Fundraiser Raffle for Lauren Buholt

Quest to Walk, also known as Project Walk, is doing a fundraiser raffle to cover expenses for Lauren Buholt in her quest to walk. First prize is an 8 day 7 night condominium stay in your choice of Florida, Colorado, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach (SC), Gatlinburn (TN), or Branson (MO). 2nd prize is a Nikon Digital Camera while 3rd prize is a $50 Visa Gift Card. Cost to enter is $10 per ticket with the drawing to be held January 14th, 2012. You need not be present to win. For more information, call Rick Buholt at (660) 937-4135.

Project Walk is a Kansas City-based program which specializes in spinal cord injury recovery. For the past 50 years, everything related to SCI's were based on the principals of coping and living with injuries. However, today, recovery is an option for those wishing to improve the quality of their lives. They guide patients from the time they are released from hospital care until the patient has achieved their goals.

For more information about Project Walk, please visit Project Walk online at http://www.projectwalk-kansascity.org/contact.

Blockton Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays
1 Zachary Hanson
1 Hunter Walters
3 Nina Poore
4 Donald Weaver
7 Kevin Cavin
8 Jimmy Lawrence
8 Ken Smith
9 Maynard Walsh
10 Kenneth Bentley
10 Clancy Brown
12 Mary Schuster
13 Colton Hibbs
14 Marietta Cobb
14 Tyler Henson
16 Anna Laura Brashear Bradfield
16 Yvonne Hilton Hickenlooper
16 Alice Ridge
16 Beth Simmons
18 Troy Dukes
18 Brett Henson
18 Mary Kay Loutzenhiser
18 Lee Pearce
19 David Qualls
22 Callie Cavin
22 Dan King
23 Paulette Clem
23 Jina Jackson
24 Doyle Saville
24 Rick Smith
25 Sandra Loutzenhiser
27 Edgar Meek
29 Donna Melvin
29 April Reid
30 Rhonda Quick

Anniversaries
20 Paul & Francis Smith
24 Donald & Janet Brown
26 David & Judy Henry

Brad Lager's Capitol Report -- Making Missouri Business Friendly

Since the summer of 2008, Missouri has lost more than 80,000 jobs. One of the main reasons many employers have given for cutting Missouri based jobs is the inequities found in Missouri's business climate. The impacts from these erroneous rules, regulations and laws are driving up the cost of doing business in Missouri, and as a result, businesses are closing their Missouri doors and moving to other states.

Unfortunately, our state is not competitive when it comes to job creation. Over the past decade, Missouri’s economy has grown at the third slowest rate in our nation. In 2010, Missouri ranked 48^th out of 50 in job creation. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Missouri’s net growth in employment (month to month) currently ranks 49^th out of the 50 states. This is unacceptable and this trend must change.

The agenda for the upcoming session is comprehensive but clear. We will work to grow our economy and foster good paying jobs in our state. We will work to reduce the excessive regulatory burdens placed upon our small business owners, and we will address the unfair rules and laws that are driving employers out of our state. By reducing the regulatory burdens, increasing the entrepreneurial opportunities, and demanding a fiscally responsible government, we will create an environment that fosters job creation and job expansion.

If Missouri is going to recover from these difficult times, we must stop driving jobs out of our state. We must have a business climate that embraces innovators and entrepreneurs. By growing jobs, we will grow our economy. By growing our economy, we will generate more tax revenue. By generating more revenue we will be able to support our state government’s fundamental responsibilities of educating Missouri’s children, building roads, providing public safety and taking care of our most vulnerable. As elected officials, we must find solutions to these problems, so we can expand Missouri’s business community, create more jobs, and put the Missouri economy on the road to recovery.

As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 422, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

General's 15 First Half Points Lead Bluejay Boys Past Stewartsville

Aaron Patton, aka The General, scored 15 points in the first half to lead Northeast Nodaway's boys past Stewartsville 50-42 to claim the consolation of the boys side of the Platte Valley Conference tournament Thursday. Steve Schulte had a career night with 7 points and there were strong performances from several different people as Northeast held off several Stewartsville charges to win the consolation prize.

Snakebit in the first round, the Bluejay boys shook off the rust enough to hold off Union Star in the consolation semifinals to face Stewartsville in the consolation round. In the first quarter, Patton was the one player on either team to get untracked as he got a 3-pointer, a coast to coast drive, and a free throw; Steve Schulte added a baseline shot as Northeast led 8-4 after one quarter.

Northeast had a problem with hacking and fouling in the first half and it came to roost by the start of the second quarter as some of their people sat on the bench with foul trouble and Stewartsville fought back to tie in the first minute of the second quarter and had a chance to take the lead. But then Aaron Patton got a steal and drive and Northeast went ahead for good, although Stewartsville was never far behind. Patton hit another 3-pointer as Northeast led 14-8 at the 4:46 mark of the second quarter. Patton continued to score as he scored off a fast break and then slipped in for another score and Steve Schulte added a steal as Northeast went back up 20-11.

But the hacking and fouling on defense continued and Tyler Schmitz went to the bench with his third foul as Stewartsville used the line to stay within four at 20-16 at the break. The Bluejays were much more effective with him on the floor even though he was not one of the main scorers; he got several rebounds and made a lot of hustle plays while he was in there.

A bizarre play put Northeast up 27-20 as Stewartsville scored in their own basket instead of Northeast's; it was the second straight night that a Northeast opponent scored in the wrong basket. But then Stewartsville banked consecutive 3-pointers to get back to within two at 30-28 before Jason Henggeler hit from the high post to make it 36-30 at the third quarter buzzer.

Northeast played much smarter basketball in the third quarter as Schmitz avoided his fourth foul and they kept Stewartsville off the line for the most part until late in the game. Schmitz was a big factor at the start of the fourth quarter as he hit from the high post and Henggeler added a free throw to make it 41-33 with 4:35 left. But then Stewartsville went to the half court trap, which succeeded in speeding up Northeast into making some bad decisions on offense and they threw the ball away; on the other end, Stewartsville began lobbing the ball into Justin Burris as they cut the lead to 41-37 with 2:36 left. The Cardinals had a chance to cut it to one possession, but Northeast got the stop and Steve Schulte, left open from the left wing, had nothing but net with 1:30 left to put Northeast back up by seven. Coach Chaim Jenkins said that Steve was a very smart basketball player and that he had the green light to take those shots in that situation.

