Kaeden Nave is Unlikely Hero; Mustang Boys Break Slump with 48-41 Win

 

North Nodaway’s teams have been heading in opposite directions this year. Normally, the girls have been winning more than the boys in recent years. But after a promising start, North Nodaway’s girls have been mired in a losing streak, including several close games, a shocking 42-32 loss to Union Star in Gilman City, and a 42-36 heartbreaker to East Atchison after a promising start. That trend continued with a 57-25 running clock loss Tuesday to powerhouse Nodaway Valley. The boys, on the other hand, have seen their fortunes on the rise this year. They gutted out two close games in the Gilman City Tournament before they were in over their heads against Princeton and lost 55-22 in the championship, extending a nine year tournament title drought. Seemingly hung over from that, they went to sub .500 East Atchison, but lost again despite 25 from Aydan Blackford. With no rest for the weary, they were pitted against Nodaway Valley, their archrival. But after staying hung over for a while in that game and giving up as many offensive rebounds (16) as they grabbed themselves, they finally came out of it and won 48-41 to get back on track.

The magic number for a winning season for the Mustangs is now two games. With Tuesday’s game, they raised their record to 11-7 and only need to win two more games to get a winning season for the year.

The game came down to an unlikely hero in Kaeden Nave stepping up in the fourth quarter, North Nodaway holding the Thunder scoreless during a five minute stretch in the fourth, and the Mustangs hitting enough of their free throws to keep the Thunder from coming back.

At first, Tyler Gray had the hot hand inside for Nodaway Valley, getting four of his team’s ten points and four different green shirts getting on the board as Mason Casner was the only player hitting for North Nodaway in the early going. Despite getting killed on the boards by Preston Jenkins and Gray, the Mustangs kept hanging around and finally took the lead when Aydan Blackford converted a three point play and Blaine Clements scored from inside to make it 20-19 at the 1:40 mark. The Mustangs got lost on defense and Deontrae Mincy got loose inside, but Owen Martin hit a drive and floater with 30 seconds left to put the Mustangs up 22-21 at halftime.

It looked like North Nodaway would pull away to start the second half as Owen Martin aired one out to Aydan Blackford, Brice Trimble hit a 3-pointer after Blaine Clements got him the ball, and Blackford hit a pullup to make it 29-21. But then the rebounding woes resurfaced as Jenkins got a putback for the Thunder, and they started coming back again. Four different green shirts stepped up and scored for the Thunder, who fought back and got their deficit down to 32-31 by the end of the third quarter.

Michael Cook drove and scored at the 7:12 mark of the fourth quarter to make it 33-32, and the score stayed there for the next two minutes. But then Aydan Blackford cut inside and scored to make it 34-33. Then, Mason Casner, normally a left-hander, drove with his right hand and turned it into a three point play after North Nodaway had isolated him and Blackford. On the next trip, Casner wanted the ball in the post again, and this time, he kicked it out to little-used Kaeden Nave, and he buried a three to make it 40-33 at the 2:58 mark.

Gray got loose again on the offensive glass for Nodaway Valley and scored twice to make it 43-37, but then they had to start fouling and Kaeden Nave, Owen Martin, Aydan Blackford, and Brice Trimble all hit free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Aydan Blackford and Bryce Trimble got two key deflections down the stretch on defense that took valuable seconds off the clock.

Aydan Blackford had 17 points for the Mustangs. Mason Casner had 8, Owen Martin and Brice Trimble 7, Kaeden Nave 4, Ethan Fry 3, and Blaine Clements 2.

Blaine Clements had 4 blocks.

Brice Trimble and Aydan Blackford had 5 boards. Ethan Fry and Owen Martin had 2, and Blaine Clements and Mason Casner had 1.

Mason Casner had 3 assists. Aydan Blackford, Brice Trimble, Blaine Clements, and Owen Martin had 2 and Ethan Fry 1.

Brice Trimble had 4 tips. Mason Casner and Owen Martin had 3, Aydan Blackford and Kaeden Nave 2, and Blaine Clements 1.

Ethan Fry, Brice Trimble, and Owen Martin had 2 steals. Aydan Blackford had 1.

Tyler New has 28; Tigers Clinch at Least Share of GRC West

Worth County’s boys clinched at least a share of the GRC West title Tuesday, January 30^th with their 57-52 win over Pattonsburg. As of Tuesday’s game, they have no conference losses with one game to play. Princeton beat St. Joseph Christian 72-69, meaning Worth County is the only team without a conference loss. They play the Lions in St. Joseph for the outright GRC title. A loss by the Tigers would drop them into a likely two way tie or a three way tie with Princeton and Christian, depending on the outcome of their final conference games.

None of their games have been easy to this point, and this one took a lot of twists and turns before the Tigers came out on top. At first, it was Pattonsburg coming out on fire as Daltyn Sperry and Gavin Humphrey hit 3-pointers in the early going. Worth County used strong play on the boards in the early going to stay in the game after falling behind by as much as 13-4, but Gage Iddings’ NBA 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer put Pattonsburg up 16-8, and it looked like a long night for Worth County.

But coach Les New had been looking for more production out of his post players, and he finally started getting it, and it paid off in the second quarter. Bo Collins worked the high/low to Karson Briner, and then Tyler New added a steal to get the Tiger deficit down to 16-12. Gage Iddings shot the Panthers into a 21-15 lead, but Worth County kept coming as Karson Briner got a putback, Bo Collins scored from inside, Karson Briner knocked one down from the high post, and Cole Ruby hit a 3-pointer to put the Tigers in front 24-21 with 2:06 left in the half. Duke Hoover countered with a backdoor layup, but Hayden Sanders hit a 3-pointer to put the Tigers in front 27-23 at the half.

Worth County looked like it would pull away in the second half as they were cleaning up on the offensive glass and Tyler New was on fire during that stretch. New had a third chance 3-pointer, then added another before scoring off a steal to make it 35-23. But Pattonsburg started fighting back, getting back to back jacks from their supporting cast in Landon Woodward and Gavin Humphrey to get right back in the game. Iddings kept the Panthers around for a while, but then Hayden Sanders hit a 3-pointer and then threw a bullet pass to Tyler New in the high post to make it 46-35 after Bo Collins kept a possession alive with an offensive board.

But then Pattonsburg got the benefit of a four point play without the Tigers touching the ball as Gavin Humphrey hit an inside shot at the buzzer; the Panthers had the ball to start the fourth quarter, and Daltyn Sperry connected to make it 46-39. That was all the momentum the Panthers needed as Humphrey hit two free throws to make it 46-41. Karson Briner countered for the Tigers to make it 48-41, but then sloppy play by the Tigers and a charge call kept the Panthers coming. Landon Woodward unloaded another NBA 3-pointer and then Gage Iddings got loose for just long enough to hit another one and it was 48-47.

With only one foul so far and no foul trouble, Pattonsburg had a lot of fouls to give and could afford to be very aggressive. But Hayden Sanders hit Tyler New in the high post to break the run. Pattonsburg missed a game tying three, and then Bo Collins hit Tyler New in the corner with two minutes to put the Tigers in front 53-47. Free throws by Tyler New and Hayden Sanders made it 55-47 with 35 seconds left, but Iddings hit two free throws after a silly over the back foul on the offensive end to restart the Panthers. Two missed free throws led to an NBA 3-pointer by Daltyn Sperry with 22 seconds left and it was one possession again at 55-52. But Tyler New iced the game with 19 seconds left with two free throws and Pattonsburg missed three frantic tries in the closing seconds.

For Worth County, Tyler New had 28 points. Karson Briner had 12, a career high. Hayden Sanders had 7, Bo Collins 4, and Cole Ruby and Caleb New 3. Worth County shot 22 for 49 for 45%. They were 8 for 24 from 3-pointers and 5 for 11 from the line.

Tyler New had 10 rebounds. Bo Collins had 9, Karson Briner 8, Hayden Sanders 3, Cannon Fletcher 2, and Cole Ruby 1.

Cannon Fletcher had 5 assists. Tyler New had 4, Bo Collins 3, Hayden Sanders 2, and Ethan Lininger 1.

Tyler New had 4 steals. Karson Briner had 2 and Cannon Fletcher 1.

Karson Briner had 1 block.

Tyler New and Cannon Fletcher had 2 tips. Karson Briner had 1.

No Easy Answers Offered at Grant City Building Demolition Meeting

Recently, the City of Grant City was denied an emergency CDBG Grant for demolishing the five buildings on the Grant City Square the city says are unsafe – the two buildings on the southwest corner of the Square, the Dogman’s building on the south side of the Square, the Masonic Lodge on the east side, and the State Farm building on the northwest corner. On Wednesday, the city held a special meeting with commissioners Reggie Nonneman and Tyler Paxson, Amber Monticue of the Worth County Progress Organization, Tyler Steele, whose building adjoins two of the buildings targeted for demolition, Economic Developer Kevin Fisher, and Kim Mildward of the Northwest Missouri Regional Council. None of them offered any easy answers either.

Commissioner Nonneman said that the county is in the same boat as everyone else with rising costs. He said that while they can help with a few things, they can’t help with everything. “We’re hauling our own gravel this year,” he said. Monticue said that while the Progress Organization has saved up some money over the years from the rental of the Dollar General building, they have to have a nest egg in case issues develop with their building.

The estimated price tag for all five buildings is $933,000. The city could apply for a regular CDBG grant in April, but the ceiling for that is $300,000, and there would have to be engineering, surveys, and other extra costs along with a local match, which could be in-kind labor. The city could apply for it again once the first $300,000 is spent, but that would risk future projects costing more due to inflation.

The other complication is, if the city is able to come up with the resources and tear down the buildings, the risk is that adjacent buildings would be affected and the city would have to start the process all over again five or ten years down the road. “You can’t make a plan without considering the ripple effect,” said Monticue. Steele said that once the two buildings south of him come down, he would have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to fix up his building, especially since the south side of his building was never meant to be exposed to the elements. When the Phillips building pushed into the Hole in the Wall, it affected his building as well. “I’ve spent countless hours on this figuring out costs and hauling off rubble,” said Steele. “Right now, I can’t access the south side of my building to maintain it. If I were to sell it, it would have zero value.”

Similarly, if the Masonic Building on the east side comes down, it could affect Rick Frese’s building as well as the Grant City Apartments building. Residents there have already expressed concern about the rubble falling from that building. If what is left of the Dogman’s building comes down, it could affect either the Health Department building and/or the former Andrews Hardware building.

One possible solution for the city would be to get a zero interest loan from Mo-KAN to demolish the two buildings on the southwest corner of the Square. It would not be subject to voter approval. But that would leave the other three buildings. And the city would have to see if there is money in the budget to repay such loans.

