Community Calendar for December 31st, 2025

Community Calendar items are free of charge. To submit, email us at express@grm.net. All events are subject to change or last-minute cancelation.

January 1st — No school or mail delivery. New Year’s Day.

January 2nd — Tiger Basketball (boys only) at Maryville, 1 pm.

January 4th — Legion Breakfast, Parnell American Legion, 8 am.

January 5th — No school at Worth County or NEN. Teacher in-service. Early dismissal at North Nodaway.

January 6th — Tiger Basketball at North Andrew, 5:30 pm.

January 6th — Bluejay Basketball at Nodaway Valley, 6 pm. Game will be played at West Nodaway.

January 6th — Mustang Basketball at Rock Port, 6 pm.

January 6th — Shamrock Basketball vs. Stanberry, 6 pm.

January 8^th -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

January 8th — NEN Junior High Scholar Bowl at Craig, 4:30 pm.

January 8th — North Nodaway Junior High Scholar Bowl at West Nodaway, 4:30 pm.

January 8th — Shamrock Basketball vs. Gilman City, 6 pm.

January 8th — Platte Valley Football MS/HS Awards Recognition Night, 6:30 pm.

January 9th — FFA Greenhand Initiation Conference at Northwest, 8 am.

January 9th — Pot Luck, Worth County Senior Center, 12 noon.

January 9th — Tiger Basketball vs. Stanberry, 5:30 pm.

January 9th — Bluejay Basketball vs. Rock Port, 6 pm.

January 9th — Mustang Basketball vs. DeKalb, 6 pm.

January 12th to 17th — Tiger, Bluejay, and Mustang Basketball at Stanberry Tournament.

January 12th to 17th — Shamrock Basketball at South Harrison Tournament.

January 12th — Worth County PTO, 6:15 pm, Activity Center.

January 14th —Blood Drive, Ravenwood United Methodist Church, 2 pm. Sponsored by the NEN Student Council.

January 15th — NEN Junior High Scholar Bowl will host a meet starting at 4:30 pm.

January 15th — North Nodaway Junior High Scholar Bowl will host a meet starting at 4:30 pm.

January 15th — NEN School Board Meeting, 7 pm.

January 17^th – James Burns benefit, Parnell, 5 pm. Pulled pork dinner. On November 21^st, James Burns received a kidney transplant. Proceeds will go to pay expenses for the Burns family.

January 18th — Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Jefferson Student Council.

January 19th — No school or mail delivery. Martin Luther King Day.

January 20th — Northeast Nodaway FFA will host a supper in the Old Gym at 5:30 pm. Varsity Basketball vs. Platte Valley will follow at 6 pm. Booster Club Cake Walk will take place during the ballgames.

January 20th — Tiger Basketball vs. Princeton, 5:30 pm.

January 20th — Mustang Basketball vs. Nodaway Valley, 6 pm.

January 21st — Worth County School Board Meeting, 6 pm.

January 21st — North Nodaway School Board Meeting, 6 pm.

January 22^nd -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

January 22nd — NEN and North Nodaway Junior High Scholar Bowl at South Holt, 4:30 pm.

January 23rd — Tiger Courtwarming vs. North Harrison, 5:30 pm.

January 24th — Hopkins CBC Bingo, 6:30 pm, Hopkins Community Building.

January 27^th – Maryville Chamber of Commerce Power Hour, 8:30 am to 9:45 am, Nodaway County Administration, 403 N. Market, Maryville. Topic: Legislative Issues Impacting Rural Education. Speakers: Duane Martin, EdCounsel, John Rinehart of L.J. Hart, Nancy Greeley of Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, and others.

February 1^st – Legion Breakfast, Parnell Legion Hall, 8 am.

February 11^th – Worth County Suicide Prevention Coalition Kickoff, Worth County Fairgrounds, 5 pm. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call 988. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

February 12^th -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

February 15^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Tri-C Ball Club.

February 21st — Hopkins CBC Bingo, 6:30 pm, Hopkins Community Building.

February 26^th -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

March 8^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Redden Family – American Cancer Society/Hospice.

March 21st — Hopkins CBC Bingo, 6:30 pm, Hopkins Community Building.

 April 19^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to fund scholarships.

April 22^nd – Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation 20^th Anniversary Celebration, Mozingo Event Center, 6 pm. Keynote Speaker: Ernesto Sirolli.

June 21^st -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to the Heart of America Tractor Club.

July 19^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Post 464 veterans programs.