Justin Saunders converted a 3-point play to make it 44-40 and Tyler Schmitz missed from the right wing for Northeast. There was a heartstopping moment that followed as Northeast got the stop on defense, only to have Kevin Stoll tip the ball into the wrong basket as he was trying to grab the ensuing board to make it 44-42. But then he atoned for his miscue on the other end as he hit two free throws with 33 seconds left to make it a two possession game again. Tyler Schmitz then jumped a pass at the half court line perfectly and got a steal and then Steve Schulte came up big on the other end as he knocked the ball out of the hands of a Stewartsville player into the hands of Stoll following a pair of missed free throws by Northeast and Stoll hit two free throws with 16.7 seconds left to make it 48-42. Stewartsville missed on the other end and then Aaron Patton hit two free throws with 3 seconds left to ice it.

"We cut down on our fouls and we kept the guys out on the floor that we needed to keep," said Coach Jenkins after the game. "We're pretty rusty right now, but we have guys who are smart enough that they can beat everything the other teams throw at us."

Bluejay Girls Use Balanced Attack to Claim Consolation

Northeast Nodaway's girls used a balanced attack to beat Stewartsville 36-23 and claim the consolation trophy of the Platte Valley Conference Tournament Thursday night. Rachel Runde led the scoring with 12 points, followed by Michelle Schulte with 11 and Claudia Wiederholt with 8. Coach Vance Proffitt said that he was pleased with the effort except for the start of the third quarter, when he said that they lowered themselves to the other team's level. However, Northeast recovered from that bad stretch and raised their lead into double digits once again as they pulled away for the win in the fourth quarter.

Northeast shut out an opponent for the second straight game as they led Stewartsville 9-0 after one quarter. Rachel Runde connected from the right baseline to start out with, followed by a 3-pointer from Michelle Schulte. Michelle followed with a putback as the tiny but deadly Schulte girl rebounded well for the night -- six offensive rebounds as she used her tiny frame to her advantage as Stewartsville routinely lost track of her on the boards. Claudia Wiederholt followed with a shot to make it 9-0 after one.

There was a scare at the start of the second quarter as Michelle hurt her knee as she got tangled up with a Stewartsville player and came out of the game. Claudia hit another shot, but then Stewartsville began to came back as they started to lob the ball at will into Ashley Schultz, their big post player. She scored consecutive shots to make it 11-4, but then Michelle came back in and scored off a Claudia steal. Kerrigan Adwell followed with a shot from the right wing off a pass from Michelle and then Claudia Wiederholt got a putback following a steal to make it 17-4 before Schultz scored again to make it 17-6 at the break.

But the difference between Thursday night's game and the DeKalb loss was the fact that Rachel Runde was on the floor for most of the game Thursday night as she avoided the foul trouble that forced her to sit down for long stretches in Monday's loss. Stewartsville rebounded at will and lobbed the ball into the paint at will for the first six minutes of the third quarter as they got to within 21-15. But then Rachel sparked Northeast as she hit a shot from the right wing and then followed with a pair of free throws and a score off a steal and Northeast was never ahead by less than double digits for the rest of the game. Michelle Schulte followed with a steal as Northeast led 29-15 after three quarters. Northeast led by as much as 36-17 in the fourth as Michelle scored off another steal for Northeast.

"We're not going to score 70 points every night, but our defense stepped up and played real well," said Proffitt. "It was fun to watch and we made some great plays when we had to."

Worth County OATS Schedule for December, 2011

December 5th -- Board meeting, Grant City.
December 6th -- Stanberry.
December 7th -- Maryville.
December 9th -- Pot Luck, Grant City.
December 13th -- Stanberry.
December 21st -- Maryville.
December 26th -- Holiday
December 27th -- Stanberry.

Brad Lager's Capitol Report -- Threatening America's Future

Responsible stewardship of the taxpayer’s money should be the primary responsibility of every elected official. From city halls to county courthouses to our state Capitol in Jefferson City, we are seeing increased accountability and many difficult decisions being made as every level of government deals with the current economic realities. Unfortunately, this message has not been fully received in our nation’s capitol.

In 1917, the United States Congress first established a debt limit. However, they allowed for an increase in this limit by a vote of Congress. Over the last decade, this limit has been increased on a seemingly annual basis. As a result, earlier this month, our national debt surpassed $15 trillion amounting to more than $48,000 for every American citizen. The interest payments on this level of debt now exceed what the federal government contributes to education funding and many other essential programs. If left unchecked, by 2020, the amount spent to simply pay interest could exceed funding for our armed services. To make it worse, the same week that our debt level eclipsed the $15 trillion mark, Congress voted to defeat a proposed balanced budget amendment that would prohibit the federal government from spending more money than it collects.

A mandated balanced budget is common in state constitutions and has been instrumental in helping keep Missouri’s fiscal health from falling to the depths of states with fewer spending restrictions. While our budget process has been difficult in recent years, it has forced the Legislature to maintain a real world approach in our appropriations process.

Both in public and private settings, we have seen how excessive debt can limit an organizations ability to carry out even its most fundamental responsibilities. Vigilant stewardship of our fiscal matters is fundamental to our duties in public office, so I am disappointed that the so-called debt reduction “super committee” failed to produce any results for American taxpayers. Regardless, I remain hopeful that they will end the partisan bickering and do what is right for our nation. By adhering to simple, common sense principles that have been proven to work in kitchen table budget negotiations of everyday households, I believe they can overcome their differences and move forward in a direction consistent with Missouri’s hard working families.