Nonneman said that over the years, everybody’s margins kept getting smaller and smaller until they could no longer afford to maintain their buildings. “There are no hardware stores anymore because of Amazon,” he said.

There was no action taken at Monday’s meeting. The city will revisit the issue at their regular meeting in February.

LaVelle Hibbs 1929-2024

LaVelle Oscar Hibbs, 94, of New London, died Sunday, January 28, 2024 at his home surrounded by his family. He was born June 17, 1929 in Sheridan, Missouri, the son of Leonardis Oscar and Elva Edna Lantz Hibbs.

LaVelle was a 1947 graduate of Sheridan High School. Immediately after graduation, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the Marines, taking his basic training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He served as a Clerical Typist in Honolulu, Hawaii from November 1947 until November 1949, returning to Camp Pendelton, California. He was honorably discharged as a Sargeant after five years of service. On February 20, 1966, he married Berdita Mae Mosbey in Trenton, Missouri. He retired from the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown, and for 38 years worked at H and R Block during tax season. He was a member of the New London Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder, was treasurer of the New London Lions Club, member of the New London VFW Post #7641 and Burge Cemetery Board, Dollars for Scholars, and Dover Museum. LaVelle loved his family, sipping coffee and Coors Banquet and a smoke, Casey’s, Old Threshers, fires, his Ford Ranger, hot weather and talking about the weather, visiting with anyone anywhere, and selling wreaths for the Lions Club.

LaVelle is survived by his wife Berdita; daughters LaVita Hibbs and Berdelle (Scott) Severson of New London; stepson Mike (Lori) Jarvis of Franklin; daughters Paulette, Michelle, Brenda and Connie; son Mark; and many loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, six siblings and three step-sons.

According to his wishes, his body has been cremated and private family burial will be in Burge Cemetery, New London with Military Rites by the Henry County Honor Guard. On Saturday, February 3, at 1:00 PM in Friendship Hall of the Presbyterian Church, New London, a Time of Reflection will be held with the family receiving friends immediately following until 3:00 PM. In LaVelle’s honor “Cheers and Beers” will begin at 4:00 PM at the New London VFW Post #7641, 802 East McKinley Street. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the New London Presbyterian Church, VFW, and Fire Department, and Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice. Online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com

 

Nancy Baker 1954-2024

Nancy Ann Baker was born January 22, 1954 in Leon, IA to Roscoe and Emma Lane.  She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on January 29, 2024 at Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, Mo.

 

Nancy graduated from North Harrison High School in 1972 and later Northwest Missouri State University in 1976.  She then became a registered nurse after graduating from Methodist Medical Center in St. Joseph in 1978.

 

After meeting Jackie (Jack) Baker at the skating rink in Grant City, MO, they were united in marriage on July 3, 1976.  They had four children and nine grandchildren to their union: Matthew (Jackie) Baker and children Josie and Lily; Ryan (Katie) Baker and children Emma, Hayden, Clara and Jackson; Jacklyn (Dave) Bishop and children Harrison, Hazel, and Hendrex, and Aaron (Leah) Baker.  

 

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, father and mother-in-law Ray & Freda Baker, sister Susan Patton, and sisters-in-law Joyce Brown and Dianne Lane.  She is survived by her husband of the home, her children, her siblings and their spouses Margaret (Ed) Trullinger, Mick (Becky) Lane, Dan (Diana) Lane, John Patton and Allan (Ellen) Lane and Jack’s siblings Judy (Roy) Claypool, Richard Brown, Janet (Donald) Brown, Jeanne (Russel McPike) Cavin, Julie (Dennis) Cavin, and numerous nieces and nephews.

 

Nancy is remembered for the countless lives she touched through her work as an RN at Ringgold County Hospital in Mt. Ayr, Gentry County Memorial Hospital in Albany, Pineview Manor in Stanberry, and the Worth County Convalescent Center in Grant City.  After retiring as a nurse, she and Jack enjoyed serving as house parents at Ringgold County Group Home.  She worked in many aspects of nursing, frequently running into people and stating “I helped deliver your mother” and “I took care of your grandpa”.

 

Nancy was a Christian and she and Jack raised their children with that faith. She never met a stranger and was an extended mother and grandmother to many.  She could be caught on her phone spending part of each day texting and talking to friends and family. She enjoyed family reunions and get-togethers with past classmates and friends. She relished her trips with Jack to Branson and riding “Fire in the Hole” and attending her grandkids' many activities.  She was also a football fan and loved watching the Kansas City Chiefs.

 

Funeral Service will be 11:00 am Saturday, February 3, 2024 at the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City, Mo with visitation from 6:00 – 8:00 pm Friday, February 2. Burial will be at the Grant City Cemetery in Grant City, Mo.

Bluejay Girls Survive Physical Union Star Squad for Fifth Straight Win

Northeast Nodaway’s girls avoided a letdown against Union Star, breaking open a tight game in the second half and pulling away for a 42-22 win Tuesday night, January 30^th. After a long slump at the end of December and the start of January, the Bluejays finally righted the ship with two wins over Maysville and wins over Stanberry and King City to win the King City Tournament. But Union Star, after a bad start, was finally finding their footing under new skipper Ken Holdsworth, who is doing the girls as well as the boys this year for the Trojans. They got wins over Tri-County and North Nodaway to grab the consolation trophy at Gilman City.

Gone is the chaotic brand of basketball under Josh Rector, who made the Trojans into a dangerous team who could put points on the board against anyone. In is ball control on offense, closing out the driving lanes and the inside with skyscraper Kelly Clibon anchoring the defense, and highly physical play, especially on anyone trying to bring it into the paint. With only six players on the squad, this could be Union Star’s last season on the girls side unless they find more bodies to put on the floor next year, as two of their current players, including Clibon graduate.

“I’ve been warning the girls about this game for two days,” said Bluejay skipper Sheldon Saxton. It looked like a perfect trap game, especially since the Bluejays were coming off some big wins and they had beaten the Trojans handily earlier in the season. Three years ago, North Nodaway came into Union Star only to run into a 62-59 buzzsaw. But after some anxious moments in the first half, the Bluejays finally took control in the second and got their fifth straight win.

Jill Boswell hit from the right side and Baylie Busby drove and scored to make it 4-0. Clibon got Union Star on the board, but Auffert hit two free throws to make it 6-1. But then the hacking and fouling started, starting with Auffert going to the bench with two fouls. Baylie Busby scored three to make it 9-2, only to follow Auffert to the bench with two fouls as Star chipped away behind Clibon and Kenzie Pettijohn to make it 9-6.

After a defensive standoff that lasted the first three minutes of the second quarter, Jill Boswell got a steal and turned it into two free throws to make it 11-6. Auffert picked up her third foul, but Boswell hit from outside, Busby got a steal, and then Busby went coast to coast and made one of two to make it 16-6.

But after Clibon struck to make it 16-8, Busby got the ball away from her on an offensive rebounding situation only for the referee to blow a late whistle and call her for her third foul. But the Bluejays couldn’t blame the officials for missing four straight free throws as the Trojans chipped away for the remainder of the half, getting their deficit down to 16-12 before Boswell scored to make it 18-12 at the half.

But Busby came back to start the third quarter and this time stayed out of foul trouble. She started off with a steal and finished. Then, Jill Boswell got a steal, fed Busby, who kicked it out to Brianna Meyer to make it 22-10. Busby got it into Auffert, then Busby scored off a Brianna Meyer steal, then knocked down a baseline shot after Meyer got her the ball again. Busby then went coast to coast to make it 30-12.

Union Star then started extending their defense, creating more pressure and getting more stops. Kenzie Pettijohn hit one of two from the line, missed the second, but Clibon put it back in. Auffert picked up her fourth foul and Clibon hit another free throw to cut the Trojan deficit to 30-16 after three.

Brianna Meyer was getting Busby the ball inside at will in the fourth quarter as she scored a free throw, drawing Clibon’s fourth foul, and then Busby scored again to make it 33-16. Clibon came out of nowhere to jump a pass and score, but Busby got a steal and scored, and Auffert added a putback to make it 37-18. Clibon slashed and scored to make it 37-20, but Busby hit a free throw and scored off a steal and Auffert grabbed a putback and drew Clibon’s fifth foul for the dagger to make it 42-20.

Baylie Busby had 24 to lead the Bluejays. Jill Boswell and Dalanie Auffert had 8 each, and Brianna Meyer had 2.

Dalanie Auffert had 9 boards despite sitting much of the night with foul trouble. Baylie Busby had 5, Blair Nelson 4, Hayley Yost 3, Jill Boswell and Sasha Deardorff 2 each, and Hadley DeFreece, Mylee Wilmes, and Brianna Meyer 1 each. Blair Nelson and Hayley Yost gave the Bluejays valuable minutes off the bench when they were needed.

Brianna Meyer had 5 assists. Baylie Busby had 3, Dalanie Auffert 2, and Hayley Yost and Hadley DeFreece had 1.

Baylie Busby had 6 tips. Jill Boswell, Brianna Meyer, and Hadley DeFreece had 2 and Sasha Deardorff had 1.

Baylie Busby had 6 steals. Brianna Meyer had 5, Jill Boswell and Dalanie Auffert 3, and Sasha Deardorff, Mylee Wilmes, Blair Nelson, and Hayley Yost had 1 each.

Jack Boswell Scores 14; Bluejay Boys Survive All Out War with Trojans for Third Win

Northeast Nodaway’s boys have been following a tough road all year. They changed coaches right before the season started, they played the numbers game, and they struggled against a tough schedule. But they finally got their first win of the season in December, a 52-42 win over DeKalb. They got their whole team together at last and nearly knocked off Gilman City at their place before falling by two. They have been playing most of their games tough, but falling just short, nearly knocking off Rock Port and Nodaway Valley. They finally got over the hump against King City, beating them 57-46 in the King City Tournament and knocking them out. They then took Stanberry down to the wire; against a team that had beaten them 73-33 in Ravenwood in December, they lost to them in the consolation game 25-22.

On Tuesday, January 30^th, they went to Union Star. Against the Trojans, a team following similar fortunes, they got locked into a desperation battle against another team which was searching desperately for a win. The result was an all-out war, in which the Bluejays came out on top 45-38 after a big struggle.

At first, it looked like it would be easy after Trenton Hartley hit a 3-pointer, Drew Dack scored off a Jack Boswell steal, and Jake Redden hit a free throw to make it 6-0. But Carter Jackson converted a three point play and Wyatt Thiemann hit a free throw and the Trojans were right back in it. The game was physical, with both teams committing a bunch of fouls. Jack Boswell drove and scored, as did Drew Dack to make it 10-4 before Jackson cut it to 10-5 after one.

