Lani Briggs Has Career Night, Hali Smith has Triple Double in Shamrock Win

 Lani Briggs had a career night for North Harrison with 19 points and Hali Smith had a triple double with 11 boards, 13 tips, and 12 steals, getting her big paws in the passing lanes all night long and taking the ball away from Braymer. Jaxcynn Hansel had 12 boards and 6 rejections, and Gracie Young had one of her best games off the bench as North Harrison came away with a 47-22 win over Braymer in the first round of the Gallatin Tournament.

Braymer had a pair of post players that they were trying to feed early and often, but nothing worked for them in the first quarter as North Harrison steadily pulled away. Ava Rinehart scored off a drive, Hali Smith scored off a steal, Lani Briggs drove and scored after Addison Milligan drove down the baseline and set her up, Ava Rinehart hit a 3-pointer from the wing, Lani Briggs hit another triple, and Gracie Young scored from the baseline to put North Harrison ahead 14-1. 

Lani Briggs started the second quarter with a triple, Hali Smith scored from inside, and Jaxcynn Hansel got loose in transition after Ava Rinehart got a steal, and Smith fed her the ball. Hansel followed with a pair of free throws to make it 23-5. North Harrison got into foul trouble and the Bobcats started chipping away by pushing it up the floor a lot more and getting on the line. They got their deficit down to 23-9 before Lani Briggs hit a 3-pointer, her third of the night, at the halftime buzzer to make it 26-9.

The Gallatin gym got increasingly hotter as the game progressed, and that led to sloppier play and fouls. Natalie Wright got the hot hand for Braymer to bring her team within 31-16 before Hansel righted the ship by scoring from inside and then taking a charge on Nevaeh Scott, Braymer's most physical player, who picked up her fourth foul on the play. Briggs scored off a drive to end the period with the Shamrocks up 35-17.

Braymer went from a zone to a man to try to get the ball back, but North Harrison pulled away as Lani Briggs found a lot more driving lanes open in the fourth quarter. Briggs got a steal after Addison Milligan got a tip, and then Hali Smith got a steal and fed Hansel to push the Shamrock margin over 20 to start the fourth at 38-17. Braymer hung around for a while at the free throw line, but Lani Briggs finished strong for North Harrison, getting loose in transition after Hansel got a block and Ava Rinehart pushed it up the floor. Kaydence Lambert got a tip and Briggs a steal to provide the dagger.

Lani Briggs had 19 points. Jaxcynn Hansel had 9, Ava Rinehart 7, Gracie Young 6, Hali Smith 4, and Addison Milligan 2.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 6 blocks. Hali Smith had 3 and Raegan Hogan 1.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 12 boards. Hali Smith had 11, Ava Rinehart 7, Addison Milligan 6, Gracie Young 4, and Lani Briggs 1. North Harrison had 41 boards for the night.

Ava Rinehart had 5 assists. Hali Smith had 4, Jaxcynn Hansel and Addison Milligan 3, and Gracie Young 1.

Hali Smith had 13 tips. Gracie Young had 5, Addison Milligan 4, Ava Rinehart 3, and Kaydence Lambert 1.

Hali Smith had 11 steals. Ava Rinehart and Lani Briggs had 4, Addison Milligan 2, and Jaxcynn Hansel 1.

Rylee Ruckman Erupts as Tigers Floor Platte Valley

Rylee Ruckman erupted for Worth County early as the Tigers floored Platte Valley 53-31 Tuesday, December 2nd in the first round of the Albany Tournament. Worth County was supposed to scrape the bottom of the barrel playing the numbers game, but Ruckman scored ten points in the first few minutes to lift the Tigers to a 10-1 lead early in the game. Platte Valley spent the rest of the quarter chipping away, coming as close to 12-8 before Kristen Tracy started scoring to keep the Tigers ahead 16-10 after one. 

Platte Valley was supposed to run Worth County out of the gym with balanced scoring, the ability to do hockey line changes to keep fresh legs on the floor, and constant pressure defense and strong rebounding. When Rylee Ruckman picked up her second foul and Kenzie Redden, Mya Wray, and Maggie Swinford connected for Platte Valley in the early second quarter to tie it at 16, it looked like all the momentum was on their side. But Ruckman came back in and the rest of the cast started chipping in, with Audrey Runde hitting a free throw and Megan Tracy going backdoor. 

All of a sudden, the breaks started going Worth County's way as Kristen Tracy scooped up a carom and scored, Kambree Briner grabbed an offensive board and muscled her way up against the tall Platte Valley front line to score, Briner inbounded to Kristen Tracy for two, Briner hit Audrey Runde backdoor, and Kristen Tracy knocked one down from the high post to make it 28-16 at the half.

