Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Charity Lake Near Rock Port to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Charity Lake near Rock Port will celebrate its 50th anniversary on June 4th at 11 am at the lake.
The lake was built by donated labor back in 1966. Volunteer operators built a road around the lake, and many people in the Rock Port and Watson areas made donations.

Today, Charity Lake is part of the Department of Conservation’s Brickyard Hill Conservation Area. The area offers camping, a hiking trail, and hunting for deer, rabbit, squirrel, and turkey. Please refer to MDC’s hunting regulations.

The water remains clear today thanks to a forested watershed that surrounds the lake. Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, and catfish are common. Largemouth bass are frequently 12-13 inches long. Bluegill can be over 9 inches long. Channel catfish are restocked every year. Crappie are rare, but those that are caught are usually big. Freshwater shrimp are a food source for the fish.

At the June 4 event, MDC staff will provide fishing gear and tips on how to fish for anyone who would like to give angling in Charity Lake a try.



Gene Auten Named as Emergency Management Director

County Commission Minutes from May 23rd
Presiding Commissioner Ted Findley brought the meeting to order at 9:02 am.

In the absence of Clerk Roberta Owens, Ted Findley appointed Linda Brown to take the minutes.

Commissioner Regan Nonneman made a motion to approve minutes and agenda.   Commissioner Ted Findley seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Commissioner Regan Nonneman made a motion to approve the payroll and bills. Commissioner Ted Findley seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Gene Auten gave a reported that he has been sorting and organizing the EMP materials.  He has spent some time with Gentry County EMD, Jim Booth.  We need to get an exercise in this year for the LEPC organization. They let Pat slide on last year’s exercise because of her health condition. But they can’t let it go again to keep our funding.

Mary Seat stopped in and reported the Library received $100,000 is USDA Grant money. She also invited them to a presentation of the check that will be held at the Library at 11:15.

Christina Charles stopped in to request the use of the courtyard for a Memorial Auxiliary cook off on August 19th, 20th and 21st.  The funds will have to go Military Suicide Prevention Program.  The commissioners agreed to let her have use of the courtyard.

Mike Rinehart stopped by to remind the commissioners that Hwy C will be closed today through August, from Allendale to Albany for Bridge deck repair.

Barb Foland stopped in to invite the commissioners to Donna Lynch’s retirement party that will be held Friday the 27th.

Jim Fletchall and Doyle Parman came in to discuss the river taking his field and the county road by the bridge.  They decided to call in the Corp of Engineers to manage the problem.  Ron Rauch also came in to discuss the situation.  The only way to get help from the Conservation is to be declared a disaster first.

Linda gave the commissioners Clerk Owens business and reports from the clerk’s office.

Commissioner Findley signed paperwork for Gene Auten’s appointment to EMD for the state.

Treasurer Linda Brown presented financial report, bills and payroll.

The commissioners discussed building on to the east side of the county barn.

Commissioner Regan Nonneman made a motion to adjourn at 11:25. Commissioner Chevy Davidson seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Worth County Sheriff's Report

5-23 – Person’s cattle out on 46 by Harrison County Line. Owner notified.
5-23 – Officer in court for bailiff duty.
5-23 – Warrant withdrawn on a person.
5-23 – Domestic disturbance on Route W.
5-24 – Person in to register as sex offender.
5-24 – Person calls for sheriff.
5-25 – Cow out on Route 46.
5-25 – Person in for ID/OD.
5-25 – Accident with car and calf on 46.
5-25 – Person in for ID/OD.
5-25 – Person finds backpack and wallet on 46. Dispatch contacts Nodaway County to see if they can locate owner.
5-26 – Person in to see sheriff.
5-27 – Person in for CCW permit.
5-27 – Gentry County has someone in custody on our warrant. Officer meets on county line and transports to Ringgold County.
5-27 – Officers working funeral traffic.
5-27 – Person broke down east on 46 near top of hill and needs traffic control
5-28 – Trooper has a female and male in for male driving without a valid license.

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Registrations Open for Little Mr. & Miss Hopkins Contest

The Little Mr. & Miss Hopkins Contest is open to children who were in the North Nodaway Kindergarten class this year and those who will be in the North Nodaway Kindergarten class next year. Registration form must be turned in to Denise Woldruff at Rick’s Country Shoppe or mailed to Bobbi Oberhauser, PO Box 263, Hopkins, MO 64461 by 3 pm on June 28th. No entries will be accepted after the June 28th deadline in order to plan and prepare for the contest.

The contest will begin the Hopkins Picnic at 7 pm, Thursday, July 7th, 2016 at the Roxy Theater. Contestants should arrive there by 6:30.

In order to make the pageant fair for everyone, we are asking that your child wear semi-formal clothing. In other words, please do not dress your child in a long dress or tuxedo. On the other end of the scale, it would be best not to wear jeans and a t-shirt. This leaves a great deal of freedom for you and your child to choose an outfit for the festivities.

Judges are chosen from outside the community and the children will be evaluated on appearance, friendliness, and interview.

Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to seeing you there. If you have any question, please feel free to contact Bobbi Oberhauser at (660) 541-4145. Additional forms are available at Rick’s Country Shoppe.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Road Closings for Tuesday, May 31st

Listed below are the planned road closures in the Northwest Missouri region for Tuesday May 31. No work is planned on the Memorial Day holiday, but some closures may remain in place. Due to the holiday weekend and continued forecasts for rain, this list may be incomplete and is subject to change.

In addition to the work listed below, there may be pothole patching, bridge deck washing, striping, brush cutting, guardrail repairs and other road work conducted throughout the region. Many of these will be moving operations and could include lane closures with delays.

MoDOT reminds the public to stay alert, watch for road work, buckle up, slow down, and drive with extreme caution through work zones and in changing weather conditions.

Andrew County
Interstate 29 – NIGHT WORK single lane closure southbound from Business U.S. Route 71 to Route O (Buchanan County); resurfacing project, May 23 – 28, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. This includes a 15-foot width restriction.

Atchison County
Route N at the East Fork of the Little Tarkio Creek Bridge for a bridge replacement project.  The road will be closed through mid-June.

Buchanan County
Cook Road Bridge over I-29 for bridge maintenance.  The road will be closed overnight beginning May 31 at 8 a.m. and will reopen on Friday morning at 8 a.m.

Gentry County
Route C at the Weldon Branch Bridge for a bridge replacement project.  The bridge will be closed through August.

Harrison County
Route 46 from Route YY to Route D for a culvert replacement, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Route BB from U.S. Route 136 to Route P for pothole patching, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Route EE from Route J to U.S. Route 136 for a culvert replacement, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Holt County
Route BB for sealing, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Nodaway County
Route JJ at the One Hundred and Two River Bridge for a bridge deck replacement project.  The bridge will be closed through the end of June.

Putnam County
Route W from Laurel Trail to Marigold Trail for a culvert replacement, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Obituary -- Mary Alice Owens 1931-2016

Mary Alice was born to Frank and Nora Kier on November 6, 1931 in Gentry, Missouri. She graduated high school from Albany High School and then married Ray Owens on November 11, 1951. She and Ray farmed in the Worth and Gentry County area till Rays death in 2002. In 2003 she moved to Albany, Missouri where she has lived since. She passed away Monday, May 23, 2016 at the hospital in Albany after a valiant battle with colon cancer and congestive heart failure.

She is survived by son Gary (Berta) Owens of Grant City, MO; daughter Brenda Owens of Salt Lake City, UT. She also had six grandchildren: Philip Owens, Ryan Owens, Stephanie Hardy, Aaron (Ernie) Owens, Jennifer (Kyle) Peterson, and Nathan Sayed and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray; daughter, Barbara; great-granddaughter,  Jillian; parents, Frank and Nora (Jones) Kier; brother, Elmo Kier and infant sister.

Mary loved to cook and was known to be one of the best in the area. Mary was among the many so called 50s housewives that became a jack of all trades in many important life skills to maintain the farmhouse for her husband and family. She cooked, cleaned, gardened, canned, and sewed. The life of a farm wife was not easy, but she never complained about anything she did. She loved her family and was very proud of them all. She was an avid local sports fan who never missed a child, grandchild or great-grandchild’s ballgame.