Lake Klawuhn hit a 3-pointer to cut the Trojan deficit to 10-8. It looked like Northeast would finally pull away in the second when Brycen Kennard’s 3-pointer after Drew Dack kept a possession alive sparked a Bluejay run. Jack Boswell scored off a steal, Grant McIntyre got a steal and fed Drew Dack, and Grant McIntyre scored from inside to make it 19-8. But then Carter Jackson got a three point play to break the run and then Wyatt Thiemann threw up a prayer from 15 feet that went in to cut it to 19-13 at the half, and Union Star was still very much part of the game.

The foul trouble for the Bluejays mounted as Grant McIntyre picked up his fourth foul and Jake Redden his third as Carter Jackson cut it to 19-15. Jack Boswell hit a free throw, Drew Dack took a charge on defense, and Boswell scored off a drive. Dack made a free throw to make it 23-15. But in a sequence featuring a foul call every time down the floor, Union Star chipped away as Carter Jackson hit two free throws. At that point, three minutes into the third quarter, both teams were already in the bonus there were so many whistles and fouls. Jackson then scored from inside and then stepped outside and hit a 3-pointer to cut the Trojan deficit to 23-22.

With their backs to the wall and both their big men in foul trouble, Northeast fought back as Jack Boswell drove and hit two free throws. Lake Klawuhn countered with two free throws to cut it to 25-24, but Jake Redden, playing with three fouls, made three of four from the line to make it 28-24. Jackson countered inside after Carter Heinrich grabbed an offensive board. Trenton Hartley hit a 3-pointer, but then, Shea Simerly, normally an outside shooter and a ball handler, suddenly went downhill with the third quarter clock winding down, slashed into the paint, and scored to cut the Trojan deficit to 31-28.

The teams traded blows to start the fourth quarter as Jack Boswell hit a 3-pointer, only for Carter Jackson to answer to make it 34-31. Boswell cleaned up after Trenton Hartley got a steal but missed the layup, Hartley got a 3-pointer, and then Grant McIntyre hit from inside to make it 41-31 at the three minute mark.

But Carter Jackson and the Trojans started fighting back again as Jackson hit two free throws. Union Star had a lot of fouls to give in the period, with only one foul at that point, meaning they could afford to be very aggressive on defense. Jackson kept coming, hitting a free throw and then grabbing a third chance putback to make it 41-36 with 1:42 left before Northeast ran a minute off the clock, finally got into the bonus, and Drew Dack hit one of two to make it 42-36 with 49 seconds left.

Lake Klawuhn countered with a runner to make it 42-38, but Lance Runde hit one of two to make it 43-38 with 32 seconds left. Carter Jackson, who was hot all night from three, finally missed one. Northeast missed two free throws with 20 seconds left, but Jake Redden grabbed the second miss and put it back to make it 45-38, and Union Star missed two tries at the other end.

Jack Boswell had 14 points for the Bluejays. Trent Hartley had 9, Drew Dack 8, Jake Redden 6, Grant McIntyre 4, Brycen Kennard 3, and Lance Runde 1.

Drew Dack had 6 rebounds. Jake Redden had 5, Grant McIntyre 4, Jack Boswell and Brycen Kennard 3 each, Lance Runde 2, and Trent Hartley 1.

Jack Boswell had 5 assists. Drew Dack had 3, Grant McIntyre 2, and Jake Redden, Trent Hartley, Brycen Kennard, and Lance Runde all had 1.

Drew Dack, Trent Hartley, and Jack Boswell had 3 tips each. Grant McIntyre and Lance Runde had 2 each, and Jake Redden had 1.

Jack Boswell had 3 steals, as did Trent Hartley. Brycen Kennard, Jake Redden, Drew Dack, and Grant McIntyre had 1 each.

2024 Leadership Northwest Class Forms

Twenty-four women and men make up the 2024 class of Leadership Northwest Missouri, an annual series of sessions that bring together existing and emerging leaders from throughout a 19-county region to discover and sharpen their leadership skills, explore regional issues, and build a network of contacts throughout Northwest Missouri.

The 2024 class began with a two-day retreat, January 24 and 25, at Conception Abbey. The participants will gather monthly for day-long sessions in varied locations throughout the region. The series concludes with a July 11 graduation celebration in Jamesport, Missouri.

Members of the 2024 class and the 12 counties they represent are: Jeff Agnew, Ethan Piveral, Atchison County; Sarah Battreall, Isaura Garcia, Victoria Masucci, Carolynn Sollars, Amanda Zessi, Buchanan County; Jordan Wright, Carroll County; Cydney Andrews, David Woody, Clinton County; Nicole Lynch, Daviess County; Chris Martin, DeKalb County; Valarie Shisler, Gentry County; Olivia Burchett, Lauren Dannar, Nevada Fields, Tocarra Williams, Grundy County; Rebecca TenHulzen, Harrison County; Richard Switzer, Linn County; Wes Rockwood, Vanessa Slemp, Ashley Turner, Shelby Wood, Nodaway County; Rachel Brown, Worth County.

Leadership Northwest Missouri has become the catalyst for identifying, training, and connecting the leaders of our region and is a pathway for effective leadership for generations to come. There is a deliberate focus on fostering a sense of ownership for the region – that we have interdependent roles and we depend on each other for the progress and success of Northwest Missouri.

Here are comments from some of our 2024 participants:

“The opening retreat was nothing short of inspirational. I came into this experience with modest expectations and Leadership Northwest didn't just surpass them, they completely blew them out of the water. Instead of professional development that merely checks off boxes, the opening retreat revealed the exceptional capacities for leadership we already possess and has already started to cultivate them through meaningful connections with one another. I can't wait for what this journey has in store for all of us and our region.” Tocarra Williams, Grundy County

“I am blown away by how much I took away from the opening retreat and I cannot wait to keep going!” Rachel Brown, Worth County.

 “The Leadership Northwest Missouri opening retreat proved to be an incredibly enriching experience. Over the span of just a few days, the visionary organizers of this event completely reshaped my understanding of leadership. Personally, I found myself delving into self-discovery, and the bonds formed with my fellow classmates were truly invaluable. Adding to the overall brilliance of the retreat was the enchanting setting of Conception Abbey—a place of serene beauty that offered the perfect backdrop for introspection and mental clarity. Isaura Garcia, Buchanan County

A big thank you to our Platinum Level Sponsor BTC Bank. BTC Bank is a community bank founded in 1919 with headquarters in Bethany, Missouri. Since 1919, they've grown to include 22 branch locations across Missouri and Iowa. BTC Bank is proud to call the following communities home: Albany, Beaman, Bethany, Boonville, Buffalo, Cameron, Carrollton, Chillicothe, Columbia, Fayette, Gallatin, Gilman City, Hardin, Jamesport, Maysville, Oregon, Osborn, Pattonsburg, Salisbury, Trenton, and Lamoni (IA). BTC Bank is agriculturally minded, service oriented and driven to strengthen the communities it serves. BTC safeguards the assets of its customers by creating a strong financial base through sound loans, investments and quality service.

Please contact Kendra Pickering for information on Leadership Northwest Missouri. http://www.leadershipnorthwestmissouri.org

Tyler New, Caleb New Lead Tigers Back From Dead Against Shamrocks

Worth County’s boys rose from the dead Monday night against North Harrison, holding them to four points in the last quarter and the extra period and coming back to get a 56-45 win Monday night.

The game started off well for the Tigers after Tyler New scored five straight, Caleb New had the hot hand, and Bo Collins and Hayden Sanders chipped in. Wyatt Maize kept the Shamrocks in the game with six points in the period, but Worth County led 16-10 after one.

But the Shamrocks had been playing excellent basketball lately and had been doing well on the road, and they suddenly started taking over. Dustin Hamilton got a steal, and Owan Roberson hit from the high post. Hayden Sanders hit his second three to give the Tigers a 21-14 lead, but then Keygun Johnson got untracked with five straight and Kolton Graham got a putback to tie it at 21. Caleb New hit a 3-pointer, but Jerry Gilpatrick got loose backdoor and Keygun Johnson got loose as well to put the Shamrocks up 25-24. Defensively, they were playing a zone, packing it in to take away the high-low and driving lanes for Tyler New, and forcing Worth County to try to beat them deep.

The Shamrocks have multiple weapons they can use, and Wyatt Maize started playing some of his best ball as a Shamrock, knocking down a 3-pointer, scoring off a Jerry Gilpatrick steal, slashing to the rim, and getting loose backdoor and getting a three point play for ten points in the third. Ethan Henson followed with back to back jacks, and all of a sudden, North Harrison was up 41-31 going into the fourth.

The score was stuck there for the first two minutes, but then all of a sudden, Worth County showed the kind of cornered animal mentality that brought them comeback wins against some good teams, including North Andrew, Gilman City, and Princeton. Tyler New, held to 11 points up to that point, scored off consecutive steals to cut it to 41-35 and then got a putback with 3:34 left to make it 41-37.

With the Tigers playing lockdown defense, something had to give, and finally, they started getting the kind of ball movement on offense that they had been struggling to find against North Harrison’s length and athleticism. Jerry Gilpatrick hit two free throws for North Harrison to break a seven minute scoring drought, but then Tyler New drove and kicked it out to Caleb New in the corner. Wyatt Maize blocked the shot, but then the officials said he contacted Caleb on the follow through, setting up a three shot foul. Caleb made all three foul shots to draw the Tigers to within 43-40 with 2:30 left. Similarly, Caleb made three straight free throws in a key sequence against North Andrew back in December.

Following another stop, Cole Ruby skipped one to Caleb New for three, and the game was all tied up at 43 with 2:30 left. North Harrison traveled on its next possession and Worth County had a chance to go ahead, but Cole Ruby missed a 3-pointer and the ball went out of bounds off the green shirts with 1:13 left. Cole Ruby missed again with 25 seconds left after another long possession. North Harrison had a chance to win in regulation, but Ethan Henson’s off balance three was short and the Tigers had forced overtime.

Caleb New, who had been hot all night, finally missed a 3-pointer, but Cole Ruby got the offensive board and the possession continued. Worth County had been looking for someone besides Tyler New, Karson Briner, and Bo Collins to step up their rebounding, and Cole stepped up when they needed him to. This time. Tyler New knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key and followed it with another with 2:13 left after Ethan Henson missed a 3-pointer. Tyler New then got a steal and Bo Collins got it into Karson Briner to make it eight at 51-43. Caleb New got a steal, and the Shamrocks had to start fouling. Tyler New was five for six from the line in the last 1:15 of the extra period.

For Worth County, Tyler New had 26, Caleb New 18, Hayden Sanders 6, Karson Briner 4, and Bo Collins 2.

Karson Briner had 2 blocks.

Bo Collins had 9 boards. Tyler New had 7, Karson Briner 6, Cole Ruby 5, Caleb New 2, and Hayden Sanders 1.

Tyler New had 6 assists. Caleb New had 3, Hayden Sanders and Cole Ruby 2, and Bo Collins 1.