As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 422, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Sheridan Birthdays & Anniversaries

December Birthdays
2 -- Karen Swaney
2 -- Guy (Bud) Allee
4 -- Charles Force
5 -- Kathy Cottrell
5 -- Melanie New
6 -- Sarah Finch
7 -- Ralph Kobbe
8 -- Bob Young
10 -- Doy Allee
11 -- Brad Hill
12 -- Josh Miller
13 -- Icle Young
14 -- Chris Owens
14 -- Chelsie Hinshaw
15 -- Caleb Hinshaw
16 -- Adam Austin
17 -- Brian Monticue
18 -- Brandi Force
19 -- Allison Larison
19 -- Kay Rowen
19 -- Paula Hansen
19 -- Dean Thomas
19 -- Shaun Dignan
21 -- Nicholas Allee
22 -- Darwin Force
22 -- Mitchell Andrews
22 -- Charlea Lewis
23 -- Tanya Belokonny
24 -- Joe Stark
25 -- Martha Rush
25 -- Jesse Stark
26 -- Mike Rowe
26 -- Jason Meredith
27 -- Cody Staten
27 -- Charlotte Belokonny
27 -- Ed Meek
28 -- Christie Owens
28 -- Bill Asher
29 -- Loretta Hart
29 -- Larry Hibbs
30 -- Sherry Evans
31 -- P.J. Sanders
31 -- Braden Rowe

December Anniversaries
26 -- David & Karla Parman
28 -- Scott & Judy Houk
29 -- Peggy & Bob Young

Rep. Mike Thomson Honored for His Support of Higher Education

The University of Missouri Alliance of Alumni Associations and Extension recently honored state Rep. Mike Thomson, R-Maryville, for his commitment to higher education and his outstanding service to the university system. Thomson was presented with an award by University of Missouri System Interim President Steve Owens at the alliance's annual awards dinner held on Friday, Nov. 18.

In presenting Thomson with the award, the alliance recognized his support of the university system through his work as chairman of the House Higher Education Committee. Thomson also was recognized for his support of higher education through his work as a member of the House Budget Committee and with several bills he sponsored to benefit the university system.

"As someone who entered into legislative service with a lifetime of experience as an educator, I have made a commitment to doing all I can to improve our system of higher education," said Thomson. "I'm honored to be recognized by the university for the part I've played in trying to help our institutions of higher learning. My hope is that we can continue to work together to provide even more support to all of our public universities."

Clara Harding Celebrates Birthday

Clara Harding celebrated her birthday on 11-11-11 with dinner at the home of her daughter, Becky Baker. Attending were Becky, Randy, and Barrett Baker; Robin, Scott, Kaitlyn, and Olivia Davidson; Brenda, Randy, Shayna, Jaysie, and Taylor Dougan; Colby Wiederholt, Reagan and Trenton Hartley; Mark, Laurie, Todd, and Kim Harding; Matthew Herzberg, Kevin Harding, and J.W. & Clara Harding. After dinner, several attended the semi-final game between Worth County and Stanberry.

Grant City Approved for Water Line Project

Mayor Debbie Roach announced last Tuesday evening that Grant City had been approved by the USDA for a grant/loan for its 11 mile water line project that city officials say will improve quality and reduce breakdowns. The line will pipe water from the Middlefork Water Company lake to Grant City and replace the old line. Voters passed a bond issue that will be used to help finance the project. The present system has been subject to numerous boil orders and has occasionally resulted in the closure of school.

Grant City CBC Honored for Accomplishments

Grant City’s CBC was honored for its statewide accomplishments last Tuesday night as plaques honoring the CBC and the youth group for winning the awards competitions for their divisions were presented to Debbie Roach, President of the Grant City CBC. Roach said that the CBC was not resting on their laurels as they were planning to bring back a circus every two years, planning to make improvements on the nature trail once it is completed next spring, and other plans. The Holiday Bazaar is expanding greatly this year with events planned all day.
Jan Simon of the Missouri CBC presented Grant City with its awards at the ceremony. Grant City was recognized due to their exemplary volunteer work as well as the large network of groups, organizations, and individuals of all ages. They receive funding from a variety of resources; one judge described Grant City’s work as “an outstanding example of community betterment.” Grant City also won the award in 2009.

Also winning 1st place was the youth group of the Grant City CBC. They were recognized for writing a grant that paid for rest stops along the Nature Trail made of recycled materials. They wrote and received a grant, recruited appropriate adult assistance, utilized volunteers from all age groups, and worked hard to complete the project. The youth performed many other activities throughout the year as well including visiting the WCCC residents, doing cultural cooking and dance, and making a large Christmas card.

The Grant City CBC is half-done on the Nature Trail; they plan to finish the project next year with concrete. They were also recognized for the Streetscape Project, their work on the Pool and Bathhouse, and the Holiday Bazaar, now in its third year. Roach credited a lot of different people for the award, crediting former Economic Developer Charity Austin, Janice Borey, and others for helping write the grants and Ayvonne Morin for doing a lot of the background research for the projects.

Matt Berry of Congressman Sam Graves’ office was also present at the ceremony and spoke briefly. He congratulated the city for its hard work and said that it was a good example of pulling together to make a community a better place to live.

Worth County Becomes Enhanced Enterprise Zone

The Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) has announced approval of Enhanced Enterprise Zone (EEZ) designation to Worth County. This designation will allow county officials to continue to move forward with economic development efforts. The designation will create tax advantages for businesses seeking to locate within the county and create jobs.

The Enhanced Enterprise Zone program was implemented in 2004. Enhanced enterprise zones are specified geographic areas designated by local governments and certified by the Department of Economic Development. Zone designation is based on certain demographic criteria, the potential to create sustainable jobs in a targeted industry and a demonstrated impact on local cluster development.

State Supreme Court Upholds Missouri Adult Business Law

Missouri families won a major victory today in our state courts. The Missouri Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling, upheld the state's new law regulating sexually oriented businesses. That law was adopted by the Missouri Legislature last year to limit the negative secondary effects from businesses such as strip clubs, "adult" video stores and video arcades, and so-called "gentlemen's clubs."

The law prohibits totally nude dancing and any contact between dancers and patrons. It prohibits the sale of alcohol at such businesses and requires that they close at midnight. It restricts enclosed booths to discourage promiscuous sexual activity. It requires that any such businesses be located at least 1000 feet from any school, church, day care center, public park, any residence, or any other sexually oriented business.

The law was challenged by operators of sexually oriented businesses around the state, who claimed that it violated their First Amendment rights to freedom of expression. They also alleged that the law has resulted in economic harm to their establishments and had forced many of them to close.