Platte Valley started off by throwing a trapping zone, but Worth County kept right on pulling away as Kambree Briner hit Kristen Tracy inside, Megan Tracy scored from inside, Audrey Runde hit a free throw and then added a drive, and Kambree Briner added a drive. By the time the dust had settled, Worth County had completed a 21-0 run and was up 37-16 midway through the third. 

But Platte Valley doesn't give up easily, and they threw their vaunted full-court press and started turning over Worth County. Emalee Langford connected to break the run, newcomer Hannah Klamm hit a 3-pointer, and Mya Wray hit two free throws to make it 37-23 before Kambree Briner inbounded it to Kristen Tracy and Rylee Ruckman drove against the press, blew by three blue shirts, and finished with a scoop shot at the third quarter buzzer to make it 41-23. Worth County, under April Healy, has always managed to convert a high percentage of its inbounds plays; they did so even during the lean years around 2010 during Healy's first tenure, when wins were hard to come by. 

Platte Valley kept swarming and pressing, but Worth County kept slashing to the rim at will, getting drives from Kristen Tracy, Kambree Briner, and another scoop shot prayer from Ruckman that went down to make it 47-23 before both teams started clearing their benches. Kinley Steele (sister of Kynah Steele) got her first career points as a Tiger when she converted a putback in the closing seconds. 

While the players wanted to win against Platte Valley so they could watch the State Championship Football game, they also wanted to beat their old coach, Tiffany Bliley, who is now an assistant at Platte Valley. 

Kristen Tracy had 17 points for the Tigers. Rylee Ruckman had 14, Kambree Briner 10, Audrey Runde 6, Megan Tracy 4, and Kinley Steele 2.

Kambree Briner had 7 boards. Megan Tracy had 6, Kristen Tracy 5, Rylee Ruckman 4, Audrey Runde 3, and Kinley Steele 1.

Kambree Briner had 7 assists. Audrey Runde had 3, Megan Tracy 2, and Keira Hardy and Kristen Tracy 1 each.

Keira Hardy, Kambree Briner, and Rylee Ruckman had 4 tips, Megan Tracy had 2, and Kristen Tracy 1.

Megan Tracy and Kambree Briner had 5 steals. Kristen Tracy had 4, Rylee Ruckman 3, and Keira Hardy 2.

Khloey Sperry Goes Beast Mode Against Redbirds; Paisley Taggart, Hailey McClure Notch Career Highs

Khloey Sperry went beast mode against Winston with 24 points, 16 rebounds, and 8 assists while Hailey McClure and Paisley Taggart had career nights for Gilman City, which beat Winston 55-41 Tuesday, December 2nd. Khloey Sperry seems to save some of her best games for the Redbirds; she hung 30 points on them last year in conference play. 

The first part of the game started off well for the Hawks as Khloey Sperry scored off a Tenley Griffith steal and then Avery Gregg got on the line twice and hit three out of four to make it 5-0. Gilman City fed Khloey Sperry early and often in the game and Khloey returned the favor by feeding everybody else. 

But Winston was way underrated; they have several players from the Pattonsburg softball team that surprised some people with a winning season, and they translated it over to basketball. They spread the floor, maintained spacing, and moved well all night, forcing Gilman City to work to maintain their lead. The teams traded blows as Avery Gregg and Tenley Griffith fed Sperry to make it 9-2, while Rosalynn Cameron countered with a 3-pointer to make it 9-5. Alli Burke got a pass from Paisley Taggart and drove and scored, and Khloey Sperry hit Burke in transition. Sperry got loose in transition to make it 15-5 before Weigand got a steal to cut it to 15-7 after one.

Alli Burke hit a 3-pointer to start the second quarter, and then Paisley Taggart got on the board for the Hawks, knocking down a backdoor layup off a pass from Khloey Sperry after Alli Burke got a steal. Paisley added a steal to make it 22-9.

But Winston would not go away quietly, as Rosalynn Cameron hit a 3-pointer and Reiann Hampton came off the bench to hit another to cut it to 22-15. The Redbirds got it down to 27-19 again before Hailey McClure sparked the Hawks, jumping a pass and then adding a jumper from the wing off a pass from Khloey Sperry to make it 31-19.