Tyler New, Caleb New, and Karson Briner had 2 tips. Bo Collins had 1.

Tyler New had 7 steals. Karson Briner and Cannon Fletcher had 2, and Hayden Sanders, Bo Collins, Caleb New, and Cole Ruby had 1.

Wyatt Maize had 16 for North Harrison. Keygun Johnson had 9, Jerry Gilpatrick and Ethan Henson had 6, Dustin Hamilton 4, and Owan Roberson and Kolton Graham 2 each.

Wyatt Maize and Ethan Henson had 1 block each.

Keygun Johnson had 8 boards. Jerry Gilpatrick had 6, Ethan Henson 5, Kolton Graham 2, and Wyatt Maize 2.

Ethan Henson had 4 assists. Wyatt Maize and Jerry Gilpatrick had 3, Keygun Johnson 2, and Dustin Hamilton and Kolton Graham 1.

Wyatt Maize had 5 tips. Jerry Gilpatrick had 4, and Ethan Henson, Kolton Graham, and Keygun Johnson had 1.

Jerry Gilpatrick and Kolton Graham had 3 steals each. Dustin Hamilton had 2, and Wyatt Maize and Keygun Johnson had 1.

Kynah Steele Erupts Over Shamrocks; Tiger Girls No Longer Winless

Worth County’s girls are no longer winless following Monday’s 43-31 win over North Harrison. The game featured two teams that had not won a game yet. Something had to give, and both teams played with the kind of desperation one sees when both teams are hungry for a win. But the tale of the tape told the story for Worth County. The Tigers had improved on their rebounding the last two games, but had turned the ball over 23 times in those games, both losses. Worth County finally took the last step needed to start winning games; they cut their turnovers down to a season low 11 while forcing 26 themselves. Meanwhile, they held their own on the boards against Erica Gerken, Jaxcynn Hansel, and Carmon Fordyce, all of whom were flying to the glass all night long.

The shots started falling early for Worth County as Keira Hardy hit a 3-pointer off a pass from Kynah Steele and Kynah got a putback. Jaci Davis scored off a drive, but Kynah Steele knocked one down from the high post off a pass from Hardy and then Kambree Briner got a tip, Kristen Tracy got a steal, and Kynah finished. Kambree Briner got a driving lane and converted off Kynah Steele’s inbounds pass, and then Kristen Tracy got a putback to make it 13-2 after one quarter.

The game turned into a defensive struggle, with North Harrison chipping away in the second quarter. Jaci Davis hit back to back jacks to cut it to 13-8. Kynah Steele scored off a drive, but then Lani Briggs got on the board to cut it to 15-10. With North Harrison hanging around despite being outplayed, anything could happen, but a costly sequence for the Shamrocks happened late in the first half when Kristen Tracy ran the floor and got a pass from Kambree Briner. If she gets to where she can run the floor consistently, she could help turn the Tigers’ fortunes around in future years; Northwest Missouri State turned their fortunes around this year, going from an average team to an MIAA contender after they made having post players run the floor a point of emphasis in the offseason.

Following that play, Tracy got a putback with 9 seconds left, and the Tigers were up 19-10 at the half.

Worth County switched from a zone to a man to man press and got immediate dividends when Kambree Briner got a steal and made one of two from the line. Lani Briggs hit a 3-pointer, but then Kynah Steele, who has saved her best games in both softball and basketball for the Shamrocks since junior high, started taking over. She got a putback after a Keira Hardy steal, added a free throw, and then hit a shot off a Kambree Briner pass to make it 26-13. Kristen Tracy knocked one down from the high post. Jaci Davis knocked down a runner to cut it to 28-15, but then Kynah Steele channeled Caitlyn Clark, knocking down a logo three at the buzzer to make it 31-15.

But North Harrison would not go away as they suddenly put together one of their most productive quarters of the year. With Lani Briggs slashing to the basket at will, Erica Gerken setting screens like a football lineman throwing a block on people, and Jaci Davis chipping in a three, the Shamrocks got it down to 36-25 by the 4:30 mark and 39-29 at the 2:01 mark. But each time, the Tigers had an answer, with Keira Hardy and Riley Ridge beating them with backdoor looks. Finally, Worth County was able to run out the last two minutes for the win.

For Worth County, Kynah Steele had 20, Kristen Tracy 10, Keira Hardy and Kambree Briner 5 each, and Riley Ridge 3.

Kynah Steele had 8 blocks, nearly getting a triple double. Rylee Ruckman and Kristen Tracy had 1.

Kynah Steele had 10 boards. Kristen Tracy had 8, Kambree Briner 5, Rylee Ruckman and Rayleigh Smith 3 each, Riley Ridge 2, and Keira Hardy 1.

Kambree Briner had 5 assists. Kynah Steele had 4, Kristen Tracy 3, and Keira Hardy 1.

Keira Hardy had 7 tips. Kynah Steele had 5, Kambree Briner 4, Kristen Tracy 1, and Rayleigh Smith 1.

Kristen Tracy and Kambree Briner had 4 steals. Rylee Ruckman, Riley Ridge, and Rayleigh Smith had 2 each, and Keira Hardy 1.

For North Harrison, Lani Briggs had 15, Jaci Davis 13, Jaxcynn Hansel 2, and Kira Robertson 1.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 3 blocks.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 11 boards. Erica Gerken and Carmon Fordyce had 9 each, Jaci Davis 4, Kira Robertson 2, and Lani Briggs 1.

Jaci Davis had 4 assists. Carmon Fordyce had 3, Lani Briggs 2, and Kira Robertson and Erica Gerken 1 each.

Carmon Fordyce and Erica Gerken had 3 tips each. Kira Robertson and Jaxcynn Hansel had 2 each, and Lani Briggs 1.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 2 steals. Erica Gerken, Lani Briggs, Jaci Davis, and Carmon Fordyce had 1.

NEN Accepts Three Resignations

The Northeast Nodaway School Board, at its January school board meeting, voted to accept the resignations of three personnel, effective at the end of the current school year. They were Sikoya Trelow (head cheer coach only), Emily Bonifas, and Aylish Freemyer. 

Principal Heidi Beatty reported that after the first round of K-6 testing, 11 students were put on Reading Success Plans. Seven of them have met at least one of their goals and others are making good progress. Since then, four additional plans were written. A Reading Success Party was held on December 20th for students who met their goals.

Superintendent Brenda Dougan reported that the beef from Mo Beef for Kids was delivered. Donating the beef were the families of Brad Busby, Brian Sobotka, Clint Schmitz, Cody Adwell, Damien Auffert, Jeff Meyer, Kenny Runde, Ryan Cordell, Matt Busby, Austin Thummel, and Jeff and Debbie Thummel.

Work on the plumbing in the Greenhouse is partially complete. 

Democratic Party Announces Primary Process, Polling Locations for Worth, Gentry Counties

The Missouri Democratic Party is excited to announce the following candidates have filed to appear on the ballot for the Missouri Democratic presidential preference primary election scheduled on Saturday, March 23, 2024:

President Joseph Biden

Dean Phillips

Stephen P Lyons

Armando Perez-Serrato

Marianne Williamson

Jason Michael Palmer

Uncommitted

On the change in the law signed by Governor Parson requiring state parties to run their presidential preference primary election, Missouri Democratic Party Chair Russ Carnahan released the following statement:

“This change is nothing other than an attack on voter participation by Missouri Republicans and is nearly an exact copy of the playbook used by Republicans across the country in their bid to take more and more power from voters and hand it to power-hungry politicians. Any roadblock put in place to make voting harder undermines our Democracy. These kinds of attacks have become a hallmark of this fanatical Missouri Republican Party that only seeks to strip freedoms and rights away from Missouri voters,” Carnahan said.

“Missouri Democrats sought to design a process to maximize voter participation by offering mail-in and in-person voting options to Democratic presidential primary voters. The Missouri Democratic Party will continue to advocate for policies that expand access to voting and fight against these attacks on our Democratic process.”

Additionally, the Missouri Democratic Party announced the Democratic National Committee conditionally approved MDP’s plan for Missouri’s 2024 Democratic Presidential Primary. The following details are confirmed with more information available soon:

■ Missouri’s Democratic presidential primary is scheduled for Saturday, March 23, 2024.

■ The Democratic presidential primary will be a hybrid election, offering Missouri Democrats an opportunity to cast their vote by mail or at an in-person voting site from 8 AM until noon on the day of the primary.

■ Depending on final availability, at least one in-person voting site will be held in each county, with additional sites in St. Louis and Kansas City.

■ Voters registered by February 21, 2024, with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office will be eligible to vote in the Missouri Democratic presidential preference primary election, so long as the voter is not registered as a Republican.

■ Ballots will be available for request beginning February 1st via the Missouri Democratic Party’s Website, with distribution beginning Feb 17th. This request period will close on March 12.

■ Voters registered as Democrats by January 22, 2024, will automatically receive their ballot in the mail.

■ Ballots must be returned to the MDP by 10 AM on March 23, 2024.

■ Votes will be counted in St. Louis by March 25, with the announcement to be made by March 28, 2024.

The polling locations for Gentry County is at the Community Center in Stanberry and the polling location for Worth County will be the Worth County Fairgrounds Building. In person polling will be from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. on March 23, 2024.

NEN Homecoming February 2nd

Northeast Nodaway will celebrate its homecoming Friday, February 2nd against East Atchison at 6 pm.

On Thursday, February 1st at 5 pm, there will be a soup supper at the Old Gym for a free will donation. It is sponsored by the Booster Club. A pep rally will follow, along with the coronation. 

Students have been doing dressup days throughout the week. The theme has been a Hawaiian theme. Monday was Travel to Paradise Week, with students wearing pajamas or travel clothes. Tuesday was Tacky Tourist Day, with students wearing Hawaiian shirts or stereotypical tourist gear. Wednesday was Class Color Day. Thursday will be Pirate Day (no swords or weapons allowed). Friday will be Blue and White day. 

The class with the most spirit wins bragging rights for the Spirit Stick. The Elementary class with the most school spirit will also win a Spirit Stick, along with a movie party.

A beach dance will be held after the game, starting at around 9 pm. Admission will be $1. It will be for grades 7th through 12th grades. There will be dancing, pizza, pop, glowsticks, and prizes. All students who wish to bring a guest to the dance must have a permission form on file with the office by January 31st.

USDA Announces $10.5 Million in Additional Funding for Harrison County Hospital

USDA Rural Development Missouri State Director Kyle Wilkens announced Friday an investment of $10.5 million in additional funds to Harrison County Community Hospital District in Bethany, Missouri. Funds from the Community Facilities Loan Grant Program will go to serve critical care needs for three neighboring rural counties: Daviess, Harrison, and Mercer.