She will be remembered as being a very kind, thoughtful person, that would stop at the drop of a hat to help a neighbor or friend, but most important she was known as “The Candy Lady” to all of the kids of the coyote hunting gang.

Funeral Services were held at 10:00 A.M. Friday, May 27, 2016 at the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City, Missouri. Interment was in the New Friendship Cemetery, Gentry, Missouri.


In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the New Friendship Cemetery in care of Betty Dills at 5424 280th Street, Albany, MO 64402

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Todd Simmons Resigns as Teacher from Worth County

Todd Simmons turned in his letter of resignation at Worth County and the Worth County School Board accepted his resignation at their regular meeting Thursday evening. He had taught and coached softball and basketball for 18 years. He became the winningest girls basketball coach in school history as well as the winningest girls softball coach in school history. He went to state twice in girls softball and once in girls basketball and also guided them to an Elite Eight finish.

The school moved Bryce Schafer to teach PE classes and hired Cody Newman to run the Missouri Options Program. Newman will also teach some PE classes at the school.

The board amended the construction agreement to include road construction as well as the other projects. The school had more money left over than expected, allowing them to go ahead with some road construction. This is in addition to putting in new bleachers and a gym floor, roof repair, guttering, tuckpointing, and resurfacing the elementary playground.

The board signed an agreement with L.J. Hart for the underwriting of the bonds for the $500,000 Bond Issue with costs not to exceed $17,500, or 3.5%.

The board also accepted the resignation of Abby Hern and is advertising for the health aide position (See ad, Page 3).

The board voted to offer Blaire Owens the Junior High and Junior Varsity cheer coach position for the 2016-2017 school year.

The board voted to hire Rachel Jackson for summer custodial work contingent on approved background check.

The board voted to offer Johnny Thurman full time Special Education Paraprofessional for the 2016-2017 School Year.

Grant City Receives $25,000 Preliminary Engineering Grant for Wastewater Treatment

 The City of Grant City today received a $25,000 grant to do a preliminary engineering report for upgrading its wastewater system. Pictured are in the front row are USDA State Rural Development Director Janie Dunning, Mayor Debbie Roach, and Clerk Ayvonne Morin. Pictured in the back row are Neil Miller of USDA, Greg Razer of Senator Claire McCaskill’s office, State Representative Allen Andrews, and Stan Wolfe of USDA. The USDA allocates 5-7 of these grants a year and projects so approved move to the top of the priority list for future funding should the city decide to move forward.

Worth County Partnership Library Receives $100,000 Loan

The Worth County Partnership Library received a $100,000 zero interest loan from USDA and United Electric Cooperative that will be used to expand the library to include a children’s room. This will allow patrons to use the library during school hours without interrupting instructional time for the kids. It will also allow the library to purchase more books, since it will free up more space in the main room.

The loan was a partnership of USDA and United Electric. United Electric selects the projects and the USDA loans out the money. With the new money, Worth County and Grant City have received $1.8 million in the last five years. The USDA allocates $1.2 billion annually to rural development in Missouri. None of this goes to big cities like Kansas City or St. Louis. It was announced on the same day Grant City got a grant to do a preliminary engineering report for its wastewater project.

The Worth County Public Library was founded in 1928; proceeds from the sale of a cookbook were used to raise money to purchase books for the library. It was located in the American Legion Hall until 1976, when it relocated to the old school building located where the firehouse is now. In 2003, the old school building was in danger of caving in after years of deterioration and the Public Library merged with the School Library to form the state’s first ever partnership library; it moved to its present location on the south end of the school.

For the last several years, the library had sought to expand on the north end, but never had the necessary funds. The school library and the public library got money from the Duane Coy Estate; he had been a member of the Grant City Class of 1938 and had moved away from the area.
Janice Borey helped write the application for the $100,000 loan.

In addition, $75,000 from public library funds, $25,000 from school library funds, and $25,000 of Coy Estate money will be used to fund the project for a total price tag of $225,000.

The Library Board is in the process of getting bids for the new project. The library is open weekdays from 1:30 to 5:30 and is open when school is in session. It employs a public librarian and a school librarian. The library offers an annual summer reading program for kids and recently added an e-book collection.

Six Elementary Track Records Fall at Worth County

Kindergarten:
Audrey Runde broke the record in the 200 meter run with a time of 45.36.  The record was held by Keira Hardy with a time of 46.92 in 2015.

Fourth Grade:
Tyler New broke the 75 meter record with a time of 12.00.  The record was held by Levi Cassavaugh with a time of 12.13 in 2015.

Tyler New also broke the 100 meter record with a time of 14.00.  The record was held by Tevin Cameron with a time of 15.68 in 2010.

Fifth Grade:
Levi Cassavaugh broke the 75 meter record with a time of 11.33.  The record was held by Zac Carr with a time of 11.64 in 2008.

Levi Cassavaugh also broke the 100 meter record with a time of 15.07.  The record was held by John Shipley with a time of 15.20 in 1984.


Asher Morin broke the Softball Throw record with a throw of 149’9”.  The record was held by Terry VanGundy in 2008 with 147’4”.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Burlington Junction Man Faces Marijuana Charges

A Burlington Junction man is facing marijuana charges in Worth County Circuit Court. Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Brad Maudlin filed a probable cause statement alleging that on April 18th, he observed a vehicle being driven by Trevor Meyer of Burlington Junction traveling on 46 near 180th Street at a high rate of speed. Maudlin stated in his affidavit that he detected an odor of marijuana, performed a search of his vehicle, and found a bag of marijuana. Maudlin also stated that Meyer admitted to being around friends who had smoked and that he had gotten the bag from a friend. Meyer was also ticketed for driving 68 miles per hour.

Based on these allegations, Prosecuting Attorney David Baird filed charges on May 17th. All charges are merely allegations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Sheridan Woman Charged with DWI

A Sheridan woman was charged with DWI in Worth County Circuit Court last Tuesday. Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper Brad Maudlin filed a probable cause statement alleging that on April 22nd at 10:45 pm, he stopped a vehicle driven by Melissa Sue Eckert (32) of Sheridan for failure to stay on the right half of the roadway. Maudlin stated in his affidavit that he detected an odor of alcohol, that her eyes were watery, glassy, and bloodshot, and that there was a male passenger and two children in the vehicle. Based on breath samples and field sobriety tests, Maudlin arrested her. She was also ticketed for improper turn signal.

Based on these allegations, Prosecuting Attorney David Baird filed charges on May 17th. She is being represented by Jared Welch. Charges listed are merely allegations; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Parnell Woman Charged with Driving While Suspended

Charges were filed last Tuesday alleging that a Parnell resident, Maggie Ueligger (22), drove while suspended. Trooper Brad Maudlin filed a probable cause statement alleging that on April 20th at 12:17 am on Highway 169, he observed her driving with expired plates. She turned onto Lyon without signaling and stopped. Maudlin stated in the probable cause affidavit that he knew that her license was suspended and alleged in his affidavit that she had been cited on December 9th and failed to respond in 30 days to a notice from the Missouri Fine Collection Center. Maudlin alleged that a suspension notice was subsequently sent to the Missouri Department of Revenue on February 8th. Ueligger was also ticketed for no seat belt and no insurance.

Based on these allegations, Prosecuting Attorney David Baird filed charges on May 17th. Charges listed are allegations; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Grant City VFW Performs Flag Dedication Ceremony for Denver Schoolhouse

Grant City VFW Post 3123 of Grant City performed a flag dedication ceremony at the Denver Schoolhouse Saturday.

Commander Robert Hull led the ceremony. “We have the honor today of presenting the National Standard, the Flag of the United States, to this worthy organization on this occasion. We bring the heartiest greetings from the officers and members of Post 3123, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. As one of the highlights of our community service and youth activities programs, it is a great pleasure to us to be able to present to you this symbol of our great republic to you, the Denver Betterment Committee.

Officer of the Day Joe Marshall presented Helen Foster the American Flag and with the assistance of John Kenny, they raised the American Flag in honor and memory of Rick Meyers, who had passed away in Denver two years ago. As they raised the flag, Joe Marshall led all in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Honor Guard of Post 3123 was brought to attention and presented arms, hand salutes, and rifle salutes. A prayer to ask the blessing of our national colors was spoken.

After the prayer, there was a rifle volley and the National Anthem was played.

