Friday, August 31, 2012

Tigers Back on Track with 64-0 Win over Rockets

Worth County got back on the winning track Friday night, beating West Nodaway 64-0. However, they still have to get better as soon as possible because Mound City will be coming to town. Specifically, although they blocked much better and avoided the kind of special teams breakdowns that they had against Rock Port, they still had too many penalties, nine.

The Tigers had an easy solution to their kickoff team problems as Wyatt Rush was put in as kicker and promptly kicked the first ball into the end zone. West Nodaway was buried deep in their own territory for much of the night and Worth County, on the other hand, had a short field to work with much of the time. A bobbled snap got West Nodaway off on the wrong foot and then Lane Craven threw Dustin Winter for a three-yard loss as West Nodaway was forced to punt. Worth County put on a heavy rush and the kick was shanked, giving Worth County the short field to work with. Worth County aired it out immediately to Aaron Patton and The General made an off-balance catch despite getting pushed in the back with 10:51 to get on the board. Andrew Mullock ran in the extra points to make it 8-0 behind a Wyatt Rush block. Worth County did a better job of converting their extra points this time as they were only one for four against Rock Port. They were five for nine against West Nodaway. Following a strong showing in the Rock Port game when Dallas Greenland was shaken up, Andrew Mullock got a lot more touches Friday night at runningback, sharing duties with Dallas and Wyatt Rush.

Aaron Patton turned around and shut down West Nodaway on defense; he has been getting some playing time at linebacker on that end this year. He dropped Winter for a four-yard loss, putting them in a hole. A fumbled snap, their second of the night, forced them into another three and out and the Tigers got the ball in good field position again at the West Nodaway 36.

The Tigers took full advantage as Andrew Mullock took a sweep for 25 yards down to the 11 and Wyatt Rush got 10 more down to the one. The Tigers made a rare miscue when they fumbled a handoff, but they got it back and Dallas Greenland scored with 7:40 left. Wyatt Rush ran in the extra points to make it 16-0.

Ethan Schmitz recovered a fumble at the West Nodaway 13 to set up another short field for Worth County as the Rockets were putting the ball on the ground all night long. The Tigers only needed two plays to get Aaron Patton into the end zone to make it 22-0 with 5:54 left in the first quarter.

Shadow Briner and The General combined on a big hit on the kickoff as West Nodaway was once again stuck in bad field position at their own 17. Ethan Schmitz once again got a big hit on defense, dropping Treston Sanders for a loss of four to put them in a hole they could not get out of. Worth County overcame a holding penalty as Andrew Mullock got a 27-yard gain as the defense got sucked in and Mullock bounced to the outside with nobody home and got down to the 13. Wyatt Rush's run put the Tigers up 28-0 with 1:44 left.

West Nodaway fumbled the ball for the fourth time and lost it for the second time as Dallas was there for the fumble recovery at the Rocket 17. Aaron Patton got a block in the back penalty that moved things back to the 31, but The General atoned for his mistake with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Cole Parman with 36.9 seconds left. Andrew Mullock ran in the extra points to make it 36-0.

The ensuing kickoff was shanked and West Nodaway had good field position at their own 38 and crossed into Tiger territory for the first time all evening, but could not make use of it. Worth County began putting in their JV, but they were up for the task as Truman Moore got a big hit on fourth and five at the Tiger 36 for a five yard loss as the Tigers took over on downs. There were some outstanding performances from the JV, which figures to push the varsity for playing time this year.

The Tigers were seemingly held up this time, but on fourth and seven, Andrew Mullock shot through a hole, broke three different tackles, and scored again to make it 42-0 with 9:39 left in the second.

West Nodaway fumbled the ball for the fifth time of the night and they could not get anywhere and were once again forced to punt. Worth County took over on their own 37 and began subbing freely. Brevyn Ross scored the first of many touchdowns for the Tigers as he got a block from Chris Alarcon to score from 33 yards out with 7:06 left to make it 50-0.

Shaun Burns showed promise at defensive back on the next series and Justin Parker saw his first-ever action after being out all of last year, making a tackle on one play and holding his own. West Nodaway was able to move the ball against the second string, but stalled on the Tiger 26 as Dakota Owsley got a big hit and the Tigers took over on downs. Worth County scored again as Brevyn Ross' 24 yard sweep set up by another Chris Alarcon block got the Tigers down to the 11. Nathan Pointer scored with 2:16 left to make it 56-0.

West Nodaway went three and out on the next series as Jacob Hardy got a stop and then Andrew Faustlin, Shaun Burns, and Nathan Pointer combined on a tackle. Nathan Pointer got Worth County's last score as he got a block from Truman Moore and scampered 51 yards into the end zone with 39.9 seconds left in the half. Shaun Burns made a leaping catch in the end zone for the extra points. With the score, Worth County scored nine times out of nine possessions in the game. Brevyn Ross had a shoestring tackle, his second big hit of the night on special teams on the ensuing kickoff. Truman Moore had a pad-popping hit and Dalton Miller dropped a back for a loss as West Nodaway ran out of time.


Thursday, August 30, 2012

Softball Tigers Give Stanberry All They can Handle

Worth County's girls gave Stanberry all they could handle Thursday night before falling 7-5 to drop to 2-4 on the season. They went 1-2 at the Albany Tournament following their opening day win over North Nodaway and dropped a Tuesday match to South Harrison. Stanberry and Maysville are rated to be among the top of the pack in the GRC now that Hamilton has left, so the game represented another step in the right direction for Worth County after having won one game last year. However, they still have to keep getting better, working on their throwing and getting the big hit.

The Tigers trailed 1-0 after the first inning, but batted around and got five in the third. Brianna Fletchall hit a pop fly behind the mound that dropped out of reach and she was safe at first to start the inning. Rikki Hunt reached on an error when she got down a perfect bunt and the catcher threw the ball away for a two-base throwing error to put runners on second and third. Claire Andrews singled, hitting a hard line drive off the shortstop's glove to tie it at one. Haven Schottel was hit by a pitch and Kristen Andrews walked in a run to put Worth County up 2-1. Rebecca Moore and Katie Mullock struck out, but Kaitlyn Davidson singled up the middle to score two and Kacey Smyser hit a slow roller just past short that scored Kristen Andrews on a close play to make it 5-1.

Worth County made six errors in the game and four of them in the fourth as Stanberry scored three times to cut it to one. Three of them were on airmailed throws that got away and allowed runners to advance. Kristen Andrews played lights-out defense at second during the game and she caught a line drive to keep the Tigers in front.While airmailed throws were a major issue in the game, there were some outstanding defensive plays as well; Rikki Hunt caught a pop fly that looked like it would drop in and doubled a runner off first in the second to erase a leadoff walk. And first baseman Kacey Smyser made a running catch of a pop fly that looked like trouble after Stanberry had gotten a scratch hit to start the third.