“Winter is cold and flu season, and a reminder of how important quality local healthcare is for folks in rural Missouri,” Wilkens said. “I couldn't be more pleased to announce our partnership to help construct a modern healthcare facility with the Harrison County Community Hospital District. This is what Missouri USDA Rural Development is all about, prioritizing federal investment to serve the needs in smaller communities.” Wilkens concludes.

This Rural Development investment will be used to construct a new hospital for the Harrison County Community Hospital District in Bethany, Missouri. The new facility will replace the existing hospital with 76,000 square-foot critical access hospital with a 14-bed acute care and swing-bed unit.  There will be 10 private patient rooms, including one patient isolation room and two semi-private rooms. The emergency department will include two trauma/isolation rooms, three exam rooms, and triage rooms complimenting the emergency department. The new hospital will ensure the district is able to provide world class healthcare services to the community.

Special Grant City Council Meeting January 31st

A special Grant City Council meeting will be held at Grant City Hall Wednesday, January 31st at 6 pm to discuss dangerous buildings. The meeting follows the denial of the city’s application for a grant that would have helped fund the demolition of five buildings along the square the city says are dangerous. The rules of the grant required the city to complete all the paperwork within 90 days, and required it to be an emergency situation.

North Nodaway Quarterly Awards for Middle School and High School

GOLD HONOR ROLL

6th Grade: Sophee Clapp, Zoey Pearson.

8th Grade: Laney Turner.

Freshmen: Lily Blaine, Kila Miller.

Sophomores: Addalea Barcus, Lacy Riley, Carlos Rohner, Casey Wray.

Seniors: Daryn Berg, Saryn Brown, Preston Hansen, Morgan Pope, Sydney Whipple, Angie Parker, Lauren Herndon.

SILVER HONOR ROLL

6th Grade: Hudson Alexander, Samuel Jenkins, Reed Martin, Cade Miller, Ava Steinman, Gannon Stricker, Chandra Wyllie.

7th Grade: Eliza Clements, Luke Clements, Jackson Keho, Conner Pearson, Zoey Phillips.

8th Grade: Weston Alexander, Trynzlee Ebrecht, Taccoa Moyer, Draven Rader, Lena Richards, Savannah Rucker, Pyper Smith, Ava Stump.

Freshmen: Mya Hansen, Ridge Harger, Aiden James, Haile Young.

Sophomores: Sadee Clapp, Blaine Clements, Emily Keho, Gannon Volner, Jackie Wray, Trevin Wyllie.

Juniors: Owen Martin, Olivia Renfro.

Seniors: Aydan Blackford, Tayden Halvin, Andrea Jenkins, Madison Leach, Brice Trimble.

BRONZE HONOR ROLL

6th Grade: Lila Miller, Dustie Rader.

7th Grade: Journi Farnsworth, Hayden Marriott.

8th Grade: Brendyn Harper.

Freshmen: Wyatt Emery, Keith Riedel.

Sophomores: Jordan DeLeon, Kaeden Nave, Landon Parman, Draven Rowland.

Juniors: Mason Casner, Nevaeh Halvin, Gabby Harper, Katelyn Parman, Lakota Rucker.

Seniors: Ethan Fry.

PERFECT ATTENDANCE FOR 2ND QUARTER

Middle School: Reed Martin, Cade Miller, Zoey Phillips, Draven Rader, Conner Reeves, Ava Steinman, Ava Stump, Laney Turner, Tristen Wray, Chandra Wyllie.

High School: Lily Blane, Blaine Clements, Ridge Harger, Gabby Harper, Owen Martin, Kila Miller, Lacy Riley, Sydney Whipple, Jackie Wray.

OTHER AWARDS

High School Achievement Awards: Brice Trimble, Gabby Harper, Sadee Clapp, Ridge Harger.

High School Leadership Award: Olivia Renfro.

High School Citizenship Award: Nevaeh Halvin.

High School Student of the Quarter: Angie Parker.

Middle School Achievement Award: Lila Miller.

Middle School Leadership Award: Gannon Stricker.

Middle School Citizenship Award: Sophee Clapp.

Student of the Quarter: Draven Rader. 

Worth County Can’t Cool Off Red Hot Rock Port

Worth County’s girls couldn’t cool off a red hot Rock Port squad, even though they gave it everything they had, and they fell 36-34 Tuesday, February 23rd. Rock Port had dropped their first three games, only to win their next 12 and turn themselves into one of the hottest teams in the Highway 275. Rock Port had played a game the Friday before, while Worth County had trouble even getting into the gym with all the school closings and cancellations. But it was Worth County who came out on fire to start the game as Kynah Steele scored from inside, added two more off a drive, added a free throw, and then Kristen Tracy got a pass from Kambree Briner to make it 7-2 in the early going. 

Rock Port fought back behind a guarded three from Chaney Vogler, an inside shot from Avery Meyerkorth, and a drive from Addy Maifeld to go up 9-7.

Kristen Tracy tied it up at 9-9, but then Worth County suffered through two lapses. The first was when Meyerkorth scored off a steal; the second was when Dylan Kemerling was all alone underneath the basket with one second to make it 13-9. It was the kind of lapse that has normally snowballed against the Tigers in other games.

But somehow, despite all the turnovers, Worth County was somehow in the lead after Kristen Tracy scored from inside, Kynah Steele added a free throw, and Riley Ridge scored from inside to make it 14-13. Avery Meyerkorth’s free throw tied it at 14, but then Kambree Briner’s free throw and four straight from Kynah Steele put the Tigers back in front 19-14 at the half.

Kristen Tracy scored to start the third quarter to make it 21-14, but then Rock Port started to chip away, getting their deficit down to 24-20 after Tatum Vogler’s steal. But Worth County was still ahead 25-20 after three following Kynah Steele’s free throw.

Chaney Vogler’s guarded three cut Rock Port’s deficit to 27-26, but Worth County pushed right back ahead following baskets from Kambree Briner and Keira Hardy to make it 31-26. Vogler hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 31-30, but Kynah Steele got a three point play to make it 34-30 following a pass from Rylee Ruckman.

But then the wheels came off for the Tigers as the turnovers mounted and became too much. Rock Port turned to Addy Maifeld, and she hit a 3-pointer and added a drive to tie it up at 34. 

Rylee Ruckman stuffed Avery Meyerkorth inside, and Meyerkorth later missed two free throws to give Worth County a chance to hold the ball and win it in regulation. But with 26 seconds left, they committed one turnover too many and Maifeld stole a pass. She later converted on a drive with seven second left to put Rock Port up 36-34.

Worth County rushed it up the floor for a last shot, but Rock Port knocked a pass away as time expired.

Kynah Steele had 14 points. Kristen Tracy had 10, Kambree Briner and Rylee Ruckman had 3, and Riley Ridge and Keira Hardy had 2. Worth County shot 14 for 39 for 36%. They were 5 for 9 from the line.

Kynah Steele had 10 rebounds to complete the double double. Kristen Tracy had 6, Riley Ridge 5, Rylee Ruckman 4, Kambree Briner 3, and Brooklyn Richardson 2.

Kambree Briner had 4 assists. Rylee Ruckman and Kynah Steele had 3, and Brooklyn Richardson and Kristen Tracy had 2.

Kynah Steele had 5 blocks. Brooklyn Richardson and Rylee Ruckman had 1.

Kynah Steele had 5 tips. Rylee Ruckman and Brooklyn Richardson had 2 each, and Keira Hardy and Kristen Tracy 1 each.

Rylee Ruckman had 4 steals. Kynah Steele had 3, and Riley Ridge and Brooklyn Richardson had 1.

Tiger Boys Show Rust, Fall to Rock Port

Worth County showed rust from their one week layoff from basketball and fell 47-44 to Rock Port Tuesday, January 23rd. They got an impressive win over Princeton, but then struggled to even get into the gym with cancellations and postponements due to the weather. Meanwhile, Rock Port was able to get a game in the Friday before and was still near top form. The Blue Jays had gotten off to a bad start this year, but are now on a tear and have not lost since December. 

Caleb New shot the Tigers into a 9-3 lead, but then the rust began to show as Rock Port was flying to the glass at will, getting 15 offensive rebounds for the night. They started chipping away and were back in the lead at 10-9 by the 3:31 mark. They led by as much as 17-13 in the first quarter before Tyler New cut it to 17-15 after one.

Malachi Skillen was working the boards at will for Rock Port in the second quarter as they led by as much as 21-15, but then Cole Ruby hit a transition three, Bo Collins scored off a Caleb New steal, and then Caleb scored five straight to put the Tigers back into the lead at 25-21 before Bannack Skillen cut the Rock Port deficit to 25-23 at the break. 

Karson Briner had the hot hand for Worth County early in the third quarter as they led by as much as 29-25, but then the rebounding broke down again and Rock Port fought back, getting a guarded three from Cade Makings to go back in front 33-31. Tyler New’s 3-pointer with a hand in his face at the third quarter buzzer put the Tigers back into the lead at 36-35 going into the fourth.

The game settled down into a defensive struggle, with both sides finding points hard to come by. The game was tied in the fourth at 36 and then 38. Finally, Caleb New missed a 3-pointer for Worth County and Ozzy Hurst hit his only three points of the game at the other end to put Rock Port in front 41-38. Tyler New missed two tries to cut the Tiger deficit to one, and then Jack Meyerkorth was automatic from the line down the stretch before Tyler New hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer at the end.

For Worth County, Tyler New had 17, Caleb New 12, Bo Collins 6, Karson Briner 4, Cole Ruby 3, and Hayden Sanders 2. The Tigers were 17 for 47 from the field for 36%. They were 4 for 8 from the line.

Caleb New had three 3-pointers for the Tigers. Tyler New had two and Cole Ruby 1.

Tyler New and Karson Briner had 10 boards each. Bo Collins had 6, Cole Ruby 4, Caleb New 1, and Cannon Fletcher 1.

Bo Collins had 5 assists. Tyler New had 3, and Cole Ruby 1.

Cole Ruby, Tyler New, and Karson Briner had 1 steal.

Cannon Fletcher, Tyler New, and Karson Briner had 1 block.

Tyler New had 2 tips and Karson Briner 1.

Cole Ruby had 2 steals. Tyler New, Karson Briner, and Bo Collins had 1.

Ethan Frese, Kynah Steele are Courtwarming Royalty

Kynah Steele and Ethan Frese were named Worth County Courtwarming Royalty Friday before the Tigers’ games with Nodaway Valley. Other royalty candidates were Brooklyn Richardson, Tyler New, and Mitzie Gillespie. 

Junior attendants were Anissa Russell and Karson Briner. Sophomore attendants were Riley Ridge and Andrew Griffin. Freshman attendants were Arenna Galanakis and Hayden Sanders. Crownbearers were Maddyx Claypool, Gemma Hall, Quinn Rush, Bowen Findley, Nolan Gilland, and Carter Mullock. 