The State Supreme Court ruled, consistent with numerous federal court decisions, that the provisions in Missouri's sexually oriented business law were constitutional. The Court found that the Missouri Legislature "relied on evidence reasonably believed to be relevant to establishing a connection between the act and the reduction of negative secondary effects associated with sexually oriented businesses."

"The voluminous evidentiary record on which the Legislature relied to establish a connection between sexually oriented businesses and negative secondary effects--consisting of judicial opinions, studies, crime and health reports, expert testimony and anecdotal evidence--was more than sufficient to meet the government's burden."

Countless studies from across the country have demonstrated that sexually oriented businesses are a breeding ground for sex crimes, prostitution, drug trafficking and drug use, property damage and loss of property values, and urban blight.

The justices also ruled that the law was not unconstitutional "simply because it may make some sexually oriented businesses economically less viable." The court stated: "To the extent the businesses claim that the act led to reduced revenue at sexually oriented businesses, forcing many to close, this does not make the act unconstitutional. The Constitution protects speech, not the economic viability of adult businesses."

The state's High Court affirmed a previous decision upholding the law by Circuit Judge Jon Beetem. Judge Laura Denver Stith authored the opinion. Her opinion was joined by Judges Richard Teitelman, Mary Russell, Patricia Breckenridge, Zel Fischer, William Ray Price, and special judge William Francis.

We are grateful to former State Senator Matt Bartle, the sponsor of the legislation, and former Representative Ed Emery, who handled the bill in the Missouri House. We commend the many members of the General Assembly who fought for and voted for the bill. We appreciate the action of Governor Jay Nixon in signing the bill into law next year.

We appreciate the excellent work done by Attorney General Chris Koster and his staff in defending the work of the General Assembly. The Attorney General allowed attorney Scott Bergthold, who drafted most of the statute and is an expert in this area of the law, to argue the case before the Supreme Court. General Counsel Ron Holliger and attorneys Mark Long and Emily Dodge also provided valuable assistance in preparing the state's defense.

As a result of the Supreme Court's action today, Missouri now retaiins one of the toughest and most comprehensive laws regulating sex shops and strip clubs of any state in the nation. Missouri cities and towns will now have the tools to limit the damage done by such businesses to the health and safety of their communities.

McCaskill seeks answers on whether contractors are hiring military veterans

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today continued her effort to strengthen employment among the nation’s military veterans, asking the U.S. Department of Labor for information on how government contractors are fulfilling their legal requirement to employ and promote veterans.

Under federal law, companies with government contracts must submit reports, known as VETS-100 or VETS-100A, which detail the number of new hires and current employees who are veterans. Contractors are also required to list certain job openings with employment service delivery systems and to create and maintain affirmative action plans for specified groups of veterans. The Secretary of Labor is then required to submit an annual report to Congress regarding contractors’ compliance with those requirements, and their impact on the employment of veterans

In a letter to Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, McCaskill requested detailed information on contractor hiring practices for the past ten years in order to determine whether contractors have been complying with the law.

McCaskill, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Contractor Oversight, expressed concern that contractors may not be accurately reporting their employment numbers. McCaskill said that requiring contractors to give preference to veterans seeking employment, particularly those who have recently returned from service in Iraq and Afghanistan, is a critical and timely issue.

Since joining the U.S. Senate, McCaskill has been an outspoken advocate for the nation’s troops and veterans. Last week, McCaskill helped pass the VOW to Hire Heroes Act, which was approved by the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. The legislation incentivizes the hiring of unemployed veterans by providing businesses tax credits.

McCaskill’s letter to the Secretary of Labor is available on her website, HERE.

WCCC Continuing Work on Financial Reports

The Worth County Convalescent Center, along with Danny Marsh, is continuing to work on the financial reports so that they can get a better picture of the financial shape of the facility. Also, work on the new boiler system has been done and the new system is nearly operational, the WCCC board learned at their regular meeting Wednesday night.

Marsh recommended some tightening of controls for the facility. For instance, someone else needed to sign off on bank reconciliation statements as well as journal entries for the facility. Tighter internal controls as well as tighter recordkeeping for the physical and occupational therapist were recommended. Another suggestion that was made was for later meetings so that staff and administration would have more time to put together records from last month. Currently, the way that things are set up now, the board is looking at the financial picture from two months ago. With a later meeting time, it was hoped that the board would be able to look at last month's finances as well in order to have a more accurate picture of the financial state of the facility.

The board appointed member Kathy Miller to sign off on the reconciliation and journal statements with Anthony Steinhauser as backup if for some reason she was unable to do so during a particular month.

Unpaid accounts were another issue that were brought up. In previous years, the facility did not have a policy on collecting unpaid bills, meaning that there were tens of thousands of dollars owed the facility that never got paid. Now, the facility seeks to collect such unpaid balances. Some are paying what they can afford and others are waiting to hear back from their insurance company. Some debts have been successfully collected after the new policy was implemented. Regarding finances, the Nursing Home evaluates each case individually and helps residents to qualify for Medicaid if they do not have it. A lot of different criteria are used to determine qualifications for Medicaid.

Another area in need of improvement was recordkeeping for credit card purchases. Bills that are paid for by the credit card are listed by the card issuer. However, that does not specify what the charges are for.

The facility had their annual state inspection and there were only two deficiencies noted by the state as opposed to 24 last year.

Administrator Karen Fletchall reported that there was flooring work to do in order to improve the appearance of the facility.

The facility is seeking to take residents on outings as long as possible until the winter weather kicks in. Residents went to the Worth Treatin' event for Halloween and a lot of people stopped by for Halloween on October 31st. The Learning Academy students came by and they referred to the place as "our nursing home." The facility is also planning a shopping experience for its residents as well as a Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Ideas were floated around for improving the therapy area so that the experience for patients would be improved. There were also plans to improve the nurses' area.

Gas usage was up 7.8% from last year while water usage was also up. However, electricity usage by the facility was down from last year.

FCCLA, FFA Host Blood Drive

On October 10, 2011 the Worth County FCCLA and the Worth County FFA combined efforts to host a blood drive. The FCCLA and FFA wanted to help their community and partnering with the Red Cross would be a great way to do this. FFA students signed up high school students who wanted to give blood. The FACS I class was also able to participate and get involved through phoning past donors and scheduling appointments, and baking refreshments for the donors. The 33 units that were given during the blood drive surpassed the amount given last year. We would like to thank the first time high school students as well as the community for participating and making this event so successful.