August 16^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Cameron Veterans Home.

September 20^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Sons of the American Legion Post 464.

October 18^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Post 464 membership.

November 15^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Ladies Auxiliary Unit 464.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Closeout Hearing for City of Hopkins CDBG January 5th

The City of Hopkins on behalf of the Hopkins Fire Protection District will hold a public hearing at 7:00pm, Monday, January 5, 2026 at the Hopkins City Hall, 124 N 3rd Street, Hopkins, MO to discuss the past performance by the city in carrying out the City's 2024-CF-02-FE Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project. The city received a grant from CDBG in December 2024 in the amount of $524,646 to purchase a new fire apparatus, more specifically a Rosenbauer Pumper/Tanker with Freightliner Chassis to serve the community of the Hopkins Fire Protection District, specifically Hopkins Township and Hopkins City. This project was not located in the 100-year floodplain. All interested citizens and groups are encouraged to attend the scheduled meeting.

For more information, contact Matt Wray, Mayor at (660) 254-8720 or by email at cityofhopkins@unitedfiber.email. If you need special accommodation at the public hearing including LEP assistance, please contact Sue Wagner, City Clerk at (660) 778-3688 by Friday, January 2, 2026. The meeting will be held at an accessible location, and the city will make every effort possible to provide reasonable accommodation.

Massive Blizzard Hit Bedford in 1904

The December 29th, 1904 Bedford Times-Republican wrote about a massive blizzard that hit the area in 1904.

Although when day broke this morning the mercury in the different thermometers was doing its best to kick a hole in the bottom of the bulb, still even the stinging cold was a welcome change from the howling, wintry blasts of yesterday.

Many of the oldest residents say it was the worst storm that has visited southwestern Iowa within the last half century, others tell of storms which were worse, but all agree that this one was bad enough.  All day long the wind blew a gale, and the air was so filled with snow, as to make moving around out of doors almost impossible. The streets were deserted, even the delivery wagons and drays did not venture out.  To go even a few blocks was a task but few cared to attempt.  The streets in many places were drifted high with snow, while the sidewalks were in the same condition.  To make travel more difficult wherever the snow had blown away the ground or sidewalk was a glare of ice, and to face the storm and keep on one's feet, or walk up or down hill without falling was simply out of the question.

So far as communication by mail was concerned, Bedford was isolated.  The north bound passenger, due here at 12:36 p.m. yesterday, managed to get through here several hours late, but in a cut between Lenox and Creston she succumbed.  A freight butted its way as far as Conway, but a few miles beyond the Snow King overcame her and she gave up the ghost.

The rural patrons got no mail yesterday or today.  Not only would the lives of both the carrier and his horses have been in peril had they attempted to go over the routes yesterday, but the drifting show filed the lanes and roads so as to make them impassable.  The same condition now prevails.  A half mile from town was the farthest point reached by any carrier this morning.  By tomorrow the roads will probably be opened and the rural patrons will again be in touch with the world. 

At noon today a passenger train arrived from the south, and it will be but a short time before the trains will again be running on comparatively regular time.

No fatalities or even serious accidents caused by the storm have as yet been reported, and in this we may consider ourselves as being particularly fortunate for there is no doubt that many a life has been demanded by the Storm Demon before his anger was appeased. 

Somehow, the Bedford Times-Republican went to press on December 29th. The Sheridan Advance, Grant City Star, and Worth County Tribune did not print that day.

 

Jensen Davis Half Court Heave Sparks Shamrocks

Jensen Davis’ half court heave at the end of the first quarter broke up a tight game and North Harrison managed to pull away to a 53-18 win over Tina-Avalon Monday.

The Shamrock lead was 8-6 in the closing seconds of the first quarter when Landon Johnson drove and hit a tough jumper with 10 seconds left to make it 10-6. Following a Dragon turnover, North Harrison got the ball with four seconds left and Ryker Fortner threw a pass to Jensen Davis, who threw up a half-court heave to make it 13-6 at the end of one.

Davis’ heave gave North Harrison the momentum, and they cut down on their mistakes and began to pull away. Gage Fortner drove through the Dragon trap and got to the line. Then, Ryker Fortner knocked an errant ball to the mid-court line, beat everyone to the ball, and threw a wild pass to Gage Fortner, who corralled it and scored to make it 16-6. Gage Fortner added a triple to make it 19-6.

