blunt, Nevada, reported the theft of the bicycle in the 600 block of E. Maple Street Saturday.
The Vernon County Habitat-for-Humanity volunteers are to host a baked potato luncheon Wednesday at the First Christian Church fellowship hall, Austin and Cedar. Deliveries can be ordered with telephone calls to 667-6714 before 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. today. Last-minute orders before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday can be called to 684-2666.