Addison Gray, Brooklyn Smith Get Key RBI's in Tiger Win

Addison Gray and Brooklyn Smith got key RBI’s Thursday as Worth County, for the fourth straight time, rallied back from a deficit to pick up a win. This time, they went on a long road trip and picked up a 3-2 win over Cameron after falling behind 3-2. The win ended a brutal stretch for the Tigers in which they played four games in four days, including a double header on Tuesday, October 6^th. It was a big ask for Kristen Tracy to pitch all four games after having just come back from an injury, but she did so and won all four games.

With one out in the first, Shayla Hullinger singled to center. She advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on Kendall Berry’s single to put Cameron up 1-0. The ball got away, and Berry took third and a big inning was looming for the Dragons. But Eilee Horvatin popped out, and Ella Horvatin grounded out as the Tigers got out of the inning.

In the second, Worth County could not cash in on second and third with one out as Brooklyn Smith and Keira Hardy struck out.

Cameron threatened to add on in its half of the second as Rosie Williams doubled to start the inning. Cara Pittsenbarger struck out, but Piper Leonard singled to put runners on first and third. Normally, teams don’t throw down on first and third situations, but Audrey Runde gunned down Leonard at second. After a long battle, Gianna Manz grounded out to Kristen Tracy to end the threat.

Braelyn Vaughn was plunked to start the third for Cameron. Shayla Hullinger laid down what looked like a good bunt to advance her over. But Keira Hardy threw to second for one and Kambree Briner threw to Kristen Tracy covering first for the second out. Kendall Berry singled, but Eilee Jovatin lined out to Megan Tracy for the third out.

Cameron finally added on in the fifth when a pair of errors put runners on base. Shayla Hullinger bunted into a force at second, but Kendall Berry and Eilee Horvatin walked to force in a run to put Cameron up 2-0. Once again, a big inning loomed, but Ella Horvatin popped out to shortstop Braelyn Fletchall, and Rosie Williams grounded out to Fletchall at short to end the threat.

Three consecutive errors by Cameron loaded the bases with nobody out. Worth County had been hitting the ball hard all night, but right at people. But finally, Addie Gray doubled to right to score two to tie it up and put Audrey Runde on third. Brooklyn Smith came through with the next big at-bat, hitting a sac bunt as Runde scored to break the tie to make it 3-2.

The heart of the Cameron order came up one more time, and Kendall Berry singled with two outs. But Eilee Horvatin popped out to Audrey Runde for the final out.

Alli Burke, Tenley Griffith Triple Twice as Hawks Beat Polo 11-1

Gilman City got back on the winning track Thursday as they beat Polo 11-1 Thursday. Alli Burke and Tenley Griffith both hit two triples in the effort. Previously, they traveled to Putnam County to face one of the top pitchers in the area in Rory Gilworth. The Hawks dug themselves into a hole that was too big to climb out of, striking out 19 times and getting behind 6-1 before falling 9-4 to the Midgets. They tried to make things interesting in the last few innings, scoring runs in each of the last three innings, but fell short. Alli Burke had a double, while Tenley Griffith, Kayleece Puls, Emery Smith, and Caitlynn Chalfant all got hits as well. Griffith stole a base.

But the Hawks seemed to benefit from facing one of the fastest pitchers in the area, as they promptly jumped on Polo in the bottom of the first. Tenley Griffith crushed the first pitch she saw for a triple to left. Kayleece Puls hit a fly ball that dropped in for a base hit as Griffith scored and Puls took second on the throw home. Alli Burke tripled to center and Puls scored on the play. Just four pitches in, the Hawks had a 2-0 lead as they got back to the aggressive approach at the plate that had broken them out of earlier slumps. Nova Smith fought through an eight-pitch at bat before singling to left to score Alli Burke to make it 3-0.

Gilman City continued attacking early in the count as Hailey McClure singled to start the Hawk second. Kayleece Puls beat out an infield hit to put runners on first and second. Alli Burke tripled to right, going after the second pitch to put the Hawks up 5-0. Nova Smith singled to right to score Burke to make it 6-0. Emmery Smith singled to left to put Kameron Mars (running for Nova Smith) on second. Mars stole third. Emmery Smith advanced to second on defensive indifference. Avery Chadwick singled home Mars as Emmery Smith took third. Emmery Smith got caught in a rundown and was thrown out, but Emily Chalfant singled home Avery Chadwick to put the Hawks up 8-0.

Willow Kelley singled and Khloe Lucassen doubled in the fifth to put Polo on the board.

Tenley Griffith roped a double to start the Hawk fifth, chasing the second pitch she saw. Kayleece Puls reached first on an error, going after the first pitch, as Griffith scored to make it 9-1. Alli Burke reached first on another error to put Puls at second. Nova Smith walked to load the bases on a 3-2 count. Emmery Smith beat out an infield hit to score Kayleece Puls to make it 10-1. Avery Chadwick was plunked to force in Alli Burke, and the Hawks went home early.