A flag pole was donated to the Veterans of Foreign Wars and refurbished by the members of Post 3123 and also donated for the dedication.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary was represented by Sandra Marshall.

The VFW Post 3123 members and officers were Commander Robert Hull, Quartermaster and Adjutant Joe Marshall, VFW Post Flag Bearer Harold Fletchall, and Rifle Squad members were John (Jack) Cottrell and Will Brown.

Worth County Sheriff's Report

5-16 -- Officers on court duty.
5-16 -- Person in needing ID/OD on car.
5-17 -- Person in with court papers.
5-17 -- Officer out to do ID/OD on resident's car.
5-18 -- Officers on funeral traffic.
5-19 -- Four people in for CCW permits.
5-20 -- Person calls about child car seat in extended cab pickup.
5-20 -- Person reports missing meds from home.
5-21 -- Report of horses out.
5-21 -- Residents call about hitchhiker on 46 going towards Sheridan.

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Sheridan CBC Hosts First Event at Revamped Rodeo Grounds

The Sheridan CBC hosted its first event at the new rodeo grounds Sunday as they put on the first of five horse shows. There will be new lighting, new seating, a new storage shed, new fencing, and a new concession stand. The press box was moved to the southwest end of the grounds to accommodate the new bleachers. The lights were donated by Kawasaki; the old lights were casting a shadow and there were some dark spots in the arena during night events.

There were a few spills and the first horse show of the year was not without its controversy. Henry Rowen claimed that he could beat his son anytime, something that son Dustin disputed vehemently, claiming the scorekeepers got them mixed up in the flag race. It was all in good fun despite a few spills and uncooperative horses. It is never too young or too late to learn to ride a horse; one of the youngest horseback riders was Brianna Lynn Riley.

3rd Annual Jim Hanks Memorial Concert

The third annual Jim Hanks Memorial Concert will be held June 11th at the Worth County High School Gym. It will feature Just Country/Laplanders and the Rock N’ Country Variety Show. It will be held from 5 pm to 8 pm. Proceeds will benefit the Region 1 EMS Honor Guard. Free will donations will be accepted; all donations are tax deductible.

Arkansas Man Ticketed for Driving 99 MPH

An Arkansas man was ticketed by Patrol Officer Brad Maudlin for doing 99 miles per hour in a 60 miles per hour zone. Maudlin’s ticket alleged that on May 5th, the defendant traveled 99 miles per hour on 169 and 190th Street at around 8:55 that morning.

Another traffic ticket was filed in Worth County Circuit Court. Trooper Sullivan filed a ticket alleging that Mary Jo Fletchall (43) of Worth failed to register her vehicle; she was also ticketed for failure to wear a seat belt. She was stopped at the 169 and 46 intersection at around 6:54 pm on May 5th.

Dalton Miller of Grant City was charged last Tuesday with failure to register a vehicle and failure to secure a 15 year old in a seat belt. Trooper Maudlin issued the ticket on May 5th at 11 pm at McKinley and Lyon in Grant City.

Charges listed are allegations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Astronomical Price Tag Looms for Grant City Wastewater

An astronomical price tag looms over Grant City's wastewater treatment as DNR is leaning on cities to upgrade their wastewater systems. The Clean Water Act requires state DNR's to have standards at least as stringent as EPA, or the EPA will take over management of the state system. They have done so for four states, which they deem to have not met Clean Water standards. EPA is seeking to avoid runoff from going into rivers and downstream into the Gulf of Mexico, where there is a massive dead zone in addition to the BP Oil Disaster as well as other such spills.

The city learned at their regular meeting Wednesday that an estimated price tag for Albany would be $5-6 million and $5 million for Stanberry; these are two cities which are slightly larger than Grant City. Even if Grant City's price tag comes out to $4 million and USDA grants and loans cover half of that, that is still a steep price tag for Grant City to come up with. Mayor Debbie Roach said that there were efforts to set up a regional treatment facility and pipe Grant City's wastewater and other communities there. One possible location was Darlington.

Rolling Hills of Albany offered to partner with Grant City on recycling. It would cost each resident $2/month, and it would go on their utility bill each month. Pickup would be every other Thursday, and they could start as soon as the middle of July. They take all recyclables except for glass, and nothing has to be sorted except for cardboard and paper. They provide bags, or people could use their own, preferably grocery bags that are not plastic. Pickup time would be around 9 am. The city tabled the proposal until next month's meeting.

Water Superintendent Caleb Moyer reported that he had gotten the pool fixed for summer and had patched some cracks.

Public Works Director Carl Staton reported that the city had cleaned out streets and potholes. The city put up the old Dodge pickup for sale. The city paid off the rest of the pool loan. The city ordered a new volleyball net, as the old one had worn out. Staton said that the city was not responsible for ruts that were created if it mowed along the city right of way, which is 33 feet from the center of city streets. Property owners are responsible for mowing along the city right of way; however, if the grass gets high enough, the city reserves the right to mow.

The city said that there was a problem with junk cars at a house across the street from Hy-Vee.

The city said that permits are required to have a semi-truck bed on one's property in town.

The city received compliments for its work on the road running by Jerry Drake's.

City cleanup day was set for June 4th. The city rescheduled its regular council meeting to June 22nd.

Mustang Baseball Catches Second Wind, Falls Just Short of District Title

Andrew Webster had his last hurrah at North Nodaway. His team was mired in a three-game losing streak after having gotten the second seed in the tournament at West Nodaway and being in the drivers seat for most of the way in the conference race. They ran into North Harrison for their last game of the season; the Shamrocks had beaten them 7-5 earlier in the year for their only win of the season. They had to regroup, since they had lost Dakota Smyser for the year to a broken ankle.

The Mustangs fell behind by five runs in that game, but chipped away and won 12-11 in a wild game. Peyton Coleman struck out five, Kendrick Calfee struck out two, and Arron Coleman struck out two in the win. Peyton Coleman hit a 3-run home run while Ben Hart, Augustus Hoepker, and Daytona Lutz all had two hits each. Hart drove in three and Lutz drove in two.

"We realized that we were still the two seed at the tournament, and we wanted to play like it," said Webster. They did, as they put together their best game of the year and beat Platte Valley 6-0. The Mustangs had beaten the Longhorns twice by close scores earlier in the year; frequently, it is tough to beat an evenly matched team three times. But the Mustangs pulled it off for their first-ever district win behind the pitching of Koby Reynolds. He gave up only two hits, walked one, and struck out eight behind only 81 pitches, meaning he could still pitch three innings against Braymer if needed. Peyton Coleman hit a home run and drove in three for his second home run in two games. Ben Hart also hit a home run and added a single and two RBI's. Kendrick Calfee scored two runs, and Garrett Torres and Daytona Lutz scored one each.

That pitted them against Braymer, a team they had beaten 13-10 earlier in the year. But this time, Braymer trotted out their best pitcher in Jordan Miller and he shut them down, limiting them to only one hit as the Bobcats won 4-0 to take the district title. He started off wildly, walking two batters and another runner reached on an error, but Arron Coleman popped out and Garrett Torres grounded into a force at third. It still looked like it would be North Nodaway's game as Kendrick Calfee made a diving catch to rob a base hit from Miller and take a sure run away from the Bobcats in the second inning. But then Calfee was thrown out trying to go to third on a wild pitch. Koby Reynolds singled up the middle; Logan O'Dell snared it but had no play in the third. That turned out to be the last baserunner for North Nodaway.

In the bottom of the third, Paul Atherton beat out a scratch hit down the third base line and scored on Gabe Rogers' double when the ball dropped in for a pop fly single in right center and rolled away from Wyatt Tate.

In the fourth, Logan O'Dell's pop fly kept carrying on Arron Coleman at third, assisted by a breeze that blew out to left. It dropped in for a double and O'Dell took third as Coleman could not get back to the bag in time to cover and nobody else covered. Later, he beat out a force attempt at home to make it 2-0. Braymer tried to manufacture another run in the inning when Miller attempted a straight steal of home, but he was tagged out on a close play to end the fourth.

Webster put in Reynolds after the fourth after Peyton Coleman had pitched the first four, but Braymer got two more in the sixth when Atherton's grounder down the first base line hit the bag and rolled to the wall for extra bases, scoring Drake Parker and Jake Gladieux.

