State Senator Dan Hegeman Visits Worth County Commissioners

Worth County Commissioners met with State Senator Dan Hegeman, who held forth on everything from national issues like the Syrian Refugee Crisis and Ferguson to local topics like the DOT, the school funding formula, and Medicaid expansion.

Several Senators signed a letter to Governor Nixon expressing concern about resettling Syrian refugees in Missouri. Hegeman said he got a call from someone Monday morning as he was headed to Gentry and Worth County's commissioner meetings and that he had gotten a few calls. He said that the federal government needed to be careful about who they let into the country. "We currently have 700 refugees," he said. "Are we going to have the same stringent standards for 10,000 or 20,000 as we do now?" he asked. He said that the first priority always had to be to protect the country.

He reported that the legislature was going to try for a voter ID bill again next session, requiring all voters to have some form of voter ID. Commissioner Chevy Davidson said that might be a problem in places like Worth County, with people wondering why they had to produce ID's when the judges knew who they were.

Regarding the DOT, Hegeman said that they had come up with matching funds for 2016, but that there was still a concern for 2017. He thought that with gas prices lower this year, there might be a good chance to pass a fuel tax next year. He said they were going to try to pass one in the Senate, but that he wasn't sure if it would even get out of the House committee. He said that accountability was the main issue for the DOT, saying that they had reneged on promises for road projects back in 1992, when Missouri last passed a fuel tax. He said that after it was passed, the DOT later turned around and reallocated funds to urban areas. Another possibility was the creation of a toll road on I-70, similar to what they do in Kansas. He said that some senators in urban areas have proposed giving back some lettered roads back to counties as a way of reducing maintenance costs; however, he said that he didn't think that was going anywhere.

Hegeman said that he didn't see Medicaid Expansion going anywhere this year, saying that it already took up a sizable chunk of Missouri's budget. Legislators have come under pressure to do so since federal payments to hospitals are being cut back under the Affordable Care Act.

One proposal in the legislature would restore industrial hemp, but Hegeman said there would be a lot of caveats if it passed.

Hegeman predicted that there would be more money for the Foundation Formula this year, but that it would not be fully funded. He said he didn't know when it would be fully funded. He said around half the schools in his district were Hold Harmless and the other half were under the Foundation Formula.

Ferguson might come back in next year's session, according to Hegeman. Last session, following the Ferguson protests, the legislature passed a law limiting the amount of revenue that cities can collect from traffic fines. This time, he said there would be efforts to modernize the statute on lethal force to clarify when a cop can and can't use it.

Hegeman praised the Missouri Attorney General for filing a lawsuit to stop the Waters of the US Rule from taking effect in Missouri. He said that the EPA had exceeded their authority and that it was a serious property rights issue. On a related issue, "I see small towns struggling to keep up with water and wastewater regulations," said Hegeman. He noted that in some places, sewer rates were sky-high as cities try to comply with new EPA regulations.

"I took this job to help people with their problems and concerns," said Hegeman. "My door is always open if anyone wants to contact me."

The commission spent much of the morning before Hegeman's visit working on brush enforcement. The county had given a reprieve over the summer due to wet weather, but they are now sending out a new round of brush letters. Road & Bridge Foreman Jim Fletchall said some landowners had complied with previous brush letters after the weather had dried up for two months, while others had not.

Mustang Boys Survive Ice Cold Stretches to Advance

North Nodaway's Mustangs survived a pair of ice-cold stretches to get past Fairfax 32-26 Monday night at the Mound City Tournament. It was a 1 versus 8 match, but the game was everything but, as North Nodaway is one of the smallest teams in the area and Fairfax has both of their main scorers back in Brody Cooper and Garrett Ball. North Nodaway had some open looks, but they were missing throughout the first quarter; their only score in the period was Ben Hart's putback with 3:14 left to break a scoreless tie.

But they finally got going in the second as they started stealing the ball on defense. Koby Reynolds had a 3-pointer and a steal and Peyton Coleman added three free throws; he was getting to the line at will all night. Consequently, the Mustangs were able to shut out Fairfax and take an 11-1 lead. Reynolds hit an NBA 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 14-1 early in the third, and North Nodaway kept an 8 to 10 point lead despite Cooper finally heating up for the Bulldogs.

But Coleman was shaken up in a collision late in the third and had to come out; that play seemed to swing the momentum back to Fairfax. Coleman returned at the start of the fourth, but the momentum continued as Ball got loose in transition with 6:16 to cut North Nodaway's lead to 21-18. That started a stretch where both defenses took over. The score was stuck at 21-18; Fairfax had several chances to tie or come within one, but could not find the range for the next three minutes. Finally, Dakota Smyser, who had battled foul trouble in the second half, came through with a drive to make it a two possession game with 2:32 left. Ball's shot from the right side cut it to 23-20, but Ben Hart scored off a drive to make it 25-20 with 1:36 left. Cooper got loose for a 3-point play after getting a call on a charge-block situation and Payton Coleman hit one out of two from the line with 57 seconds left, giving Fairfax a chance to tie.

Cooper got loose for a good look from the top of the key, but one of North Nodaway's defenders came off and helped perfectly, and Cooper's heavily contested look missed and Payton Coleman got the defense board. Under heavy pressure from two defenders, he still got the ball to Koby Reynolds with 35 seconds left; North Nodaway went six for six from the line and Payton Coleman stripped a Bulldog player with 4.6 seconds left with North Nodaway leading 30-26 and Fairfax trying to cut it to one. Coleman's free throws finally clinched the win.

NEN Teams Drop Close Losses to Albany

Northeast Nodaway's teams came up shorthanded, dropping two close losses to Albany. The girls led Albany 24-12 at the half. They had every right to expect a win against the Warriors, who won one game last year. But then they lost their composure in the second half against Albany's press. Instead of slowing things down and running their plays, they sped things up and tried to do too much; instead of working the ball to the middle, they were taking the ball up the sidelines and right into the traps. Consequently, they lost their lead by the end of the third quarter, falling behind 29-28 after three quarters. Dallis Coffelt's basket early in the fourth put them back in front 32-31, but then they fell behind for good and couldn't catch up.

Northeast fell behind by as much as five before free throws from Coffelt and Talina Nelson cut it to 38-36; they got the ball back with under 2 minutes left, but Dallis Coffelt missed a runner that would have tied it. Talina Nelson hit two free throws with 1:25 left that cut it to 39-38, but they couldn't buy a board that would have gotten them a chance to go ahead and they had to start fouling; Albany hit six of their last eight free throws down the stretch. Makayla Adwell's putback with six seconds left made it 44-43, but Northeast had no more timeouts and Albany was able to hold the ball out of bounds with the clock running and get it in with 1.8 seconds, forcing Northeast to foul. Heidi Fish's free throw made it 45-43; with Northeast going the full length of the floor, they couldn't get a shot off in time.

Dallis Coffelt had 18 to lead Northeast. Talina Nelson had 11, Makayla Adwell 5, Jill Spire 4, Taylor Coffelt 3, and Allie Runde 2.

The boys were shorthanded Tuesday night and came up short in a defensive struggle 42-33. They only had two scoring threats for most of the night, which spoiled a good defensive effort. The game swung back and forth for most of the night; Northeast trailed 6-2 early, but fought back and took a 10-6 lead early in the second behind Andrew Freemyer's inside basket off a pass from Rowdy West. Albany took a 16-12 lead at the half, but Northeast scored on its first three possessions of the third to move back in front 18-16. But then Northeast lost track of Caden Wilson of Albany; he ran wild late in the third and early in the fourth; 6'5" Seth Cline got loose on the offensive boards once and loose on a backdoor look another time as Albany took an insurmountable 32-24 lead at the 3:26 mark of the fourth. The challenge for Coach Vance Proffitt, who switched from the girls to the boys this year, will be to find more scoring options for his team.

Max Giesken did all he could for Northeast, getting 19 to lead the way. Andrew Freemyer had 10 and Colton Wilmes and Chet Spire had 2 each.