Porter Crowe’s free throws cut the Dragon deficit to 19-8, but then Wyatt Maize drove and drew a foul, making one of two. Maize added a putback and then Jensen Davis got a tip and Wyatt Maize got a steal. He fed Davis for the finish. Gage Fortner grabbed an offensive board in traffic and scored, and Ryker Fortner hit two free throws to put the Shamrocks in front 28-8 at the half.

Tina-Avalon began a comeback bid to start the third quarter as they started controlling the boards. Landon Harper started with a free throw, and then Max Harkins beat the Shamrock press. Gaven Sturgeon converted a fourth-chance putback, and Miles Brockmeier hit an NBA 3-pointer to bring the Dragons back to within 29-16 at the 4:30 mark of the third quarter.

But just as it looked like the Dragons would make things interesting, Andrew Craig got a putback to kill the rally. Landon Johnson drove and drew a foul, hitting two free throws, and then Gage Fortner drove and scored after Wyatt Maize pushed one ahead. Jensen Davis got a steal and fed Wyatt Maize to make it 37-16. Landon Harper drove and finished a tough shot to make it 37-18, but North Harrison would hold the Dragons scoreless the rest of the way.

Andrew Craig once again started the rally by running the floor and getting behind the Dragon defense after Harper’s score, and Wyatt Maize aired it out to him for two. That play seemed to be the backbreaker as the Shamrocks quickly followed up with three more tallies. Wyatt Maize drove the high post in traffic and finished, Jensen Davis got a steal and drive, and Davis scored from 30 feet away with time winding down in the third quarter to make it 46-18 and prompting the Dragons to throw in the towel.

Jensen Davis scored off a Wyatt Maize steal to start the fourth and then Ryker Fortner hit a 3-pointer before North Harrison started clearing the bench. Jacoby Ballard grabbed an offensive board, drove down the right side, and flung one up and in down the stretch.

The game started off ragged for the Shamrocks at first, as they committed two turnovers and gave up three offensive boards in the first few minutes of the game and trailed 4-2 at one point. Wyatt Maize scored off a Gage Fortner steal, Andrew Craig scored from inside, and Jensen Davis went coast to coast after Andrew Craig blocked a shot to make it 8-4 before Tina-Avalon got behind the Shamrock defense to cut it to 8-6.

Jensen Davis had 14 points to lead the Shamrocks. Gage Fortner had 11, Wyatt Maize 9, Andrew Craig 8, Ryker Fortner 5, Landon Johnson 4, and Jacoby Ballard 2.

Andrew Craig and Wyatt Maize had 2 blocks.

Andrew Craig had 6 boards. Gage Fortner and Wyatt Maize had 5, Ethan Henson 3, Ryker Fortner and Landon Johnson 2, and Dustin Hamilton, Coulson Hartschen, Tate Richardson, Jacoby Ballard, Kayson Sims, and Meric Hansel had 1 each.

Wyatt Maize had 8 assists. Ryker Fortner had 3, Jensen Davis 2, and Gage Fortner 1.

Jensen Davis had 5 tips. Wyatt Maize, Ryker Fortner, and Gage Fortner had 3 each. Landon Johnson, Ethan Henson, and Andrew Craig had 2. Tate Richardson had 1.

Wyatt Maize had 6 steals. Jensen Davis had 5, Gage Fortner 3, Andrew Craig 2, and Ethan Henson, Ryker Fortner, Jacoby Ballard, and Coulson Hartschen 1 each.

 

Ava Rinehart Paces Shamrocks to Holiday Win

Ava Rinehart put up 19 points and North Harrison used a strong first quarter to get back on the winning track after they had dropped a disappointing 32-29 loss to Pattonsburg. All five starters had 8 or more points as the Shamrocks beat Tina-Avalon 55-33 Monday at Trenton.

Lani Briggs drove into the lane after the Shamrocks controlled the opening tip and scooped it up over multiple Dragon defenders, and it went down and she converted the three-point play to make it 3-0. That seemed to spark the whole Shamrock team. Madeline O’Neil countered to make it 3-2, but for the rest of the first quarter, everything North Harrison threw up went in as they enjoyed their most productive quarter of the year.

Tina-Avalon came out in a full-court press and half-court trap, but Ava Rinehart drove right through it and scored. Addison Milligan hit from the left wing after Jaxcynn Hansel got her a pass. Lani Briggs aired one out to Jaxcynn Hansel that somehow got through despite a defender draped all over her, and she finished. Lani Briggs  drove and floated for two to make it 11-2.