Jack Remembers -- Memorable Election

In 1966, Jackson County was debt free, had a AAA credit rating, and the lowest tax rate of any county its size in the United States. The powers to be in Kansas City headed by Charles Curry, the Presiding Judge and a millionaire himself, gathered up a million dollars for the purpose of taking control of Jackson County and its bonding capacity. Charlie hired President Kennedy’s campaign manager and a local political consultant by the name of Jerry Jett to run the campaign. He put together a full slate of candidates which was a problem since no one thought he had a chance of beating the incumbents and all the factions in Jackson County. Curry pulled in to a filling station one day to fill up with gas and talked the proprietor into being his State Representative candidate in that district even though the proprietor had never even been to Jefferson City.
He called his organization the CCP (Committee for County Progress) and ran the perfect campaign. The White Hats (his organization) against the Black Hats (the factions and incumbents). In that primary election, the CCP won every office except the Public Administrator, William S. (Bill) Morris, who would later be Lt. Governor.
Curry’s Prosecuting Attorney candidate Joe Teasdale’s opponent in the primary accused him of having never been in court or trying a case. But after winning, Joe started receiving checks in the mail from lawyers who had backed the wrong candidate. Joe contacted Jerry Jett and told him his secretary was signing the checks and putting them in the bank. He then asked Jerry “Is that legal?” Jerry responded “How the h#*#* should I know. You are the future Prosecuting Attorney.”
Within two years after this memorable election, Jackson County would break ground on two new sports stadiums have over a dozen new parks, and be in debt over a hundred million dollars.
Jack can be reached at PO Box 40, Oak Grove, MO 64075 or jackremembers@aol.com. www.jackremembers.com

53 Attend FCCLA Meeting

On October 12th, 2011, fifty three members of the Worth County FCCLA attended the regional meeting in Maryville, Missouri. The event was held by Northwest Missouri State University, and the Region 1 Officers in the Ron Houston Performing Arts Center. The theme of the meeting was “Share Our Strength – Max Out With FCCLA.” The 53 attending members were able to raise $106 to donate to Region 1 Disaster Support, to help flood victims in our area and to Share Our Strength to help end hunger in the U.S. The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Tim Crowley, a professor at Northwest who talked about your emotions and how they affect other people.
Two members of the Worth County chapter of FCCLA, Taylor Butcher and Alaina Freeman, were a part of the Region 1 officers who helped plan the meeting. Taylor Butcher made a slideshow for the event that included pictures of what several Region 1 chapters had been doing in the past year. Alaina Freeman selected and read the devotional for the meeting. The meeting benefitted all FCCLA members, and was a great experience for Taylor and Alaina. Worth County students are very proud of their Region 1 officers!

Causes of Arthritis and Options for Relief

Causes of Arthritis and Options for Relief
By Janet Hackert, Regional Nutrition and Health Education Specialist
Arthritis affects close to 30 million Americans and can cause serious pain and discomfort. Fortunately, there are things a person can do to alleviate some of the symptoms. Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints, causing pain and stiffness. This discomfort tends to be greater in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
In a normal joint, there is cartilage between the bones to serve as a sort of shock absorber and allows the bones to move freely past each other as the joint is bent and straightened. There is also a synovial membrane that secretes a fluid that lubricates the joint and keeps the cartilage healthy. With arthritis, one or the other of these is not functioning properly.
The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is when the cartilage between bones in a joint wears away leaving bone to rub against bone. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the synovial membrane becomes inflamed. This inflammation can cause pain and swelling.
Certain factors increase the risk of developing arthritis. Some types are hereditary so family history increases risk. The older a person is, the higher the risk. Women are more likely to get rheumatoid arthritis than men. Previous joint injury can lead to arthritis in the effected joint. Obese people who carry a large amount of extra weight put added stress on joints, increasing their risk for arthritis.
Although there are medications that may help reduce symptoms, there are also lifestyle changes. Applying hot or cold packs may help sometimes. Losing excess weight in someone who is obese relieves the joints of the extra burden those pounds cause. And exercise can help keep joints flexible and lower discomfort.
Different types of exercise work best for different kinds of arthritis. For osteoarthritis, water aerobics, swimming, and muscle-strengthening exercises keep joints flexible and muscles properly helping out the body’s structure. For rheumatoid arthritis, it helps to carefully move each joint through its full range of motion each day. Move arthritic joints periodically throughout the day and change positions from time to time when resting to avoid stiffness. And be sure to consult your health care team before starting any new exercise routine.

Eight Tigers Named to All Conference Squad

Eight Tigers were named to the all-275 squad this year; seven were named to the first team and one was named to the second team. Named to the offensive squad were Eli Mullock (runningback), Kevin Stoll (offensive line), and Dallas Greenland (all purpose back). Stoll became the first Northeast Nodaway student in school history to be so named.
On the other side of the ball Lane Craven was named to the defensive squad; he was the only sophomore named to the first team squad. Also named were Jordan Harding (defensive line/linebacker), Dallas Greenland (linebacker), and Eli Mullock (defensive back). Eli was a unanimous selection for both offense and defense.
Bryce Ross was named to the second team as quarterback.