Tiger JH Boys Post Three in Double Figures, Down Albany 50-30

Worth County's junior high boys capped their surprising season with a 50-30 win over Albany, putting up 38 points in the first half in the winning effort. Zayne Swope led the scoring with 16 points as the Tigers jumped out to a 17-6 lead after one and never looked back. Jaxon Anderson got going early, getting behind the defense once and taking a pass from Hunter Simmons and adding a pair of driving layups to push the Tigers out to a 9-2 lead. He also added a pair of free throws. Hunter Simmons scored off a backdoor layup, Ethan Thomas scored off a steal, Zayne Swope got behind the defense for one of many times and took a pass from Hunter Simmons, and Jaxon Anderson scored off a fast break in the period.

Worth County squelched any comeback hopes in the second quarter, getting eight points early in the period from Swope, who continued to get behind the Albany defense and take long passes from his teammates. Jaxon Anderson added a backdoor layup and Ethan Thomas got in the act late, getting behind the defense twice and adding a pair of free throws. Hayden Holmes added a 3-pointer and took a charge on defense for the Tigers. Both defenses took over in the second half; Kaeden Hutchinson did all he could to try to get the Warriors back in the game, but they could never get the deficit under 20. For Worth County, Reid Gabriel got a putback late in the game and Daniel Craven scored his first-ever basket, hitting a shot over a defender's head after taking a good entry pass from Ethan Thomas.

Zayne Swope had 16 to lead three Tigers in double figures. Jaxon Anderson followed with 14, Ethan Thomas 10, Hayden Holmes 3, Daniel Craven, Reid Gabriel, and Hunter Simmons 2 each, and Tanner Parman 1. The Tigers finished with an 8-4 record, far better than what most people expected following the loss of nearly everyone from the previous two successful teams.

Tiger Girls Save their Best for Last, Cap Best Season in 20 Years

In a game that was supposed to come down to the wire, Worth County scored the first 13 points of the game and got a running clock win over Albany, 47-16. The Warriors had only one loss during their campaign and posted quality wins over Stanberry (twice) and Jefferson. But it didn't matter as Regan Allee scored off a pass from Kristin New 10 seconds into the game and Worth County would not trail the whole game. Kristin New scored off a Kaylee McElvain steal and Anna Gladstone scored off an Allee steal and Worth County was up 6-0 less than one minute into the game as Albany was having trouble crossing halfcourt.

Brooke Crawford burned two early timeouts in a futile effort to stop the bleeding as Kaylee McElvain scored a free throw, Merrideth Spiers score inside off an Anna Gladstone pass, and Kristin New and Anna Gladstone scored driving layups to make it 13-0. Sierra Anthony's putback broke the shutout, but Kaylee McElvain scored off a quick outlet from Kristin New and Anna Gladstone blocked a shot, grabbed the board, and went coast to coast and converted it into a free throw to make it 16-2 after one.

From there, the steady scoring hand of Kaylee McElvain kept Worth County in control. She scored six in the second, getting one highlight film play when she got a steal and stepped through two defenders for a score. Anna Gladstone added a layup off a steal and Megan Cassavaugh hit two free throws to put Worth County up 26-6 at the half. Kaylee scored seven more in the third, working the inside at will; Anna Gladstone added a highlight film play when she went coast to coast following a McElvain block and turned it into a 3-point play. Regan Allee added a steal to put Worth County up 38-10 after three. Kaylee McElvain cut inside and got a pass from Regan Allee; Kristin New hit her first 3-pointer all year, and then Nevada Hoff got a putback and Hannah McElvain whirled around and hit a shot from the left wing to trigger the running clock in the fourth quarter.

Josh Smith's squad had a season high eight players land in the scoring column. Kaylee McElvain led the scoring with 18 points; she was easily one of the most improved players of the year, turning into a consistent scoring presence in the paint. Anna Gladstone followed with 10, constantly giving energy and effort all year; Kristin New had 7, Regan Allee 4, and Merrideth Spiers, Nevada Hoff, Hannah McElvain, and Megan Cassavaugh all had 2. With the win, the Tigers rounded out their best season in 20 years, dropping only one game this year after dropping two last year. They figure to spark Sean Thurm's squad once they become freshmen if they continue to work hard and make themselves better.

The B team won 12-4. Braidy Hunt led the scoring for the reserves with 6. Maddie Taute followed with 4 and Megan Cassavaugh had 2.

Regional Grant Would Make Worth County Workforce Ready

A regional grant that the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments is pursuing would make Worth County and the rest of the region workforce ready. This would create extra incentive for a new company to locate in the empty Energizer building or anywhere else in the region for that matter. Jackie Spainhower explained the program to Worth County Commissioners at Monday morning's regular meeting. People would be tested on math, reading, and the ability to locate information. Enough people with high scores in these areas would be proof that the region is workforce ready; companies could accept these scores as proof that a person is qualified to do particular skills related to a job.

Road & Bridge Foreman Jim Fletchall reported that one of the graders was still in the repair shop; it pops every time it gets turned. The shop changed the oil and put a new additive in.

There are two FEMA projects left for 2014 and several others that need to be done for this year.

Fletchall reported that the bottom fell out of Old 169 and that it needs more rock. The county replaced a tube near Wayne Hayes'. LaVerne Walker reported that a road east of Sheridan needed extra work because of potholes and gravel washing off. The county will deliver three loads of patron gravel and grade before putting it on. The county is planning to haul some patron rock around the county before rain comes this weekend. Road #151 between Denver and Worth is muddy and wet, with water running on the road.

Worth County Sheriff's Report

11-16 -- Person in for deer permit.
11-16 -- Person in to report seeing things in a person's car.
11-16 -- Person in with small bag of drugs that a person had paid a bill with.
11-17 -- Horse out by Musick's on 46; owner notified.
11-17 -- Deputy has a person at WRDCC in St. Joseph.
11-17 -- Person in needing ID/OD.
11-18 -- A large brown dog running around getting in peoples' yards and tearing up things in peoples' yards.
11-18 -- Person called about getting help for their son.
11-18 -- Highway Patrol needed a deputy for assistance.
11-18 -- Deer hunter found a person's billfold on the road.
11-18 -- Highway Patrol en route to assist deputy and other highway patrolman.
11-18 -- Highway Patrol in with a person; taken to Ringgold County.
11-19 -- Person in to get information.
11-20 -- Person in to renew CCW.

Obituary -- Marjorie Ware 1911-2015

Marjorie Clair Ware, 104, Maryville, Missouri, died Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at Parkdale Manor Care Center, Maryville.

Marjorie was born March 21, 1911, in Pickering, Missouri to George Loren and Nancy (Clemmons) Hackett.

She married James Corfield Ware on March 9, 1935, in Savannah, Missouri who preceded her in death on August 28, 1993.

A graduate of Maryville High School and Northwest Missouri Teachers College, she was a teacher and homemaker. She reired from teaching at Maryville Middle School.

Marjorie was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Maryville, Missouri Retired Teachers Association and the Red Hat Club.

Preceding in death were her husband, daughter Nancy Kay Ware and son-in-law Bill Wollard.

Survivors include her children
J.C. (Julia) Ware, Maryville.
Marjorie Janet Wollard, Hardin, Missouri
Curtis Weldon Ware, Lordsburg, New Mexico
Phyllis Jean (Tim) Dannar, Oregon, Missouri
11 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Ware's wishes were to have a private family service.

Memorials may be made to the Maryville First United Methodst Church or the Maryville Public Library. Arrangements are under the direction of the Price Funeral Home, Maryville.

Grant City to Propose $300,000 No-Tax Bond Issue for Street Improvements

The Grant City Council voted to put a $300,000 no tax increase bond issue on the April Ballot at their regular council meeting Wednesday. They will be general obligation bonds and will be used to improve city streets. The money will be used to finish paving the streets around town. Passage requires a simple majority.

Water Superintendent Caleb Moyer reported that he was working on doing compliance reports for DNR for the city's permit.

The council agreed to wait until March to make repairs on the pool.

The city obtained a quote to repair the water tower. Work was last done in 2013. The quote was around $55,000, which is over twice what Sheridan paid several years ago to repair its tower.

Public Works Director Carl Staton reported that the city was finding all the old meters, mapping the water line, and painting meters so they could find them when needed. The city is working on the old dump truck again. The council voted to purchase a new load of salt for winter.

The city obtained two roof bids; one was for $14,850 and one was for $22,000. The roof has not been repaired since it was built in 1983. The council voted to table the bids.

