SFCC-Barton

Bill Barton, former State Fair Community College men’s basketball coach, huddles with his team during a timeout against William Jewell College during his final season with the Roadrunners.

Briana Davis

La Monte’s Briana Davis pitches against the Winsdor Lady Greyhounds during a Kaysinger Conference tournament quarterfinal game in Windsor in the spring of 2011. If a MSHSAA proposal is approved, Kaysinger schools could continue beyond the conference and into postseason play starting in the spring of 2014.

Dale Kimberling

Dale Kimberling, State Fair Community College Lady Roadrunners head coach, reacts to missed opportunity during a game against the Penn Valley Lady Scouts during a 2003 game at the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center.

SH-Loveland

Smithton’s Aubrey Thompson beats the tag from Sacred Heart’s Hannah Loveland, left, to steal third base in a Kaysinger Conference matchup in April 2011. Loveland is one of three seniors on this year’s Sacred Heart team.

Tipton-Koechner

Tipton’s Ethan Koechner looks for a basket during the Kaysinger Conference tournament third-place game against the Green Ridge Tigers in February.

Cole Camp-Oelrichs

Cole Camp’s Tanner Oelrichs is fouled from behind as he goes up for a shot against the Osage Indians in December at the Stover Invitational.

Otterville-Benny

Otterville’s Ryan Benny connects on a jumper from the corner as time expires in the first quarter of a Northwest tournament semifinal game against the Northwest Mustangs in December. Benny scored the winning basket with less than two seconds left in the game.

SH-Nik Langston

Sacred Heart’s Nik Langston pitches against the Santa Fe Chiefs during the Class 1, District 15 championship game last year at Centennial Park. Langston will be asked to lead the pitching staff this season.

S-C Logan Fluty

Smith-Cotton junior Logan Fluty attacks the net during a match in 2011 at Liberty Park. Fluty, Andrew Tilley and Noah Shepard are returning starters for the Tigers.

S-C Andrew Tilley

Smith-Cotton’s Andrew Tilley returns a serve from Adam Keith, of School of the Osage, during a nonconference match last April.

SOC-SH-Bogue

Sacred Heart midfielder Morgan Bogue right, dribbles around a Southern Boone defender during the Class 1 sectional game May 22 at Clover Dell Park.

SOC-SH-Sunnarborg

Sacred Heart’s Gabbi Ebers, left, congratulates Kaitlyn Sunnarborg after Sunnarborg scored the game’s only goal in the second half of a Class 1 sectional 1-0 win against the Southern Boone Eagles on May 22 at Clover Dell Park. Ebers assisted on the play.

Cole Camp-Oelrichs

Cole Camp’s Tanner Oelrichs is fouled from behind as he goes up for a shot against the Osage Indians on Dec. 31 at the Stover Invitational.

Jared Dey

Sacred Heart's Jared Dey works on his putting game in early May at the Sedalia Country Club. Dey was a runner-up at the Class 1 state boys golf tournament for the second straight year.

Justin Halgren

Otterville’s Justin Halgren tries to get off a shot against a trio of Green Ridge defenders in the Northwest Boys Basketball Invitational earlier this month.

Devin Rockett

Otterville’s Devin Rockett attempts a shot against two Green Ridge defenders during the championship game of the Northwest Boys Basketball Invitational earlier this month at Hughesville. After beating Green Ridge 58-50 in the title game, Otterville is seeded first in its own tournament that starts Saturday.

Chaz Raymond

Tipton's Chaz Raymond drives between Sacred Heart's Caleb Morrsion, left, and Stefan Cox for a shot during the Class 2, District 8 championship game last March in Hughesville. 0

Tanner Oelrichs

Cole Camp's Tanner Oelrichs attempts a hook shot past Tipton's Tim Brink but comes up short last December. Cole Camp is the top seed in the Warsaw boys basketball tournament, and Tipton is No. 1 in its own tournament.

Riley Brant

Tipton quarterback Riley Brant runs for an 18-yard gain on fourth and 15 as Skyline’s Jared Freddie pursues during the third quarter Saturday in Tipton. Brant was injured on the play but returned three plays later.

Kenny Chery

State Fair Community College’s Kenny Chery is fouled by Indian Hills center Rawane Ndiaye during a game in November 2011 at the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center.

Local artist Vicki Grove

Area children’s author Vicki Grove gives a demonstration for children at Camp Blue Sky in August at State Fair Community College. Grove will headline Saturday’s Spofest event as part of the second annual Queen of the Prairies Festival of the Arts.

Cortlen Austin

Northwest’s Cortlen Austin scores the Mustangs’ first touchdown on an end run against the Kansas City East Christian Academy Lions during a game on

Sept. 7 in Hughesville.

Dakota Brown

Smith-Cotton quarterback Dakota Brown is sacked for a loss of yardage by Helias Crusader Will Fife during the Tigers’ first home game last week.

Mark Johnson

Smith-Cotton head football coach Mark Johnson leaves the field after opening game introductions last year at the Tigers’ first home game, played against Warrensburg.

Tyler Slawson

Smith-Cotton lineman Tyler Slawson hits Sam White as the Warrensburg quarterback releases a pass during a game last season at Jennie Jaynes Stadium.

Austin Stees

Smith-Cotton’s Austin Stees places second in the 200-yard individual medley last year during the Smith-Cotton High School Joe Arbisi Tiger Invitational. Stees will be a fixture in the relays and breaststroke this season.

Bailey Smith

Smith-Cotton’s Bailey Smith, shown returning a serve by Knob Noster’s Rebekah Walters during a match last year at Liberty Park, is one of two seniors returning for the Lady Tigers.