But Worth County could not get the big hit to add to their lead or to catch Stanberry after they got ahead. Haven Schottel hit a pop fly single behind the second baseman; everyone was playing her in because of her ability to bunt for a hit and she took advantage Thursday evening, dropping two flares just past the infield for hits. She stole second, but the Tigers could not get her home.

With one out in the fifth, the Tigers loaded up the bases as Katie Mullock singled past the second baseman as she knocked it down but didn't have a play. She stole second and Kaitlyn singled her to third. Kacey Smyser popped out, but Brianna Fletchall was hit by a pitch to load the bases. But Kali Cameron struck out to end the inning.

With one out, Stanberry loaded the bases on an error and two walks. They then hit a rocket to Haven in center. She tried to make the shoestring catch but missed and it got by her for a two-run double. Worth County threw into Rebecca Moore to get a third run out at the plate, but Moore airmailed a throw to third as the runner on second advanced on the throw home and Stanberry took advantage to make it 7-5. Sidney Davenport made an outstanding defensive play in left by making a running catch to prevent any further damage.

Worth County kept right on battling, but could not get the big hit to get the game tied. With one out in the sixth, Haven Schottel got her second flare hit behind short and Kristen Andrews battled and drew a 10-pitch walk. But Rebecca Moore grounded to short and the shortstop tagged Haven running past her as the runners had to go on a grounder with runners on first and second. Katie Mullock then grounded out to end the inning.

Stanberry looked for an insurance run in the top of the seventh as they walked their leadoff batter, always a danger sign. But Katie Mullock made an outstanding defensive play with a running catch of a pop foul and Brianna Fletchall caught a line drive in right to take extra bases and a possible run away. Kaitlyn Davidson was hit by a pitch and Kacey Smyser grounded out to advance her, but Worth County could not get her home in the seventh.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Jack Remembers -- Wired

President Franklin Roosevelt had Congress form the Rural Electric Association (REA) in 1935 in order for the farmers to have electricity.  The for-profit electric companies fought Roosevelt and said they would supply electricity to the farms as soon as it became economically feasible.  We got electricity in 1941, and fifty years later my mother said if we had waited on the power companies, we wouldn’t have electricity yet. 
     I asked in another column who wired the farm houses when REA came through.  Larry Pittsenbarger grew up north of Maysville in Dekalb County.  They didn’t get electricity until after World War II.  Larry said an electrician followed REA and wired all the houses.  He said it was a two day job to wire their house, and they had to feed the electrician who also stayed overnight with them.  Larry said a lot of the farmers were so tight fisted they didn’t hook up after REA came through.  They didn’t need lights since they had coal oil lamps, and after all, they went to bed when it got dark.
     Kathleen Tierney and Madeline Woodward, 94 and 90 years old respectively, grew up and lived in Knox County near Edina, and said Knox County did not get electricity until 1957.  Madeline said her husband, Weldon, wired the house with an instruction booklet supplied by REA.  Like most of the people who responded, her first appliance was a refrigerator and a toaster. 
     My mother wanted a refrigerator immediately, but because we didn’t have the money, my dad traded the appliance dealer a Holstein heifer for the Frigidaire refrigerator.  Shortly thereafter, lightening struck a tree next to our house.  The lightening ran in on the electric line and burned up the refrigerator motor.  We had it repaired and if appliances today lasted as long as that Frigidaire, all the appliance companies would go broke.
Jack can be reached at PO Box 40, Oak Grove, MO 64075 or jackremembers@aol.com.  Visit www.jackremembers.com

New Beginnings Offers New Hope in Northwest Missouri

The only treatment center in a five county area that provides services to juvenile and adolescent populations, as well as adults will soon open its doors in Maryville. New Beginnings Counseling Center is a dream shared by owners, Michelle Jones and Sean Prescott. The duo will bring more than twenty years of experience to the area.

Statistics show that more than 22 million Americans aged 12 and older, are current or former illicit drug users. In the last 30 years, the number of deaths related to drug overdoses has risen by more than 540 percent. Those numbers help make the case for why a business like this is important in the region.

“We were pointed in the direction of Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation (NWMEF) by a Maryville Chamber of Commerce member who was excited to see a new locally based and operated business which addresses such a timely need in the community,” said Prescott.  

New Beginnings offers day treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, and supported recovery. You can access services through self-referrals, as well as doctors, hospitals or other organizations' referrals. New Beginnings accepts self-pay, insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and Employee Assistance Programs which also cover the employee’s family members with any of the companies in Maryville.

A Business Celebration will be hosted by the Maryville Chamber of Commerce and NWMEF on Tuesday September 11, 2012 at 3 p.m., New Beginning Counseling Center, 318 N. Main Street, Maryville. An open house follows until 6 p.m. For more information, call 660-562-3000.

To learn more about how you can start or retain your own business, contact Annette Weeks, NWMEF facilitator, at (816) 262-5158 or facilitator@nwmef.com or check out our website at www.nwmef.com. NWMEF is a not-for-profit economic development organization serving six counties including Andrew, Atchison, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway and Worth. Services are free and confidential. The Resource Board is comprised of more than 70 volunteer board members from each county as well as regional representation.

No-Call List Expansion to Take Effect

(Missouri Digital News) -- A bill expanding Missouri's No-Call List to cell phones and fax machines will become law on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

The measure allows Missouri cell phone users to register their phones on the Attorney General's website to prevent receiving calls from telemarketers via phone call or text message.

Well before the law was to take effect, the Attorney General's office began accepting applications for registering cell phones on the new call list.  The office claims that 1.8 million cell phone users have already registered their phones. The site to register is http://www.ago.mo.gov.

Also slated to become law on Tuesday, Aug. 28, is a bill requiring MoDOT to develop a statewide minimum time interval for yellow lights. Supporters argue the measure would prevent municipalities from creating shorter yellow lights in an effort to issue more red light camera tickets.  

Bills expanding charter schools to failing school districts, and a sales tax increase (upon voter approval) for St. Louis to redevelop the area around the Gateway Arch will also become law.

Worth County Commission -- Tax Rock Hauling, Worth Bridge Nearing Completion


Presiding Commissioner Findley called the meeting to order at 9:05 am.

1.       Commissioner Rob Ruckman reported the gas prices as $3.559 and diesel as $3.949  
2.       Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to approve the minutes and agenda. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
3.       Treasurer Linda Brown presented the weekly balance sheet, payroll, and bills.
4.       Commissioner Rob Ruckman made a motion to approve the bills and payroll. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
5.       Roger Robertson and Dirk Groom, county rock haulers stopped to say they were almost finished with the tax rock. They are just waiting to hear from the Conservation Department on how much gravel goes there. County Clerk Roberta Owens will continue to try to contact the Conservation Department.
6.       Jim Fletchall Road and Bridge Report: Fletchall reported in by phone.
·         Completed the tubes for CR 192/213th Rd.
·         Working on a tube on CR 106/Jaguar Ave
·         Will go south of Sheridan next, then on to Paxton Bridge.