The Worth County Student Council will collect items and deliver them to elderly people for Christmas. After the Thanksgiving Holiday, they will assemble and deliver the items before the Christmas Holiday. This is a joint project of the Worth County Student Council and Ben's Stockings of Hope, which is expanding its work into Worth County.

The Worth County Holiday Bazaar will be held on December 5th this year. Santa Claus will be present.

The City of Grant City will close on Thursday, December 24th at 11 am and be closed all day on December 25th for Christmas. The Grant City License Office will also be closed.

Filing period for April's Municipal Elections will start on December 15th and run through January 19th at 4 pm. The term of Mike Chapman will be up; his seat will be up for a one year term. The seats of Bruce Downing and Catherine Runde will also be up for reelection; their seats will be for two year terms.

Mustangs Beat Worth County Twice, Claim Third Place

Worth County led the whole way, but North Nodaway came back in the fourth quarter and won 28-23 to beat Worth County for the second time this year. The win got them the third place trophy in the NEN Tournament.

The focus was on which team could better recover from devastating losses in the semifinals. Worth County had been blasted 53-22 by Avenue City, while North Nodaway had been beaten in similar fashion by Maryville. Tanner Parman's putback for Worth County put them up 6-2 with 1:43 left in the first quarter, but Jake Shipman's Mustangs were never far behind, always going to the basket and rarely attempting an outside shot. Karson Oberhauser hit a pair of outside shots and Dalton Smyser had one; those were the only points the Mustangs scored that were outside the paint.

The deficit for North Nodaway was always between 1 and 4 points until the fourth quarter, when Jaxon Anderson's inside shot with 4:14 left put Worth County up 22-16. Ryan Riley's drive cut it to four, but Tanner Parman took on two defenders to make it 23-20. But then the littlest player on the court, Andrew Blackford, came up with a putback that seemed to spark the Mustangs. Austin Bird's free throw made it 23-21 with 3:06 left, and Worth County went into stall mode after that.

But then North Nodaway was able to extend its pressure and force a back court violation, and Karson Oberhauser made one of his two outside shots with 1:40 left to tie it at 23. Worth County missed two chances to go back in front and then North Nodaway worked the ball inside to Austin Bird after Tyler Bix had driven the lane and Worth County had collapsed to help. That put them up 25-23 with 50 seconds left. Worth County missed another shot and the ball went out off the Tigers, and Bix hit two free throws to put the game away.

Jaxon Anderson led the scoring for Worth County with 10 points. Tanner Parman had 9 and Ethan Thomas 4.

For North Nodaway, Tyler Bix had 9 to lead the team. Austin Bird had 6, Karson Oberhauser 5, and Dalton Smyser, Logan Keho, Andrew Blackford, and Ryan Riley each had 2.

Jefferson, South Nodaway to Coop in Most Sports

Last week's Nodaway News-Leader reports that Jefferson and South Nodaway will coop in all sports but basketball and junior high track, effective next year. They will be known as Platte Valley. When competing at Jefferson, they will be known as the Platte Valley Eagles. When competing at South Nodaway, they will be known as the Platte Valley Longhorns. Their colors will be red and blue. Similarly, the North/West Nodaway football cooperative combined their names and school colors. Jefferson and South Nodaway will continue to compete separately in basketball.

The Express has learned that Jefferson will drop boys softball next year. This will allow them to supply more players to the South Nodaway football cooperative. The Eagles have had a strong run, securing several state titles; however, the sport is not sanctioned by the MSHSAA and other schools have been dropping the sport. North Harrison will compete in spring baseball for the first time this year.

Worth County's Junior High Girls Drop 1st Game, Take 3rd at NEN Tourney

Worth County's girls dropped their first game of the year, a 36-31 loss to Avenue City in the semifinal round of the Northeast Nodaway Tournament. However, they recovered to take third place Friday night, using a 23-0 run to erase an early deficit against North Nodaway and win 40-23.

Sami Jackson's Mustangs came into Friday's game a vastly improved squad after giving up 30 unanswered points to Worth County in their first meeting. But it was a totally different group that took the floor; they were attacking the middle of the press, they were going to the rim, and they were keeping up with the Tigers. Baskets by Jadon Dobbins, Karlie Emery, and Kandance Damgar put the Mustangs up 6-2 before Kaylee McElvain scored over three defenders and Anna Gladstone hit a runner to tie it at 6 after one quarter.

After that, North Nodaway got into foul trouble, and Worth County had their way with them in the second quarter. Anna Gladstone carried the team on her back in the period, getting 10 of the team's 20 points, starting with a play where Regan Allee threw her a breathtaking bounce pass from the opposite side 3-point line for a layup. Anna scored from inside and facilitated the next basket when she grabbed a defensive board and got a quick outlet to Kristin New, who threw ahead to Kaylee for the finish. Gladstone got loose again behind the North Nodaway defense for a pass from New, and later added a free throw to make it 15-6. Regan Allee and Kristin New jumped passes for layups, Jill Hardy scored from inside off a pass from Allee, Regan got a steal and hit Kristin New for a layup, Anna Gladstone got a putback, and then finished her quarter by taking on three defenders and turning it into a free throw to put Worth County up 26-8 at the half.

Merrideth Spiers got on the board in the third quarter with a pair of putbacks, one of which resulted in a 3-point play; Anna Gladstone went coast to coast following a block from Spiers and added a steal and layup, and Spiers hit a perfect high-low pass to Regan Allee for a layup. Coach Josh Smith subbed freely in the fourth quarter as Megan Cassavaugh hit Maddie Taute for an inside shot and Braidy Hunt hit a free throw.

For Worth County, Anna Gladstone had a season-high 16 points to lead the Tigers. Kaylee McElvain had 6, Merrideth Spiers had 5, Kristin New and Regan Allee 4 each, Jill Hardy and Maddie Taute 2 each, and Braidy Hunt 1.

For North Nodaway, Kandance Damgar had 10, Jadon Dobbins had 6, Shai Dailey had 5, and Karlie Emery had 2. Emery took a charge on defense.

Worth County shot 1 for its first 19 against Avenue City, but was fortunate to still be in the game as they started getting to the line after getting down 10-2 early in the second. They got 8 of their 12 first half points from the line as they fought back from a 16-6 deficit late in the half to trail 16-12. Avenue City pulled away again, getting a 28-16 lead at the third quarter buzzer, but then Anna Gladstone had her best quarter of the year, carrying the team on her back in the fourth and scoring 10 points before fouling out. But the Tigers didn't quit, as Kaylee McElvain took on two taller defenders and got the call, hitting both free throws with 58 seconds left to tie it at 31. But then Kenna O'Riley hit a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left from well behind the line to put the Aces back up three and Jozlin Bennett hit two free throws with 2.3 seconds left after Worth County couldn't answer.

Anna Gladstone led the Tigers with 12 points in the effort. Jill Hardy and Regan Allee had 6 each. Kaylee McElvain had 4, while Kristin New had 3.

Worth County Sheriff's Report

11-9 -- Highway Patrol in to meet with Sheriff.
11-9 -- Officer on bailiff duty for court.
11-9 -- Officer transports prisoner from Ringgold County Jail for court; officer returns prisoner back to jail.
11-10 -- Report of cow out on PP highway; owner notified.
11-10 -- Officer responds to 911 med alert; lady has fallen, officers assist in getting her up.
11-10 -- Person calls about someone messing with his car.
11-10 -- Person reports IRS scam by phone.
11-10 -- 911 call, domestic dispute, officer investigates.
11-10 -- Officers respond to 911 call of suicide attempt; subject transported to Maryville Mental Health.
11-11 -- Officer checks on possible tornado touchdown, no damage; report of electric wires down at 46 & Y.
11-12 -- Report of stolen manure spreader.
11-12 -- Person calls with several unfounded complaints.
11-13 -- Report of damaged silage wagon.
11-13 -- Cattle out near C & M highways; owner notified.
11-14 -- Report of possible anhydrous theft; nothing found.
11-14 -- Report of suspicious truck west of Grant City.