"We started out as freshmen and sophomores, we kept working on the fundamentals, and we won more games this year than the first two years combined," said Webster. "We lost to a good team; we hit the ball well, but it was right at people." Webster told the Express that he would be leaving North Nodaway and become an assistant football coach and teacher at Kennett (MO), which is located in the bootheel of the state. He will assist his old high school football coach, who has been in the process of turning that program around.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Route C to Close Monday, May 23rd

The first of two bridges on Route C receiving new bridge decks will close Monday, May 23, 2016. The bridge over Weldon Branch is located just south of Route J and will be closed early on the morning of May 23, 2016. The Panther Creek Bridge, located north of Route J, will close after Memorial Day to allow more time for planting season. During these closures, motorists will need to use alternate routes.

Contractors working with the Missouri Department of Transportation plan to have both bridges completed in July. All scheduled work is subject to change and delays may change the completion date.

Both bridges were built in 1969. The Weldon Branch Bridge carries approximately 600 cars per day, while the Panther Creek Bridges handles approximately 400 cars per day. MoDOT has 10,400 bridges on the state system, including more than 1,300 in the 20 counties of the Northwest District. Most of the state’s bridges were designed and built to last 50 years. These bridge deck replacements are part of a diligent program of inspection, repair and maintenance that keeps these structures in service.

MoDOT encourages all motorists to slow down, buckle up, and eliminate distractions to ensure everyone is able to Arrive Alive.

For more information about this and other MoDOT projects, call 1-888-ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/northwest and view the online Traveler Information Map. In addition, MoDOT provides updated information on Twitter @MoDOTNorthwest and Facebook at www.facebook.com/MoDOTNWDistrict.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Long Branch Cemetery in Gaynor Seeking Donations

Do you have relatives buried in small town or country cemeteries? Do you realize that in the past, the mowing for those cemeteries was funded by the interest on a perpetual care CD? Needless to say, the past several years have not been good for the care of these cemeteries. Interest rates have fallen so much that the income on these CD’s will not pay for the mowing needed each summer. Therefore, these cemeteries depend on donations from folks whose loved ones are buried there. Please, this Memorial Day weekend or anytime, remember these little cemeteries with a donation to help pay for the mowing and upkeep.

Joyce Hennegin
Maryville, MO

Hennegin is the secretary/treasurer of the Long Branch Cemetery in Gaynor. Send donations to Joyce Hennegin, 21244 State Highway 148, Maryville, MO, 64468.

McCaskill Takes Wind out of Flimsy Arguments for Loosening Robocall Restrictions

The Worth County Sheriff's Department routinely gets calls from people who got called by phone scammers. Now, certain multinational corporations want to make even more robocalls to people. Senator Claire McCaskill is seeking to fight these efforts.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today used a Senate hearing to continue her fight to protect consumers from unwanted robocalls, and push back against those who want to make it easier for unwanted calls to reach consumers.   “This is not that complicated,” said McCaskill, a senior member of the Commerce Committee, addressing claims that a variety of businesses, including hospitals, are facing lawsuits from people receiving unsolicited robocalls. “All you have to have is the permission of the person you're calling. I mean you guys make this sound like it’s an impossible thing to do… you have somebody who leaves your hospital and you guys can’t manage to get their permission to follow up with them by phone? Why is that so economically difficult for you?... You guys need to understand this. This is the biggest consumer problem in the country. No bigger problem… and you all are in here whining about these poor businesses and [saying] consumers really want them—they don’t want them. They don’t want them.”

 McCaskill continued: “We know from hearings we’ve had in this committee that the technology is available that the carriers could adopt. And it’s been clarified by the [Federal Communications Commission] that there is no duty to connect calls that prohibits them from adopting this technology. They can adopt the technology and make it available to the consumers that allows the consumers to opt out, without having to take these calls. And what we’re really trying to do here—we’re not trying to punish people with litigation—we’re trying to put power in the hands of the consumer.”

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, signed into law in 1991, prohibits automated calls and text messages to consumers’ cell phones without express consent of the recipient. Violators are subject to fines ranging from $500 to $1,500 per violation, and some companies have faced large fines and lawsuits in recent years. A number of business groups are seeking changes to the law that would make it easier to place robocalls to cell phones.   McCaskill has introduced legislation, the Robocall and Call Spoofing Enforcement Improvements Act, to increase fines and penalties on robocall violators, streamline enforcement, expand the statute of limitations on violators, and enforce anti-spoofing provisions against violators outside the U.S. who target consumers inside the U.S.   McCaskill—an outspoken critic of a provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 that rolled back the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by allowing callers collecting federal debts to make robocalls—recently announced her support for a bill that would repeal this provision. The legislation is backed by several prominent consumer groups, including the Consumer Federation of American and Consumers Union.

After years of sustained pressure from McCaskill, the nation’s top telecom regulator last year voted 4-1 to clarify that phone companies can legally offer to their customers technology already available in other countries to block robocalls and other unwanted calls. McCaskill has strongly encouraged companies to adopt this technology;helped lead a Senate hearing on robocalls, call spoofing, and other phone scams; and introduced bipartisan legislation, along with Republican Senator Susan Collins, to prevent scam artists from using phone technology to target victims.   In the lead-up to tax day, McCaskill recently urged the Internal Revenue Service to combat fraudulent robocalls from scam artists pretending to be government tax agents.

Last year, when Congress authorized the use of robocalls for government debt collection. McCaskill opposed these efforts, out of concern that such calls would confuse consumers and muddy the agency’s message that the IRS never calls individuals. The agency’s messaging efforts were partly spurred by a McCaskill investigation last year.

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Joe Lieberman, Jon Huntsman Call for Throwing Even More People Off Welfare

Today, former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman unveiled 60 different policy proposals that they say have the support of the great majority of the American people. Many of them seem worthwhile, but many others don’t go nearly far enough when compared to the spirit of the New Deal. The overriding principle is getting rid of the national deficit. Unfortunately, one of their proposals involves throwing even more people off welfare who they deem to be too lazy.
Our greater concern ought to be about what the debt level -- now topping $19 trillion or about $150,000 of debt for every household in America -- means for our future. Interest on the debt is the fastest growing item in the federal budget.  The U.S. spent an astounding $223 billion in interest payments last year. That number is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2020, “a lot of money,” one analyst observed, “to be spending on something that doesn’t do anything for you.” It’s a lot of money that won’t be spent on repairing America’s aging infrastructure or investing in our children’s future.  
If you go to their website, www.nolabels.org, you can view all 60 of their proposals. Here is the proposal on welfare:
Receiving welfare or other forms of public assistance should be conditioned upon recipients actively looking for employment if they are able. Tightening welfare requirements could also help fix the “welfare cliff” that can discourage people from working or accepting better-paying jobs for fear of abruptly losing benefits.
Supposedly, 82% of Americans support this proposal. Their About Section says that these ideas were polled:
*Polling data derived from three national surveys conducted by Cohen Research Group in February and March 2016. Each survey had a sample size of at least 1,000 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.
Cohen Research is a company which does data research for corporate clients.
First of all, what we find is that people tend to respond to polls depending on who is doing the questioning. For instance, people are much more likely to give a conservative answer is FOX News is doing the questioning, for instance. Secondly, this proposal to kick people off welfare is totally antithetical to the Second Bill of Rights that was part of the New Deal:
The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the Nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident and unemployment;
The right to a good education.
If we don’t make having a good job with a living wage a basic right, then kicking people off welfare doesn’t make sense. No Labels lamely acknowledges the problem of people who are long-term unemployed:
For example, Gov. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska unveiled a plan last year that provides one-on-one training and counseling for unemployed workers, along with individualized “re-employment” plans that work with local employers to match their needs. Nebraska estimated that 6,800 new workers were added into the workforce as a result and hope to add more over the coming years.
Congress should allocate more funding towards nation-wide projects that mimic local efforts already underway in states like Nebraska.
To reduce chronic unemployment, Congress should require long-term unemployed persons to participate in a reemployment or vocational training program that provides the advising, skills and credentials necessary to become employed or reemployed. This process could be further reinforced with partnerships in industry.
This helps, but doesn’t go far enough. For instance, how much would it cost the worker? Would they have to go into even more debt just for the possibility of getting a job? What would be the consequences for not participating in such a program? This ignores the fact that many people who have jobs nonetheless are still on welfare. For instance, Wal-Mart tells people who want more money to go to the nearest welfare office. 
And even assuming that 82% of Americans are on board with this plan, the Constitution is designed to protect the minority against the tyranny of the majority. It doesn’t do any good to stigmatize one’s fellow human beings by refusing to provide full employment on the one hand and then turn around and call people who can’t get a job lazy when they are among the unlucky ones left out in the cold.
And what No Labels omits is just as telling as what they propose. They sweep the problem of race under the rug. It is just like the administration of Grover Cleveland, who tried to pretend that the problem of race didn’t exist anymore and that we were now a colorblind society. The reality is that racism is alive and well in this country. The May 17th Washington Post reported that schools are now actually resegregating, suggesting that two causes of long-term unemployment are racism and lack of opportunity. 
Mr. Lieberman and Mr. Huntsman may be right that we have a Constitutional obligation to pay off the interest, but what we found was that when the economy performs strong enough, as it did under Bill Clinton, when we created 20 million new jobs, the deficit will be wiped out on its own. The deficits came back when George Bush put in his infamous tax cuts and committed war crimes costing taxpayers trillions of dollars. 
Our first priority has to be to create a society with full employment by fueling growth industries that both create jobs and protect us against climate change. That would mean pushing more wind, solar, and geothermal along with phasing out coal and fracking. We can also resurrect the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration as well. Our next priority has to be to identify and fuel other such industries. We can cut our military spending by two thirds and still maintain the strongest army in the world. Then, we can stop all the tax evasion by breaking up the big banks, getting rid of corporate tax inversion, and cracking down on the practice of offshoring. The Panama Papers merely scratch the surface of what is available to us. That, plus cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse in government will give us all the money we need to fuel a New Deal for the 21st Century.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Clara Belle Kobbe was Mother to Two Prominent Sheridan Women