Jerry Stephenson with Harrington Courtilyou/Burns&McDonald and Kim McKinnley from McKinnley LLC came to discuss the closing of the Worth Bridge project BRO-NBIL113B113(16). The bridge is now complete, but there is a ditch in the area that is cutting back to the roadway. The existing ditch north and east of the new bridge near Sta, 16+60 has shifted southward since the survey data was acquired in 2005. The proximity of the ditch is now cutting into
the roadway and has become a potential safety hazard. This change order will allow the contractor to shift the flow line of the ditch approximately 10ft. north and reshape the banks. In addition, approximately 55 linear ft. of Rock Blanket and Geotextile Fabric will be placed along the bank adjacent to the new roadway from near the edge of the shoulder
down to the flow line. After an inspection of the area the Commissioners agreed that this work needs to be done. There will be a final inspection on Wednesday August 29th 2012, at 10:00am. After that the county needs to complete their in kind work as quickly as possible.

  1. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to adjourn 12:15m. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Presiding Commissioner Ted Findley brought the afternoon session of the commissioner meeting to order at 3:30.


  1. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to adjourn at 3:55pm. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Protecting Shoes and Bridges

Everything is more expensive these days, and the need to prolong our items is becoming even more important.  Many of you take the time to polish or "seal" your favorite, or most expensive pairs of shoes before the onset of winter.  You do this to keep what is inside dry, and to make the shoes last longer, just like the Missouri Department of Transportation does with its bridges.
"We seal our bridges for the same reason folks seal their shoes," says District Maintenance and Traffic Engineer Marty Liles. "Whether you are weather-proofing a pair of shoes, or a bridge, it protects them from the elements and makes them last longer."
MoDOT's Northwest District is home to over 1,000 bridges, totaling more than 8.5 million square feet of deck surface area.  During the month of September, as part of MoDOT's "Bridge Sealing Blitz," crews will seal approximately 70 bridges representing roughly one-fourth of the total surface area for bridges in the Northwest Region.  In the coming weeks, as part of this project, motorists can expect to see discolored bridge decks, extra work zones and crews around many of northwest Missouri bridges.
Bridges are selected for sealing, or re-sealing, based on a number of factors.  All new bridges are sealed prior to their first winter.  After a bridge has been sealed for the first time, existing bridges are scheduled for re-sealing on a rotating basis. 
"We are taxpayers too, and we want to preserve and prolong our roads and bridges in the most cost-effective means as possible," says District Engineer Don Wichern. "Sealing a bridge deck prolongs the life of the bridge, thereby pushing back the day when it will have to be replaced. It's just another way we are trying to maintain our system for as long as possible with the funds available."
For more information about this or other projects, contact MoDOT at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (888-275-6636) or log onto www.modot.org/northwest/. You can also follow MoDOT's Northwest Missouri District on Twitter at twitter.com/ModotNorthwest or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ModotNorthwest.

Cost effectiveness of ammoniating low-quality forages

Because of this year’s drought, U.S. cattle farmers are facing a short feed supply.  Farmers searching for affordable feedstuffs should consider ammoniating low-quality forages, like corn stalks, to supplement their feeding programs, says a University of Missouri agriculture business specialist.
 
“Ammoniating low-quality forage produces several benefits,” said Whitney Wiegel. “Ammoniation increases the digestibility and crude protein content of forage. It also improves intake and inhibits mold development in high-moisture roughage.”
 
Farmers who choose to ammoniate low-quality forage (forages with less than 50 percent total digestible nutrients) can expect digestibility to increase 8 to 18 percent depending on the type of forage ammoniated and its initial digestibility level, he said.
 
Ammoniation can also increase crude protein content by 4.5 to 11 percent and improve dry-matter intake by more than 30 percent.
 
“Because intake is one of cattle producers’ biggest concerns when it comes to meeting cows’ nutritional requirements with forage, dry-matter intake is probably the greatest benefit of ammoniation,” Wiegel said.
 
While there are many benefits to ammoniation, a farmer must also consider the added costs of ammoniating forages. “With regard to material costs, the main items required are anhydrous ammonia, polyethylene sheeting, tubing and tractor fuel,” he said. Farmers may also wish to include the cost of labor in their calculations. “Of all the costs, the cost anhydrous ammonia will undoubtedly be the greatest.”
 
To add further detail to the cost analysis, Wiegel describes a typical scenario:
 
Using a 40- by 100-foot sheet of black polyethylene, which costs $180, a farmer can ammoniate about 70 large round bales. If each bale weighs 1,000 pounds, the farmer has 70,000 pounds of forage. If the bales are 85 percent dry matter, the farmer has 59,500 pounds of dry matter. If the recommended amount of anhydrous to use is 3 percent of the dry-matter weight, the farmer needs to use 1,785 pounds of anhydrous.
 
“The price of anhydrous ammonia in this example is $720 per ton, which means that it costs $643 to purchase the recommended amount of anhydrous,” Wiegel said. If tubing supplies cost $50, tractor fuel costs $38, and labor costs $180, the total cost of ammoniation is $1,091, or $31 per ton of forage.
 
Will the increase in quality be worth the extra cost of ammoniation?
 
“To quantify the value of improved quality, reference values for TDN and crude protein must be obtained,” he said.
 
In this scenario, Wiegel assumes that a pound of TDN from corn is worth 15 cents and a pound of crude protein from soybean meal is worth 31 cents (based on an $8 per bushel corn price and a $537 per ton price for soybean meal).
 
If ammoniation improves TDN by 5 percent and crude protein by 8 percent, an equivalent of 100 pounds of TDN and 160 pounds of crude protein are added to a ton of forage through ammoniation.
 
Using the reference values of 15 cents per pound of TDN and 31 cents per pound of crude protein, ammoniation increases the value of forage by $55 per ton on a dry-matter basis, or $47 per ton with forage at 85 percent dry matter.
 
“Compared to ammoniation costs of $31 per ton, the value added to forage, $47 per ton, is enough to justify the decision to ammoniate low-quality forage,” he said.
 
For more information about ammoniating forages, contact your local MU Extension center.
 
“There are several important considerations in ammoniating forages, so please seek advice before ammoniating forages for the first time,” Wiegel said.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Worth County Sheriff's Report for August 29th

8-20 – Person calls office about custody papers.
8-20 – Person calls about burn ban.
8-20 – Officer enroute to Ringgold County to pick up prisoner for court.
8-20 – Officer serving papers in Sheridan.
8-22 – Federal Bureau of Prisons calls regarding a Worth County prisoner.
8-22 – Report of stranded motorist on 46 near Route K; officer assists person.
8-22 – Officer assists with grass fire east of 46 & Y.
8-22 – Officer assists with tree fire on 123rd road.
8-22 – Cow/Car accident investigated by officer on Y.
8-22 – Alarm at Dollar General, all OK.
8-23 – Alarm at Dollar General; all OK.
8-23 – Worth County employee reports vandalism and fuel theft to a Case dozer to officer who is investigating.
8-23 – Person calls for well-being check; referred to Gentry County.
8-24 – Report of horse out on Route C; left message for owner.
8-24 – Report of cows out on 169 north of County Line.
8-24 – Report of 2 bulls out on Route B; not found.
8-25 – Report of someone on roof of State Farm building shooting BB gun at people.
8-25 – Officer investigates car/deer accident at Seat Wildlife Area.
8-25 – Ringgold County calls about driving status of Worth County resident.