But Cameron continued to carry the Redbirds, knocking down her fourth 3-pointer and adding a steal to make it 31-24. But then Hailey McClure snuck behind the defense and Khloey Sperry found her to break the run, and then Sperry jumped a pass to make it 35-24. Vanessa Wiegand scored a backdoor layup for Winston and the Redbirds had a chance to cut it to seven again, but Hailey McClure struck again, tipping an errant pass and Tenley Griffth got the steal. Griffith missed, but Khloey Sperry was there for the putback. Alli Burke hit one from the top of the key just inside the 3-point line, Avery Gregg went coast to coast and drew a foul, hitting two free throws, Tenley Griffith stuffed a 3-pointer, leading to a Sperry layup, and Griffith added a free throw to make it 44-26. Rosalynn Cameron finally broke the run with a backdoor layup, but Avery Gregg went coast to coast after a defensive board and found Alli Burke open for three to make it 47-28 after three.

Reiann Hampton got the hot hand for Winston in the fourth quarter, but Khloey Sperry carried the Hawks on her shoulders, scoring eight points in the period as the Hawks never let it get closer than the final score. Both teams subbed freely in the last minute.

Khloey Sperry had 24 points for the Hawks, Alli Burke had 12, Avery Gregg 8, Hailey McClure 6, Paisley Taggart 4, and Tenley Griffith 1.

Avery Gregg and Tenley Griffith had 1 block each.

Khloey Sperry had 16 boards. Alli Burke and Avery Gregg had 6, Tenley Griffith 4, Hailey McClure and Paisley Taggart 2, and Pyper Taggart 1.

Khloey Sperry had 8 assists. Paisley Taggart had 4, Avery Gregg 3, Tenley Griffith 2, and Alli Burke 1.

Avery Gregg had 4 tips. Khloey Sperry had 3, and Tenley Griffith, Alli Burke, Pasley Taggart, and Hailey McClure had 1.

Tenley Griffith, who stayed on the floor for the whole game this time, had 5 steals. Paisley Taggart, who got a lot more confident the second time around, swiped 4. Alli Burke and Khloey Sperry had 3, Hailey McClure 2, and Avery Gregg 1.

Helen Welch 1926-2025

Helen Louise Welch, 99, of Maryville, Missouri passed away on Monday, December 1, 2025, at a local health care facility.

Helen was born on March 17, 1926, in Parnell, Missouri to Julius and Ruby (Brown) Etcherling. She was a graduate of St. Benedict’s High School in Clyde, Missouri and worked in health care at St. Francis Hospital. She was a member of St. Joseph Parish in Parnell, St. Ann’s Altar Society, 60+Club and the American Legion Auxiliary post 528.

She was also preceded by her parents, brother, Edward Etcherling and three sisters, Mary Lewis, Sr. Mary Phyllis Etcherling, OSB and Betty Lewis.

She is survived by her children, Linda (Kenny) Simmons, Mary (Jim) Waldeier, Donald (Kim) Welch, Edward (Linda) Welch, Cleo (Terri) Welch, Leo (Joni) Welch and David (Dayleen) Welch; twenty grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial 11am Friday, December 5th at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Burial St. Joseph Cemetery in Parnell. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. 

The family suggests memorials to St. Joseph Catholic Church or the American Legion Auxiliary Post 528.

1937 Murder Suicide Rocked Bedford

The April 6th, 1937 Bedford Times-Press had the following account of a murder-suicide that took place in Bedford:

Roy Melvin, 55, shot his wife, Bertha Taylor Melvin, 46, his oldest of two sons, Orlen, 23, and then turned the revolver on himself at their home in Bedford Sunday forenoon about 10:00 o'clock.

Death resulted in all three shootings in a short time.

Their other son, Darold, 15, witnessed the shooting of his father and brother and heard the shots that killed his mother.  Running down into the basement in their night clothes when they heard their mother scream and the shots that followed, the boys discovered their mother lying on the cement floor, blood pouring from wounds in her mouth, neck and chest.

The older boy ran to his mother.  He believed she had shot herself, according to the younger boy's story.  Then the father, gun in hand stepped out from his hiding place and fired a shot into the older boy's back and side.  The one shot proved fatal.  Officers believe the father and older boy had a scuffle before the shot was fired that killed the boy.

Then according to the younger boy  and sole survivor of the family of four, the father put two more shells into his revolver.

"Are you going to Shoot me, too?" the younger boy states he asked his father as he watched him reload the pistol. 

"No, not you.  I didn't intend to shoot Orlen but he got in my way", the boy reports his father said.

Then the father placed the pistol to his own abdomen firing one shot about two inches below the navel, that ranged upward.