Kaitlyn Estes Goes Deep for Panthers, but Big Sixth Inning Lifts Tigers

Kaitlyn Estes went deep for Pattonsburg Tuesday evening, but a big sixth inning for Worth County put them over the top for an 11-7 win. 

At first, it was Tigers all the way, as they built up a 5-2 lead after two. But Pattonsburg got four in the third and one in the fourth to take a 7-5 lead. 

But Worth County has wiped out several deficits this year, and they came roaring back, getting six in the sixth inning to put away the Panthers. The Tigers were sparked after catcher Audrey Runde gunned down Jayden Goble, one of the top base-stealers in the area, after the Panthers had threatened to add on in the sixth. Four of Worth County's six runs in the sixth were with two out.

For Worth County, Kambree Briner had four hits. Kristen Tracy, Audrey Runde, and Braelyn Fletchall had two. Audrey Runde and Kambree Briner had two doubles and Kristen Tracy one. Kaydence Downing and Kristen Tracy stole bases. 

Kristen Tracy needed 133 pitches to get past the Panthers, but she struck out 10 batters. She threw 86 strikes. Addie Iddings tossed 100 pitches for 72 strikes in the loss.

For Pattonsburg, Vanessa Wieigand had three hits. Jayden Goble had two. Vanessa Weigand had two doubles. Jayden Goble had a triple, and Kaitlyn Estes had a home run. Rosalynn Cameron stole a base. 

Kristen Tracy, Kambree Briner Honored for 100th Hits, Tracy Honored for 200th Strikeout, Tigers Drop Bluejays for Second Straight

Kristen Tracy was honored for her 100th career hit Monday, as was teammate Kambree Briner. Tracy got her 100th career hit during the Albany Tournament, while Briner got hers during the otherwise forgettable Princeton game. Kristen Tracy was honored for her 200th career strikeout, which she got against Maryville after she came back from her ankle injury. 

Northeast Nodaway did all it could to spoil the party as Maddie Faustlin singled to right, and Paizlee Norman crushed a double to right center to put the Bluejays on top 1-0 in the first. Hayley Yost was plunked, and Brianna Meyer singled to right to load the bases. Norman came home on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

But the rest of the night belonged to the Tigers after Megan Tracy doubled to the wall in right to start their half of the first. Kambree Briner followed up by crushing her first-ever over the fence home run to tie it at 2-2. Kristen Tracy hit a bad-hop doubled to left, and Audrey Runde hit a double to right center to put Worth County on top 3-2. Braelyn Fletchall hit one as hard as she ever has in her life, but Piper Gray ran it down in center field for an out. Addison Gray reached second when a throw was wide of first and got away, scoring Runde to make it 4-2. Brooklyn Smith singled to center to score Gray to make it 5-2. Smith stole second, and Keira Hardy grounded out to advance her to third. Kaydence Downing, who swung away right-handed after trying her hand as a slap hitter earlier this year, batted right handed and singled to right, scoring Brooklyn to make it 6-2. Downing successfully stole second on a close play, barely diving under the tag. Megan Tracy doubled to the wall in right to score Downing to make it 7-2. Kambree Briner singled to center to score racy to make it 8-2. It would have been worse had not Bluejay left fielder Emma Vickers not come racing in to grab Kristen Tracy's pop fly for the third out.

Addison Gray hit one as hard as she has ever hit one, but Brianna Meyer snagged it in the second to rob her of extra bases.

Keira Hardy singled to lead off the third, bue Bluejay catcher Paizlee Norman gunned her down stealing. But Kaydence Downing beat out an infield hit to pick the Tigers up. Megan Tracy forced her at second. Kambree Briner reached second on a dropped fly ball as Megan Tracy, off on contact with two outs, scored from first to make it 9-2. Kristen Tracy singled to center to score Briner to make it 10-2.

Aubrey Fetters came home on a wild pitch in the Bluejay fourth to cut it to 10-3.

In the Worth County fourth, Braelin Fletchall singled to center. Addison Gray flied out and Brooklyn Smith popped out, but Keira Hardy beat out a slow roller to keep the inning going and put Fletchall on second. Kaydence Downing singled to center to make it 11-3.

In the Tiger fifth, Kambree Briner singled to lead off. Audrey Runde singled to center, and Braelyn Fletchall doubled to the wall in left to score Briner to make it 12-3. Addison Gray doubled to right center to score Runde to make it 13-3, and Worth County got to go home early.

***

We believe Kristen Tracy is the second Tiger to pitch a perfect game. One of her coaches, Ashley (Dowis) Briner, pitched one in 1999 against North Nodaway. 