Clara Belle Kobbe was mother to two prominent Sheridan women, Georgie Wake and Wilma Allee. She was 81 years old when she passed away.

Georgie Wake was a lady of deep faith who lived to be 103 and who took care of herself almost to the end. She passed on her deep faith to the rest of her family, including Bob and Lana Wake; Lana recently passed away.

Wilma Allee was an outspoken lady who always let you know exactly what she thought. She was a diehard Cardinals fan and players and managers could find themselves in her penthouse one day and her doghouse the next. On the flip side, she had a zany sense of humor, which she passed on to her family. Her family was very tight-knit; on what would have been her 93rd birthday, they came to the old Lions Building where the Sheridan Community Building is now located and released balloons into the sky in her honor. They were both one of a kind people who made the community go.

Mrs. Kobbe had 10 daughters and four sons – Mrs. Stanley Hensley, Mrs. Wake, Mrs. Allee, Mrs. Viola Downey, Mrs. Neva Fatting, Mrs. Fern McCrary, Mrs. Madeline Brown, Mrs. Audrey Courtner, Mrs. Jene Huff, Mrs. Naomi King, Dale Kobbe, Forrest Kobbe, Kenneth Kobbe, and Keith Kobbe. She also had one sister, Mrs. Ruby Robinson. She also had 61 grandchildren and 54 great-grandchildren along with one great-great grandchild.

Services were held at the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City. The Rev. L.B. Day officiated. She is buried in the Honey Grove Cemetery north of Grant City.

Grant City Receives SEARCH Grant for Wastewater Treatment

The USDA announced today that the City of Grant City will receive a Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (SEARCH) grant. The funds will be used to assist in obtaining a preliminary engineering report regarding needed improvements to the wastewater system.

The Missouri DNR has been pushing communities, including Sheridan and Grant City, to upgrade their wastewater systems. The City of Grant City has been in the process of planning upgrades and getting price quotes. By federal law, state DNR’s must have clean water plans that are at least as stringent as federal plans, or the EPA will take over regulation of water systems.

Obituary -- Jolene Umphry 1947-2016

Jolene was born October 2, 1947 to Joe C. and Lometa P. Brammer in Corning, Iowa. She lost her courageous battle to cancer on May 15, 2016 surrounded by her family.
     
She was married to Leo Hingely in 1963 and to this union was born Randy Lee and James Walter.
     
Jolene married to Danny A. Fletchall in 1970. To this union was born Mary Jo Fletchall.
     
Jolene married Garry Umphry June 25, 2010. It was instant love. He never left her side and he was her best friend, companion and wonderful caregiver until the end.
     
Preceding her in death was her parents Joseph and Lometa Brammer, husband Leo Hingely, husband Danny Flethcall, infant sister Mary, brother Billy and a very special little angel Michaela.
     
Surviving are husband Garry of the home, son Randy (Katey) Fletchall,  son, Jim (Deb) Fletchall, daughter Mary Jo Fletchall, son, Garry Umphry, daughter Tracy Mann, brother Larry (Michele) Brammer, sister Cynthia (Jack) Campbell,  sisters-in-law Kay Gage, Sue Wilmes, and  Pat Hicks, 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.   
     
Jolene enjoyed dancing, gardening, her flowers, spending time with Garry, and her family. She will be missed by all of those who were blessed by her loving, caring spirit.

     
Funeral services will be held at Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City, Missouri at 10:30 A. M. Wednesday, May 18th with visitation one hour before services. Burial will be in the Fletchall Cemetery, Grant City, Missouri. Memorials may be made to Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home or the family. 

Monday, May 16, 2016

Three Plead Guilty to Traffic Tickets

Three people pleaded guilty to traffic tickets in Worth County Associate Circuit Court Monday. Chase LaFollette pleaded guilty to failure to wear a seat belt. He must pay a fine of $10. A charge of no insurance and a charge of an intermediate driver's license violation were dismissed.

Tina Rowe pleaded guilty to operating without a valid license. She was fined $52.50 with court costs of $66.50.

Brevyn Ross pleaded guilty to two seat belt tickets. He was fined $20.

Worth County Man Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Charges

A Worth County man, Dallas Monticue, pleaded guilty in Worth County Associate Circuit Court Monday to unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. Highway Patrol Officer Brad Maudlin filed an affidavit alleging that on May 14th (Saturday) at around 10:35, he observed Monticue in a Chrysler Sebring on Route F near Elk Street northeast of Sheridan traveling 75 miles per hour in a 55 mile per hour zone. Mr. Maudlin said in his affidavit that he detected an odor of marijuana, got consent from Monticue to search his vehicle, and found a marijuana grinder and a small amount of marijuana. Mr. Maudlin stated in his affidavit that Monticue admitted to possessing the grinder after being advised of his Miranda rights.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Monticue must pay a $100 fine and enter a 12 month treatment program starting May 17th. He must also pay court costs of $114.50.

Two Worth County People Plead Guilty to DWI

Two Worth County people pleaded guilty in Associate Circuit Court to DWI. Dillon Schrock (19) pleaded guilty Monday and was fined $200 and given a 60 day suspended sentence. Schrock cannot possess or consume alcohol, complete his SATOP by August 16th, and comply with all sanctions associated with the loss of his license. He must also pay $114.50 in court costs, $25 payment plan fee, a $48 highway patrol fee, and $96 in jail keep. Schrock must make payments of $40/month beginning July 1st.

Taylor Ridge (32) pleaded guilty to DWI Monday. He must serve two years probation, pay fines and court costs of $252.50. He must also successfully complete SATOP.

Worth County Sheriff's Report

5-9 – Person in for statement form.
5-9 – Two people in for CCW permits.
5-9 – Person in for statement form.
5-10 – Person in for CCW permit.
5-10 – Person in to register as sex offender.
5-10 – Two in to get CCW permits.
5-11 – Officer investigating domestic disturbance in Sheridan.
5-12 – Cattle out on Route PP; owner notified.
5-12 – Person calls about credit card scam.
5-13 – Highway Patrol and Worth County Sheriff’s Department investigates rollover on Route C.
5-13 – Calf out on Route E; owner notified.
5-13 – Highway Patrol assisted by Worth County Sheriff investigating trash truck and fertilizer cart accident on Route C.
5-14 – Officer on traffic stop with vehicle search.