Worth County JV Downs DeKalb 50-0 in 7 on 7 Tilt

Worth County's JV squad downed DeKalb 50-0 in a 7 on 7 tilt Monday night. The teams played 7 on 7 because DeKalb didn't have enough players for the encounter. The change didn't matter as Worth County was able to contain them defensively despite the fewer players; the game was called in the third quarter. The team struggled with some of the same problems that hurt the varsity, with too many penalties and giving up a long kickoff return. The focus on the squad leading up to Friday will be to push the varsity for playing time and cutting down on those penalties.

Josh Warner's initial kickoff pinned DeKalb deep in their own territory and Shadow Briner was there for the hit at the start of the game to pin them at their own 7. Tristan Miller was there to drop Scott Grable for a loss and Montana Lykins also dropped a DeKalb back as they were forced to punt. Shaun Burns returned a short kick that had little hang time all the way back to the DeKalb 20 to set up the first score. Field position was a killer for DeKalb along with turnovers.

Nathan Pointer scored as he shot outside and cut inside with 4:52 left in the first to put the Tigers up 6-0. DeKalb started at their own 25 and got a first down to the 37 behind quarterback Duncan Owens. But DeKalb tried a pass and Lykins was there to hurry Owens on the first play. Shadow Briner then came up with a blind-side sack, forcing a fumble that Jacob Hardy recovered at the DeKalb 30. The Tigers used the short field to their advantage as quarterback Brevyn Ross scampered 22 yards down to the 8 and Andrew Faustlin ran through a big hole on the left side to make it 12-0 with 27.9 seconds left.

On their first play from scrimmage, DeKalb fumbled for the second straight time and Tristan Miller was there for the recovery at the DeKalb 26. Two plays later, Nathan Pointer shot up the middle and bounced to the outside to score from 25 yards out and make it 18-0 with 7:51 left in the first half.

DeKalb tried to follow Rock Port's lead and regain the momentum with their kick return and Owens got loose following a breakdown on the coverage. But this time, Shaun Burns ran him down from behind for a touchdown-saving tackle at the Tiger 16. Owens scrambled to the 12 on third and ten, but William Runde, all 347 pounds of him, ran him down from behind to save a long gain and possibly a score. On fourth and six, Grable fumbled the handoff and picked it up and tried the left side, but was swarmed under for a loss at the 15 by four tacklers led by Tristan Miller and the Tigers took over on downs.

Worth County fumbled their first snap from scrimmage, but on the next play, Brevyn Ross followed Truman Moore around the right end and shot past him and had nothing but daylight for a 56-yard score with 5:19 left. The Tigers showed that they needed to work on their extra point game as they were unsuccessful in their first three tries after being unsuccessful in three out of four attempts Friday night against Rock Port. But this time, they converted for a change as Nathan Pointer followed Chris Alarcon and Will Rennells on a power sweep and got in to make it 26-0.

Dalton and Tristan Miller, tag-teaming at 500 pounds, dropped Grable on the next series. Following an incomplete pass, Tristan Miller dropped Owens for no gain and DeKalb was forced to punt. The ball bounced off a Tiger and it was a live ball and a chance for DeKalb to get a fresh set of downs, but Tristan Miller was there to pounce on it at the DeKalb 35. Nathan Pointer got a block from Gavin Hawk and dragged a bunch of defenders several yards all the way down to the 25. Pointer's first down run overcame a penalty and then Andrew Faustlin broke a host of tackles and stumbled into the end zone with 16.1 seconds left in the half. Faustlin took a handoff on the extra point, got a block from Josh Warner, and ran into the end zone to make it 34-0.

At the start of the second half, Brevyn Ross turned back the clock to when Dante Hall was really good. Brevyn took the opening kickoff, ran sideways to the left sideline, and then turned and headed upfield with DeKalb players trying to push him out of bounds. But the whistle never blew and Brevin walked the tightrope past the last man to beat and was in the clear for the next score. Nathan Pointer ran in the extra points to make it 42-0 with 7:39 left.DeKalb fumbled the ensuing kickoff out of bounds at their own 8. They got a first down to the 19 and got to the 24, but then Shaun Burns jumped a pass and picked it off, returning it to the DeKalb 1. On the next play, Worth County fumbled the handoff, but Brevyn Ross alertly picked it up and ran it in. Will Rennells caught a pass in the right corner of the end zone to make it 50-0 when the game was called with 6:08 left in the third.

Worth County Student Council Officers

STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICERS
President -- Clayton Troutwine. Vice President -- Wyatt Rush. Secretary -- Sydney Thummel. Treasurer -- Danielle Funk.

SENIORS
President -- Clayton Troutwine. Vice-President -- Dallas Greenland. Secretary -- Sydney Davenport. Treasurer -- Rebecca Moore. Student Council Reps -- Chase Thummel & Bryce Ross. Sponsors -- Janice Borey, Clella Goodwin.

JUNIORS
President -- Brianna Fletchall. Vice-President -- Kayla Martell. Secretary -- Claire Andrews. Treasurer -- Andrew Mullock. Student Council Reps -- Katie Mullock, Kristen Andrews. Sponsors -- Todd Simmons, Tish Warner, Selena O'Connor.

SOPHOMORES
President -- Sydney Thummel. Vice-President -- Josh Warner. Secretary -- Shelby Thomas. Treasurer -- Gavin Hawk. Student Council Reps -- Austin Carlson, Madison Cassavaugh. Sponsors -- Josh Smith (Ag), Janell Dignan.

FRESHMEN
President -- Shadow Briner. Vice-President -- Kenna LaFollette. Secretary -- Ben Badell. Treasurer -- Rikki Hunt. Student Council -- Brevyn Ross, Truman Moore. Sponsors -- Merry Spiers, Emily Cloughly.

8TH GRADERS
President -- Alec Summers. Vice-President -- Harley Charles. Secretary -- Kristen Ross. Treasurer -- Rachael Gardner. Sponsors -- Julia Wideman, Kelley Ross.

7TH GRADERS
President -- Shelby Steele. Vice-President -- Dallas Steele. Secretary -- Keegan Warner. Treasurer -- Grace Schottel. Sponsors -- Jonell Cook, Stephanie Bickel, Josh Smith (Social Studies).