Hali Smith recovered a carom and threw a backdoor pass to Jaxcynn Hansel, who made two free throws. Ava Rinehart inbounded one to Jansel in the high post. Hali Smith grabbed a defensive board and hit Addison Milligan after going coast to coast to make it 17-2.

At that point, the Dragons took their press off, but Ava Rinehart hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key, then got a steal and score after Addison Milligan tipped it. Gracie Young added a free throw to make it 23-2 after one quarter.

Jaxcynn Hansel started the second with a free throw and Lani Briggs scored off a drive to make it 26-2.

Tina-Avalon started fighting back, chipping away at the free throw line, and Alyssa Harris came off the bench to hit one from the high post to make it 26-8. But Hali Smith got a putback, Ava Rinehart got loose in transition and got a pass from Lani Briggs for two, Lani Briggs took on three Dragon defenders and scored, and Hali Smith got a baseline shot to restore order and make it 34-9 at the half.

The Shamrocks coasted to the win from there, subbing freely the rest of the way. The margin was between 20 and 27 fore the entire second half.

Ava Rinehart had 19. Lani Briggs had 10, Jaxcynn Hansel had 9, Addison Milligan and Hali Smith had 8, and Gracie Young had 1.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 3 blocks.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 9 boards. Addison Milligan had 8, Hali Smith and Lani Briggs 6, Raegan Hogan 4, Ava Rinehart 3, Gracie Young 2, and Becca Welling 1.

Hali Smith had 6 assists. Lani Briggs had 5, Gracie Young 4, and Jaxcynn Hansel, Ava Rinehart, and Addison Milligan 3.

Ava Rinehart had 5 tips. Hali Smith had 4, Jaxcynn Hansel and Addison Milligan 2, and Gracie Young 1.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 3 steals. Hali Smith and Ava Rinehart had 2, and Addison Milligan and Lani Briggs 1.

 

Opinion -- Continued Deficit Spending Will Jeopardize State Finances

By State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick

As lawmakers prepare to return to Jefferson City for the 2026 legislative session, Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick is urging them to take immediate action to curb the trend of deficit spending before the state's General Revenue Fund is drained to critically low levels and drastic, emergency budget cuts become necessary. Fitzpatrick released a new report of the state's spending trends that shows Missouri's General Revenue Fund balance, which had climbed to nearly $6 billion at the end of Fiscal Year 2023, has been rapidly depleted by deficit spending over the last two years which, if continued, will fully consume the fund's balance by Fiscal Year 2028 based on the current Consensus Revenue Estimate (CRE) projections, or by Fiscal Year 2027 based on recession level projections.

"Missouri has experienced an unprecedented run of strong revenue growth to the point that the last difficult budget year is a distant memory. Many current legislators have only been in office during these last few years during which strong economic growth and a huge influx of federal money have made hard budget decisions unnecessary, but they're about to face the challenge of crafting a budget in the face of slowing revenue growth and reduced federal funding. I applaud lawmakers for making decisions that caused the General Revenue Fund balance to soar to unprecedented levels, but state spending has also increased to an unsustainable level that will rapidly deplete the balance in the fund very soon if it is not brought under control," said Auditor Fitzpatrick. 

Fitzpatrick's report documents the unsustainable explosion of state spending over the last five years, which is due in large part to the significant amount of COVID funds that flowed into Missouri from the federal government, as well as increased tax collections resulting from strong economic growth. The state saw annual revenue increase 45.8 percent from fiscal years (FY) 2020 to FY 2025. However, this period of time also saw state expenditures increase by roughly 53.4 percent, which is more than twice the rate of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase over the same time period (24.5 percent).

The report notes even with the increase in expenditures, budget makers were able to bring the year-end General Revenue Fund balance to unprecedented levels with a highwater mark of $5.8 billion in FY 2023. However, FYs 2024 and 2025 saw significant deficit spending of close to $960 million and $480 million, respectively, resulting in a FY 2025 year-end balance of approximately $4.3 billion.

The report notes the state will deplete the General Revenue Fund balance in FY 2028 if FY 2026 expenditures remain unchanged and revenues grow at the rate of the latest CRE. Assuming (1) the FY 2026 and FY 2027 CRE agreed to by the Governor and the General Assembly is realized, (2) the average change in net General Revenue Fund collections (3.65%) is realized for FY 2028, and (3) the FY 2026 estimated expenditures remain constant for FY 2027 and FY 2028, the report projects deficit spending of over $2 billion, $1.5 billion and $1 billion for FY 2026, FY 2027 and FY 2028, respectively.