JH Girls Outwork, Outlast Jefferson

Worth County outworked and outlasted Jefferson in a 39-26 victory last Tuesday, keeping their unbeaten season alive in the second of back to back games. Jefferson has been known for its hardcore, defensive, physical style of ball over the last 10 years, one that a lot of teams have been intimidated by. But Worth County went toe to toe against Jefferson in a game that started off as a tight defensive struggle. But then Anna Gladstone went coast to coast against the Eagles with 3:55 left in the first to open the floodgates for the Tigers. They used a suffocating full court defense and strong offensive rebounding – trademarks that Jefferson teams have had over the years – to build up an 8-4 lead after one quarter. Another trait that Jefferson has – balanced scoring – was used by Worth County as well; four different players scored two points each in the frame.

The Tigers then rode Kaylee McElvain’s back the rest of the way; she had seven in the second as they got the lead into double digits. She was posting up at will and scoring against the taller Eagle defenders; Anna Gladstone added a pair of free throws, schooling the taller Ashley Mattson and sending her to the bench with three fouls in the process; Regan Allee scored off a Gladstone backdoor pass, and Regan Allee hit Kristin New and Gladstone in transition late in the frame to give Worth County a 22-9 halftime lead. Eagle skipper Tyler Peterson was so mortified that he kept his team in the lockerroom for the whole half.

Jefferson finally began doing a better job of breaking Worth County’s press in the second half, chipping away until they cut it to nine in the fourth. But then Jill Hardy hit a couple of pullups and Kaylee McElvain continued to be a force inside, getting the final six points as Worth County thwarted the Eagle rally.

The B team game was more of the same as Worth County’s girls outworked and outhustled Jefferson to a 10-0 victory. Allison Larison had 6 and Morgan Beagle and Nevada Hoff had 2 each.

The boys were not so lucky as they let an early 7-4 lead slip away as they fell to Jefferson 39-28 for their second loss of the year. Jaxon Anderson had 13 to lead the Tigers. Ethan Thomas had 5, Hayden Holmes 4, Tanner Parman 4, and Zayne Swope 2.

Both Tiger teams won at St. Gregory’s. The girls won 30-18; they were behind 12-10 after one quarter, but only allowed 6 points the rest of the way. The boys won 38-19 as they scored the first 12 points of the game and never looked back.

Kristin New is Fifth Tiger to Lead JH Girls in Scoring

Kristin New is the fifth Tiger to lead the Junior High girls in scoring this year, leading with 9 points in Worth County’s 33-24 win over South Nodaway. They remain unbeaten going into this week’s Northeast Nodaway Tournament. Playing against tougher teams this week, Worth County continued to win because other teams have not been able to guard just one player. Worth County scored the first 11 points of the game and looked like running away with it after one quarter. Kristin New had 5 points, Anna Gladstone 4, and Merrideth Spiers 2 in the frame.

But then Worth County did too much hacking and fouling in the second as the Longhorns clawed back, getting to within 11-10 at one point, mostly at the free throw line. But then Spiers hit an inside shot with 2:11 left to stop the bleeding and Regan Allee added a fast break 3-pointer at the buzzer to put Worth County back up 16-10.

South Nodaway pulled back to within three at one point in the third, but then Worth County pulled away late as Regan Allee scored consecutive shots late to put them back in front 24-17. In the fourth, the Tigers put on a clinic, running out the clock as South Nodaway could not get any closer than 6.

Kristin New had 9 points to lead the Tigers in scoring. Anna Gladstone had 7 along with Regan Allee. Kaylee McElvain and Merrideth Spiers had 4 each while Jill Hardy had 2. The B team won as they fell behind 4-0, but used Megan Cassavaugh’s free throw in the last seconds of the second to win 7-6. Emilee Brown had 4, Braidy Hunt 2, and Megan Cassavaugh 1.

Hayden Holmes’ 3-Pointer Bails Out JH Boys in Barnard

Leading scorer Jaxon Anderson fouled out in overtime against South Nodaway, but it didn’t matter as Andrew Alarcon hit a 3-pointer off a pass from Zayne Swope with 50 seconds left to tie it at 46. After CJ Sipes missed a one and one that would have put the Longhorns back in front, Mr. Prime Time, also known as Hayden Holmes, who had not played all game until Anderson had fouled out, hit a baseline 3-pointer with 20 seconds left and South Nodaway didn’t have an answer before time expired as Worth County avoided a two-game losing streak with a 49-46 victory.

Worth County needed some heroics at the end of regulation as well. South Nodaway had erased a 36-30 Tiger lead with a 9-0 run, sending the Longhorn crowd into a frenzy. Vincent Holtman’s drive with 1:05 left made it 41-38, but then Andrew Alarcon hit Ethan Thomas in the corner with a 3-pointer to tie it at 41. Clayton Walker, one of three South Nodaway freshman who is playing on the squad because of numbers, got a putback with 20 seconds left to make it 43-41 with 20 seconds left, but Jaxon Anderson stepped through a defender with 10 seconds left after getting an entry pass from Ethan Thomas to tie it and send it to overtime.

South Nodaway had scored the first five points of the game, but from there, Worth County came back and maintained a lead most of the night thanks to Jaxon Anderson and Ethan Thomas. It looked like Worth County would be able pull away after the Tigers started getting the ball into him in the post at will; at one point, he had nine straight Tiger points as Worth County erased a 27-27 tie and built up a 36-30 lead. But then he picked up his fourth foul and sat down as South Nodaway outworked Worth County on the boards in his absence to get back in the game.

Jaxon Anderson had 22 points in the winning effort. Ethan Thomas had 12, Andrew Alarcon had 5, Zayne Swope 4, Tanner Parman 3, and Hayden Holmes 3.

Obituary -- Clara “Louise” Hunt Koehler Hamilton 1936-2015

Louise  Hamilton, 79, of Lathrop, MO passed away on November12, 2015 in Kansas City, MO at the North Kansas City Hospital.

Visitation and services will be held at 1:00 Tuesday, November 17th at Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home, Grant City, MO. Burial will follow at Grant City Cemetery.

 Louise Hamilton was born in her home in Grant City, MO to Charles Marion & Nellie Faye Hunt on March 23, 1936.  She was a graduate of  Grant City High School. She attended Maple Woods, Penn Valley and Longview Community Colleges.  She retired as a Millwright for the Ford Motor Company  and was a member of the UAW Local 249.

Louise is preceded in death by; her husband LeRoy Koehler; parents, Charles & Nellie Hunt; brothers, Charles “Kobb” Hunt, John Hunt;  children, Suzanne Koehler, Christopher Koehler & Charles Koehler Sr. and a grandchild Keatyn Hemme.

Louise is survived by: an ex-spouse Edgar F Hamilton; children Karen Langner, Patrick Koehler, Debbie Koehler, John Hamilton, Jeff Hamilton, Candace Marley; a sister June Combs; 17 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home.

The Koehler and Hamilton family wish to extend our sincere thanks.

Editorial -- The Mizzou Student Protest and North Nodaway

Two recent situations were handled as differently as night and day. On Monday, University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe was forced to resign over allegations that the administration had been unresponsive to racism on campus. Things had come to a head; there were massive sit-ins and protests, a hunger strike, and at least 30 Black Mizzou football players had threatened not to participate in any more football activities unless the situation was dealt with.

The problem is that the administration had let these incidents go on for too long. Racism and bullying are not a matter of boys being boys. Had the situation been allowed to escalate further, someone could have been killed. These behaviors should have no place in any sort of public gathering. We have a theory that the reason the Mizzou basketball team has struggled the last two years and the football team has struggled this year, in part, was due to the environment that was created, making it difficult for the coaches to recruit good players. Creating safe campuses for kids from all walks of life is a must in this day and age. Failure to do so is a dealbreaker for many people.

We here in rural Missouri need to avoid anything which might be perceived as racist; there are plenty of parents out there who won't move to a certain community if they perceive it as racist b/c they don't want their children exposed to that. The board needs to hire a President who has had experience in an academic setting who knows how to deal with a diverse student population. As the Bible says, God is no respecter of persons, and His saved will come from every tribe, tongue, and nation.

By contrast, the North Nodaway administration acted promptly when a student brought a gun to school two weeks ago. They realized that in this day and age, there is no place for making threats of violence against people, even in jest. They took quick action to protect the students and teachers, and everyone is safe as a result. The individual who reported the incident did the right thing -- the only way we can prevent violence in schools is for people in a position to do so to discuss their concerns with someone they trust whenever they think someone might engage in actions that put themselves or others at risk.