$990,000 Estimated Price Tag for Sheridan Water Project

The Sheridan City Council learned that it would cost around $990,000 total, including all of the administrative costs, to overhaul its water system. The old water system was put in around 1950 at a cost of around $50,000 and has lasted 60 years. However, the alternative for the city is to keep on as it is with the recurring mechanical problems that the aging water facility is facing.
The council paid its $2,350 share of the preliminary Engineering Report conducted by Snyder, which included a map of the waterways and an overview of the project. Work is nearly complete on the report subject to council approval. The estimated $1.225 million includes the $101,000 that the city would have to pay in order to complete the emergency hookup with the Rural Water District west of town. Also, the city would need to raise its water rates to $33.93 per 5000 gallons and would have to raise its 2000 gallon rate as well; in what amounts to a backdoor tax increase, the city must raise the rates in order to meet obligations incurred in the water line project. The price tag also includes basic equipment such as needed fire hydrants and water meters.
The price tag also included a demolition of the present water plant; however, it was the consensus of the Sheridan City Council that the city keep the plant operational for as long as possible. The $990,000 figure does not include administrative costs such as audits, contingencies, and other such things. One possibility would be a bond issue; the city would then take out a bridge loan until the USDA sold the city’s bonds if the city were to pass one.
Instead of the present water mains, the city would have 6” mains for the most part to accommodate the fire hydrants. The city would need to build a savings fund in order to meet any unexpected expenses. The report includes a map of the new water lines as well as possible sewer lines if the city decides to upgrade its sewer system after the water project is finished.
The tower would not be raised or lowered and the USDA would likely not pay for water meters unless it is for existing customers. Pressure would be much better than before, which would lead to fewer breaks; main breaks and boil orders have been a recurring problem over the last few years.
Under the plan, there would be more fire hydrants placed around town. That would lower homeowners insurance rates since more people would be living next to one. If there were a break, the plan would allow Sheridan to fix it without shutting down the whole water system, which is a recurring problem with the present system.
Problems continued to plague the present system. Water Superintendent David Parman reported that a valve near MFA would not shut off and that he had to put in a new one. A fire hydrant near Charlie Haun’s was removed; if it hadn’t, Parman said it would have wreaked havoc on the system during winter by spraying water all over the place. Another time, the pumps to the wells would not kick on; Parman reported that he and John Stephenson fixed it. However, it broke down again; luckily, Parman was able to find Charles Warner, who was able to find the problem and create a temporary fix until he could order new parts. The breaker had broken and had worn clear out. Stanley Hensley’s cold water was plugging up; the city will call Tracy Constant.
The city has been filling potholes in the streets.
The council voted to take a step towards meeting requirements for the water project by raising water rates by $1 per gallon effective January 1st, 2012.
Mayor Leland Wake said that the city was in no hurry to get the project completed and that it could take as long as 2-3 years for the project to be completed.

Tigers Advance Past NW/Hughesville in Playoffs

Worth County's Tigers advanced past Northwest of Hughesville in the first round of the playoffs 72-20, setting up a rematch with Stanberry. The Bulldogs fell behind early against Hardin-Central, but came back to win 32-20 to set up the rematch. The game will be played at Worth County Friday at 7:00. The winner will go on to St. Louis to play either Mound City or St. Joseph Christian. Mound City had a surprisingly hard time putting away Southwest Livingston before they won 62-38 while Christian, coming off their first regular unbeaten season in school history, easily took care of South Holt 55-0 at halftime.

Hughesville featured a conventional defensive front, but they had multiple offensive formations, including the swinging gate. That forced Worth County to use new players and play others out of position; for instance, freshman Cole Parman and sophomore Andrew Mullock both saw their first extended varsity playing time of the year. Kevin Stoll, normally on the line, had to play pass coverage at times. They had to drop back so many in pass coverage that the challenge was to find enough people to generate pressure on standout quarterback Cortlen Austin. Austin, who is only a sophomore, will undoubtedly be back for the Mustangs, which made the playoffs for the first time in school history. But they had nobody who could match up with Eli Mullock and they struggled in the red zone like many other teams playing the Tigers this year. Worth County has bent all year, even against the tailenders; however, they have not broken.

The Mustangs kicked off and Eli Mullock ran through three defenders down the left side and outran everyone for a 79 yard score as Worth County struck first. Dallas Greenland caught a pass in the back of the end zone for the extra points. Jordan Harding picked up an interception on Hughesville's first play of the game, but fumbled it right back. Northwest, which stymied itself by penalties all night, got in a hole thanks to a holding penalty and was forced to punt as Worth County went three and out. The ensuing kick was shanked out of bounds and Worth County had a short field to work with at the Mustang 30. Bryce Ross took a draw and belted a defender on his way to 10 yards to the 20. On the next play, a Hughesville defender shot through and apparently stopped Eli for a loss, but he broke the tackle and ran in untouched for the score. Dallas Greenland ran through a big hole opened by the left side of the line to make it 16-0 with 9:37 left.

Northwest went to their short passing game out of the gate as Worth County was still figuring out how to cover it and marched to the Tiger 29 on the next series. But then Quincy Wicker slipped and fell on first down for a loss. Hughesville tried to air it out, but misfired and Jordan Harding broke up the next pass to set up fourth down. Bryson Scott rung Austin's bell and Worth County took over on downs at their own 27.

The middle was solid for Hughesville, but the edges were a liability as Worth County was able to go outside on them all night long. Worth County was faced with third and seven, but then Aaron Patton caught a bubble screen and outran some defenders for 19 yards to the Mustang 31. Eli then broke several tackles as he made his way to the 24 and then an offsides penalty gave Worth County a first down on the 19. Eli picked up seven more to the 12 and then Dallas Greenland took a trap play to the house from 12 yards out with 5:51 left to make it 22-0.

Hughesville buried themselves at their own 10 on the ensuing kickoff and were backed up to their own 2 by a pair of false starts, but then they aired it out to Tristen Reece for 59 yards to the Tiger 19 to set up their lone score against the varsity. A pair of scrambles by Austin got them another first down at the 10 and then Jordan Harding slipped and fell as Zach Miller caught a pass in the end zone from 8 yards out to make it 22-6 with 3:22 left.

Worth County was faced with third and five on their next series and a three and out would have given Northwest a chance to change the character of the game and make it a one possession game with a score. But then Eli outran everyone on a sweep and scored from 46 yards out with 2:03 left to make it 28-6 to kill their momentum.

Austin scrambled for a first down at the Tiger 38 to rescue a third and 10, but four straight incompletions followed. Dalton Welch knocked him down on the first play and Lane Craven, Eli Mullock, and Jordan Harding all had pass breakups on the next three plays as they gave up the ball on downs.

Aaron Patton got blocks from Kevin Stoll and Jordan Harding on a bubble screen for 14 yards to the Hughesville 28 and then Eli Mullock ran right through some would-be tacklers for a touchdown on the final play of the first quarter. Eli picked up blocks from Logan Ridge and Dallas Greenland for the extra points to make it 36-6.