The report also projects an even more concerning condition for Missouri's General Revenue Fund if the economy enters a recessionary period by applying the worst 3 consecutive years of change in actual annual net collections from FY 2003 to FY 2025, which would essentially represent a recessionary period, to FY 2026 through FY 2028. Under these conditions, Missouri would run out of General Revenue in FY 2027, at which point the deficit would be over $3.8 billion.

Fitzpatrick said, "The time is now to make the tough decisions that will prevent drastic, emergency budget cuts from being necessary in the months and years ahead. The longer Missouri waits to take action, the harder this exercise will become. Economic trends are unpredictable and we need to make sure Missouri is ready to face any challenge. I have the utmost confidence in the ability of Governor Kehoe and the budget leaders in the House and Senate to work together to craft a budget that will protect and preserve Missouri's financial health."

The report also points out recent changes in tax law, including the increases in the standard deduction contained in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBBB) Act, and the elimination of the state tax on capital gains,  will put downward pressure on revenue to the General Revenue Fund in the near term. The projected impact of such legislation is reflected in the latest CRE, and is therefore included in the projections contained in the report. However, these projections do not include, or assume, any future changes in federal or state tax law.

 

Worth County to Host Boys District 16

Worth County’s boys will host Boys District 16 this year. That is the good news for the Tigers. The bad news is that the district title will go through Rock Port until someone else shows otherwise.

Rock Port has come out of the gate with a 5-1 record. Like Worth County, they got a late start due to the State Football Championship and were run out of the gym 84-47 to Faith Christian Academy on their first game of the season. But they have been winning ever since, with impressive wins over OSHS, Gallatin, and Green City.

Worth County is also at 5-1. They have an overtime win over King City and recovered from a 75-72 loss to Mount Ayr with a 42-36 win over Braymer.

Platte Valley sits at 2-8. They could be a matchup problem for Worth County with their 6’5” 300 pound behemoth Andy Mattson and freshman guard Grady Gockel. They have been faced with a brutal schedule in the first half, as every team they have lost to is a bigger school and/or well over .500.

Mound City, like Platte Valley, has had a brutal schedule to open up the season and sits at 3-6. They play Platte Valley at the start of the year, so something has to give between the two schools. Their coach, Alan Ottman, has gotten a lot of mileage out of his squad in postseason.

Stanberry, at 2-5, has been close in all but two of its losses. North Nodaway sits at 2-6, but could pose a matchup problem with its two big post players in Jordan DeLeon and Blaine Clements. Northeast Nodaway recently got their first win, over DeKalb. They are young, with a lot of freshmen getting playing time. But they are quick, don’t give up easily, and could do damage in the new year.

Whoever gets out of District 16 will have to get past Heartland Christian, the team that beat Rock Port. They nearly upset Braymer’s run to the Final Four last year and return most of their players from that squad. They have a lot of shooting and depth and are playing on a mission despite hitting a skid with two losses. Whoever wins that contest will likely have to deal with Braymer, who is still solid despite losing key players from last year’s Final Four squad.

On the girls side, Worth County will go to Stanberry for Class 1 District 16. That district is loaded and could go to any one of five possible teams.

Rock Port is at 8-1, headed by Ella Meyerkorth, who Northwest has shown interest in. Their only loss was to Mid-Buchanan, a Class 3 perennial powerhouse. They have only been challenged two other times, by Mound City and by Green City. The Blue Jays have two other Meyerkorth girls as well as some other players who can chip in.

Mound City got off to a rocky start, with losses to Plattsburg and Rock Port. But they have been winning ever since behind Maggie Osburn. Like Mound City, Stanberry got off to a rocky 1-2 start, but have not lost since. They have the most depth in the area besides Platte Valley, with 14 girls out for basketball, more than most.

Worth County has been streaky this year. They started off winning their first six, including the Albany Tournament. They dropped their next three, but righted the ship with a win over Braymer to go to 7-3. Platte Valley is at 4-5, but their highly physical style of play and their depth, with 20 girls out, will present a matchup nightmare. North Nodaway was seeded near the bottom in both the PVI and Stanberry Tournaments, but are surprising some people; they have picked up their fourth win before the break. They have struggled to break 30 points, but have teams under 30 in each of their four wins. Northeast Nodaway is rebuilding after losing a bunch of key players from last year and is still searching for its first win.