Saturday, August 25, 2012

Cut to the Chase -- A Real Dilemma

A Real Dilemma
By Rebecca French Smith
Can someone please tell me the difference between “real” food and “fake” food? I used to think the latter was plastic until a newspaper article suggested otherwise. Growing up we had fake, rubber grapes that my mom put in a bowl on the table, and I admit, I have beaded pears in a crystal vase on my sideboard.
The title of a recent column in the New York Times, “Celebrate the Farmer!” by Mark Bittman, piqued my interest. Celebrating farmers is somewhat of a passion of mine, so I read on, but I quickly discovered he meant only one kind of farmer, one who grows “real” food. His definition of a “real” farmer is different from mine.
To me, real farmers are those people who grow something, who plant seeds or breed and raise animals. That’s it. Within that there is, of course, a vast variety. There aren’t good farmers or bad farmers, or real farmers or, uh, not-real farmers; they merely do things differently. Mr. Bittman’s definition is much narrower, however. His farmer cultivates small plots of land  to grow specialty crops (vegetables and fruits like you might grow in a garden) and raise organically grown meat. His farmer’s produce is most always in season and provided only to local markets. I get it. I like local food too, and I frequent farmers’ markets when I can, especially since my garden was not a producer this summer. The farmers’ markets in my area are only open on certain days, though, and it’s not always convenient or even possible for me to make their hours. So I go to the grocery store, too; I know when I do that a farmer somewhere has taken great care to provide the food for me to buy and feed to my family.
My issue is with Mr. Bittman’s distaste for farmers who choose to plant corn or soybeans on large pieces of land, who use a combine to harvest and/or who happen to be business savvy. He suggests that “we need more real farmers, not businessmen riding on half-million-dollar combines.”
No matter the size of the farm, every farmer is a businessman or woman if they’re selling their crop in the marketplace; and I’ll wager if they’re small, they have dreams of being bigger in some way. That’s the nature of business. The altruistic side of farming is only part of the equation. Without profits, a farm goes under, and then no one gets food from that farmer.
Bigger farms are most often family-run—98 percent of American farms are. Several generations are involved in the planting, harvesting and day-to-day operations. It has taken years to grow these farms. Mr. Bittman calls for more, small 10-acre farms to spring up. We are in need of new farmers, regardless of the size of their operation, to produce food for the billions of people on the planet.
According to the latest data, on average, each U.S. farmer produces enough food and fiber for 154 people in the U.S. and abroad. In 1940, a single farmer only fed 19 people. Since that time, the number of farms dwindled from 6.3 million to 2.2 million. What farmers—both large and small—today accomplish is remarkable. In the U.S. we have food security because of their efforts.
Granted, Mr. Bittman had issues with other things as well—the minimum wage, unemployment, food stamps and the “nonsensical and wasteful system that pays for corn and soybeans to be grown to create junk food and ethanol.” These things affect consumers’ ability to buy food and where they buy it, but so do many other issues. Perhaps a visit with a few Missouri farmers might increase his perspective.
Agriculture is complicated and multi-faceted, but it is still driven by markets, which in turn are driven by supply and demand. It is, at best, a leap to think that increasing food stamps will increase the amount of broccoli sold, when you may actually see more boxes of Cheerios fly off the shelves.
This issue is too large to make sweeping statements that would cause harm to one farmer and good to another just because of the size of their farm. We should celebrate the farmer, but not just the small ones or those that raise chickens in the front yard. You cannot pick and choose which farmers you’re going to advocate for if you’re truly concerned about feeding the growing population. It will take all of them—regardless of how they produce food—to meet the needs and demands of consumers.

(Rebecca French Smith, of Columbia, Mo. is a multi-media specialist for the Missouri Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization.)

Weekly Area Road Work for August 29th, 2012

The following is a listing of general highway maintenance and construction work in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of August 27- August 31, from the Missouri Department of Transportation. Weather conditions may cause postponements in planned work schedules. Other construction or maintenance work may occur on other roadways throughout the area. Many projects will include lane closures, and delays can be expected. MoDOT reminds the public to buckle up, slow down, and drive with extreme caution through work zones.
For more information about a project, please contact MoDOT at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (888-275-6636) or log onto www.modot.org/northwest/. You can also follow MoDOT's Northwest Missouri District on Twitter at twitter.com/ModotNorthwest or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MoDOTNWDistrict.
Andrew County
  • U.S. Hwy 71 - From Interstate 29 north to U.S. Hwy 59 (near Savannah); concrete pavement repair, ongoing pavement overlay project
Buchanan County
  • Interstate I-29 - Southbound from mile marker 42(just south of St. Joseph) to mile marker 29 (near Route 116 overpass); ongoing pavement resurfacing
Gentry County
  • Route J - From Route EE (Harrison County) to Route C; pothole patching, August 27 - 31
  • Route A - From Route 85 to Route Z; shoulder work, August 29 - 30
  • Route C - Pothole patching, August 31
  • U.S. Hwy 169 - From Route 46 to U.S. Hwy 136; on-going bridge, highway and shoulder improvement project (includes a 10 foot width restriction)
Harrison County
  • Route J - From Route EE to Route C (Gentry County); pothole patching, August 27 - 31
  • Interstate 35 - Southbound from mile marker 92.8 (near Bethany) to mile marker 90.6 (Ridgeway exit); pavement repair, August 27 - 28
  • Interstate 35 - Southbound from mile marker 91 (south of Bethany) to mile marker 89.8; pavement repair, August 29
  • Interstate 35 - Southbound from mile marker 88.2 (Route 13 Exit) to mile marker 87; pavement repair, August 30
  • Route 46 - From Route HH to Route D; pothole patching, August 27 - 29
Nodaway County
  • U.S. Hwy 136 - From U.S. Hwy 71 Bypass to Route 46; Pavement milling and patching, August 27 - 28
  • Route A - Maitland city limits; brush cutting, August 29 - 31
  • Route YY - From Route C to U.S. Hwy 136 (Atchison County); pothole patching, August 27 - 31
Worth County
  • Route C - From Route 46 to Gentry County line; pothole patching, August 30

Committee of former judges opposes Amendment 3

(Missouri Digital News) -- A group of former state Supreme Court judges spoke out Thursday, Aug. 23, against a ballot measure that would change the selection process for Missouri's top judges.

The amendment, approved by state lawmakers during the last legislative session, would give the governor the power to appoint a majority of the commission members tasked with selecting nominees for non-partisan judgeships.

Retired Supreme Court Justice William Ray Price said supporters of the amendment are attempting to "concentrate power" in the executive branch, in order to buy judicial appointments.

"What they really are trying to do is concentrate power in one political office that they can affect by big money contributions. They aught to be honest and say that's what's going on. They want to be able to buy judicial appointments like they try and buy everything else in Jefferson City," he said.

Sen. Jim Lembke, R-Saint Louis County, who sponsored the amendment, said it will give the executive branch the power to properly check the judicial branch.