We do not know what precipitated that particular incident or who instigated the conflict that led that particular student to act the way he did. There are always two sides to any story. But what we do know is that our schools can and should use this as an opportunity to create an environment in which bullying and racism are not tolerated and conflicts can be resolved before they progress to the point where one party or the other feels the need to resort to violence.

For this to happen, all students have to be valued for who they are. Schools cannot create environments in which, say, the athletes are the most important thing and all the rest of the students are second class citizens. People here in small towns tend to be skeptical of outsiders, but students need to be treated with respect whether they have just moved in or whether their families have been lifers in the community since its founding shortly after the Civil War. Right now, our small towns are in a state of economic decline that has been in progress for the last several decades. The only way that will be reversed as for us, as communities, to treat everyone with respect regardless of who they are. When that happens, people will want to move in and be a part of a place which creates a welcoming environment which creates a safe place for all of us to live in and work.

Worth County Sheriff's Report

11-2 -- Officer working funeral traffic.
11-2 -- Officers working court duty.
11-2 -- Person in to write a statement.
11-2 -- Landowner calls about neighbors' cattle in his bean field; cattle owner notified.
11-3 -- 911 call of cattle trailed northbound from Ravenwood with cattle legs sticking out of the floor and dragging on pavement. MSHP stops the vehicle.
11-3 -- Person reports window shot out of pickup by pellet gun.
11-4 -- MSHP and radio operator in for visit.
11-4 -- Resident reports chain fell from semi and hit and broke his windshield.
11-5 -- Resident reports pickup driving through his yard.
11-5 -- Person reports hitting deer north on 169.
11-5 -- Person reports his tires were cut at the school parking lot.
11-5 -- Officer arrests person on DWI charges.
11-6 -- Horses out on C highway; owner notified.
11-6 -- Person in to write a statement.
11-6 -- Officer investigates a door to door salesman.
11-7 -- 911 call of carbon monoxide alarm at a Grant City residence; fire department notified and homeowners staying at neighbors' house.
11-7 -- Person reports hitting deer on Route K.

Regan Allee has 15 Points, 13 Steals to Lead JH Tiger Girls

Regan Allee had 15 points and 13 steals to lead the Junior High Girls over Northeast Nodaway 46-6. It all started on the other end with Kristin New, who limited standout NEN point guard Paige West to four points on defense along with Megan Cassavaugh. On the other end, Kristin got the Tigers into the offense and took good care of the ball; West only had two steals against the Tigers after having had as many as 17 in a game.

For Worth County, Regan Allee collected 8 of her 13 steals in the first quarter as the Tigers were never threatened, taking a 21-2 lead after one quarter. She also had 9 boards, nearly collecting a triple double; she had two blocks as well. Kaylee McElvain showed that her 18 point outburst from Tuesday night was no accident as she had 10 more on Thursday. Merrideth Spiers had 9 points, a career high for her. Kristin New, Nevada Hoff, and Jill Hardy all had 4. Megan Cassavaugh had 2.

The B team had just as little competition, winning 16-0. Maddie Taute led the reserves with 8. Morgan Beagle followed with 6, all on 3-pointers. Braidy Hunt had 2.

Jaxon Anderson Scores 23;Tiger JH Boys Down NEN

Jaxon Anderson continued to top his point totals, getting 23 points Thursday against Northeast Nodaway as Worth County’s Junior High Boys continued to roll, winning 41-30. Both teams tried to run each other out of the gym; Worth County trailed 3-2 early, but then used a fast break from Andrew Alarcon and four straight points from Tanner Parman to pull ahead for good. Anderson scored twice off passes from Ethan Thomas to put Worth County up 12-3.

Anderson was shaken up following a collision at the 2:02 mark of the first quarter, but came back in at the end. Tanner Parman had 6 along with Anderson as Worth County led 18-9 after one.

The defenses took over in the second quarter, with Tanner Parman’s basket at the 4:35 mark the only points anyone scored in the first four minutes. But then Anderson scored four more to put Worth County up 24-11 at halftime. He then worked the inside and scored five straight points in the third as Worth County led by as much as 29-13 at one point.

Worth County’s biggest lead was 41-22 midway through the fourth after the Tigers had broken Northeast’s press on consecutive occasions.

Anderson led the scoring with 23 points. Tanner Parman had 8, Hunter Simmons and Andrew Alarcon 4 each, and Ethan Thomas 2.

The Junior High lost 4-1. Reid Gabriel had the lone tally for the Tigers.

Sheridan Jewelers Shine at Hopkins Craft Fair

Three Sheridan jewelers showed off their handiwork at the Hopkins Craft Fair Saturday. Mother Tami Wilson and daughters Jessica Dady and Jamie Sego have been running a jewelry business east of Sheridan for the last few years. They have been going to Old Defiance Days, Bedford, Maryville, and the Worth County Holiday Bazaar. Sunday was their first foray into Hopkins. Most of their sales come from online customers.

The name of their business is "Just Because.......Jewelry & Design." Ms. Wilson said that she didn't want to make the same jewelry twice, and she wanted to make something that people would wear every day "just because." "Anything that sparkles," said daughter Jessica. "We want you to wear it just because you want to feel good," said Wilson. "Do stuff for yourself and buy something that sparkles."

Ms. Wilson is the daughter of Bill and Diane Orr. She said that she wanted to see her daughters take over her operation in five years so she could retire. They sell supplies as well, helping others to take up jewelry making. Now, they are looking to set stones. As long as they continue to learn new aspects of their craft, Ms. Wilson will put her business in a position to continue to grow when her daughters take over.

The Hopkins Craft Show is the annual fundraiser for the North Nodaway cheerleaders. Their sponsor, Bobbi Oberhauser, said that they found it was better than having to go around and sell people stuff they might not want since the cheerleaders don't get much funding from the school. Money raised is to cover anything that the cheerleaders need.

Among other businesses, organizations, and crafters who showed up compiled by the Sheridan Express included Mary & Martha, Jamberry, Pampered Chef, Ben's Stockings of Hope, Christmas woodworking from Valerie DeMott and Deanna Hunt, Young Living, Cliff's Woodworking of Allendale, Unique Spirit Jewelry, Rinda Thompson, Shelby Saville, Warm Fuzzies (Sarah Teaney), Avon, Stiches by LeBett, Taste of Heaven (Keith Dougan), Sparkly Hair (Jessica Calfee), Scentsy (Shella Baldwin), Tamara Bunderson, books for children and cooks from Lee Jackson and Amy Houts, Jessie Pankau (woodworking), Beach Body (Rhonda [Cross] Beemer), Slumped Bottles (old bottles that were converted into art), Bittersweet Floral & Gifts (Vanessa Peter), R&R Designs (Vivian Riley), Damsel in Distress (a line of self-defense products by Paige Guilliams), and the North Nodaway PTO.

Tigers are District Champs; Beat Rock Port 88-42; Brevyn Ross Rushes for 315

Worth County found itself back on top of district standings after beating Rock Port 88-42 Friday night. It was not an easy game to prepare for, since Rock Port relied nearly exclusively on the run at the start of the year and relied a lot more on the pass later in the year after one of their main backs, Brady Minter, went down with a season-ending injury. The Blue Jays had barely beaten Greenfield 38-22 last week, but they had little trouble moving down the field on their opening drive, going most of the way on the ground and completing one pass to Tyler Jones and another to Caden Linthicum. The latter play converted a fourth and three that went 17 yards to the Tiger eight. On the next play, Colby Linthicum took it in and scored to make it 6-0.

But Worth County got it right back as Ben Badell jetted for 15 yards into Blue Jay territory at the 35 and then added a 5-yard run that converted a third and four at the 24. The Tigers later got into a third and 11 hole at the 25, but then Isaac Alarcon caught a short pass for 9 yards and Ben Badell converted a fourth and two, getting three to the 13. On the next play, Badell's fake handoff to Isaac fooled everyone and he scampered in untouched to put the Tigers on the board. Worth County lined up in the Wildkat with Isaac Alarcon; he fumbled a snap but picked it up and ran it in to make it 8-6 with 3:50 left.