MDC Offers to Pay Landowners for Public Access to Land

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering a new program to increase public access to private lands for hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. The Missouri Outdoor Recreational Access Program (MRAP) provides incentive payments to private landowners who volunteer to open their properties to the public for these types of outdoor activities. Additional incentives are also available to enhance wildlife habitat on enrolled lands. The program will focus mostly on enrolling lands in northern Missouri where public access opportunities are generally more limited.

Landowners can apply for MRAP starting June 1 until July 15. Approved landowners will be notified in August with enrolled lands becoming open for public use this fall.
Offered lands must meet eligibility requirements such as being at least 40 contiguous acres or at least a one-acre pond for fishing access. Land must also contain minimum amounts of quality wildlife habitat such as native grass fields, crop-field buffers, restored wetlands, or managed woodlands.
Thanks to grant funding through the USDA Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program, the Department plans to enroll up to 10,000 acres statewide with emphasis on north Missouri. Tracts near major urban centers will also be targeted, as well as lands with abundant wildlife habitat.

Applying landowners may select one of six public-access options: All Access Hunting and Fishing, Small Game and Turkey Hunting, Youth Only Hunting and Fishing, Archery Hunting, Fishing Only, or Wildlife Viewing.

MRAP lands are open to foot traffic only and area users self-register at designated property entry points. Parking typically occurs along roadsides. Public access is only for types of use agreed upon by the landowner and posted at entry points. Participating landowners are offered liability protection under Missouri’s Recreational Use Immunity Law.

Annual payment rates will be determined by the access type selected by the landowner, amount of quality habitat available, committed participation length, and other factors. Most landowners will likely earn $15-$25 per acre each year they participate. Payment rates for fishing-only access will be on an adjusted scale and will be based largely on impoundment size or stream length.  

Obituary -- Maxine Callaway 1924-2016

Maxine Callaway was born February 3, 1924 to Mike and Zella May Fletchall. She departed this life May 14, 2016 at the Worth County Convalescent Center in Grant City, MO at the age of 92. Maxine and her 8 brothers and sister lived around the Grant City and Worth area until 1941. She was united in marriage to Jessie Grace. They made their home by the Iowa Missouri border north of Sheridan, and they were engaged in farming. Jessie passed away in 1969, Maxine then moved to Maryville, MO where she worked as a waitress and nurse's aide. In 1978 she married Joseph Callaway, and moved to St. Joseph, MO where they resided until Joe's passing in 2006. Maxine then moved back to Grant City, MO, where she resided until her passing. Maxine was a nature lover, especially when it came to feeding and watching the birds. She loved to bake. Her specialty was homemade bread and her wonderful cinnamon rolls. She was baptized and accepted Jesus as her savior. Her faith was a big part of her life. She loved and served the Lord with great devotion and read his words, faithfully. 

Left behind to cherish Maxine's memory is her daughter, Joyce (Galen) Gamel; son-in-law, Robert Jackson; sister, Irene Dye; Sisters-in-law, Jody Callaway, Joyce Handke, and Juanita Maulden; Grandchildren, Rodney Jackson, Chad Jackson, Jenny Conrad and Mindi Newberry; eight Great Grandchildren and one Great-Great Grandchild; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews. She also leaves behind numerous close friends. Maxine was proceeded in death by her daughter, Elaine Jackson and her 7 brothers and sisters. The family will receive friends from 1-2 PM Tuesday with a funeral service to be conducted at 2:00 PM at the Rupp Funeral Home. Interment Sugar Creek Cemetery, Rushville, MO. Memorials to the SSM Health - St. Francis Hospital.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Jacob Auten, Kenna LaFollette Receive Worth County Graduation Honors

25 students graduated from Worth County Sunday; Jacob Auten was named valedictorian and Kenna LaFollette Salutatorian. Graduating were Dylanie Abplanalp, Chris Alarcon, Chris Allen, Tess Andrews, Jacob Auten, Lydia Babb, Ben Badell, Zach Beier, Shadow Briner, Adrian Fletchall, Jacob Hardy, Rikky Hunt, Dylan Huntsman, Kenna LaFollette, Montana Lykins, Tristan Miller, Truman Moore, Nate Pointer, Taylor Raymond, Brevyn Ross, Will Runde, Jackson Rush, Ryan Smyser, Willie Wilson, and Rune Zinn-Scheiffele.

Graduating with honors were Dylanie Abplanalp, Chris Allen, Tess Andrews, Jacob Hardy, Rikky Hunt, Kenna LaFollette, Montana Lykins, Truman Moore, Taylor Raymond, and Ryan Smyser. Graduating with highest honors was Jacob Auten.

Kenna LaFollette was President. Other officers were Jacob Hardy (Vice-President), Rikky Hunt (Secretary and Student Council Representative), and Tess Andrews (Treasurer and Student Council Representative). Sponsors were Bryce Schafer and Sean Thurm. The class motto was, “Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect.” Class colors were chrome and teal. The class flower was a teal carnation with chrome ribbon. Class song was, “Here I Go Again.”

Dylanie Abplanalp plans to take summer classes at MCCKC Longview. Chris Alarcon plans to attend Peru State. Chris Allen plans to join the US Army and become an Apache helicopter mechanic. Tess Andrews plans to take online classes through Ashworth College and pursue a degree in Psychiatric Studies. Jacob Auten plans to attend Northwest Missouri State. Lydia Babb plans to attend Northwest Technical School and take classes in culinary arts. Ben Badell plans to attend Northwest Technical School and work for Mike’s Garage in Allendale. Zach Beier plans to attend Southwest Iowa Community College.

Adrian Fletchall plans to take online classes through the Art Institute of Pittsburg and move to Branson. Jacob Hardy plans to attend Northwest Technical School and work in a shop. Rikky Hunt plans to attend Missouri Western. Dylan Huntsman plans to enter the workforce. Kenna LaFollette plans to attend LSU to become a lawyer. Montana Lykins plans to attend Northwest Technical School for Auto Body Repair. Tristan Miller and Truman Moore plan to attend Northwest Technical School. Nate Pointer plans to join the US Army. Taylor Raymond plans to attend Truman State and double major in Psychology/Anthropology to become a substance abuse counselor.

Brevyn Ross and Will Runde plan to attend Northwest Technical School. Jackson Rush plans to attend Northwest Technical School for Welding and Automotive Technician. Ryan Smyser plans to attend Fort Scott (KS) to major in Farm and Ranch Management. Willie Wilson plans to attend Northwest Technical School to become an Auto Technician. Rune Zinn-Scheiffele plans to go to SCC and ASU for Aeronautical Engineering.

Teacher Julia (Moore) Wideman addressed the graduates and told them that they could achieve anything through self-discipline. She encouraged the kids to go to someone successful and ask them hard questions like one student in juvenile detention did when she was teaching at the facility. She said that discipline was for their own good, like the time that some girls were putting lipstick on the bathroom walls and Jeannie Fletcher, the custodian, had to take each class to the bathroom and show them how hard it was for her to clean the bathrooms every day.

She said that no matter what their circumstances were, they were in charge of themselves and the consequences from self-discipline were amazing. “If you don’t discipline yourself, others will discipline you or life will,” she said. “You’re going to look 15-20 years down the road and wonder how you got there.”

One time, Mrs. Wideman recounted that one of her children when through a phase where they kept getting in trouble. His excuse – “’Steve’ told me I could do whatever I want.” Steve was a character on a TV show whom the kids were obviously very familiar with. “There are a whole new set of rules and expectations for you,” said Mrs. Wideman. “Choose, but choose wisely.”

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Obituary -- Lana Wake 1953-2016

Lana Kay (Dannar) Wake, age 62, passed away May 11, 2016 at home with her family by her side.

Lana was born May 12, 1953 in Maryville, Missouri the daughter of the late J.W. (Buster) and Gladys (Chenoweth) Dannar.

She was united in marriage to Robert A. Wake, November 12, 1971 at the Grant City Baptist Church.   To this union three children were born; Lacey, Chad and Kayna.

Lana was a graduate of Grant City High School and Platte Business College.   Lana worked for the United States Postal Service from 
1974 to 2005 when she retired as a postmaster. Bob and Lana attended the Christian Church in Grant City.

Preceding her in death were her parents and one sister-in-law Barbara New.