Kinley Fletchall and Daden Findley Combine for One No Hitter for Junior High Tigers; Kenzley Yost Tosses One for Bluejays; Coach Freemeyer Steps Down

Worth County and Northeast Nodaway's junior high softball teams split the A and the B games Monday night. The Tigers continued to rack up the wins with the A team, going undefeated with one game left on the table Thursday at Cameron. The Bluejays sent off Coach Jared Freemyer, who had coached the junior high squad for many years, off on a high note despite Monday's loss. He announced to the team after the games that he would be stepping down as the junior high softball coach. He will continue to teach government at Northeast Nodaway. 

Kinley Fletchall survived a close call in the first inning when Bexlie Busby's screamer landed just foul past first base in the first inning. Busby walked, and Eryn O'Connell was plunked. They took second and third on a wild pitch. But Aubrey Wilmes grounded out to end the threat.

Fletchall walked to start the Tiger first, and Gwyn Healy hit a towering fly ball that Quin Oelze caught in center field for the first out. But Renae Gladstone crushed a triple to the left field wall to score Fletchall to make it 1-0 Gladstone came home on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Kinley Fletchall walked the first two batters in the Bluejay second, but struck out the next two and got Ellie Jackson to ground out to get out of the inning.

With one out in the Tiger second, Keylee Smith doubled off the wall in left and took third on a wild pitch. Hadley Downing walked and stole second. Ilene Combs hit one hard, but right at the first baseman for the first out. Smith scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Kinley Fletchall singled, and the ball got away as she took second and Downing scored. Gwyn Healy hit a seeing-eye single to left to score Fletchall. Renae Gladstone doubled off the wall in center to score Healy to make it 6-0.

The Bluejays nearly got to Fletchall in the third inning, but Aubrey Wilmes narrowly missed extra bases with a carbon copy of Busby's hit before getting jammed and hitting a soft liner to first.

Fletchall fought the strike zone in the fourth inning, and Daden Findley walked in one run and hit a batter to force in another, but got the next two batters out to get out of the inning to preserve both the no-hitter and the victory.

The B game was a totally different story as Kenzley Yost mowed down Tiger batters right and left, striking out seven in three innings of work and the Bluejays scored three in the second and three in the third for the 6-0 win. It would have been worse, but Tiger third baseman Ilene Combs doubled a runner off first in the first inning after catching a screamer and threw home for a forceout in the third. Kacy O'Connell and Emma Wilmes provided the big blows for the Bluejays in the third inning. 

After the game, the Tigers recognized eighth graders Kaeslyn Briner, Jolee Hauber, Kinley Fletchall, Renae Gladstone, Ilene Combs, and Gabbey Maudlin. 

Addison Milligan Carries Shamrocks to 9-5 Win

Addison Miligan carried North Harrison to its second win, a 9-5 win over Hamilton Monday, September 21st. Milligan had two doubles and four RBI's in the win and scored one run herself.

The game took on all of the intensity of previous battles between the Shamrocks and the Hornets in 2017 and 2020, when they were two of the top softball teams in the area. North Harrison played errorless ball in the win, while Hamilton only committed one.

Besides Milligan, Ava Rinehart had three hits, Lani Briggs two, Hali Smith two, and Raegan Hogan two. Ava Rinehart and Raegan Hogan also had doubles. Hali Smith had a triple. Addison Milligan, Ava Rinehart, and Lani Briggs had steals. Ava Rinehart threw a runner out stealing.

North Harrison scored two in the first, one in the third, three in the fifth, and three in the seventh for the win. 

Ava Rinehart Drives In Four as Shamrocks Win Third

Ava Rinehart drove in four runs as North Harrison beat Mercer 15-4 Monday to post its third win of the season. She had a double and a triple in the outburst, scored three runs, and stole a base. 

Lani Briggs had three hits for the Shamrocks. Hali Smith, Raegan Hogan, Kathryn Parkhurst, and Becca Welling all had two. Addison Milligan had two steals and Lani Briggs one. 

Hali Smith pitched all seven innings, giving up three walks, six hits, and striking out 11. Her team played solidly behind her, only committing one error.

North Harrison scored one in the first, one in the second, and five in the third to build up a 7-0 lead. Mercer got on the board in the fourth to make it 7-1. North Harrison plated one in the fifth, but Mercer answered with three in the bottom of the fifth to make it 8-4. North Harrison added on in the late innings, getting two in the sixth and five in the seventh to seal the win. All five runs in the seventh came with two out. 

Fall Forum Seeks to Reverse Worth County Population Decline

A fall forum will be held Monday, October 26th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Grant City Golf Clubhouse. Discussion will be held on ways to reverse the county's population decline, which has been ongoing since 1900, when the population was at around 9,600. 