It looked for a while like it might be a defensive struggle. Rock Port was forced to punt on its next series, but then Ben Badell threw a pick to Caden Linthicum, who returned it to the Tiger 32. Worth County nearly held on that series thanks to a delay of game penalty on Rock Port, but on fourth and six, Rock Port successfully aired it out to Tyler Jones, who took it for 28 yards to put Rock Port back up 12-8. The combination of Jase Hughes to Tyler Jones kept the Blue Jays in the game for much of the way.

Tevin Cameron apparently ran back the ensuing kickoff for a score, but it was called back to the Tiger 26 thanks to a targeting penalty that was not part of the play. But that didn't seem to matter as Brevyn Ross, who had been held to 17 yards on 7 carries at that point, suddenly got untracked as he ripped off 13 yards to the 39 and then ripped off a 41-yard score and then ran in the extra points to put the Tigers up for good at 16-12.

Two incomplete passes and a run by Caden Linthicum that went for only two yards forced Rock Port three and out, and Worth County responded with a 19-yard run by Ben Badell into Rock Port territory. They were faced with fourth and three at the 30, but Brevyn Ross, running around the right edge, picked up a perfect seal block from Tristan Miller and that was all he needed to score. He ran in the extra points as well to put Worth County up 24-12.

Colby Linthicum ripped off runs of 9 and 16 yards, and Rock Port drove to as deep as the Tiger 37 on the next play. But then a pair of false starts stymied them and Ben Badell broke up a long pass on fourth down to give the Tigers the ball back. They only needed one play to score as Brevyn Ross got a block from Jacob Hardy and ripped off a 40-yard score with 5:01 left in the second to make it 30-12.

That touched off a scoring flurry that lasted the rest of the half. Colby Linthicum dragged a defender 15 yards on the next play to the 38; later, Jase Hughes connected with Tyler Jones for 40 down to the Tiger 5 to set up Linthicum's five yard score with 2:55 left to make it 30-20. There was a heartstopping moment as the ensuing kickoff caromed off a black shirt, but Brayden Welch recovered for the Tigers at their own 38. That set up Brevyn Ross' 42 yard score and Isaac Alarcon's option run after he got a block from Mason Hawk to make it 38-20. A fluke play set up Rock Port's next score as Ryan McClellan played a pass to Alex Lawrence perfectly, but his deflection caromed right into his hands and Lawrences' pass went for 34 yards to the 23. Another long pass to Jones made it 38-28 with 30.3 seconds left. Worth County countered with a 55-yard screen pass to Brevyn Ross with 18.8 seconds left to make it 44-28, but a costly late hit on Worth County was marked off from the spot of the foul, giving Rock Port the ball at the Tiger 12 with 3.3 seconds left. That was enough time for Hughes to connect to Colby Linthicum for a score as time expired to bring Rock Port to within 44-34.

There were two stats that were at stake for Worth County and one of them had to give. On one hand, the Tigers, throughout their 90 year history, have never given up a three possession lead and lost. But on the other hand, they have never won a game in which Sunny 103 had broadcast; they were doing the game along with KAAN and KMA. The school had to put up an extra platform to accommodate all three radio stations.

But the second half started off well for Worth County as Isaac Alarcon picked up a squib kick, found a hole, and ran it back to the 26. With the short field, Worth County punched it in as Brevyn Ross and Isaac Alarcon each picked up 8 yards following the blocking of Drake Kinsella and Tristan Miller. That set up a 4-yard plunge from Brevyn Ross as he followed the blocking of Isaac and spun his way into the end zone with 10:25 left in the third to make it 50-34.

Worth County finally got a stop thanks to a critical defensive play. Jase Hughes threw a long pass to Tyler Jones, who twice eluded Ben Badell and Brevyn Ross in the open field. But then Chris Alarcon came out of nowhere to make a touchdown saving tackle at the 10, and Worth County kept them out of the end zone. A false start put Rock Port back to the 15, but then Caden Linthicum got loose on the jet sweep for 10 yards down to the Tiger 5. Drake Kinsella dropped Colby Linthicum for a loss of two yards and Jase Hughes, who had thrown seven straight complete passes, misfired on two attempts and Rock Port gave up the ball on downs. Three plays later, Worth County took full advantage as Brevyn Ross weaved his way through traffic and bounced outside for 61 yards with 7:15 left; Mason Hawk caught a pass to make it 58-34.

Both sides exchanged miscues on the next play. A late hit on Worth County set up a 30-yard pass from Jase Hughes to Tyler Jones with 6:13 left. Rock Port was then flagged for a late hit, which Worth County was able to convert into a score, although they almost gave it away. Consecutive bad snaps after Worth County had gotten good field position at the Rock Port territory set them back into their own territory. Brevyn Ross picked up 10 yards, but they were still stuck with fourth and 17 at the Rock Port 34. But then Ben Badell threw a strike to Chris Alarcon for a first down at the 14. A false start and a holding penalty moved them back to the 25, but then a play action pass fooled everyone and Chris Alarcon was left totally unguarded as he caught a touchdown pass to make it 66-42 with 2:21 left in the third.

That seemed to open the floodgates for Worth County as they forced a three and out on their next series. The ensuing punt was put under a heavy rush by Isaac Alarcon, and it was shanked out of bounds at the Blue Jay 30. Brevyn Ross ripped off three carries for 27 yards, going over the 300 mark for the night. On one play, he pancaked Mason Hawk out of the way to get some extra yardage. That set up Ben Badell's three yard score behind Isaac Alarcon's blocking; Ben Badell's pass to Mason Hawk made it 74-42. Isaac Alarcon's sack of Hughes set up Rock Port's lone turnover of the night; Ryan McClellan picked off a pass and ran it back to the Rock Port 18. Isaac Alarcon picked up six on the next play, but a bad snap looked like it would lose major yardage for Worth County. But Isaac Alarcon fought forward for yardage and was hit from behind. The ball flew loose 15 yards; for some reason, Brevyn Ross was well downfield on the play and it turned out that he was in perfect position to scoop the ball up and dive into the end zone. Ben Badell ran in the extra points to make it 82-42.

Rock Port picked up a first down, but a fourth and one pass shorthopped Colby Linthicum at the Tiger 29. Jacob Wimer ripped off a 16 yarder and a 29 yarder before being stripped at the end of the latter run. But Worth County forced three and out and Dalton Auffert tipped the ensuing punt and Brevyn Ross recovered it and ran it back to the 12. Given a second chance, Jacob Wimer ran it into the end zone with 3:38 left in the game and the game was called at that point.

Brevyn Ross rushed 23 times for 315 yards, an average of 13.7 yards per carry; it was the second most yardage in Tiger football history behind Austin Findley in 2005, when he had 375 yards against Stanberry. Ben Badell rushed 11 times for 90 yards, Jacob Wimer 5 times for 56 yards, Isaac Alarcon 4 times for 19 yards, and Nate Pointer 1 time for 7 yards. Ben Badell was 4 for 5 with one pick and 109 yards. Chris Alarcon had 2 catches for 45 yards. Brevyn Ross had 1 catch for 55 yards and Isaac Alarcon had 1 catch for 9 yards. Worth County ran 49 plays and got 596 yards for the night.

For Rock Port, Colby Linthicum had 24 carries for 114 yards. Caden Linthicum had 6 carries for 15 yards, while Tyler Jones had 1 carry for -5 yards. Jase Hughes had 12 completions for 29 yards with one interception for 257 yards. Tyler Jones had 6 catches for 174 yards, Caden Linthicum had 4 catches for 37 yards, Alex Lawrence 1 catch for 34 yards, and Colby Linthicum 1 catch for 12 yards.

Obituary -- Marvin Wyer 1937-2015

Marvin Dale Wyer was born September 22, 1937 to John & May (Wickman) Wyer. He passed away peacefully with his family by his side on November 4, 2015 at the age of 78.

Marvin attended Neiger Country School near Denver, Missouri and later received his G.E.D.

Marvin worked for several farmers until he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in February 1957. Marvin was united in marriage to Ann Stephens at Bedford, Iowa in May of 1957.

They began their married life in San Antonia, Texas where Marvin was serving at Lackland Air Base and their first child, James, was born. Marvin was transferred to the Philippines where he lived for 1 ½ years. He returned stateside and Ann and James joined him at Kincheloe Air Base in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Their second child, Randall, was born here. After his discharge from the Air Force, reaching the rank of Airman 1st Class, Marvin and his family moved to a farm in Ringgold County, Iowa to begin his farming career. Their third children, a daughter, Jon A. joined the family.