The game snowballed from there as Hughesville buried themselves on their own 10 on the ensuing kickoff and then a mixup on the handoff resulted in a fumble recovered by Kevin Stoll at the Northwest 11. Worth County backed themselves up with a false start and a 3-yard loss, but then Aaron Patton's catch and run for 19 yards put Worth County on the board again with 10:20 left in the half. Dallas Greenland ran in the extra points to make it 44-6.

Hughesville got a long pass to Zach Miller to the Tiger 37, but on the very next play, Dalton Welch hit Austin, who threw a strike to Dallas Greenland for a pick. Bryce Ross ran through a big hole for 31 yards to the 14 and then Dallas Greenland picked up a fumble and ran it for positive yardage down to the 10. Eli Mullock caught a short pass for seven yards to the three and then scored with 8 minutes left. Eli then spun his way into the end zone for the extra points to make it 52-6.

Northwest wanted to score one more time before halftime and kill the running clock and got a 44-yard run from Wally Nicholson to get into Tiger territory at the 26. But the Tigers would make a goal line stand. A pass interference penalty placed the ball on the 12 and Austin scrambled for two to the 10 and Andrew Underwood caught a 9-yard pass to the 1. But then Dalton Welch stopped Underwood short of the goal line and then Bryson Scott broke up a pass to set up third and goal. Dallas Greenland, Tyler Schmitz, and Lane Craven gang-tackled Austin and knocked him out of the game briefly and Tyler Schmitz stopped a shovel pass to Underwood for no gain to give the Tigers the ball on downs at their own three. They only needed one play to score as Eli juked two defenders and was gone for a 77-yard run to make it 60-6.

The Mustangs drove against Worth County's JV right before the half and scored with 13 yards left on a 10-yard pass to Underwood to make it 60-12. Hughesville, obviously trying to score a bunch of points against the Tiger JV, elected to play on in the second half and left their starters in; however, the JV was up to the task, outplaying them in the frame and picking up a couple of scores of their own. The first was set up when Andrew Mullock scooped up a short punt in traffic and returned it all the way to the Hughesville 31. Cole Parman aired it out to Aaron Patton for 22 yards and the Tigers were on the board. The Mustangs drove to the Tiger 9 on the next series, but they stalled and long runs from Cole Parman of 17 yards and Andrew Faustlin for 24 set up Worth County's final score as Faustlin got blocks from Dakota Owsley and Andrew Mullock to score from 7 yards out with 9:01 left in the game.

Emergency Loans for Summer Droughts

Mr. Edward Hamill, State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency, announced effective October 17, 2011, 111 counties including Worth as well as the Independent City of St. Louis will have FSA disaster loans available due to drought and excessive heat which occurred July 1, 2011 and August 30, 2011. Applications for assistance will be accepted at the county office of the Worth County Farm Service Agency on the north side of the square for physical and production losses caused by this disaster. Applications will be accepted through June 18, 2012.

Loans for physical losses must be used to replace or repair damage to buildings, fences, or to compensate the farmer for losses of basic livestock, stored crops, or supplies on hand, equipment, etc., that was lost due to the disaster. Loans for production losses may also be used to buy feed, seed, fertilizer, and livestock or to make payments on real estate or chattel debts. Generally, loans for production losses cannot be approved until crops have completed their production cycle or have been harvested.

In order to qualify, a farmer must have suffered a 30% loss in production or an actual physical loss that was essential to the successful operation of the farm.

Loans for actual losses are made at an interest rate of 3.75% for emergency loans to those eligible applicants who are unable to obtain the credit needed from another source. All loan programs of the Farm Service Agency are conducted on a non-discriminatory basis.

County Commission Minutes -- Wireless Internet Not Available at Courthouse

Presiding Commissioner Findley called the meeting to order at 9:02 am.

1. Commissioner Rob Ruckman made a motion to approve the agenda and minutes. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
2. Treasurer Linda Brown presented the weekly balance sheet.
3. Commissioner Rob Ruckman reported the gas prices from MFA as gas $3.259 and diesel $3.659
4. Bridget Gibson from the Times Tribune asked why people could no longer hook up to the Courthouse wireless internet. She said people had been coming into her office complaining that they could no longer get access. County Clerk Roberta Owens explained that due to security reasons she had Midwest Data install a wireless inscription key. Owens explained to Gibson and the Commissioners that the Courthouse needs to be secure, therefore the Courthouses internet service will no longer be assessable by the general public. No action was taken.
5. Jerri Dearmont from the Northwest Regional Council of Governments came to take care of the paperwork for the State final review and closeout of Grant # 139388 of the 3 bridges is Allen Township (195,172,185). Commissioner Findley signed the Certification of Completion, the Applicant Disclosure Report, and the Amendment Request paperwork. The Grant Total was $134,991.75 with a county in kind match of $77,000.
6. Terry and Janet Larison came to discuss the closing of CR 16E. They will continue with the road vacation process.
7. Road and Bridge Foreman Jim Fletchall Report:
· Discussed the FEMA project on Larison’s road. The scope was work was defined for that area, so they must proceed with the project, even though the money could be used more productively in other areas.
· Fletchall had a request from Kevin Harding on CR 173/200th rd. to have the county shape up the road then seed and mulch the area. Commissioners agreed.
· Discussed CR 227/105th rd. and the brush issue, it is not satisfactory yet.
· Discussed who should replace Russell as record keeper at the county barn.
· Fletchall asked about calling CAT to check a buzzer in the grader. We should be able to share the trip charge with Stanberry. Commissioners agreed.
8. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to adjourn at 12:25 for lunch. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Presiding Commissioner Ted Findley opened the afternoon session at 2:05.
9. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to go into closed session pursuant to RSMo 610.022 at 2:46 to discuss roof and brush issues with David Baird. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. Findley aye, Ruckman aye, Gabbert aye.
10. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to come out of closed session at 3:15. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. Findley aye, Ruckman aye, Gabbert aye.
11. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to adjourn at 4:25. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Obituary -- Edna Thompson 1914-2011

Edna E. Thompson, daughter of Willard and Faye Lambert Cain, was born May 20, 1914 in Grant City. She graduated from the Grant City High School and attended Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.
She later moved to Kansas City where she met her husband, Doyle Thompson. They were married October 21, 1951 at the Community Christian Church in Kansas City. They moved back to Grant City in 1955, where they remained until their death.
Edna was a member of the Grant City United Methodist Church and the PEO Sisterhood. She was preceded in death by her husband Doyle in 1996 and by her parents. She is survived by numerous cousins and friends.
Funeral services were held at the Andrews Funeral Home, Grant City, on October 28, 2011 at 10:30. Pastor Sue Noakes officiated. Interment was in the Grant City Cemetery.

