A Water Quality Initiative committed to improving three impaired waterways in Missouri was announced this week by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. State Conservationist J.R. Flores said his office will manage the initiative by making approximately $701,000 available to Missouri farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in the priority areas which include parts of GRUNDY and SULLIVAN Counties.

Former Trenton High School and North Central Missouri College standout Zach Vandevender has been named the new girl's basketball coach at Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, according to a recent report from the Sedalia Democrat.

Norwood High School student/athlete Jordan Cottengim recently signed a letter of commitment to attend North Central Missouri College in Trenton in the fall and play softball for the NCMC Lady Pirates.

North Central Missouri College has announced the resignation of Kristen Boyes, after only one season as women's softball coach of the Lady Pirates.

For the first time in program history, the Trenton Bulldogs have won girl's and boy's district track titles in the same year, pulling off the feat on Saturday at Eagle Stadium in St. Joseph. The Trenton girls had 116 1/2 points, with Lathrop in second place at 91 1/2, while the Trenton boys had 108 points, with runner-up Lathrop at 94. Top FOUR finishers in each event advanced to this Saturday's Class 2, Section 4 meet at St. Joseph Christian High School.

The Mercer County Relay For Life raised over $25,000 for the American Cancer Society. The main activities were held between 12 noon and midnight on Saturday on the Princeton Square. Five teams participated in the annual event.

A Chillicothe man was injured on Sunday night when his northbound truck traveled off Livingston County Route Z, struck a ditch, overturned and came to rest on the passenger side.

A Chillicothe resident was injured when the car he was driving went off Highway 36, hit an embankment, and overturned in Macon County. Eighteen year old Kelton Diggs was taken to Samaritan Hospital in Macon with what the Highway Patrol called minor injuries.

North Central Missouri College sophomores Lauren Crawford of Chillicothe and Chelsea McCollum of Trenton have sold artwork to the college library. The library annually purchases artwork from North Central students. It is framed and hung in the library, along with a plaque with the artist's name and date of graduation, and title of the artwork.

Eighty-one standout student athletes will converge on North Central Missouri College in Trenton for the 2012 Lions All-Star Basketball Classic on Friday and Saturday, June 1st and 2nd. Four girls teams and four boys teams representing Lions Clubs from across northern Missouri will meet for a day of practice, an awards banquet and a total of eight games where an eventual champion will be crowned.

A Winston resident was injured in a two vehicle accident on Tuesday afternoon in Daviess County, three miles west of Gallatin on Highway 6.

Three persons were taken to a hospital after an accident last night in Albany. The highway patrol described injuries as moderate for two drivers: 17 year old James Bell and 28 year old Alison Kreig-Runnels as well as her passenger, 29 year old John Runnels. Each of the Albany residents were taken by ambulance to Northwest Medical Center.

Keaton Duncan, a 6’7” post player, is the first announced recruit for the 2012-13 Pirates basketball team at North Central Missouri College in Trenton. The son of George and Gayla Duncan of Meadville, Keaton expects to receive a transfer degree from NCMC and eventually earn a bachelor’s degree in physical education.

A St. Paul based communications consulting company is assisting in efforts to determine additional broadband internet needs in Missouri. Senior Engineer Dick Nielsen of CBG Communications was in Trenton last week regarding findings in the 11 county area served by the Green Hills Regional Planning Commission.

Caldwell County Route W over EAST SHEEP Creek is to be closed beginning Monday, May 7th for a bridge replacement. That is in northwestern Caldwell County. The closure is expected to be four to five weeks.

A Princeton man received what the Highway Patrol called SERIOUS injuries when the sport utility vehicle he was driving traveled off a road north of Princeton, hit a fence and trees, and overturned several times.

North Central Missouri College students have selected agriculture teacher David Nowland for the Brown-Pushkarsky Award. The recognition is given annually to a North Central instructor who best exemplifies dedication to teaching. The award is named after two long-time instructors at the college.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has released proposed road improvement projects for the next five years. At the same time, MoDOT continues to alert the public that decreased funding that MoDOT is experiencing will affect its ability to make transportation improvements.

Nominations are being sought for distinguished alumni at Trenton Junior College and North Central Missouri College. Sunday, July 1st is the deadline to nominate people who have excelled in service to their profession, family, community, and support of the college. North Central says financial support is not a factor in the recognition program.

A workshop designed for participants to learn more about Medicare is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9th in Gallatin.