Whoever comes out of District 16 will likely play either King City, DeKalb, or surprising Union Star, which is at 5-3 to start the season.

For District 14, the good news for Gilman City’s girls is that they don’t have to play Santa Fe, the team that beat them by 16 in sectionals. Santa Fe got moved up to Class 2 this year. The bad news is that they will have to get past Princeton. The Blue Tigers got off to a rocky start this year, losing to the Hawks to start the season and then dropping two more at the Albany Tournament to start 1-3. But they have been winning ever since, and Mike Schmidli, their coach, has always overachieved in postseason play.

The rest of the district can’t be overlooked. Mercer lost to Worth County to start the season, but is on track to improve from last year and has an impressive win at Milan to its credit. North Harrison has length and athleticism and made a run to the Gallatin Tournament finals before losing to the Hawks. Pattonsburg, after playing a forgettable first half against the Hawks, played a much better second half and built on that, winning their next two. East Harrison is one of the most physical teams in the area, while Tri-County, which made it to the district finals last year, has reloaded and is at 5-3 despite losing key players from last year.

Gilman City’s boys won’t have to worry about Grundy County, the team that beat them in District Finals, as the Panthers have been moved to District 12. But they will have to travel to Princeton and get past the heavily favored Princeton squad.

Brandon Heath Hangs 23 on Hawks; Camden Griffith's 24 Not Enough

Brandon Heath hung 23 points on Gilman City Tuesday, December 16th and Gavin Humphrey added 19 in Pattonsburg's 59-51 win over Gilman City. Camden Griffith's 24 points were not enough for the Hawks. The Panthers have been fighting back to get to .500 and have nearly matched their win total of five games from last year. Gilman City was highly touted coming into the season but have faced a brutal schedule in the first half of the season, finishing at 3-7. They have been in all their games besides the Gallatin and Princeton games but have never gotten over the hump. After starting out with an impressive win over Trenton, their other wins, against tailenders Union Star and NEN, have been adventures, with the Trojans lighting up the scoreboard in the first half before faltering in the second, while the Bluejays, after being down 28 in the fourth quarter, nearly made a game of it at one point. Gilman City's best game this year has been against Green City, who they led at the end of three before faltering in the fourth to fall 62-57.

Bo Eads put the Hawks up 3-0, but Reagan Coin, recently returned from an injury, tied it up. Three-pointers by Drake Sperry and Brandon Heath put the Panthers up 9-5 at the 5:55 mark. The Hawks began fighting back, with Jace Estrada fighting back on the offensive boards and getting two putbacks and Camden Griffith converting a baseline drive as time expired to cut the Hawk deficit to 15-13. Griffth got a steal and drive to tie it at 15, and then Bo Eads answered a pair of Gavin Humphrey free throws with a 3-pointer to put the Hawks in front 18-17.

But the rest of the quarter belonged to the Panthers as Gavin Humphrey got untracked and scored four straight. Drake Sperry got an inside shot, Aden Woodward cleaned up after a Reagan Coin steal, and Drake Sperry got a pair of free throws after grabbing an offensive glass to make it 27-18. Jace Estrada got a putback to stop the bleeding and Camden Griffith scored from inside to make it 27-22. Brandon Heath converted a steal for the Panthers before Camden Griffith hit a free throw to cut it to 29-23 at the break.

With the Panthers up 31-25 early in the third, Drake Sperry picked up his fourth foul, giving the Hawks a golden opportunity to catch up. But after Camden Griffith scored three straight to make it 31-28, Gavin Humphrey hit a 3-pointer, Brandon Heath scored off a drive, and Gavin Humphrey hit a 3-pointer to make it 39-32 after three and the Hawks were behind where they were when Sperry came out. The game threatened to get out of hand early in the fourth when Brandon Heath scored six straight, including four off of steals, to start the period to make it 45-32.

Gilman City began its comeback bid when Camden Griffith hit a free throw and Jace Estrada scored four straight to cut it to 45-37 with 5:22 left. But Gavin Humphrey started slashing to the rim at will, scoring seven straight to put his team back up double digits, and Brandon Heath added a pair of free throws to make it 56-42 with 1:37 left.