The discussion will include findings from the recent Maximize Northwest Missouri survey, which focused on why people choose to stay, why people choose to leave, and why people choose to return to Northwest Missouri. 

Hosted by Worth County Extension and Maximize Northwest Missouri, the forum will give participants an opportunity to review local data, share experiences, and help identify priorities for future community action. 

The forum is free and open to the public. 

Hopkins Council Hires Maintenance Worker, Proceeds on Condemnation

The Hopkins City Council, at their meeting Monday, voted to hire Paul Drudge for a part-time laborer for $15 an hour for $30 per week. They will consider promoting him to full time and giving him a raise in Spring. The vote was unanimous.

The city is proceeding with condemnation of the trailer located next to Rick's Country Shoppe. The city received a letter from Jim Wiederholt stating the trailer in question had been inspected by him and tagged as unlivable. The letter gave a list of corrections to be made within 30 days, or the structure will be demolished. All repairs or demolition must proceed continuously without unnecessary delay and be completed within 60 days of receipt, but no later than December 10th.

Chris Bird reported he will have to rent a lift to finish trimming the trees, since the one previously borrowed will not be available for a while. 

Deena Poynter gave an update on what she has gotten completed along with what still needs to be done on an infrastructure grant along with a demolition grant. 

The city received an email from attorney Taryn Henry stating she would need copies of each complaint of property along with pictures in order to move further after a letter is sent from the city with length of time to correct violations. Discussion was also held on what it would take to get delinquent bill liens placed on property tax bills to be collected at the time of tax payment instead of when property is sold.

Makayla Crater and Megan Hersh presented plans to the council for wanting to have a street dance at some point. Discussion was held on drafting a resolution similar to the Hopkins Picnic. The council repealed an ordinance from 1924 that prohibited students of North Nodaway from attending dances in public from the start of school to the end of school.

Chris Bird presented the council with the need of a second city truck. He found a 2013 Chevy Silverado 3500 HD with a dump bed already installed for $26,900. The city will pursue more information.

Megan Hersh and Makayla Crater presented plans to have a trunk or treat event on October 31st. It will include hay rides, a bonfire, outdoor games, and an outdoor movie. It would be located on Third Street and be held at the Community Building in the event of inclement weather. The council voted to draft a resolution for the event.

The city received three complaints. The first was from residents with a hole in their yard from where the sewer on the city's side of the line had been fixed, but the hole had never been covered. The city will get it fixed within the next few weeks. The second complaint was regarding dogs not on leashes and attacking their dog. The city will send a letter of violation. The third was regarding a dog getting into the trash. The city took no action, as they did not have enough information. 

Addie Iddings Fans 13 Bobcats; Pattonsburg Posts Two Shutout Wins

Addie Iddings had dominant pitching performances in Pattonsburg's last two games, as the Panthers posted back to back shutouts. She had 13 innings pitched, gave up only four hits, walked only two batters, and struck out 21 in the wins. Pattonsburg posted identical 12-0 wins over Mercer on Tuesday, September 29th and against Braymer on Monday, October 5th. 

Against Mercer, Jayden Goble went deep to carry Pattonsburg. She went three for three with a double and a home run, falling one triple short of the cycle. She also stole a base. Addie Iddings had four hits. Isabella Burger had three. Kaitlyn Estes and Rosalyn Cameron had doubles. Besides Goble, Cheyenne Miller had two steals and Kiara Tucker one. Pattonsburg had three in the first, one in the second, three in the fourth, and five in the sixth.

Against Braymer, Pattonsburg got 12 hits and played errorless ball behind Iddings. Jayden Goble, Addie Iddings, and Vanessa Weigand had two hits. Addie Iddings, Carlie Pittsenbarger, Kaitlyn Estes, Rosalynn Cameron, and Vanessa Weigand all had doubles. Jayden Goble had 2 steals. Cheyanne Miller, Emsleigh McCrary, and Rosalyn Cameron each had one. 

Tenley Griffith Fans 16 in Hawk Win

Tenley Griffith fanned a career-high 16 batters Monday, September 28th as Gilman City beat Braymer 9-2 for its second straight win. They scored two in the third, one in the fourth, three in the sixth, and three in the seventh to get the win. They had errorless ball in the field.

Griffith carried the Hawks with her bat as well, getting four hits in four tries, scoring three and driving in three. Alli Burke, Kayleece Puls, and Avery Chadwick had two hits each. Gilman City had 11 hits for the night. 

Alli Burke and Tenley Griffith doubled for the Hawks. Griffith tripled, and was a home run short of the cycle. 