Brandon Cooper

Sacred Heart’s Brandon Cooper watches his shot shoot past Cole Camp goalkeeper Josh Wyrick for a goal during the Class 1, District 12 championship game last fall at Clover Dell Park. The Gremlins beat Cole Camp 6-1 to win their third straight district title.

Dexter Case

Smithton goalkeeper Dexter Case, bottom right, denies Sacred Heart’s Mason Kelchner a goal during the Kaysinger Conference tournament championship game last fall in Stover. The Gremlins won the game 2-1.

Timmy Lor

Smith-Cotton’s Timmy Lor, left, dribbles past Center’s Kilvert Martinez in a West Central Conference match last September. Lor and his teammates will open the season with their own tournament.

Independence Post 21

Independence Post 21 shortstop Josh Felz, seen here recording a force out at second of the Sedalia Travelers’ Cortlen Austin during last week’s zone tournament, is one of three 19-year-olds on the team’s roster. That trio and a host of other talent has led Post 21 to the state tournament.

City to discuss possible jump in bridge cost

The 101-year-old Washington Street bridge is closed for repairs.

Scott Joplin festival opens Wednesday

Nan Bostick, the Scott Joplin Foundation's 2012 Artist in Residence, performs for students in February at Washington Elementary School. She died in March.

Stacy Purvis resigning as Scott Joplin Foundation director

Stacy Purvis, the director of the Scott Joplin Foundation, stands in Maple Leaf Park in the 100 block of East Main Street in 2010.

MINK League baseball: Bombers fans ready for sights, sounds, smells of summer at Liberty Park Stadium

Bombers fans watch their team battle the Chillicothe Mudcats in the MINK League championship series in 2009 at Liberty Park Stadium.

MINK League baseball: Bombers offense is loaded, pitching staff is all new for 2012 season

Sedalia Bombers right fielder Pierce Bily is congratulated by his teammates after he turned his RBI double into another run after a defensive error by the Joplin Outlaws during a game last year at Liberty Park Stadium.

Senior Legion baseball: Travelers’ Carey shooting for 30-plus win season

Smith-Cotton's Charles Chadwick pitches against the Oak Grove Panthers at a Skip Schulz/West Central Missouri baseball tournament game in April at Liberty Park Stadium.

Senior Legion baseball: Travelers’ Carey shooting for 30-plus win season

Northwest's Cortlen Austin pitches against the Lone Jack Mules during a Class 1, District 15 game in early May at Centennial Park. Austin will pitch for the Senior Legion Post 642 Travelers.

Outlaws hope to get back on winning track

Mid-Missouri Outlaws wide receiver Joshua Reid catches a pass from quarterback Kyle Middleton against the Sioux City Bandits in early May at the Mathewson Exhibition Center.

Ceremony pays tribute to city spirit after 2011 tornado

Bloodied but unbowed: Joe Horacek surveys the damage to his Brentwood neighborhood on South Grand Avenue shortly after the tornado sliced through it on May 25, 2011.

Auto repair shop owner clung to pipes to survive tornado

Cars damaged by flying debris from the tornado and downed power lines were a common sight May 25, 2011, along a stretch of South Limit Avenue that included Phillips Automotive. Much of the damage to the business' building was in the rear.

APFL football: Class of the league, Sioux City Bandits, pose monumental test for Outlaws

Mid-Missouri Outlaw kicker Derek Doerfler adds an extra point to the score during a game against the Cheyenne Warriors in April at the Mathewson Exhibition Center.

7 of 9 area storm shelters are up and running as tornado season approaches

Spray foam insulation spills out of a seam in the concrete at the Skyline Elementary School shelter. The shelter has been plagued with leaks, but officials say the problem has been resolved and the shelter will open this year.

7 of 9 area storm shelters are up and running as tornado season approaches

Spray foam insulation spills out of a seam in the concrete at the Skyline Elementary School shelter.

College women’s basketball: SFCC’s Easton named 2nd-team All-American

State Fair Community College's Ariel Easton attacks the paint and scores despite the press of two Mineral Area College defenders during a game in February at the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center.

Prep girls basketball: Lady Eagles’ Oleynik makes media’s all-state 2nd team along with Sweet Springs’ Higgins

Otterville's Amy Oleynik scores against the Bunceton Lady Dragons during the Cooper County Activities Association Conference tournament championship game in January.

Prep boys basketball: Difference is night and Dey as Gremlin changes his game to become dominant post player

Sacred Heart's Jared Dey goes in for a layup between Santa Fe defenders Ben Nienhueser, left, and Cody Schmidt and draws a foul during a W-K Chevrolet Holiday High School Shootout game in December at the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center.

Prep boys basketball: Team chemistry, more so than district title, made this a great year for Tipton's Jeffries

Billy Jeffries, Tipton varsity boys basketball coach, lets point guard Ethan Koechner know that a better choice could have been made on the court during the Kaysinger Conference tournament championship game in February at the Fred E. Davis Multipurpose Center. Sacred Heart won the game 72-59.

Progress 2012: Sedalia not likely to get major new retailer this year, but Pettis still pulls in shoppers better than most Missouri counties

In January 2011, Debra Parker, of Hughesville, right, gets change back from cashier Alina Kryshchendyuk as she finishes shopping on the opening day of the new Save-a-Lot grocery store in the Sedalia Crossing Shopping Center, 3040 W. Broadway Blvd.

Progress 2012: New facilities help Sedalia and Pettis County prepare for looming demand for health care among baby boomers

The Bothwell Healing Arts building, 3700 W. 10th St., is the newest addition to the Bothwell Medical Plaza on the west side of Sedalia.