The girls were still searching for their first win after Friday. Against the state ranked Nodaway Valley Thunder, they played two good quarters against them, but were in over their heads in the first quarter and were also outplayed in the third.

The Tigers went through one of their stretches when everything snowballed on them, which can’t be done against teams of Nodaway Valley’s caliber. They turned the ball over 12 times in the first quarter. By the time the dust had settled, they were down 25-0 after one quarter of play.

But like the Mount Ayr game, a completely different Tiger team took the floor for the second quarter. Keira Hardy, playing some of her best ball of the year, led the Tigers with five points in the period, and five different Tigers scored in the period as they cut the lead down to 35-15 by the half. Riley Ridge, who had never played basketball until this year, was a bright spot on defense, getting a career high in rebounds with 7 and locking down all-state candidate Ava Graham, holding her to 12 points for the night. 

The third quarter started off well, with the Tigers twice cutting it to 18 points. But after they missed a chance to get it down to 16, the game snowballed on them and the Thunder started getting to the rim at will, building their lead back up to 52-21 late in the third. 

But at the end of the third, Riley Ridge took on Graham and finished at the buzzer, beating her to the rim to spark the Tigers in the fourth. They outplayed the Thunder in the fourth, getting four from Kristen Tracy and three from Kynah Steele as they got the deficit down to 55-31 by the end of the game.

The focus for the Tigers will be on playing four quarters of ball and cutting down on their turnovers. For the second straight game, they turned the ball over 23 times in the game. On the bright side, for the second time in a row, the Tigers rebounded well, only surrendering eight offensive boards against one of the top rebounding teams in the area after giving up 15-20 a game most of the year.

For the Tigers, Kristen Tracy had 9, Keira Hardy 7, Kambree Briner 6, Kynah Steele 5, and Riley Ridge 4.

Kynah Steele had 2 blocks.

Kynah Steele had 10 boards. Riley Ridge had 7, Rylee Ruckman 5, Kambree Briner 3, Kristen Tracy and Rayleigh Smith 2, and Keira Hardy 1.

Kambree Briner had 3 assists. Kristen Tracy had 2, and Rylee Ruckman, Rayleigh Smith, Keira Hardy, and Riley Ridge had 1.

Rayleigh Smith and Riley Ridge had 5 tips. Kynah Steele had 4, Keira Hardy 2, and Kynah Steele, Rylee Ruckman, and Kambree Briner had 1.

Rylee Ruckman, Keira Hardy, and Kambree Briner had 3 steals. Riley Ridge, Kristen Tracy, and Kynah Steele had 2, and Rayleigh Smith had 1.

The boys were up next against a tough Nodaway Valley squad. Even without Kaeden Conn (ankle), the Thunder were still tough as they had Michael Cook handling the ball and holding down Tyler New and Preston Jenkins, a strong undersized post player like his dad was for Jefferson. Like the Rock Port game, the Nodaway Valley game turned into a defensive struggle in which both teams had to work to get good looks. But this time, the Tigers cut down on their mistakes from the Rock Port game, surrendering the ball only 7 times, compared to 11 times against Rock Port. They only surrendered 8 offensive boards against the Thunder, compared to 15 against Rock Port. The result was a 43-31 win for their Courtwarming game. 

The game started off slowly, with the lid on the rim for both sides. After the Tigers jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, Tyler Gray countered with a steal for the Thunder, and the score was stuck at 5-2 for a long time. 

When Gray, one of Nodaway Valley’s most physical players, sat down with two fouls, the lid got unstuck for the Tigers long enough for them to get the lead into double digits. Hayden Sanders hit a 3-pointer to close out the first quarter and make it 8-2, then Caleb New hit a 3-pointer, and Bo Collins and Tyler New got untracked. Lane Larabee countered from the high post, but Tyler New scored off a drive and Bo Collins scored from inside to make it 19-4 at the 1:25 mark.

But then Nodaway Valley started chipping away, getting it back to 19-8 at the half and then scoring the first six points of the second half to make it 19-14. Caleb New picked up his third foul, and the Tigers looked to be in trouble, but then Tyler New scored off a drive and Hayden Sanders hit a 3-pointers to get the Tigers out of danger. 

The Thunder hung around for the rest of the third quarter, getting the deficit down to 27-18, but then Cole Ruby got untracked to start the fourth quarter, Karson Briner cleaned up after a miss in transition, and Cole and Tyler both had three point plays to make it 38-22 at the 5:10 mark.

Nodaway Valley responded with a frantic rally to get it down to 38-29 as the Tigers started turning the ball over, but then Tyler New broke the run with a 3-pointer from the top of the key and Bo Collins scored from inside as the Tigers were able to run out the clock.

Tyler New had 18 points. Hayden Sanders, Bo Collins, and Cole Ruby had 6 each, Karson Briner had 4, and Caleb New 3.

Bo Collins had 2 blocks and Karson Briner 1.

Bo Collins had 9 rebounds. Tyler New and Karson Briner had 5 each, Cole Ruby and Hayden Sanders 3, and Caleb New and Cannon Fletcher 1.

Bo Collins, Cole Ruby, and Tyler New had 3 assists. Karson Briner had 2 and Hayden Sanders and Caleb New 1.

Caleb New, Tyler New, Bo Collins, and Karson Briner all had 3 tips. Hayden Sanders had 2 and Cole Ruby 1.

Hayden Sanders had 3 steals. Karson Briner had 2, and Tyler New and Cole Ruby had 1.

Colleen Lovett 1939-2024

Colleen Rue Jean (Riley) Lovett, Kearney, Missouri, passed away on her 85th birthday, January 18, 2024. Rue was born January 18, 1939, in Eagleville, Missouri, the only child of Doris (Ballew) and Darryl Riley.  She attended school in Eagleville, Missouri, graduating in 1957 from North Harrison High School. 

On August 18, 1957, she married her lifelong love, Cecil W. Lovett, Jr., at the First Christian Church (DoC) in Eagleville, Missouri. They had four daughters: Teresa Brent, Loni Collins (Steve), Annette Hatton (Kevin) and Cie Cascone (Scott).

Growing up an only child, Rue valued the relationships she had with friends and family. Her house often became the base from which cousins and friends would venture out for basketball games, dances, ice cream socials, and other events. Rue had an outgoing personality with a sweet disposition that drew people to her. In high school, Rue was well known for her scholarship, athleticism, and leadership skills. 

As a young Navy wife, Rue quickly learned to adapt to each new duty station. Rue made houses into homes from coast-to-coast and in Cairo, Egypt. She made anywhere “home!” So much so, that when each of her four daughters had their first child, their families moved to Kearney to be closer to “home.” Rue wasn’t just a Momma to her four daughters. She also became “Mom” to so many others from her daughters’ friends, her friends’ daughters, new Navy wives and new mothers, younger co-workers, and many others along the way. She was a natural educator and caregiver providing life lessons and skills to so many young women, in addition to her four daughters. 

In 1978, Rue obtained her real estate license and began an amazing career that culminated with her and Cecil owning three real estate offices in Kearney, Excelsior Springs, and Smithville Missouri. While “Cecil Lovett and Associates LLC” was on the legal documents, everyone knew who ran the real estate business! In addition to the day-to-day business, Rue was active in many professional organizations and was honored time and again for her excellence in leadership, training, and sales. She was a powerhouse! She believed helping people find a home was a privilege. She was successful because she cared for and shepherded her clients throughout the process. Not only did her clients return, time after time, when they needed to upsize or downsize, but many of her clients became lifetime friends. Rue treated employees like her extended “family” and many remained “family” even after her retirement in 2023. 

In addition to her work life, Rue was always deeply committed to her church and her community. She has served on many state and community boards over the years from the State of Tennessee Educational Board to the President of the Missouri Women’s Council of Realtors and active in the Kearney Chamber of Commerce. She was a lifetime member of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, starting the first chapter in Cairo, Egypt. She served as a Deaconess, Elder, and Board Member for both the Methodist Church and the Christian Church (DoC) over the years. Her strong faith saw her through 85 years of life, living each one by her chosen motto “One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus!” 

Preceding her in death were her husband of 64 years, Cecil W. Lovett Jr. and her parents, Darryl and Doris Riley.

Left to mourn her passing are her daughters: Teresa Brent, Loni Collins (Steve), Annette Hatton (Kevin) all of Kearney, Missouri and Cie Cascone (Scott) of Gardner, Kansas. Grandchildren: Ryan Collins (Miranda), Ozark, MO, Derek Collins (Crystal), Kearney, MO, Chris Brent (Michelle) Topeka, KS, Nic Brent (Ellie), Kansas City, MO, Andrea Hatton (Brandon), Liberty, MO, Jennifer Hatton (Andrei), Excelsior Springs, MO, J.T. Spaeth, Kansas City, MO, Riley Spaeth (Dakota), Kansas City, MO and Braeden Hughes, Gardner, KS. Great-grandchildren: Adrian Collins, Ali Collins, Zoe Collins, Liam Collins, Corbin Collins, Keira Hatton, Elijah Shoemaker, Autumn Saveluc, and Nora Brent. In addition, many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Last, but certainly not least, Mom’s loyal companion, Jessie the wonder dog! 

Funeral Services were held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 24 at the First Christian Church, 2151 S. Jefferson St., Kearney, MO under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, Eagleville, MO.  Burial followed in the Fairview Cemetery, Kearney, MO.  Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church and/or Kearney Foundation in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Eagleville, MO  64442.  Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.

Mary Ogle 1929-2024

Funeral Services for Mary Ogle, 94, of Bedford, Iowa will be held Friday, January 26, 2024 at 10:30 AM at Cummings Family Funeral Home.  Open Visitation will be Thursday, January 25, 2024 from 3 PM to 7 PM.  Interment following the service will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Blockton, Iowa.  In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed towards the family to be established in Mary's memory.  Casual dress is requested by the family for the services.  Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.cummingsfamilyfuneralhome.com under Obituaries.  

Mary Elizabeth (Miller) Ogle was born in Creston, Iowa on October 6, 1929 after traveling there by train. Mary was the youngest of six children born to Thomas Jefferson and Olive Edna (Hoffman) Miller. Mary passed away peacefully January 23, 2024 at CHI Hospital in Corning Iowa.

Mary grew up attending country schools near Blockton and Redding, Iowa. She graduated from Blockton High School in 1948 and was the Valedictorian of her class.

Mary was united in marriage, to her high school sweetheart, John Paul Ogle on October 6, 1949 on her birthday in Nashua, Iowa at the Little Brown Church in the Vale. Mary was a homemaker and took great pride in her 7 children, 14 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great-grandchildren and 3 on the way.