The boy says his father then took a few steps and then another shot was fired.  It is believed the second shot was fired into his mouth.  The boy says he wasn't looking when the second shot was fired. 

Roy Melvin and his wife had been having trouble off and on for some time.  Last fall Mrs. Melvin had her husband restrained by law from coming to her place and filed a divorce action against him.  This trouble was patched up and they resumed living together.

Reports are about three weeks ago trouble again broke out between them and Melvin moved out, to make his home with I.N. Weingarth, in his shoe shop on Court street. 

Saturday night Melvin is reported to have been seen in the vicinity of his wife's home.  Early Sunday morning about 4 o'clock Melvin arose and left the Weingarth store, according to reports, and it is believed he went to his wife's home and gained entrance to the basement by pushing open  a cellar door held fast by a button-lock on the inside.

About ten o'clock Mrs. Melvin got up and putting on her house slippers went to the basement to fix the fire.  Apparently Melvin was hiding in an anti-room at the time.  The fuel in the furnace indicated that she had put in some lumps of coal before he made his presence known.  The double-murder and suicide all took place in the basement.

Darold Melvin attempted to give first aid to his mother and brother, taking off his night shirt to stop the flow of blood from his mother's wounds.  Then he ran back upstairs and called for a doctor on the telephone, returned to the basement to administer to his mother and brother, and then ran across the yard to the George McLaury home to sob out his story.

Deputy Sheriff Ivan Wells, Sheriff T.V. Lacy, Coroner Floyd Shum and other were soon at the scene.  The bodies were taken to the Walker Shum funeral home.

No inquest was held as it was apparent what had taken place, by the boy's story and the appearance of the bodies and the cellar.

Melvin secured the gun an old six-shot revolver, .32 caliber at Maryville a few days ago, it is believed, and bought some shells for it at the Prugh Hardware.

In his pockets officers found over $50 in money.  Six empty shells and five loaded ones were found about the basement floor.

 

Fundraiser for Donato Chesnut

A fundraiser is being held for Donato Chesnut on GoFundMe. Proceeds will go to build a home that will help with his physical limitations and give him more independence. The goal is $100,000. As of Monday afternoon, it had raised $2,800.

On February 2024, Chesnut was involved in a vehicle crash. He was ejected from the vehicle and crushed by it. It took emergency personnel several times to revive him on both the helicopter and at the hospital. Thanks to the actions of a friend on the scene, the first responders, the LifeFlight crew, and the ICU crew at Mosaic in St. Joseph, his life was saved.

For the next 6+ weeks, he was in the ICU and started to regain the ability to breathe unassisted. He next went to a specialized rehab center. He is now confined to a wheelchair with limited upper body mobility. His mother is his primary caretaker.

Donato’s dad is a carpenter and has started the pre-construction process, but donations are needed for labor and materials. Other people will donate their time and labor to help reduce construction costs.

On October 12th, 2024, a fundraiser for Donato in Sheridan was one of the biggest events in recent memory to be held at Sheridan. Hundreds of people attended, and there was a meal, a silent auction, a live auction, and music.

 

Evergy Urges Space Heater Safety as Winter Weather is Here

Cold weather is here, and Evergy urges customers to be safe when using space heaters, electric blankets and other portable home heating devices. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports space heaters cause more than 20,000 housefires each year. While central heating is more efficient and cost-effective, space heaters can provide extra comfort when safely used during colder temperatures.  

Space Heaters  

Always review and follow any safety instructions on your specific space heater.  

Plug your heater into a wall outlet. Never plug a portable space heater into a power strip or extension cord.

Heaters should be placed on flat surfaces, such as the floor. Do not leave them anywhere that they could fall. 

Keep them 3 feet from other items, especially blankets and curtains. 

Make sure they have the proper certifications, for example, UL approved. This means the product has been tested and meets specific safety requirements. 

Do not leave a running space heater unattended or use one while sleeping. Choose a space heater with a timer. 

Choose a space heater that is the proper size for the room to avoid wasting energy or overheating a room.  

Electric Blankets 

Throw out electric blankets or heating pads with dark, charred or frayed spots or indications the electric cord is cracked or frayed.  

Do not allow anything on top of a heating pad or electric blanket when it is in use, including other blankets or even pets. Electric blankets may overheat. 

Never fold electric blankets when in use. Folded or tucked-in blankets could overheat and cause a fire. 

Do not use electric blankets or heating pads while sleeping. Turn them off when not in use. 

An Evergy representative is available to talk about space heater and electric blanket safety, and the proper ways to use both.