The score was still 58-44 with just over a minute left, but the frantic play of Alex Young nearly got the Hawks back in the game before they ran out of time. Jace Estrada converted a third-chance putback after Alex Young kept a possession alive. Brandon Heath made one out of two to make it 59-46 with 1:04 left, but Young slashed to the basket and Mason Preston inbounded to Camden Griffith to make it 59-50 with 20 seconds left. Then, Mason Preston got a tip and Alex Young got a steal with five seconds left, and Young hit one of two to make it 59-51. Alex Young got another steal, but time expired before he could convert it.

For Gilman City, Camden Griffith had 24, Jace Estrada 16, Bo Eads 6, Alex Young 3, and Dakota Meringa 2.

Mason Preston had 4 blocks and Camden Griffith 3.

Camden Griffith had 13 boards to complete the double-double. Jace Estrada had 9, Mason Preston and Dakota Meringa 7, Alex Young 5, Bo Eads 4, and Jackson Alldredge 1.

Mason Preston had 7 assists. Alex Young, Camden Griffith, and Bo Eads had 2 while Jace Estrada and Dakota Meringa had 1 each.

Mason Preston had 2 tips. Camden Griffith, Alex Young, and Dakota Meringa had 1. Mason Preston and Alex Young had 2 steals. Camden Griffith and Dakota Meringa had 1. 

For Pattonsburg, Brandon Heath had 23. Gavin Humphrey had 19, Drake Sperry 7, Reagan Coin 4, Aden Woodward 4, and Collin Mason 1.

Gavin Humphrey had 1 block.

Reagan Coin had 10 boards. Collin Mason had 7, Drake Sperry 6, Aden Woodward 5, Brandon Heath 4, and Gavin Humphrey 4. 

Reagan Coin had 6 assists. Brandon Heath had 4, Aden Woodward 3, and Drake Sperry and Collin Mason 1.

Brandon Heath had 6 tips. Gavin Humphrey had 5, Reagan Coin 2, and Drake Sperry, Jeremy Pittsenbarger, and Collin Mason 1.

Brandon Heath had 4 steals. Reagan Coin had 3 and Jeremy Pittsenbarger, Gavin Humphrey, and Aden Woodward had 1.

Khloey Sperry, Tenley Griffith Go Beast Mode in Hawks Win; Addi Iddings Scores 20 for Panthers

Gilman City's girls rolled to a 60-31 win over Pattonsburg Tuesday, December 16th as both Khloey Sperry and Tenley Griffith had 15 boards against the Panthers. Addie Iddings was a bright spot for Pattonsburg, getting 20 points, while Jayden Goble added 17 boards. 

Addie Iddings went coast to coast for Pattonsburg to put them ahead 2-0 with 6:16 left in the first quarter, but the rest of the period belonged to the Hawks, who answered with a 3-pointer from Avery Gregg and free throws from Khloey Sperry. The more the Pattonsburg players tried pushing Sperry around down low, the more she pushed back, grabbing everything in sight. Sperry split two defenders, Avery Gregg scored off a Khloey Sperry steal, Hailey McClure got a steal and drive, and Khloey Sperry hit two free throws after grabbing an offensive board to put the Hawks up 13-2 after one.

Kavinly Rutledge cut the Panther deficit to 13-4, but Paisley Taggart got a putback, Tenley Griffith scored off a steal, and Khloey Sperry added a free throw to make it 17-4. Addi Iddings countered with a 3-pointer for Pattonsburg, but Alli Burke drove around a triple screen to get on the board, Paisley Taggart hit from the baseline and later added a 3-pointer, Burke scored off a drive, and Khloey Sperry cleaned up on a fast break, getting to the line and hitting two free throws to make it 30-7. Paisley Taggart got a putback for her ninth point of the period, while Tenley Griffith scored from inside and Alli Burke hit a 3-pointer to put the Hawks up 37-7 at the half.

Rutledge hit a 3-pointer to cut the Panther deficit to 39-10, but Avery Gregg hit a 3-pointer, Khloey Sperry scored from inside, Tenley Griffith hit a free throw, and Tenley Griffith cut inside and scored after Khloey Sperry grabbed an offensive board to give Gilman City its biggest lead at 47-10 with 4:14 left in the third.

Addi Iddings showed a newfound ability to score points in bunches while continuing to be a threat to shoot from anywhere. She closed the third quarter for Pattonsburg with a flurry, scoring eight points in the last few minutes, including a pair of 3-pointers to make it 52-20 before Hailey McClure hit two free throws and Alli Burke added a 3-pointer to make it 57-20 after three. 

Pattonsburg continued their offensive resurgence into the fourth quarter, with Cheyenne Miller knocking one down from the high post, Addie Iddings scoring off a steal and adding a 3-pointer from the wing, and Carlee Pittsenbarger knocking two down from the high post.