Mary was an avid pinochle player, a life long member of the NCPC, New Comers Pinochle Club, which was started in 1947. Mary enjoyed all kind of cards with family, friends and neighbors. Mary loved her cards so much she once fell on the ice, broke both her wrists around noon, went to the doctor and was in Blockton playing pinochle by 1:30 PM.

Mary loved music and enjoyed the Local Country Jam, from March through December, on Friday afternoons. She could be seen tapping her toes and keeping the beat right up front with her special lady friends. Mary was also known for her wonderful homemade mints. For weddings, showers and birthdays they were always a hit. Mary enjoyed passing this down from generation to generation.

To all who knew her as Mother Mary, Grandma Mary or Mary O; she will be remembered as a strong-willed and independent woman who never knew a stranger.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, in-laws, Guy and Mona Ogle; husband, John in 1991; son, William Earl in 2018 and daughter, Rebecca Kay in 1965; a granddaughter, Tammie in 1973; grandson, Chris in 2023; great-grandson, Michael in 20217; brothers, Duane and Robert Miller and sisters, Hazel Ruth Smith and Ada Mae Moon.

Left to cherish her memory are Nancy Ogle of Maryville, Missouri; Elizabeth (Allen) Coleman of Hopkins, Missouri; Debbie Curry of Bedford, Iowa; Sandy (Rob) Wilson of Leawood, Kansas; John Robert Ogle of Hopkins, Missouri and Belinda Ogle of rural Bedford, Iowa; two nieces, Mary Weaver of Blockton, Iowa and Jane (Roger) Manser of Chariton, Iowa along with many, many other relatives, friends, neighbors.

Mary loved cardinals and upon seeing one would say, "when you see a cardinal know that your loved one is near."

Vicki Grispino 1941-2024

Vicki Sue Grispino, 82, of Maryville, Missouri passed from this life on Earth on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Vicki was born in Pittsburg, Kansas on April 29, 1941 to Charles Owen “Charlie” Greer and LaVon (Gardner) Greer. She was raised in Pittsburg and graduated from high school there in 1959.

In 1962, Vicki was united in marriage to Frank Darrell Grispino, Sr. in Frontenac, Kansas. They were married 62 years before her death.

She and Frank lived in Lawrence, Kansas prior to moving to Maryville in 1965 when Frank got a job at Northwest Missouri State University.

Vicki stayed home to raise her children before earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. She later earned a Master of Science Degree in Reading at Northwest.

She was a member and attended St. Gregory’s Barbarigo Catholic Church, Maryville. She was also a member of the Missouri State Teachers Association. Vicki began her teaching career at North Nodaway as a Kindergarten teacher. After several years at North Nodaway, Vicki began teaching 1st grade at Eugene Field Elementary School in Maryville. Vicki retired after 32 years in education.

She played tennis, was an animal lover, liked her cats, and bird watching. Family was number one to her.

She enjoyed family get-togethers and family traditions. She also had a love for the moon. Regularly, she and her kids would text each other and say, “Hurry! Go look at Luna!”

Her parents preceded her in death, as well as her brother-in-law, Gene Campbell.

Her husband, Frank, survives of the home in Maryville, as well as her children, Frankie (Susan) Grispino, Jr. and Kristina (Paul Thompson) Alexander, all of Maryville. She is also survived by her three grandchildren, Gage and Gunnar Grispino and Ashlyn Alexander, her sister, Connie Campbell, Kansas City, Missouri, and nieces and nephews.

A family and parish Rosary will be at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, January 30 at St. Gregory’s. Following the Rosary, there will be a visitation from 10:00-11:00 and a funeral mass will be at 11:00 a.m. A lunch will be provided at the church. A private burial will also follow mass at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Maryville, Missouri.

Services are under the direction of Bram Funeral Home.

Area Courthouse, Police, and Crime Reports for January 24th, 2024

On January 16th, Harrison County Prosecutor Alex Van Zandt filed charges against Clinton McClain (34) of Cainsville alleging Careless & Imprudent Driving (Accident) and Failure to Secure Child in Booster Seat. 

On January 16th, Harrison County Prosecutor Alex Van Zandt filed charges against James Harris (61) of Ridgeway alleging Tampering with Utility Meter. An affidavit from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department alleges that the defendant, on two occasions, turned water from the City of Ridgeway back on after being shut off for nonpayment.

On January 17th, the Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested Habib Abdi (28) of Bloomington (MN) in Harrison County on a charge of DWI.

On January 18th, the Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested Niki Hancock (42) of King City in Gentry County on a charge of DWI.

On January 18th, Brandon Smith (40) of Des Moines was arrested in Gentry County on a Polk County (IA) warrant alleging Theft. Bond was set at $5,000, cash or corporate surety.

On January 18th, Nodaway County Prosecutor Tina Dieter filed charges against Neil Hacker (46) of Elmo alleging Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony). Bond was denied.

On January 18th, Nodaway County Prosecutor Tina Dieter filed charges against Breten Kinder (23) of Maryville alleging Assault (Felony). Bond was denied. 

On January 18th, Nodaway County Prosecutor Tina Dieter filed charges against Devin Cox (23) of Oregon (MO) alleging Stealing. An affidavit from the Maryville Police Department alleged that the defendant stole one Nike Air zip up jacket, one Nike Air pants, one Chicago Bulls t-shirt, and two facemasks from a local store. He was also arrested for felony warrants from Buchanan County.

On January 18th, Nodaway County Prosecutor Tina Dieter filed charges against Randy Randle (55) of Sheridan alleging Driving While Revoked (Felony). 

On the evening of January 18th and the morning of January 19th, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department reported working multiple slideoffs due to slick road conditions from the snowstorm that afternoon.

On January 19th, Harrison County Prosecutor Alex Van Zandt filed charges against Eric Gilliam (47) of Marion (IA) alleging DWI. 

On January 20th, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that a 2015 Polaris driven by Lisa Clark (52) of Darlington was southbound on 535th road two miles west of Gentryville at around 3:35 pm on snow and ice covered roads. The Patrol says the Polaris skidded off the west side of the roadway and overturned, pinning Clark underneath. She received moderate injuries and was taken to Mosaic in St. Joseph.

On January 22nd, Gentry County Prosecutor Jessica Jones filed charges against Nicholas Merrigan (39) of Clarksdale alleging DWI involving the Death of Another (Felony), Careless & Imprudent Driving (Accident), and Driving While Revoked. Bond was set at $10,000, cash or corporate surety.

On January 22nd, Gentry County Prosecutor Jessica Jones filed charges against Norman Wayne Moad (55) of St. Joseph alleging two counts Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony), two counts Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Resisting Arrest (Felony), Possession of Burglary Tools (Felony), and Failure to Register as Sex Offender (Felony). Bond was set at $10,000, cash or corporate surety.

Charges listed are merely allegations. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it is to determine guilt or innocence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

Clint Kniep 1968-2024

 Clinton Earl Kniep was born on June 29, 1968, in Creston to Donna Moore and Ron Kniep. Clint was “somewhat welcomed” home by older sisters Diane and Karla. We say somewhat welcomed because oldest sister Diane loved having a baby brother and defended him to the death. While middle sister, Karla loved him, but would have been happy not to have this newest addition disturb the “perfect” family she had. Clint was born early and was a very small baby, but he made up for that in the years to come. He grew so much because of the love that surrounded him and the love he had to give.

As a child he was always wreaking havoc and going on adventures with his best friends and neighbors, Chuck and Doug Williams. He had an imaginary friend, Dean, whom he blamed everything on. “Dean did it!” He rode his bike up and down main street of Bridgewater and loved going to the Bridgewater station for pop and peanuts. He would go to Doris’ store in Bridgewater and charge snacks for all of his friends and himself to his dad’s account. He would often stop at his grandparents’ house on main street in Bridgewater and he loved coming to Clearfield to spend time with his cousins and grandparents there. He grew up with cousin Lester Elliott – raised more as his brother than cousin. In high school, Clint moved to Clearfield and began attending Diagonal High school. He credits the friends he made there and Coach Dennis Tassel for turning him into the man he was today. He loved all activities and was active in basketball and baseball and the class plays while he was in high school.

After high school, he attended one year at Southwestern Community College (to become an art teacher), and he helped coach basketball and baseball at Diagonal. He did this for many years. He played slow pitch softball, league basketball and golf (lots and lots of golf). Later he moved back to Greenfield and worked at Cardinal glass before eventually starting work on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and moving back to Diagonal.

In December of 1997 he took Shaun Hayse out on their first date, proposed to her in September and they were married March 20, 1999. Much to the chagrin of Clint they lived on a farm east of Redding which he complained was too far from the golf course. The light of Clint’s world were his twins, Jillian and Tessa, who were born August 23, 2004. Clint loved everything about being their daddy and he was the first on the floor with them to play tea party or dress up. He coached them in t-ball and basketball, and was the loudest one cheering in the stands, sometimes getting mad at Shaun for yelling “too loudly.” He was a fierce competitor, but an even fiercer advocate. He was loyal to a fault and always tried to find the good in others.

When Clint and Shaun built their home in Mount Ayr, closer to the golf course, he opened his doors for everyone. He loved hosting and cooking. He thought he was a better cook than Shaun (and probably was thanks to his Grandma Eileen), so Shaun let him think that and he did most of it with her taking care of the baking and dishes. He loved to host his friends to play cards or watch the Hawkeyes.

The twin’s senior year when they got open campus, he enjoyed having a houseful for lunch. He often complained about the grocery bill, but he wouldn’t have had it any other way. He savored every moment with them – often texting Shaun about the antics and the funny stories he heard and saw at lunch. He adopted many kids throughout the years, and he made sure that they knew they always had a place in our home and a meal to come home to.

His world were his girls though, and he would do anything to make them happy. Shopping trips, watching endless plays when Shaun was directing, trips to Good Vibes with Tessa, cattle shows with Jillian, laying down with Tessa each night before bed, watching games with Jillian or movies with Shaun and taking her out to eat, Clint was always there for them all. His love was big and the hole he has left is enormous.

Clint passed away January 16, 2024. He was preceded in death by his father Ron Kniep, nephew Ben Dodge, mother-in-law Katie Hayse, brother-in-law, Randy Long, and nephew Jon Ecker.

Clint is survived by his wife of nearly 25 years Shaun, daughters Jillian and Tessa, mother Donna and Keith Moore, sisters Diane Long and Karla (Nic) Denney, step-mother Becky Kniep and step-brothers Scott, Rob, Todd and Tim and their families, step-brother Blake Moore and family, step-sister Tammy LaFratte and family, father-in-law Preston Hayse (friend Bobbi Bainum), brother-in-law Peter and Sally Hayse, nieces Amy Long and Heather Ecker, nephews Jason, Jeremy (Hailey) Long, Josh (Paige) Hancock, Nathan (Hayley) Hogue, Kyle and Tyler (Sharon) Hayse, great-nieces Madison Ecker, Rylann Long, Ivy Bessinine and Josie Long, great-nephews Hayden Ecker, Tyler Rexroth, Booker Hogue, and Brooks Hancock, special family friends Todd and Angie Glendenning, Hannah (Nathan) Weeda and Blair Glendenning, uncles, aunts, cousins, and many extended family members and friends who became family.