The Hawks also won the next night, dropping Grundy County 17-2. They scored 12 in the first, three in the second, and two in the third to get the win. Nova Smith and Emmery Smith had three hits each. Tenley Griffith had two, and Emily Chalfant had two. Emily Chalfant, Nova Smith, and Tenley Griffith had doubles. Tenley Griffith had a home run. Avery Chadwick, Kameron Mars, and Kayleece Puls each stole a base in the win. 

Area Courthouse, Police, and Crime Reports for October 7th, 2026

On September 23^rd, Colby Chapman (27) of Bethany pleaded guilty in Harrison County Associate Circuit Court to a charge of DWI. He was placed on two years probation by Judge Jay Hemenway. Defendant must make $300 payment to Law Enforcement Restitution Fund.

On September 28^th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Kristen Milum (42) of Altamont alleging Attempted Burglary (Felony). Bond was denied.

On September 28^th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Benjamin Hacking (48) of Gallatin and Mary Hacking (45) of Gallatin alleging Child Abuse (Felony), three counts Endangering the Welfare of a Child, two counts Kidnapping, and Domestic Assault. Bond was set at $25,000, cash only. Defendants may have no contact with victims, witnesses, each other, or leave the State of Missouri.

On September 29^th, the Western Missouri US Attorney’s Office reported that Cecilio Paz-Serafin (33) of Mexico pleaded guilty in Federal Court to a charge of Illegal Reentry. The defendant had previously been deported in 2024.

On September 29^th, the Western Missouri US Attorney’s Office reported that Douglas Dockery (44) of Springfield was sentenced to one year in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of Firearm followed by three years supervised release by Judge Beth Phillips.

On September 30^th, the Western Missouri US Attorney’s Office reported that Jimmy Joe Culbertson (68) of Callaway County (MO) had pleaded guilty in Federal Court to two counts Production of Child Pornography and one count Possession of Child Pornography. The defendant had been a police officer for more than 24 years.

On September 30^th, the Western Missouri US Attorney’s Office reported that Tomas Paxtor-Paxtor (29) of Guatemala had pleaded guilty in Federal Court to Illegal Reentry. The defendant had previously been deported in 2024.

On September 30^th, the Western Missouri US Attorney’s Office reported that Lonnie Dean (52) of Springfield pleaded guilty in Federal Court to a charge of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

On September 30^th, the Western Missouri US Attorney’s Office reported that Tanner Breece (28) of Kansas City pleaded guilty in Federal Court to Felon in Possession of Firearm.

On September 30^th, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against Christopher Hall (59) of Prairie Village (KS) alleging DWI and Careless & Imprudent Driving (Accident).

On September 30^th, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against Daniel Douglas (53) of Bethany alleging DWI and No Seat Belt.

On September 30^th, the Bethany Republican-Clipper reported that a 16-year-old male rearended a school bus while it was stopped in traffic dropping off kids. The driver of the truck received minor injuries, and his vehicle was totaled. There were no injuries to any of the children on the bus.

On October 1^st, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Doris Nunn (50) of Jamesport alleging DWI (Felony) and Driving While Revoked. Bond was set at $25,000, with defendant given leave to post 10% cash. Defendant must attend AA or NA twice per week. Defendant must wear GPS monitoring. House arrest required except for legal, medical, and work.

On October 1^st, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against Devon Kilton (36) of Albany alleging Perjury (Felony) and Filing a False Affidavit. Bond was denied.

On October 2^nd, the Western Missouri US Attorney’s Office reported that Edward Vann (44) of Kansas City pleaded guilty in Federal Court to a charge of Felon in Possession of Firearm.

On October 2^nd, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against Tiffany Dykes (36) of Bethany alleging Stealing (Felony). Bond was set at $1,000, cash only. Defendant may not be within 900 feet of victim or victim’s residence.

On October 5^th, Judge Corey Herron revoked the probation of Beau Bradshaw (58) of Republic (MO) and sentenced him to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, to be served concurrently with a Greene County case. The defendant had been on probation in Nodaway County for Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony).

On October 5^th, Gentry County Prosecutor Jessica Jones filed charges against Derrick Clowser (47) of King City alleging Domestic Assault (Felony). Bond was set at $2,000, cash or corporate surety. Defendant may not be within 900 feet of victim or victim’s residence.

On October 5^th, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against Charles Kain (37) of Bethany alleging DWI (Felony, 3^rd Offense), Speeding (119 mph), and No Seat Belt. Bond was set at $25,000, cash only. Defendant must be on house arrest and wear GPS Monitoring and SCRAM devices. No driving allowed.

On October 5^th, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against George Delarber (33) of Bethany alleging Domestic Assault (Felony) and Property Damage (Felony). Bond was set at $5,000, cash only. Defendant must be on house arrest and wear GPS Monitoring and SCRAM devices. Defendant may not be within 900 feet of the victim or their residence.