For Gilman City, Alli Burke had 14, Khloey Sperry 13, Tenley Griffith 10, Paisley Taggart 9, Avery Gregg 8, and Hailey McClure 6. 

Khloey Sperry had 4 blocks. Hailey McClure and Paisley Taggart had 1 each.

Tenley Griffith and Khloey Sperry had 15 blocks each. Alli Burke had 7, Hailey McClure 5, Paisley Taggart 4, Avery Griff and Eliza Alldredge 2, and Pyper Taggart 1.

Avery Gregg had 7 assists. Khloey Sperry had 4, Hailey McClure 2, and Alli Burke and Paisley Taggart 1. 

Tenley Griffith and Avery Gregg had 5 tips. Alli Bruke and Paisley Taggart had 4 and Khloey Sperry had 1.

Tenley Griffith had 5 steals. Hailey McClure had 3, Avery Gregg 2, and Khloey Sperry had 1.

For Pattonsburg, Addi Iddings had 20, Kavinly Rutledge had 5, Carlee Pitsenbarger 4, and Cheyenne Miller 2.

Jayden Goble had 17 boards. Annabelle Gardner had 10, Cheyenne Miller and Kavinly Rutledge 4 each, Addi Iddings 2, and Carlie Pittsenbarger 1.

Cheyenne Miller had 4 assists. Addi Iddings, Annabelle Gardner, Hayden Goble, and Kavinly Rutledge had 1.

Annabelle Gardner and Cheyenne Miller had 3 tips. Addi Iddings 2, and Jayden Goble and Carlee Pittsenbarger 1.

Addi Iddings had 4 steals. Annabelle Gardner and Jayden Goble had 1. 

Leareta "Rita" Clements 1938-2025

Leareta Lucille Harris Clements, lovingly known as Rita, passed away peacefully on December 26, 2025, surrounded by family. Rita was born to Orville and Nora (O'Day) Harris in Ravenwood, Missouri. The youngest of six children and the only daughter, Rita grew up north of Nodaway Lake, often walking or riding a horse to Canal Branch to meet the school bus. She graduated from Horace Mann in May of 1956. 

Rita learned the value of hard work early, helping her mother in the house and garden and her father with the chickens, goats and pigs. She worked at the Pickering Phone Office, Superior Cleaners, Corner Drug Store, and Holt Supply, where she fondly remembered the pulley system used to send orders upstairs. 

Throughout her rich and meaningful life, Rita was blessed with four cherished sons: Robert, Darren, Michael, and Dustin. She loved camping trips and family outings to Mt. Pleasant. Rita devoted herself to raising her boys before beginning a career with Casey's in 1985, where she worked until retiring in 2012. Known for her early-morning donut making and warm, social nature, she formed countless friendships with customers and co-workers. 

Outside of work, Rita enjoyed country music, dancing, sewing, crafting, and watching old westerns. She was well-known for her Christmas candy and breads, which she shared generously with friends and family. 

Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Orville and Nora ; brothers Vincent Harris, Harold Harris, Gerald Harris, Donald Harris, and Norville Harris; and grandson Bradie Lee Clements. 

Rita is survived by her four sons and their families: Robert and Zylpha Duffy (Bedford, IA); Darren and Angee Clements (Maryville); Michael and Jennifer Clements (Pickering); and Dustin and Stephanie Clements (Pickering). Her  grandchildren include James, Beth Ann, and Megan Duffy; Michael Wiederholt; Blake, Benjamin, Blaine, Luke, Auston (Kelsey), Lexi, and Ridge Clements. Great-grandchildren include Angelo, Isaiah, Cameron, Christopher, Brianna, Arianna, C. Jae Duffy, Lyndy Clements, and Memphis Wiederholt. 

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Nodaway Nursing Home in Maryville and their dedicated staff for the loving care they provided too Rita during her final years. Many of them became like family to her and shared with us how much they will miss her spirited personality and delightful orneriness.

Visitation will be held on Monday December 29, 2025, at Bram Funeral Home from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. The funeral service will take place on Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Bram Funeral Home, followed by burial at Saint Patrick's Cemetery in Maryville. Lunch will be served at Laura Street Baptist Church for family and friends following the burial. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shriner's Burn Center in Galveston, Texas; the American Diabetes Association; or the Bradie L. Clements Pay-It-Forward Memorial.