Memorials are in his name to be decided.

Sue Vore 1950-2024

Sue Vore, 73, of Maryville, Missouri passed away on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at the Daviess County Health Care Center in Gallatin, Missouri.

Sue was born on June 16, 1950 in Maryville, Missouri to Leon and Frances (Lame) Hart. She was a graduate of Maryville High School. She retired from Eveready and enjoyed reading and puzzles.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Elaine Glotfelty, and brother, Alan Hart.

Survivors include, her son Kelly Vore and four grandchildren, Derrick Vore, Shelby (Anthony) Kempa, Dylan Vore and Dawson Vore.

Mrs. Vore has been cremated under the care of Price Funeral Home. A graveside memorial service will be held at a later date at the Prairie Chapel Cemetery in Denver, Missouri.

www.pricefuneralhomemaryville.com

State Auditor Says Secretary of State Withheld Information on Implementation of Cybersecurity Law

By the Missouri State Auditor's Office

An audit report released Monday by State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick gives the Missouri Secretary of State's Office a rating of "fair," which is a downgrade from the office's last audit that had a rating of "good."

The report details how the Secretary of State's Office (SOS) refused to provide information on the office's implementation of a new statutory requirement to perform cyber security reviews of Missouri's 116 local election authorities (LEAs). Despite the fact that Missouri law requires the disclosure of the information to the State Auditor's Office (SAO), the SOS refused to provide the names of LEAs receiving cyber security reviews, LEAs planned to receive future reviews, or the results of the reviews that have been conducted.

In 2022, the Missouri Legislature passed House Bill 1878. Among the numerous election related provisions contained in the legislation was a new requirement that the SOS and LEAs receive a cybersecurity review once every two years. Because the SOS refused to cooperate, audit staff were unable to obtain sufficient evidence to evaluate the steps taken by the SOS to comply with the new state law. While the SAO did not pursue legal remedies to obtain the information, it did determine through other means that, at a minimum, most of the cyber security reviews appear to have been completed. The audit recommends the SOS provide information requested by the State Auditor as required by state law.

"Public trust in the electoral process is the cornerstone of our democratic institutions. The legislature passed HB 1878 with the goal of providing Missourians confidence that their voices are being accurately and securely recorded at the ballot box. With a major election cycle right around the corner, verifying the implementation of the new cyber security reviews was a vital part of our audit. The law clearly provides our audit staff with the authority to receive and review this information, and it's disappointing the Secretary of State's Office stood in the way of our efforts to perform a thorough analysis of how the new cyber security reviews have been implemented," said Auditor Fitzpatrick. "Going forward I hope the office, and all governmental entities, will follow the law and respect the duty we have to provide taxpayers with a better understanding of how government is operating and that their tax dollars are being used efficiently."

The audit also found a decision made by the Secretary of State's Office to leave the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) will cause local election authorities (LEAs) to have less information to identify and correct inaccurate voter records because the SOS did not have a plan to replace the benefits received from membership with ERIC.

In September 2017, the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities (MACCEA) unanimously passed a resolution urging Missouri to join ERIC to "improve the efficiency and quality of voter registration list maintenance."  Shortly after the MACCEA adopted the resolution at their 111th Annual Conference, the SOS became a member of ERIC in January 2018. According to Secretary Ashcroft, the state joined ERIC to make elections better, make voter rolls more accurate, and bring greater trust to the election process.

As the SAO attempted to evaluate the efficacy of ERIC membership, SOS officials refused to provide reports from ERIC or details of how many deceased voters, cross-state movers, or duplicate voter registrations were identified by ERIC data reports. This refusal necessitated that audit staff obtain this information directly from ERIC. The data shows during the five years the state was a member of ERIC, the SOS and local election authorities (LEAs) were provided information on over 770,000 potentially duplicate voter registration records and over 21,000 deceased voter registration records. Election administrators in Missouri's largest election jurisdiction, St. Louis County, used ERIC reports to remove thousands of deceased voters from their voter rolls alone.

According to the audit, the SOS did not fully evaluate the benefits received from ERIC prior to terminating the membership. The SOS did not track and analyze the summary data received from the ERIC reports or the results of the LEAs' investigations of the potentially inaccurate records identified by ERIC. Prior to making the decision to terminate ERIC membership, SOS officials did not consult the LEAs even though they are the primary users of the reports generated by ERIC. Since the departure, county clerks have publicly stated their list maintenance efforts will be less efficient and more tedious as they will have to rely on pre-ERIC methods to ensure the accuracy of their voter rolls. The audit concludes that while the SOS has recently undertaken efforts to replace the benefits received from ERIC, those efforts have not been fully implemented and it is unlikely those procedures will fully offset the value received from the ERIC membership. The report recommends the SOS take action to make sure the LEAs have the most appropriate data available to ensure the completeness and reliability of the state's voter registration data.

Fitzpatrick said, "I can respect why Secretary Ashcroft felt it was necessary to end the relationship with ERIC, but that doesn't negate the responsibility to have a plan to replace that data so the office has a reliable way to ensure we don't have dead voters registered in Missouri as we enter a major election year."

The audit report also includes a finding from the 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report - Report on Internal Control, Compliance, and Other Matters, which found the SOS did not have adequate controls and procedures over financial reporting of accounts receivable. As a result, civil penalty accounts receivable data submitted to the Office of Administration for inclusion in the financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2022, was misstated. If the resulting misstatements had not been identified during the audit, Government Wide - Governmental Activities and Public Education Fund net accounts receivable and related liability balances would have been overstated by at least $9.7 million in the financial statements.

Keygun Johnson Leads Three in Double Figures; Shamrocks Beat King City

North Harrison got off to a bad start against King City, but then steadily took control and pulled away in the second half for a 62-38 win Wednesday. Keygun Johnson led three Shamrocks in double figures with 19 and added 12 boards for a double double. They were able to keep the Wildkats off the boards; after King City got 28 offensive rebounds against North Nodaway, they only managed 13 against the Shamrocks, five of which were in garbage time when the game was decided. 

King City saw plenty to build on from the North Nodaway game despite their 51-41 loss; they liked what they saw from Josiah Schellhorn against them and started him against the Shamrocks. After struggling to finish all year, he was a bright spot for the Wildkats, getting 14 points in Wednesday’s game. And they liked what they saw from their halfcourt trap against North Nodaway; they put it in against North Harrison, and it caught them off guard as they turned it over three times in the first three possessions. 

The turnovers continued to mount against the swarming, trapping defense for King City, but somehow, the Shamrocks managed to hang around as the game was tied at 2, 5, and then 7 before free throws from Keygun Johnson and a fast break from Wyatt Maize put them up 11-7 at the 2:32 mark of the first quarter. Collin Potter cut it to 11-9 for King City, but Wyatt Maize countered in the high post, and somehow, despite eight turnovers in the first quarter, North Harrison was in front 13-9 after one quarter.

The turnovers continued to mount for the Shamrocks as Jonothan Garlock got a steal to cut the Wildkat deficit to 15-14 at the 4:28 mark. At that point, the turnover count was 11 for North Harrison. But suddenly, they woke up and started taking better care of the ball. After turning it over 11 times up to that point, they didn’t turn it over at all the rest of the half; that was when they started pulling away.

Andrew Craig came off the bench for the Shamrocks to spark them, scoring four straight to make it 19-14. Schellhorn scored four straight for King City to cut it to 19-18, and King City had a chance to take the lead, but then North Harrison forced a five seconds call, which seemed to spark them on the other end. Jerry Gilpatrick, who had been scoreless up to that point after scoring 32 the game before, suddenly got loose inside for two and then added two free throws after getting a long carom and drive. Keygun Johnson added a putback to put the Shamrocks up 25-18 at the half.

There were two key differences that were in the Shamrocks’ favor in the second half. The first was that Jerry Gilpatrick came alive with 12 out of his 16 points in the second half after being bottled up the first half. The second was that the Shamrocks only turned it over four times in the second half before the subs took over late after turning it over 11 times in the first half. 

King City hung around for the first three minutes of the third quarter as Schellhorn scored four and Garlock two. But North Harrison stayed in front 30-24 as Dustin Hamilton and Keygun Johnson countered with putbacks and Jerry Gilpatrick added a free throw. Finally, Ethan Henson sparked them with his first 3-pointer of the game, and the Shamrocks started taking over. Keygun Johnson got a putback, Jerry Gilpatrick got two free throws after grabbing his own miss, Keygun scored off a drive, Jerry Gilpatrick and Keygun Johnson added free throws, and Gilpatrick got loose after Wyatt Maize pushed one ahead to make it 43-24 after three.

But King City is one of those teams which can give up big runs, only to turn around and go on big runs. Sure enough, Schellhorn hit a free throw, Garlock scored off a drive, and Brody Wall got untracked to cut the Wildkat deficit to 45-30 to start the fourth quarter. But Ethan Henson quashed the rally with his second 3-pointer, and the teams traded buckets until the 2:50 mark. Finally, Jerry Gilpatrick drew Schellhorn’s fifth foul going to the rim at the 2:32 mark and hit both free throws to make it 58-36, and prompted King City to throw in the towel.

Andrew Craig and Kolton Graham got on the board for the Shamrocks in the closing minutes of the game.

For North Harrison, Keygun Johnson had 19, Jerry Gilpatrick 16, and Wyatt Maize 11. Ethan Henson and Andrew Craig had 6, and Dustin Hamilton and Kolton Graham had 2.

Keygun Johnson had 3 blocks. Jerry Gilpatrick had 2 and Wyatt Maize 1.

Keygun Johnson had 12 boards. Jerry Gilpatrick had 7, Wyatt Maize 5, Dustin Hamilton and Andrew Craig 3 each, and Ethan Henson, Kolton Graham, and Kyler Kimbrough 1 each.

Jerry Gilpatrick had 6 assists. Wyatt Maize had 5, Dustin Hamilton and Kolton Graham 2 each, and Keygun Johnson, Ethan Henson, and Kyler Kimbrough 1.

Keygun Johnson had 6 tips. Wyatt Maize had 3, Ethan Henson, Dustin Hamilton, and Jerry Gilpatrick 2 each, and Kolton Graham 1.

Jerry Gilpatrick had 5 steals. Ethan Henson had 3, Dustin Hamilton 2, and Keygun Johnson and Kolton Graham 1.