On October 5^th, the Western Missouri US Attorney’s Office reported the indictment of four defendants alleging their involvement in a scheme involving stealing checks from a multinational corporation. Cory Sims of Bridgeport (CT) was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Dondre Daniels of Bridgeport (CT) was charged with Bank Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, and Aggravated Identity Theft. Christian Hill of Kansas City was charged with Bank Fraud and Money Laundering. Makhia Duncan of Des Moines was charged with Bank Fraud and Money Laundering. The indictment seeks forfeiture of the proceeds of the offenses.

On October 5^th, Gentry County Prosecutor Jessica Jones filed charges against Colton Hibbs (35) of Gentry alleging DWI (Felony) and Driving While Suspended.

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.

 

 

Community Calendar for October 7th, 2026

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. 

REPEATING EVENTS

Sundays – Worth County Community Choir Practices, Psalm 100 Ministries (formerly the United Methodist Church), 3:00 pm. 

Mondays (except holidays) – Worth County Commissioners meet at 9 am.

Every 1st & 3rd Tuesday – Grant City Lions Club, Allendale Community Building, 7 pm. 

Thursdays – 102 Market, weekly market every Thursday from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm in Maryville. 

Fridays – Bedford Jam, United Christian Presbyterian Church, 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. Snacks and drinks available. Walk-ons are welcome. For information, call (712) 523-2282.

Fridays– Community Market, Memorial Park Shelter, Bethany. Fridays 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. 

Saturdays – Stanberry Community Farmers Market, 8 am to noon. Crafts, donuts, and more. Located six miles north of Stanberry on Highway B to AF. 4371 Highway AF. 

Every Second Wednesday – Worth County Suicide Prevention Coalition, 5:00 pm, Worth County Community Church. 

REGULAR ANNOUNCEMENTS 

October 7th – Final day to register to vote for the November 3rd election. 

October 7th – Worth County Farmer’s Market, Grant City Square, 4 pm to 6 pm. 

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

October 8th – Shamrock Softball vs. Putnam County, 5:30 pm. Pink Out Night. 

October 8th – Bluejay Softball (V/JV) vs. King City, 5:30 pm. Senior Night. 

October 8th – Mustang Volleyball vs. Mound City, 5:30 pm. Senior Night. 

October 8th to 9th -- The Rose Theatre announces auditions for "Roaring 20's Murder: Death by Bathtub Gin" on Thursday, October 8 and Friday, October 9, beginning at 6:00 P.M. each evening. Try-outs will be held at 120 West Third Street in Maryville, Missouri.

The show will be presented as a dessert theater and murder mystery game (with 1920's costumes!) It calls for 14 actors cast through auditions, plus audience volunteers each evening. Auditions will include improvisation for selected scenarios, as well as reading from the script.

Performance dates are set for November 19-21.

For more information, contact the director, Nina Dewhirst, at 660 582-8916 or by e-mail at ndewhirst2004@yahoo.com.

October 9th – Pot Luck, 12 noon, Worth County Senior Center. 

October 9th – Gentry Opry. Doors open at 5:00 pm. Concert at 7:30 pm. Special guest Marjorie Horton Lovett. Concessions available. 

October 10th – Fall Poker Run, Parnell City Park. Registration 11:00 am to 12:30 pm. Ride starts at 1:00 pm. $20 per vehicle for first poker hand. $10 for additional hand. Liability insurance required. Drivers and riders must sign waivers.

October 10th – Curtis Family Fundraiser, Bob’s Place Tractor Supply, Bethany, 11 am to 6 pm. The Curtis family lost their home in a devastating electrical fire a few months ago. Dinner and silent auction. Brisket or pulled pork, loaded macaroni and cheese. 

October 10th – Maryville Fall into Fun, 12 noon to 6 pm. Market vendors, music, kids activities, and more. 

October 10th – Grant City Lions Club Corn Maze, Allendale, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Play in the park, enjoy hot dogs, ride a way wagon, tackle the corn maze, and find the “Candy Lion.” “Littles” 3 & under free. All others $5. Food is extra. 

October 10th – Sheridan Halloween Lock-in, Sheridan Community Building, 6 pm. Please come pick up your child on October 11th at 6:00 am. Your child does not have to stay all night if they don’t want to. For grades K-8. Pre-K can come, but parents should come get them after the activities. Costume contest, coloring pages, cookie decorating, face painting, movies, board games, pony rides, and more. Pizza, popcorn, and brownies along with drinks. 

October 10th – Music Bingo Night, Back 40, Sheridan, 7:00 pm. Form teams today. 

October 11th – St. Joseph Catholic Church Fall Dinner, 11 am, church basement. Free will donation. 

October 11th – Open House, 2 pm to 4 pm, Crossroads Church, Grant City. Len and Rita Green will be celebrating 40 years at the church.