Marvin enjoyed farming, both cattle and crops, with his International equipment. He especially enjoyed calving, planting, and the harvest season. In 1968, Marvin became a member of the Platte Center Presbyterian Church where he served as elder and on other committees. Marvin served several years on the Ringgold County Farm Bureau Board.Marvin looked forward to family and friends get together; especially enjoying the great grandchildren. He loved to give them all rides on the ranger.

Left to cherish his memories are his wife Ann of 58 years; sons James (Marlene) Wyerof Lenox, IA and Randall Wyer of Parnell, MO; daughter Jon (Kenneth) Beede of Creston, IA; granddaughters Sara (Danny) Coleman of Hopkins, MO, Tara Wyer of Creston, IA, Brandi (Eric) Snyder of Creston, IA, Amanda (Patrick) Harden of West Des Moines, IA; step-grandchildren Kris Huber of Lenox, IA, Kelly Carlson of Prescott, IA, Justin Miller of Clearfield, IA; great grandchildren Ethan Fry, Alivia Van DeBoe, Owen Coleman, Ella Harden, Eli Harden, Billy Snyder, and step-great grandchildren Jessie, Jarrett, Julia Miller; sisters Linda Matthew and Lois Hill; brother Rick (Terry) Wyer; sister-in-law Brenda Wyer; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Ray & May Wyer; parents-in-law Howard & Vivian Stephens; sister Joyce Songer; brother Larry Wyer; sister & brother-in-law Donna & Claude West; brothers-in-law Ben Hill and Dean Matthew; sister-in-law Leona Murphy.

A memorial fund has been established in his name to be decided later.

A memorial service will be held at the Clearfield Cemetery in Clearfield, IA Saturday, November 7th at 2 pm. Arrangements are under the direction of the Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home, Mount Ayr.

Jaxon Anderson Scores 18 in JH Boys Victory

Like the girls, the boys have had different players go off every night as they are off to a 3-1 start that nobody expected. This time, it was Jaxon Anderson who led the Tigers. The tall lanky 8th grader, who moved from California, fueled the Tigers to a 40-12 win over King City Tuesday. The Californian was true to form in the first few minutes, tipping one pass to Hunter Simmons and throwing another to Hayden Holmes, who pulled back and hit a long outside shot to put Worth County up 4-0. Ethan Thomas scored on consecutive steals and then Jaxon Anderson, normally a distributor, started getting the hot hand. He buried a shot from the high post, scored from inside off a pass from Thomas, scored off a steal, and then put back a miss for nine straight points to make it 17-2. Ethan Thomas hit a shot from the top of the key to put Worth County up 19-2.

The Tigers continued to force turnovers despite Coach Todd Simmons electing not to press; Ethan Thomas scored off a Hunter Simmons steal, Reid Gabriel scored from inside, and Ethan found Hunter Simmons inside. Then, Jaxon hit a closely guarded triple to get going again, adding consecutive steals right before halftime to put the Tigers up 32-7.

Andrew Alarcon did much of the scoring in the second half, getting a steal and then cleaning up off a miss and then burying a pair of outside shots. Anderson took a pass from Hayden Holmes to account for the rest of the scoring.

Jaxon Anderson had 18 points to lead the Tigers. Ethan Thomas had 8, Andrew Alarcon 6, Hayden Holmes 4, and Hunter Simmons and Reid Gabriel 2 each. Ethan Thomas had 4 assists.

The B team won 7-1 in the nightcap. Reid Gabriel had 5 points and Tate Welch had 2 for the Tigers.

Kaylee McElvain Scores 18 as JH Girls Continue to Roll

The Worth County Junior High girls played without Anna Gladstone (hamstring), but it didn't matter as other players continued to step up and score for Josh Smith's squad. This time, it was Kaylee McElvain, playing the game of her life and collecting 18 points as the Tigers beat King City 53-7 Tuesday.

Regan Allee started off with the hot hand for the Tigers in the first quarter along with Jill Hardy. Jill got loose on a fast break to open the scoring and took a pass from Kristin New and flung up a prayer that went in. Merrideth Spiers got a putback and then Regan Allee jumped a pass for a layup with 3:16 to prompt a King City timeout.

But that didn't do any good as Kaylee McElvain got loose in transition and got a pass from Allee, Hardy jumped a pass for a layup, Allee went backdoor for a layup and later hit a free throw, and then Merrideth Spiers jumped a pass, threw it to Jill Hardy, who threw it to New for the finish to put the Tigers up 15-0 after one quarter.

Madeline Saunders broke the shutout with a shot from the top of the key for the Wildkats, but then someone forgot to match up with Regan Allee, whose uncontested drive sparked another run. From there, Kaylee McElvain got going as she took a pass from Allee and went backdoor, jumped a pass for a layup, and then took a pass from Megan Cassavaugh in the post. She then had the highlight film play of the night when she took the ball at the free throw line, shot-faked a defender in the air, brought the ball down, and blew by her for a layup to put Worth County up 25-2. Megan Cassavaugh then hit Spiers inside, and she outmuscled a defender to the basket and then Maddie Taute came off the bench for a pair of free throws and a shot from the left wing off a pass from Braidy Hunt to put Worth County up 31-5 at halftime.

Coach Smith took the press off, but the third quarter consisted of Kristin New and Kaylee McElvain flying down the court with reckless abandon; Kristin New went coast to coast to open the scoring. Kaylee McElvain followed with a steal and then got loose in transition as Kristin found her open again. Jill Hardy jumped a pass for an easy layup, and then Regan Allee's quick outlet led to another New layup. Kaylee McElvain, who had three rejections on the night, rejected one that Regan Allee chased down and threw down the court to Kristin New for yet another layup. Megan Cassavaugh grabbed a putback and then Jill Hardy had a driving layup after Merrideth Spiers had chased down an offensive board. Regan Allee then found Spiers in the high post to conclude the scoring in the third quarter. For King City, Victoria Washburn had a circus shot that hit the rim, bounced high in the air and hit the supports, and then caromed in the nets as the third quarter buzzer sounded. The shot, of course, did not count. Megan Cassavaugh hit Kaylee McElvain early in the fourth for another inside look before Coach Smith cleared his bench.

Kaylee McElvain had 18 points for the Tigers. Regan Allee had 9, Jill Hardy 8, Kristin New and Merrideth Spiers 6 each, Maddie Taute 4, and Megan Cassavaugh 2. Regan Allee had 6 assists while Kristin New and Megan Cassavaugh had 4 each, and Jill Hardy, Merrideth Spiers, and Braidy Hunt had 1 each. Kaylee McElvain had 3 blocks, Merrideth Spiers 2 on the same play, and Kristin New had 2.

The B team won 5-4 as Allison Larison had a 3-pointer and Braidy Hunt added two.

Zayne Swope, Tanner Parman Lead Junior High Boys Past North Harrison

Worth County showed that their Stanberry win was no accident as their junior high boys beat North Harrison 51-16 Monday night for their second win of the season. A swarming Tiger defense jumped out to a 14-0 lead against the young Shamrock squad, which had all seventh graders listed on its roster. Tanner Parman scored the first six points of the game, getting a putback and scoring off two Jaxon Anderson steals. Anderson added two off another steal and then Ethan Thomas scored the next six points; he got loose behind the Shamrock defense and got baseball passes from Anderson and scored another basket off a Zayne Swope steal.

But then Worth County got too aggressive on the press and started hacking and fouling, putting Brett Emig on the line too many times. The Shamrock guard would drive into Tiger defenders and draw fouls; that was nearly their entire offense in the first half. The foul differential was 10-3 in North Harrison's favor at one point; consequently, they were able to make a game out of it at one point, getting to within 18-9 at the 2:44 mark of the second quarter. Both Anderson and Thomas went to the bench with three fouls.

But then Andrew Alarcon came off the bench to get a steal and a baseline shot to stop the bleeding. Zayne Swope got eight out of his 12 points in the quarter, and Worth County reasserted itself in building a 30-10 lead at halftime. Tanner Parman scored off a steal and Hunter Simmons had a drive and pullup.