Soil Testing of Flooded Fields

The Missouri River was out of its banks for several months and this has an impact on the availability of crop nutrients. First of all, when soils are saturated, they are in reduced state, so chemically, the phosphorus levels if tested immediately after draining will be miss-leading. One should test soils after soils dry and return to normal moisture levels. Readings of comparison samples of the Graves Chapple before and after indicate a higher phosphorus soil test value.

Fallow Syndrome is another issue that may be found in flooded soils. Often the syndrome shows as a classic phosphorus deficiency symptom when the corn crop planted. It would be advisable to add phosphorus fertilizer even on high testing soils to help crop growth. One reason for this symptom is the loss of vescular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM), a fungi that forms an addition to the crop root system, that takes up nutrients for use by crop plants. An example of the fungi is the yellow fine roots of a corn plant that quickly fade after being exposed to sunlight. The yellow color is colonized by the mycorrhizae.

Also, there have been several questions regarding the white material that was deposited on some fields. I ran a couple of tests, one at a standard depth of six inches and another of the surface one-inch depth.

The white surface contains calcium which would be typical of where the water came from. Soils to west of Missouri are generally alkaline and soils in Missouri and eastward are acidic. Also, there is sodium, which was measured by electrical conductivity. The data would indicate that mixing this into the soil to dilute this layer would be ideal.

For more information, contact Wayne Flanary at 660-425-6434 or Heather Benedict at 660-425-6434, Regional Agronomists, University of Missouri Extension.

Emery's Marks One Year

Adam Emery found his calling early in life. At age fourteen he got his first job, working in a tire shop, and there the spark was lit. Today Mr. Emery owns his own service station and offers customers much more than just fuel. “I also do basic mechanic work, brakes, oil changes, tire repair and rotation,” Emery says of his shop, Emery Convenience & Service located in Parnell, Missouri.
In addition to all the services Emery offers, his station also carries new tires along with convenience and grocery items. Along with fulfilling his own dream of being his own boss Emery feels his business is an important way for him to help his rural community.
“This way people do not have to drive twenty miles to the next town to get a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread,” Emery says.
In the town of Parnell, which has a population of approximately 200 people, Emery’s Convenience & Service and K&T Bar and Grill are the only two stores.
Emery has advice for anyone passionate about owning their own business, “Go for it,” he says, “it is possible to make businesses work in small towns.”
Through contacts at USDA, Emery learned about Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation (NWMEF). He credits NWMEF and facilitator Annette Weeks with helping him in planning out the financial aspects of his business and helping his business succeed.
Emery Convenience & Service, 204 S. Main Street, Parnell, Missouri is celebrating a one year anniversary hosted by NWMEF Saturday, November 5th with an awards presentation at 12:00 p.m. and barbecue 12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
If you are interested in starting or retaining your own business, Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation (NWMEF) is here to help. NWMEF is an economic development project trained by the Sirolli Institute which serves six counties including Andrew, Atchison, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway and Worth. Services are offered free and are strictly confidential. NWMEF is a not-for-profit organization. For more information, contact Annette Weeks, facilitator, at (816) 262-5158 or facilitator@nwmef.com. The Resource Board is comprised of more than 70 volunteer board members from each county as well as regional representation.

A Moment with Mike -- Back in Missouri

After a couple of weeks traveling out of state for both business and pleasure, it is nice to be back in Missouri. The wooded hills of the Northeast are beautiful this time of year. The leaves come alive in an array of bright colors and the picturesque view of the small fishing villages on the coast of Maine bring images of a time past. We saw beautiful scenery and different livelihoods as we visited another part of our diverse country but I am always glad to be home where Northwest Missouri offers a beauty of its own. Some of the brightest tree colors that I have seen are a couple of blocks from my home and the rolling hills with recently harvested crops have a serenity of their own. Most of you have heard me say that there is nowhere in the world that I would rather live than right here in Northwest Missouri and even though traveling is exciting there are no more comforting words than “Welcome to Kansas City” when your airplane touches down and you are almost home.
The “Special Session” that was called by the Governor to pass some economic development initiatives is officially over and even though the legislative body did not come to agreement on some of the proposed topics, the session was not a complete loss. Two bills were passed and signed by the Governor. One is a powerful economic development tool that will help Missouri attract high-tech and life sciences businesses to our state. The Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA) will create a funding source to fuel new growth in the fields of science and technology. MOSIRA was meant to supplement the primary jobs package but it does offer a significant economic development tool on its own.
The other bill passed during the session is what has commonly been referred to as the “Facebook Fix.” The fix will protect the ability of teachers to have appropriate online communications with students. This fixes the unintended consequences that resulted from a previous bill that was meant to prohibit improper communications but put all communications into question.
The lack of agreements did, however, stop some initiatives, leaving them unaddressed until our next regular session. The House had passed bills to move Missouri’s presidential primary, create a period of tax amnesty for Missourians who have fallen behind on their taxes, provide an avenue for disaster relief funding to areas of the state devastated by severe weather and flooding and return control of the St. Louis Police Department to the City of St. Louis. These are issues that impact our state and need serious consideration.
There will be continued speculation on the success and necessity of this “Special Session.” I was sometimes frustrated and disappointed, however, the process is difficult and disagreement often times means that further scrutiny and negotiation is needed to come up with the best solution. Maybe it is better to pass less legislation than to pass legislation that is not the “best” thing for our state.
If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 401B State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Spell of Gold

What magic has now touched
The branches of the trees
And changed green foliage
To golden treasuries?

It’s autumn’s alchemy,
In gardens bonfires blaze;
And see, the leaping flames
Turn golden in the haze!

Perhaps you, too, may find
Gold magic of your own
You planted pumpkin seeds?
See how they’ve grown and grown.

At Halloween, they’ll glow
As lanterns by and by,
Or else be baked golden,
At Thanksgiving for a pie!

--Submitted by Vivian Coleman