Her survivors include; Husband Bob of the home, daughters Kayna (Tyler) Cameron, Grant City, Lacey (Sam) Conn, St. Joseph, Missouri, son Chad (Sabrina) Wake, Kansas City, Missouri; brothers Jay Dannar, Ravenwood, Missouri, Larry (Sarah) Dannar, Trenton, Missouri; sister-in-laws Joyce (Don) Piveral, Pickering, Missouri, Phyllis Wiley, Maryville, Missouri; brother-in-law Ken New, Ravenwood; grandchildren Lucas and Lincoln Wake, Grant, Jace, and Hudson Cameron, Carrigan and Locklyn Conn; and many nieces and nephews.


Graveside services and burial will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, May 13, at the Wake Family Cemetery (Route W and Grouse Ave).  Grant City, Missouri.  In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Grant City Christian Church.  Arrangements: Andrewshannfuneralhome.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

#MizzouMade -- Max Scherzer Strikes Out 20 in a Game

Former Mizzou baseball product Max Scherzer struck out 20 in a game tonight while pitching for the Washington Nationals against his former mates, the Detroit Tigers. He pitched a complete game, giving up six hits, two runs, no walks, and 20 strikeouts. He needed 119 pitches to accomplish his feat. He tied a major league record with his effort.

Scherzer was a dominant pitcher for Missouri before he hit the big time in the major leagues. He was born with a rare genetic condition in which he had two eyes of different colors. In 2005, he struck out a school record 131 batters. He has been inducted into the Missouri Intercollegiate Sports Hall of Fame. In 2006, he struck out future Royals star Alex Gordon, already one of the top prospects in the game at the time.

The following is a video that Mizzou posted about him:

The Ideal SCOTUS Justice -- Michael Ratner (1943-2016)

Recently, one of the lions of civil rights passed away in attorney Michael Ratner. The dark side of the New Deal, among other things, involved its treatment of the Japanese and other minorities. The internment of Japanese-Americans, none of whom ever showed any kind of disloyalty to our country, is one of the black marks of our history and has no place in our Constitution. While it was not the first such violation of human rights, it set a dangerous precedent for subsequent police state actions.
Neither our Democratic or Republican friends appreciate government overreach. Anything that targets our friends and neighbors is suspect; if we target a whole group of people for the actions of a few, or worse, their potential to commit crimes, how do we know that we won’t reap what we sow? This is why my ideal SCOTUS Justice is Michael Ratner. He was fearless and willing to take on Presidents of either party in the pursuit of human rights and justice.
Ratner made a career of suing the powerful. He sued Ronald Reagan for funding the contras in Nicaragua and invading Grenada, George H.W. Bush for invading Iraq without congressional authorization, Bill Clinton for warehousing Haitian refugees with HIV at Guantánamo Bay, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for torture. He sued an Indonesian general, a Guatemalan defense minister, and a Haitian dictator, among others, for human-rights abuses. He sued the FBI for spying on Central American activists and the Pentagon for restricting press coverage of the Gulf War. The pattern was set early: His very first federal lawsuit was styled Attica Brothers v. Rockefeller, and sought to compel New York to prosecute state police responsible for killing prisoners at Attica State Prison after riots broke out there in 1971.
Ratner knew that when you sue the powerful, you will often lose. But he also understood that such suits could prompt political action, and that advocacy inspired by a lawsuit was often more important in achieving justice than the litigation itself. He understood the inextricable links between advocacy in court and out. Consider, for example, his greatest victory—the Supreme Court’s 2004 decision in Rasul v. Bush, declaring that Guantánamo detainees had a right to seek judicial review of the legality of their detention as “enemy combatants.” As soon as Ratner filed the first habeas corpus petition on behalf of Guantánamo detainees, in 2002, he began working with Gareth Peirce, Clive Stafford Smith, and other British lawyers to build public support in the UK for his clients, several of whom were British. He understood that the British public would be more sympathetic to the plight of British detainees than would Americans, and that British public opinion could be a useful prod to American action. The public outcry in the UK forced Prime Minister Tony Blair, initially a full-throated supporter of Bush’s Guantánamo policy, to reverse himself and demand that the British detainees be released.
People like that need to sit on the bench in the Supreme Court. It shouldn’t matter if it is a sacred cow or something a few years old; the fact that Jim Crow had been in existence since the 1870’s did not make it any less unconstitutional. The problem with certain of the present judges is that their outrage is selective — they are willing to take on the opposite party when it is in power, but not their own. And Roberts only cares about what he deems as best for the bottom line, given his belief that corporations are the highest form of good and must be protected at all costs. This is a view that is shared by Donald Trump, who would sometimes tout the number of jobs certain corporations created on The Apprentice.
It shouldn’t matter how repugnant one’s beliefs are; one is still entitled to equal justice and protection under the law. The Nuremburg Trials were a perfect example. The Nazis were all repugnant war criminals; however, they were still entitled to equal justice under the law. They were granted the right to an attorney and the right to a fair trial even though we knew they were guilty. When they were finished, we had an extensive historical record of the nature of how the Nazis planned and implemented a war of aggression. This is how we should have dealt with Bin Laden — catch him and his lieutenants alive, try them for the war criminals they were, and carry out the appropriate punishments. That is what we should do with ISIS should we ever have the good fortune to capture their leadership. 
The record of history is clear — when we gave the Nuremberg defendants a fair trial, we succeeded in permanently marginalizing Nazism as a political force. When we failed to give Al-Qaeda suspects the same kind of equal justice, we only succeeded in creating more enemies and spawning more terrorists. I don’t like the terrorists any more than our Republican friends do. But when we set aside our Constitutional principles in the name of expediency, the terrorists win.