Emig's free throw cut it to 30-11 early in the third, but then Hunter Simmons' putback sparked another Tiger run that triggered the running clock in the fourth quarter. Ethan Thomas had a drive after Jaxon Anderson had kept a possession alive with an offensive board; he added a 3-pointer in transition off a pass from Tanner Parman. Tanner scored off a steal and was also the recipient of one of Jaxon's baseball passes while Zayne Swope got loose down the floor in transition another time. Anderson's putback with five seconds left put Worth County up 45-13 after three.

Zayne Swope scored off a drive, Andrew Alarcon hit Anderson inside, and Anderson had a driving layup in the fourth quarter before Coach Simmons began subbing freely.

Tanner Parman and Zayne Swope led the Tigers in scoring with 12 each. For the second straight night they got three in double figures as Ethan Thomas followed with 11. Andrew Alarcon and Jaxon Anderson had 6 each, while Hunter Simmons had 4. While he only had six points, Jaxon Anderson had a disruptive influence on the game as he was able to break down the Shamrock defense time and time again with his long baseball passes; he had seven assists on the night.

Jill Hardy Scores 12; JH Tigers Stay Unbeaten vs. Shamrocks

Worth County's junior high girls won its third game, downing North Harrison 42-15 as Jill Hardy and Anna Gladstone each had 12 in the Tiger victory. After nine years of futility from the girls program, some folks found it hard to believe that a girls team was doing well, but this bunch is on a mission to change that; after dropping only two games last year, they avenged one of their losses and then picked up their third victory Monday night.

The Shamrocks came into the game with three freshmen playing on their roster (HDC teams generally have some freshmen playing on their junior high squads), which was a potential challenge for the Tigers. But they made quick work of the Shamrock squad. Anna Gladstone came out on fire, scoring off a pass from Regan Allee and drive down the right side, then drained a 3-pointer after Merrideth Spiers got a steal, threw it to Kristin New, and her kickout to Anna got Worth County up 5-0. Kristin New and Anna Gladstone then hooked up again as Kristin hit Anna cutting inside to put the team up 7-0.

Anna Gladstone continued to play on a mission; she hustled to the opposite side to grab a missed free throw by Kaylee McElvain and kicked it out to Regan Allee for a 3-pointer. Regan missed, but Kaylee was there for the board. But just as it looked like she would have a big night, she crashed hard into the padding at Eagleville after a hard foul by two of the Shamrock players. She recovered enough to hit one out of two free throws, but she hurt her hamstring and had to come out, as she was in obvious pain.

Besides a made shot from Jill Hardy, the team struggled during the next stretch as they needed a few minutes to adjust with Gladstone on the bench. But then at the start of the second quarter, they adjusted as though nothing had happened. Regan Allee scored on a couple of backdoor looks from Kristin New and Merrideth Spiers and Worth County was clicking again, up 16-0 at that point.

That was when Jill Hardy started to take over the game. Normally a role player in her first two games, she stepped up her scoring with Anna Gladstone on the bench, breaking out a drive, 15-foot pullup, and lightning quick release that is really hard to block because of her size. She had six points by halftime; New added a backdoor cut and took a pass from Megan Cassavaugh for a layup while Jill Hardy got a steal, passed it to Kristin New, who threw it to Merrideth Spiers for the finish to put Worth County up 24-2 at the break. New got five of her six assists in the first half.

Coach Josh Smith took the press off, but Worth County continued to pull away slowly in the third period. Kristin New got a steal and went up strong and got on the line for a pair of free throws; she added a driving layup to get herself to six points for the night. Megan Cassavaugh hit Merrideth Spiers inside while Jill Hardy scored another one of her patented pullups to put Worth County up 32-8 after three. The Shamrocks countered with the strong play of Emma Craig; the seventh grader was a bright spot with 10 of her team's 15 points, all in the second half.

Anna Gladstone, who spent the previous two quarters icing and stretching herself, successfully lobbied Smith to put her back in, and she showed everyone she was back by draining an NBA 3-pointer right off the bat off a pass from Kristin New; she later mixed it up and got an offensive board and converted it into a free throw. Jill Hardy added another one of her pullups, while Kristin New hit a pair of free throws to get to a season-high eight points.

Anna Gladstone co-led the scoring with 12 points despite only playing around eight minutes; Jill Hardy also had 12. Kristin New had 8, Regan Allee and Merrideth Spiers each had 4, and Kaylee McElvain had 2. Kristin New had 6 assists, Regan Allee 3, and Merrideth Spiers and Megan Cassavaugh had 2 each.

Nevada Hoff's 3-pointer in the closing seconds gave the B team a 9-9 tie.

Obituary -- Marg Snow 1924-2015

Lillian Margheretta "Marg" Snow of Warsaw, Indiana passed away at 9:40 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2015 surrounded by family at her son's residence in Winona Lake, Indiana at the age of 91.

She was a 1942 graduate of St. Joseph High School in St. Joseph, Missouri.  She resided most of her life in Grant City, Missouri.  Marg had lived in Texas for four years prior to moving to Warsaw, Indiana in 2006.  

She was a homemaker, a wonderful cook and will be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother.

Marg was born on September 13, 1924 in St. Joseph, Missouri to Oscar Kirschner and Lillian (Vaughn) Kirschner.  On April 15, 1944 she was married to Charles C. Snow, who passed away in 2007.

She was also preceded in death by a son David, a grandson Darrin and great granddaughter Hailey, one brother and two sisters.

She will be lovingly remembered by her son, Tom (Diane) Snow, Winona Lake, Indiana, daughter-in-law, Linda Snow, Council Bluffs, Iowa; four grandchildren: Craig (Sherri) Snow, Warsaw, Indiana; Bill (Eva) Snow, Holland, Michigan, Paul (Cari) Snow, Maryville and Kelly Bryant, Glenwood, Iowa; nine great grandchildren:  Tyler, Kahler, Chole, Ana, Sarah, Jake, Jessica, Hagen and Caiden.  Also surviving is her brother Bud Kirschner, Chicago, Illinois; and her sister Phyllis Strain, Gainsville, Florida.  

Mrs. Snow’s body has been cremated. 

A memorial service will be held at a later date at the Andrews-Hann Funeral Home, Grant City, Missouri.  Inurnment will be in the Grant City Cemetery.

Obituary -- Betty Lea Thrasher 1921-2015

Betty Lea Jones Thrasher was born July 2, 1921 in Ridgeway, Missouri to Tony and Lottie (Glick) Jones. She was one of 12 children.

On November 15, 1939 she married Rex Thrasher and was married for 68 years. Betty was a devoted wife and mother, who followed Rex to wherever there was work as a farm hand. They made numerous moves in their early married life. She cleaned, painted and wallpapered many of houses to make it home for her family. “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” she would quote. A wonderful cook, the cookie jar was always filled with homemade goodies for her children and friends. Tending the garden with Rex and canning and freezing to feed the family was a yearly thing she did. She made and froze pies and always had something to treat you with, and a cup of coffee. She enjoyed her flowers and watching the droves of birds she and Rex fed… sitting on their porch with a cup of coffee and watching nature around them was a favorite pastime.

Quilting was a passion she acquired in later life, making quilts for her children and grandchildren. One of her sayings was “A stitch in time saves nine!” and her favorite one was “It is what it is!”

Betty was a Christian, belonging to Crossroads Assembly of God church. As her eyesight dimmed through the years she was still an avid reader of her Bible and many books. She never lost spunk and determination, and made many friends in the Worth County Convalescent Center in Grant City the last 3 years of her life. She enjoyed each new day, and will be very much missed by family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Rex in 2007, 6 brothers: Truman, Leslie, Cheslie, Dale, Francis (Bud) and Robert Jones, two sisters: Ruth Meadows and Donna Hill, and her only grandson, Todd Hibbs.

She is survived by 2 children: David (Janis) Thrasher of Higginsville, Missouri, and Linda (Larry) Hibbs of Sheridan, Missouri; 3 granddaughters: Robin Straley, Omaha Nebraska, Kellie Bryson, Sedalia, Missouri,  Lori Brown, West Plain, Missouri, 8 great-grandchildren, brother: Larry Jones of St. Joseph, Missouri and 2 sisters: Opal Guernsey and Mildred Smith, both of Bethany, Missouri.  

Funeral Services were held at Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City with burial in Prairie Chapel Cemetery near Denver, Missouri. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to a memorial fund.