"This idea that the current system is not political is a fallacy. It is political, except it's just controlled by a very small group of Missourians," Lembke said.

Guy Fletchall using Next Generation Treatment on Grant City Gas Pipes

Guy Fletchall is using nano-fusion rust sealant to natural gas pipes serving the city of Grant City. He received recognition for his work by Nano-Tech Solutions, which supplies the new treatment for the city to use. It is a lot easier to use than the old coating. It converts rust to a hard, insulated flexible coating which is important because natural gas enters the city's system through an external pipe which is exposed to the elements. This prevents the system from losing heat, which increases the costs for the gas department and its customers. It may be painted over following treatment.

The city's pipes have become severely corroded over the years; Fletchall's intentions are to preserve as much of the heat from the boilers as possible. The treatment will prevent the formation of new rust as well as get rid of the old rust.

Sheridan Birthdays & Anniversaries

September Birthdays
1 – Josh Allee
1 – Mike Moser
2 – Darlene Runyon
2 – Denise Rowen
3 – Kaitlyn Davidson
6 – Jessica Farrell
6 – Chad Rush
6 – Wes Lantz
7 – Ashley Rynes
9 – Brandon Hawk
10 – Aubrey Wagers
10 – Jackson Rush
11 – Katrina Wall
11 – Nikki Young
11 – Corey Farrell
11 – Michelle Hansen
11 – Diane Troutwine
13 – Vicki (Hamblin) Heideman
13 – Josh Fletchall
14 – Caleb Parman
15 – Bradie DeMott
15 – Lucrecia (Winemiller) Harmon
16 – Alex Rinehart
17 – Patty Paxson
18 – Troy Hawk
19 – Mike Duley
20 – Whitney Brand
21 – Jessie Gilland
22 – Cindy Hinshaw
25 – Mary Morrow
25 – Clayton Scott
25 – Victoria Rush
25 – Kim Asher
27 – Kevin Asher
27 – Sharon Fletchall
27 – Chris Allee
27 – Tyson Troutwine
27 – Bryson Scott
28 – LaRue Burns
28 – Jean Hanks

Anniversaries
1 – Mark & Rachel Rush
4 – Eldon & Loretta Hart
5 – Wilbur & Susan Noakes
19 – Rusanna & Ben Wagers
20 – Bo & Corky DeMott
20 – Jay & Bonnie Sanders
24 – Jerry & Peggy Drake
24 – Leslie & Tama Auten
28 – Randy & Treva Smyser

Two Injured in Gaynor Wreck

Two Worth County residents were injured in a one-car accident two miles north of Gaynor Friday night. Jeremy Huntsman, 34, of Grant City received moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Maryville and then to Heartland Hospital in St. Joseph. Wade Adams, 21, of Allendale received moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Maryville. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer driven by Jeremy Huntsman was southbound on Route E. The vehicle traveled across the center line and into the northbound lane of traffic. The driver overcorrected, crossing into the southbound lane. The driver lost control and traveled off the northbound side of the road, overturning, and ejecting both occupants. The vehicle came to rest on its top, facing northwest, blocking the northbound lane of traffic. The vehicle was totaled in the wreck.

History Repeats as Tigers Fall to Rock Port 36-26

It was a case of history repeating at Rock Port as Worth County fell to the Blue Jays 36-26 in the opening game of their 2012 campaign. Worth County last played Rock Port in 1984 and dropped a 42-0 decision in the state playoffs, back when they were still playing 11-man football. In that game, everything that could have went wrong did as Worth County lost their best runningback, James Hardy, to a broken collarbone in the previous game. Rock Port dominated that game from start to finish in sub-zero weather and one of the buses broke down on the way home, forcing everyone to hitch rides home. Things were a little bit different this time around as Worth County nearly found a way to come back after falling in a hole the first half, the weather was warm and humid, and the bus didn't break down this time. But the Tigers will have to get better in a hurry between now and week three as Mound City will come to town.

The game was about whoever set the tone for the first game of the season. Rock Port only won two games last year, but returned nearly everyone from last year's team, meaning that they have played together for a while now. On the other hand, Worth County has a lot of holes to fill from last year's squad. The backfield stepped right up as Cole Parman aired out a strike to Dallas Greenland on Worth County's first possession as they overcame two penalties for a 58-yard strike. That gave Worth County its only lead at 6-0. Freshman Shadow Briner had one of the few big hits in the half for the Tigers on the ensuing kickoff as he pinned Rock Port deep in their own end. Rock Port went three and out and Worth County moved into Rock Port territory again as Dallas Greenland broke a host of tackles down to the 29. But the Tigers picked up their third and fourth penalties to kill the drive, far too many to have in the first quarter, and the blocking disappeared as Rock Port took over on downs. They wasted little time in scoring as a pair of missed defensive assignments allowed Jayden McMahon to break away for a 41 yard score to tie it at 6 with 5:27 left.

The blocking continued to be non-existent and Worth County was forced to punt on their next series. From there, Rock Port dictated the play for the rest of the game; the Tigers knew exactly what Rock Port was going to do, but they still could not stop it. Rock Port pounded the ball to Jayden McMahon for eight straight times, setting up a 21-yard score by Eric Duncan with 8:40 left in the second quarter to make it 12-6. Duncan is every bit as fast as Eli Mullock was last year; Rock Port, however, used him as a decoy as they used McMahon to set him up; Worth County used Eli as their main back to set everything else up.

Just as it looked like Worth County would get going, Cole Parman tripped over his own center and fumbled a snap and had to fall on it and the Tigers were once again forced to go three and out. The punt was shanked and Rock Port started off in Worth County territory. They got a blocking below the waist penalty, but Duncan got a 17-yard run to overcome that and set up third and eight at the Tiger 26. From there, Worth County knew exactly what Rock Port was going to do and once again they couldn't stop it as McMahon was in the end zone again with 2:29 left in the half. Mitchell Minter ran in the extra points to make it 20-6.

Worth County tried a screen pass, but Rock Port's team speed was so quick that they got to Cole Parman before he could even get set in the pocket as Worth County was forced to punt again before the half. And nothing changed at first for the first six minutes of the third quarter. Worth County knew what Rock Port was going to do offensively and it didn't matter as Rock Port continued to pound the ball with McMahon as they moved into Tiger territory at the 18. But when relying on a power running attack, a single penalty can kill the drive and Rock Port picked up a blocking below the waist penalty as they could not capitalize on their chance to make it a three-possession game. Worth County finally got untracked on offense as Cole Parman carried the Tigers as he showed that he could run as well as throw. Cole had a 10-yard bootleg that rescued the Tigers from third and long, sophomore center Austin Carlson stepped up and knocked a defender down as Dallas Greenland picked up seven, and Cole got a quick hitter for 16 yards on the drive. Another quick hitter put Cole into the end zone to make it 20-12 with 1:06 left in the third.