October 11th – Open House, 2 pm to 4 pm, Allendale Baptist Church. David Hardy will be celebrating his 80th birthday. 

October 12th – No mail delivery. Columbus Day.

October 12th – No school at Worth County or North Nodaway. Professional Development. 

October 12th – GRM Networks 75th Anniversary Open House, 11 am to 2 pm. Food, giveaways, door prizes. 

October 12th – Maryville Town Hall Informational Meeting on Proposed Data Center, Maryville Community Center, 7:00 pm. A question-and-answer session will be held with available information. Sponsored by Nodaway Says No. 

October 13th – Kidsight vision screening at North Harrison, 9:00 am. For grades PK through 6th grade.

October 13th – Hopkins Historical Society Fall Meeting, 7:00 pm. 

October 14th – Dr. Frank Turek, Christian apologist and former mentor to the late Charlie Kirk, will speak in the Ron Houston Performing Arts Center at Northwest starting at 6:30 pm. Free and open to the public. An open mic Q&A will follow. 

October 15th – Denver City Council Meeting, 9:00 am. 

October 15th – NEN Blood Drive, School Cafeteria, 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Free and open to the public. 

October 15th – Northwest Missouri Fashion Show, J.W. Jones Student Ballroom, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The show will feature thrifted, reused, repurposed, natural, or other non-traditional materials.

October 15th – NEN School Board Meeting, 7:00 pm. 

October 15th – Tiger Football vs. Pattonsburg, 7:00 pm. Senior Night. 

October 16th – Early Dismissal at Gilman City. End of Quarter. 

October 16th – Special Olympics, 10 am, NEN. 

October 17th – Missouri Days Marching Band Festival at Trenton. 

October 17th -- The next Household Hazardous Waste Collection will be Saturday, October 17th, 2026, from 8 am to 12 noon at the Nodaway County Maintenance Barn, 1516 E. Halsey Street, Maryville. 

October 17th – Denver Schoolhouse Soup Supper and Auction. Dinner 6:00 pm. Auction 7:00 pm. Donations for auction accepted. 

October 17th – Halloween in the Park Trunk or Treat & Movie Night, Grant City Pool Park. Trick or Treating 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Movie starts at 7:00 pm at the Skating Rink. If you would like to have a trunk and hand out candy, call (660) 254-3898. Sponsored by Small Town Bounce Co., the Worth County Word, and the City of Grant City. 

October 17th – Gilman City Barnwarming, 7:00 pm. 

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

October 18th -- Grant City Lions Club Corn Maze, Allendale, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Play in the park, enjoy hot dogs, ride a way wagon, tackle the corn maze, and find the “Candy Lion.” “Littles” 3 & under free. All others $5. Food is extra. 

October 18th -- The North Nodaway 4-H Club will meet Sunday, October 18th in Pickering at 4:00 pm. 4-H is open to all youth ages 8-18.

October 18th – Miller Cemetery Board Meeting, 5:00 pm, Denver Schoolhouse. 

October 21st – Last day to mail an absentee ballot to a voter for the November 3rd election.

October 21st – North Harrison School Board Meeting.

October 21st – Worth County School Board Meeting, 6:00 pm.

October 21st – North Nodaway School Board Meeting, 6:00 pm.

October 22nd – No school at NEN or North Harrison. Parent/Teacher Conferences. 

October 22nd – Early dismissal at Worth County and Gilman City. Parent/Teacher Conferences.

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

October 23rd – No school at NEN, Gilman City, North Harrison, or Worth County. End of Quarter. 

October 23rd – Last day to file as a write-in candidate for the November 3rd election, 5:00 pm. 

October 23rd, 24th, 30th, and 31st – 102 River Haunted House, Gravity (IA), 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Admission – New unwrapped toy for the Toy Drive or free will donation. 

October 24th – Harrison County Community Hospital Health Fair, 6:00 am to 10:00 am. 514 N. 39th Street, Bethany. Affordable health screenings for the whole community. 

October 24th – Halloween Costume 5K and Kids Trick or Treat, 2811 Yellowstone Avenue, Blockton, 3 pm. Sponsored by the Taylor County Conservation Board. 

October 24th -- The Eagleville Halloween Festival will take place on the Eagleville Square Saturday, October 24th starting at 5:00 pm.

October 24th – Benefit for Jon Nickerson, Northwest Missouri State University Ag Learning Center, Maryville. Doors open at 5:00 pm. Jon Nickerson has been diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic kidney cancer. There will be a pancake supper, drinks, music, an auction, and raffles. Proceeds will go to support Jon and his family. 

October 24th – Haunted corn maze, Allendale. “Littles” from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. “Spooks” from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. $5 per person. 3 and under are free. Sponsored by the Grant City Lions Club.