Why Bernie Keeps Winning -- Reclaiming the Legacy of the New Deal

One of the reasons Bernie keeps winning is that the Democratic Party has lost its roots. At the close of the primary, we need to get back to the promise of the New Deal. John Nichols writes:
About last week’s reports that Clinton was soliciting support from Republican donors who were unsettled by Trump, Sanders said on Friday, “Those are the kinds of things that make not only my supporters, but millions of Americans, nervous.”
Sanders argues that Democrats must recognize that, in many states, the dynamics of a fall race against Trump will not follow classic Democrat-versus-Republican or left-versus-right calculations. There’s an up-versus-down dynamic, as well, and the senator says Democrats must build a broad coalition of Americans who are angered by economic inequality. Noting reports that Clinton “is now reaching out to Jeb Bush’s fundraisers in order to raise money from them,” Sanders says “that really casts a doubt on the parts of millions of Americans.”
“Are you really going to stand up for the middle and working class when you’re collecting millions from Jeb Bush supporters?” asks the insurgent contender.
The argument that Sanders makes is that Democrats must mount a fall campaign that addresses the concerns of the great mass of Americans who are on the downside of the economic-inequality divide. “We are in this campaign to win, but if we do not win, we intend to win every delegate that we can so that when we go to Philadelphia in July, we are going to have the votes to put together the strongest progressive agenda that any political party has ever seen,” says Sanders, who wants to see that agenda spelled out in a platform that calls for “a $15 an hour minimum wage, an end to our disastrous trade policies, a Medicare-for-all health care system, breaking up Wall Street financial institutions…”
The reason that the Democratic Party loses elections is that they have lost sight of their roots. It’s just like a sporting contest; if you’re struggling, you’ve got to get back to the basics. We need to go back to the basics of the New Deal and unite around its principles.
That doesn’t mean that we return to the Southern Democratic model, which upheld Jim Crow as a way of life. The New Deal had its dark side, and that was it. But what it does mean is that we have to create an alternative to the “conventional wisdom” that we have to have austerity to protect ourselves from the Big Bad Terrorists or a massive swarm of immigrants and to get rid of the deficit.
The problem with the Clinton model, created after the loss of 1984, was that it watered down the New Deal in an effort to maintain southern votes which were going to the GOP in increasing droves. The winning model, crafted by Obama, was based on building on the Civil Rights era and making Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, and others a part of a winning coalition. The fact that a Black man became president will be an inspiration to millions of young Black men who will see him as a role model and who can think of something beyond themselves. And to be fair to the Clintons, Hillary will inspire millions of young women in a similar way if she closes the deal and beats Donald Trump.
And not all of the problems with the New Deal coalition can be laid at the feet of the Clintons. The 1968 Convention, which represented a clash between the Union Democrats and the 1960’s youth who were inspired by the Kennedys, showcased the moral bankruptcy of a muscular foreign policy that sacrificed good will in the name of fighting communism. We honor and respect those who served in that conflict; we should never attack our friends and neighbors. However, we should always oppose our government when it pursues policies which are morally bankrupt and unsustainable.
Instead of the unworkable Neoliberal policies that arose during the Cold War, we should return to Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor policies:
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office determined to improve relations with the nations of Central and South America. Under his leadership the United States emphasized cooperation and trade rather than military force to maintain stability in the hemisphere. In his inaugural address on March 4, 1933, Roosevelt stated: “In the field of world policy I would dedicate this nation to the policy of the good neighbor—the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and, because he does so, respects the rights of others.”
Roosevelt’s Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, participated in the Montevideo Conference of December 1933, where he backed a declaration favored by most nations of the Western Hemisphere: “No state has the right to intervene in the internal or external affairs of another”. In December Roosevelt stated, “The definite policy of the United States from now on is one opposed to armed intervention.” In 1934 at Roosevelt’s direction the 1903 treaty with Cuba (based on the Platt Amendment) that gave the United States the right to intervene to preserve internal stability or independence was abrogated. Although domestic economic problems and World War II diverted attention from the Western Hemisphere, Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor policy represented an attempt to distance the United States from earlier interventionist policies, such as the Roosevelt Corollary and military interventions in the region during the 1910s and 1920s.
I would add a qualifier to this — we cannot have free trade agreements that do not protect workers and their jobs and that do not transition workers from displaced jobs. I accept that the TPP may be better than previous agreements; however, it does not go far enough. Instead, it pits working people against each other; it pits the farmer against the worker, who will be fired through no fault of their own. 
We lost sight of our roots when we intervened in Korea and Vietnam, and we lost sight of our roots in the 1980’s, following the Reagan years. And we lost sight of our roots during the dozens of times when we fomented regime change around the world against countries that we didn’t like. Bernie Sanders finally developed a credible alternative to the “conventional wisdom” created by Henry Kissinger, whom Hillary Clinton embraced publicly.
I submit that neither Bernie nor Hillary has gone far enough in returning to our roots. Contrary to popular belief, New Deal politics did not involve paying millions of able-bodied people not to work. We all know the type of person who feels they should not have to work and games the system so that they won’t have to. That is why Ronald Reagan’s “welfare queen” meme stuck. But Roosevelt’s social safety net was based on work, not welfare. Case in point — The Works Progress Administration:
While FDR believed in the elementary principles of justice and fairness, he also expressed disdain for doling out welfare to otherwise able workers. So, in return for monetary aid, WPA workers built highways, schools, hospitals, airports and playgrounds. They restored theaters–such as the Dock Street Theater in Charleston, S.C.–and built the ski lodge at Oregon’s Mt. Hood. The WPA also put actors, writers and other creative arts professionals back to work by sponsoring federally funded plays, art projects, such as murals on public buildings, and literary publications. FDR safeguarded private enterprise from competition with WPA projects by including a provision in the act that placed wage and price controls on federally funded products or services.
The Peace Corps and Americorps were attempts to build on this. After Vietnam, we have moved away from the concept of national service. We need to return to this concept. Rather than give people 3-5 years to find work and then kick them off welfare, we need to offer more opportunities like this for people who want to work, but who can’t find it. Given the reality of technological unemployment, we need to consider stuff formerly considered too radical such as Basic Income. Roosevelt did not stop there. He proposed an Economic Bill of Rights:
The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the Nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident and unemployment;
The right to a good education.
Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee. That means that we have to unite, not behind Hillary right or wrong, but behind the economic principles that brought our country back from the brink following the Great Depression. That means that if Hillary does something right, we have to give her credit. If she does something wrong, we have to hold her accountable. We have to create a permanent revolution in which we force our politicians to listen to the people, rather than the corporations. There is no place for violence in this process because we lose our legitimacy; rather, it is a matter of participating in the process so that our voices are heard. Hillary can be pushed; however, if we don’t push her, her default position will be the neoliberal positions that her corporate donors are pushing.
This means that we have to insist on complete transparency in everything, which is why I am adamant that Hillary should release her transcripts (just like I think Trump should as well). What is she telling Goldman-Sachs that she is not telling us? I don’t object to her making a lot of money from that; I don’t object that she is doing it. I object that she is keeping her speeches secret, as though they were classified information. She is a public figure; if she doesn’t want us to know what she is telling them, she shouldn’t be running for office. Our Republican friends would be a lot more likely to get on board with some of our ideas and even pay more taxes if the process is completely open and transparent. 
We cannot demagogue our way to victory, even against the likes of Donald Trump. We can, however, win by finding common ground with people of all faiths and political persuasions if we can do so without sacrificing our principles. The preceding is a good example. We have to be able to unite the country, not divide it and break the logjam that has been part of our process. We can suggest alternatives to Trump’s plans that would accomplish the same goals. Don’t want illegal immigration? Let’s crack down on corporations who hire them; don’t attack our friends and neighbors who come here to live a better life. If the word gets out that there’s no work here because employers would get in trouble, people won’t come and others would leave. 

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

A Trump Victory Over Clinton Would Not Be a Repudiation of Progressive Values

The first numbers from Real Clear Politics are out on the Trump/Clinton race. While they show Hillary Clinton leading Trump, it is not a sure thing. Currently, Ms. Clinton has 224 electoral votes in the bag, while Mr. Trump has 143. That means that there are 168 electoral votes that are up for grabs. 
Hillary Clinton has made her bed with the corporate big shots such as Goldman Sachs and others, who donated millions to her campaign and who paid her $225,000 per speech. To her credit, she takes more from small donors (Open Secrets) than the average person, but her actions show she is trying to have it both ways. As Cenk Uygur notes, if she had told Goldman Sachs stuff they did not like to hear, they would not have invited her back over and over again. And the word would not have gotten out among the 1% circles that she was someone they could do business with.
While a Hillary victory over Donald Trump is likely, it is not a given. And her attempts to court Bush donors are not going to help her in that effort. In order for her to win, she has to earn our votes. While I will vote for her, other people might not. She has to do more than triangulate and equivocate. Her recent stance on the Public Option is a good example. It sounds good on the surface, until you realize that all it does is allow people who are 50 or 55 to buy into Medicare. That is a good next step, since there are a lot of insurers who jack up rates for them because they are an insurance risk. However, that alone will not solve the problem of millions who are still uninsured. I had a lady on Twitter whose reaction to Hillary’s plan reminded me of the girl in the country song who sang, “That don't impress me much!”
Most of the Democrats who lost in 2010 and 2014 were not Progressives, but corporate Democrats. There were a few exceptions such as Feingold and Udall, but most of them lost because of the continuing demographic shifts of voters shifting from Southern Democrats to Republicans. Therefore, a loss of Hillary in the upcoming election would not be a repudiation of Progressive values, but a repudiation of Democrats trying to have it both ways by trying to court both the working class and Wall Street.
Another case in point is West Virginia. Paul Farrell, a West Virginia attorney, sought to run for President on the presumption that West Virginia voters, many of whom had families who worked for coal for 180-300 years, would repudiate both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. He touted pro-coal, pro-gun credentials. However, West Virginia voted for Bernie, suggesting that Democrats in Coal Country are just as tired of corporate Democrats as the rest of the country. Farrell got around 7% of the vote even though people knew him, and I wonder how many of those confused him with the TV actor Will Ferrell, who has portrayed Presidents on late night TV before. It took me several tries on Google before I could pull up the West Virginia attorney.
One West Virginia exit poll showed that nearly half of Sanders voters would support Trump over Clinton. While the transition from coal to other forms of energy are inevitable with the signing of the Paris Accord, Hillary does not offer any kind of plan to transition coal workers from energy to other fields beyond vaguely mentioning clean energy. As a peon, I do not know how well skills learned in a coal mine translate to, say, solar and wind energy. Bernie did a better job of relating to these people; his trillion dollar infrastructure plan would create millions of jobs, his opposition to TPP would protect many more, and his $15 minimum wage means that companies would have to hire to meet demand, since people would have more disposable income. The November election is Hillary’s to win. But to do so, she has to relate to us, and she has to relate to workers who stand to lose jobs in the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.