It looked at that point like the game would follow the script of the softball team as they got a long ways down to North Nodaway, made a lot of mistakes in the process, but found a way to win. But the score did not wake up the team as they promptly gave it back as the kickoff team fell asleep and gave up a kickoff return to Duncan to make it 28-12 with 52.6 seconds left in the third. Then, they followed it up with another mental mistake as the ensuing kickoff got loose and was rolling around on the ground. Like baseball and softball on a popup, you have to talk and take charge in that sort of situation and nobody did as Rock Port shot through and recovered it on the Tiger 21. But Rock Port could not capitalize on their golden opportunity to make it a three-possession game and gave it up on downs.

The teams exchanged punts and finally, Cole Parman got enough protection to find Dallas Greenland behind the defense for a 33-yarder to convert a fourth and long to the Rock Port 14. Dallas was shaken up on the play and had to come out and the Tigers faced fourth and two at the Rock Port six and Cole Parman, under heavy pressure, threw away a pass. But Rock Port picked up a dumb penalty as a player who was on the opposite side of the field and was not part of the play drew a defensive holding penalty and Worth County got the ball first and goal at the three. Dallas came back in and scored with 3:43 left and converted the extra points to make it a one possession game at 28-20.

Worth County got the onsides kick as Aaron Patton was there for the recovery; they got it even though they picked up a penalty on their first attempt and gave it away. They only needed one play to score from 43 yards out as Dallas took a sweep down the right side to make it 28-26 with 3:30 left. But Dallas ran into a wall of blue shirts on the extra points and Rock Port continued to lead. This time, Worth County elected to kick deep and play for the stop, but once again kickoff coverage was seen as a major area in need of improvement. Once again, there were too many defensive breakdowns and once again, Eric Duncan was off to the races. McMahon ran in the extra points to make it a two possession game at 36-26 and Cole Parman's desperation pass was picked off, allowing Rock Port to run out the clock.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

WC Softball Girls Rise from the Dead vs. North Nodaway

Worth County's girls overcame nine errors and erased a four run deficit in the sixth inning, scoring 13 runs to win 17-8. Afterwards, new coach Dave Gilland said that they had gotten the first-game jitters out of the way and that they would become a much better fielding team as the season progressed.

Last year, the Tigers won one game and lost many of their games via the ten run rule. They made six errors in the first two innings as they fell behind 6-2. They gave up four in the first but got two back thanks to their newfound scratch hitting ability. Haven Schottel laid down a perfect bunt, something that had been a lost art in recent years, and beat it out. This could set the tone for the whole year. Kristen Andrews followed with a walk. Then, North Nodaway made a mental mistake as both Schottel and Andrews mistakenly thought it was ball four and trotted down to second and third. North Nodaway did not catch it and they made it without a throw; it was a legal play on Worth County's part. Then, Haven scored on a wild pitch and then Kristen Andrews came home on a wild throw from the catcher to the pitcher on the play. North Nodaway plated two more to make it 6-2 after two.

Worth County was not used to playing in a close game for a change; seeking to be more aggressive on the bases this year, they ran their way into three outs on the basepaths. The conventional wisdom is to take one's chances with the lead, but play it safe on the basepaths when behind. But as the season progresses, the Tigers will get better at situational ball, which makes all the difference in the world between evenly matched teams.

Kacey Smyser showed she was one of the most improved players from last year. Power pitchers will be able to strike out 10-15 per game without a problem; however, without power pitching, the ability to change speeds is important. Kacey showed the ability to do so against North Nodaway, constantly speeding up the bats and then slowing them down with her pitches. She showed much better control this year, only walking two batters; there were a lot of 2-2 and 3-2 situations, but she did not give in. She was able to throw all three of her pitches at any time in the count, keeping everyone guessing. Last year, there was a vicious cycle of walks and errors but once everyone knew that the ball was likely to get hit in play at some point, the team settled down and cut down on their errors.

In the third inning, Katie Mullock made an outstanding defensive play when she nailed a runner at the plate to prevent a run from scoring. One big area that has improved this year is the players knowing where to go with it if they get the ball. Mullock also had the hit of the day, a towering line drive off the wall in left that drove in a run to make it 6-3 in the 4th. The wind had been a stiff breeze blowing in, but it died down in that inning, allowing some balls that had died down to fly out of the infield and drop in. Worth County made two more errors in the fifth that led to a run, but got it back when Kristen Andrews got picked off of third. She was caught in a rundown, but the ball got away on a tag and rolled away far enough for her to score to make it 7-4.

Kacey Smyser had one of her few bouts of wildness in the sixth as she uncorked a wild pitch that allowed a run to score and she walked a batter as well. But she prevented any further damage by catching a shot hit right back at her and got a called third strike as well.

Smyser then helped herself out with some speed as she hit one off the pitcher's glove to short and was safe at first to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Claire Andrews then doubled off the wall in left to make it 8-5, chasing North Nodaway pitcher Breann O'Riley. But Cambry Schluter promptly issued a four-pitch walk to Sydney Davenport and uncorked a wild pitch in the process, moving Claire to third. Jacklyn Brooks grounded out to score Andrews to make it 8-6 and Katie Mullock reached on a throw in the dirt and Haven Schottel got her second bunt hit of the evening to load the bases. Taylor Raymond, pinch-hitting for Kristen Andrews, drew a four-pitch walk and Kristen reentered for Raymond, scoring a ran. Rebecca Moore then drew another walk and the game was tied at 8. Katie Mullock then broke the tie with a a fly ball that was just over the right fielder's head that fell in for a single, scoring two to make it 10-8.

Kacey Smyser was the next to reach as North Nodaway seemingly got Rebecca Moore picked off third on a grounder, but North Nodaway dropped a tag, costing them some more runs. That loaded up the bases for Claire Andrews and she a grounder. North Nodaway tried for the force at home to keep it a two-run deficit, but Rebecca Moore slid hard into home to break up the force and was safe, making it 11-8. Sidney Davenport grounded into a force at home for the second out of the inning, but freshman Jacklyn Brooks broke the game wide open as she reached on a dropped fly ball down the right field line, scoring three runs as she reached third base to make it 14-8. Katie Mullock then singled down the right field line and circled the bases on an error by the right fielder to score two to make it 16-8 and Haven Schottel got her third bunt hit of the evening and circled the bases to make it 17-8 when North Nodaway threw it away down the right field line to end the scoring.

Worth County had a pair of outstanding defensive plays as they got a 1-2-3 seventh; Katie Mullock fielded a sharply-hit grounder and shortstop Rikki Hunt made a running catch in the hole at short to take hits away from North Nodaway.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Timber Fire East of Grant City

After a week of unseaonably cool weather, the hot weather and the fires returned. Sheridan and Grant City fire units responded to a timber fire east of Grant City, one pasture east of the Chris Spainhower pasture around 4:30 Wednesday afternoon. The fire was difficult to get to because of the rough terrain and heavy brush. There were around three to four small brush fires burning. The Worth County Sheriff's Department directed traffic on 46 during the fire. The fire was under control by 6 p.m., but it continued to smolder. The cause of the fire was unknown.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

New Sports Medicine Walk-In Clinic

Northwest Medical Center is proud to announce the opening of its Sports Medicine Walk-In Clinic.  Northwest Medical Center believes maintaining an active, healthy life is very important.  The goal of the Walk-In Sports Medicine Clinic is to help keep individuals functioning at their best in sports and in daily life.
The clinic is staffed by highly-trained physicians and medical professionals lead by Dr. Katie Dias, D.O. and Dr. Angelia Martin, M.D.   The medical team treats a variety of injuries and sports related illness, as well as, offers prevention and maintenance programs tailored to the individual.  The clinic also provides sports and work-related physicals.  Hours of operation are Tuesday-Friday, 7:00 am-8:00 am and Saturdays 8:00 am-9:00 am.  The clinic is open to both adults and children.
“Growing up in this area, I feel proud to help our local athletes succeed in their athletic ventures.  I know this is where my children will be playing sports, and it is important to me that these services are provided with the availability and skill that our local athletes deserve.”---Dr. Katie Dias, D.O.

Sitherwood Elected Chairman of Regional Council


The Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments has a new chairman of the board.  Mark Sitherwood, presiding commissioner of Holt County, was elected to serve as chairman of the Regional Council at the agency’s annual dinner and membership meeting, held Thursday August 16h at the Countryside Bistro.  Sitherwood, who previously served as the agency’s secretary, replaces Bob Stiens, chairman for the last five years.  Stiens will move into the secretary position of the Regional Council. 
“I couldn’t have asked for a better chairman than Bob”, said Tye Parsons, executive director of the Council.  “He’s well informed of the issues facing northwest Missouri, and provided excellent advice and leadership during the past five years.”  Stiens, who was term-limited, hands over the reins to Mark Sitherwood, a native of Holt County.  “Serving as the presiding commissioner of Holt County, and being a native of northwest Missouri, Mark is a great choice to replace Bob.  He has been on the board for several years, and really has a good handle on the challenges and opportunities in our region”, Parsons continued.
Rounding out the officer elections were Jack Baldwin, Hopkins, for Vice Chair and Doug Sutton, at-large member, for Treasurer.
In additional to holding officer elections, Regional Council staff took a few minutes to tell the assembled guests about some of the previous year’s accomplishments.  Parsons reported that flood recovery had been the focus of the organization since last summer, with staff members instrumental in securing state and federal dollars to repair levees, roads, water and sewer lines, and other public infrastructure.  In all, the Regional Council directly assisted 13 flood recovery projects in Atchison and Holt Counties totaling over $12.7M.  Other annual highlights included the completion of a statewide hazard mitigation plan for rural electric cooperatives, distribution of grant funds for recycling projects, and ranking of regional transportation priorities.

Commission to Purchase Sheriff Pickup

Presiding Commissioner Findley called the meeting to order at 9:00 am.
1.    Commissioner Rob Ruckman reported the gas prices as $3.499 and diesel as $3.799  
2.    Commissioner Rob Ruckman made a motion to approve the minutes and agenda. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
3.    Treasurer Linda Brown presented the weekly balance sheet, and a few bills.
4.    Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to approve the bills. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
5.    Sheriff Terry Sheddrick came to request a pickup for the Sheriff’s Department. The truck he has now is wore out and is going to need some costly repairs before long. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert made a motion to advertise for bids for a used late model pickup. Commissioner Rob Ruckman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
6.    Jim Fletchall Road and Bridge Report:
    Fletchall requested and was granted permission to purchase two tubes for CR 192/213th Rd.
    The repairman came to check over the new grader and decided it was a fan that wasn’t working properly. Fletchall is not sure that is the problem.
    Fletchall will contact Ron Combs and Phil Stephenson about moving dirt from their property for some roadwork.
7.  Commissioner Rob Ruckman made a motion to adjourn 12:00 pm. Commissioner Dennis Gabbert seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Replacement Scheduled for U.S. Hwy 136 Bridge in Atchison County

Work is scheduled to begin Sept. 4, to replace the Little Tarkio Creek Bridge on U.S. Hwy 136 east of Route M near Tarkio, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.
The contractor, Widel Construction of Blackwater, Mo., expects to complete this bridge in late November, however, this is dependent on weather and contractor scheduling. This bridge replacement includes a closure of U.S. Hwy 136 with a "signed" detour route for the duration of this project. All motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time, due to this detour. This will affect travel to the football game between Worth County and Tarkio on October 19th.
The Little Tarko Creek Bridge, when complete, will result in smoother and safer transportation for motorists on U.S. Hwy 136. The bridge will be wider by seven feet, going from 25 to 32 feet. Additionally, a two foot paved shoulder will be installed surrounding the bridge as part of this project.
MoDOT apologizes for any inconvenience that this necessary road closure may cause and encourages all motorists to drive safely through work zones to ensure everyone can Arrive Alive.
For more information about a project, please contact MoDOT at 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (888-275-6636) or log onto www.modot.org/northwest/. You can also follow MoDOT's Northwest Missouri District on Twitter at twitter.com/ModotNorthwest or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MoDOTNWDistrict.

Jack Remembers -- Never Volunteer

One of the first things you learn in the army is never to volunteer for anything. After four months of Infantry basic training at Fort Riley, they put us on a troup train and we headed to Fort Lewis, Washington to wait for a ship to take us overseas. Fort Lewis had a steam system for heat in all the barracks. In order for that steam to get in the pipes to go to the barracks, someone had to put coal in a furnace to heat the water. When we arrived in Fort Lewis, the first thing that happened was a Master Sergeant told us what to expect while we waited on our ship, which might be one week or three weeks, and they needed volunteers in the furnace room who would work eight hours and be off 24 hours for the duration of our stay. Everyone else would be required to work every day at everything from K.P. to common maintenance. My two best buddies said, “Come on, Jack, let’s volunteer. That way we will have 24 hours off to do whatever we want, and we’ll not have to work every day.” I told them I would take my chances, but they went ahead and volunteered.
It ended up our Company was not called on to do anything, and every morning a bunch of us took off and explored Seattle, Tacoma, and several other towns up and down the coast. We also went fishing in a beautiful small lake surrounded by big tall pine trees not far from the base. A taxi cab driver who had befriended us let us use his boat he kept on this lake for the duration of our stay. It was the best two weeks I ever spent in the Army.
Every night after their eight hour shift, my best buddies would come in completely covered with coal dust, cussing the Army, saying it was the hardest job they had ever had, shoveling coal all day into the furnace, and they would never volunteer for another thing again as long as they lived.
Jack can be reached at PO Box 40, Oak Grove, MO 64075 or jackremembers@aol.com Visit www.jackremembers.com