October 25th – Ravenwood Community Breakfast, 8:00 am to 12 noon. The Girls Softball Team will be helping. 

October 25th – Hopkins Community Club Beef & Noodle Dinner, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. 

October 25th -- The Ladies in Black will be in concert Sunday, October 25th starting at 2 pm at the Roxy Theater in Hopkins. It will be the last concert until Spring. They will play gospel, country, 1950's, 1960's, and Rock n' Roll.

October 25th – Bach Family Festival, Charles Johnson Theater, Northwest Missouri State, Maryville. Festival starts 3:00 pm. It will feature students from grades four through 12. Students will perform in an honors recital at 4:00 pm. Harpsichordist Dr. Ian Pritchard will perform at 7:00 pm. All performances are free and open to the public. 

October 26th – Worth County Fall Forum, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Free and open to the public. Discussion will be held on Maximize Northwest Missouri’s 2025 Alumni and Resident Survey and why people choose to stay, leave, or return to Northwest Missouri. Sponsored by the Worth County Extension and funded by a grant from the Patterson Foundation. 

October 27th – Second Harvest Food Pantry, 10:00 am, Eagleville City Hall. Free and open to the public regardless of income. 

October 29th – Early dismissal at North Nodaway. Parent/Teacher Conferences. 

October 30th – No school at North Nodaway. End of quarter. 

October 30th – Celebration of Life for Sharon Andrews, 2 pm, Andrews-Hann Funeral Home. 

October 31st – Northwest Missouri State Homecoming Parade.

October 31st – The County Clerk’s Office will be open from 8:30 am to 12 noon for absentee voters for the November 3rd election. 

October 31st – Trunk or Treat, Sheridan Christian Church, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Candy, hot dogs, Smores, and more.

October 31st – Halloween Party, 8:00 pm, Back 40, Sheridan. Bring costumes!

November 1st – Daylight Savings Time ends. Move clocks back one hour. 

November 1st – Legion Breakfast, Parnell Legion Hall, 8:00 am. 

November 1st – Sheridan Christian Church Fall Back Into Church, 9:00 am. Breakfast, donuts, and more.

November 2nd – No school at North Nodaway. Professional Development. 

November 2nd – Last day to vote absentee in person at the Courthouse, 5:00 pm.

November 3rd – General election for Missouri. Polls open at 6 am and close at 7 pm. 

November 5th -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

November 5th – NEN School and Community Health Fair in the commons area, 4:30 pm. Bluejay JH Basketball vs. Worth County, 5:30 pm. 

November 6th – Ham ball Fundraiser for Hopkins Picnic. Cost is $15 per dozen. To order, call Melissa Chesnut (660) 254-4790 or any Hopkins Community Club member. Deadline is November 6th. Pick up November 18th from 5 pm to 7 pm at the Hopkins Community Building. 

November 9th – 275 Conference Band Day at Northwest Missouri State. 

November 9th – No school at Worth County. Professional Development. 

November 10th -- The Worth County Assessor's Office will have an informational forum to explain how the Assessor's office works, address general concerns, and answer questions on November 10th at 6 pm at the Golf Clubhouse. Collector Jessica Davidson will also be present to answer general tax payment questions.

November 11th – No mail delivery. Veterans Day.

November 11th – Worth County Veterans Day Program, 2 pm. 

November 13th – Early dismissal at Gilman City. Professional Development. 

November 13th – North Nodaway Veterans Day Assembly, 9:00 am.

November 13th – Pot Luck, Worth County Senior Center, 12 noon. Free will donation.

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

November 18th – North Harrison School Board Meeting, 5:30 pm. 

November 18th – Worth County School Board Meeting, 6:00 pm.

November 18th – North Nodaway School Board Meeting, 6:00 pm. 

November 24th – Early dismissal at North Nodaway and Gilman City, Thanksgiving.

November 25th to 29th – All schools dismiss for Thanksgiving Break. School will resume on November 30th. 

November 26th – Thanksgiving. No school or mail delivery.

December 5th -- The Hopkins Community Club is raffling a Henry Golden Boy HMR .17 for the Hopkins Picnic. Cost is $10 per ticket or three for $20. The drawing will be held December 5th at the Christmas Soup Supper. Proceeds will support the 2027 Hopkins Picnic. For questions or to enter, call (660) 254-4790 or (660) 541-0082.

December 6th – Legion Breakfast, Parnell Legion Hall, 8:00 am. 

December 12th – Dueling Pianos in concert at The Honey Hole, Diagonal, 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm.

May 29th – North Nodaway Alumni Reunion, North Nodaway School, 5:30 pm. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Council of Governments Launches Sidewalk Survey

The Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments is launching Stroll-n-Score, a community walk audit that invites residents to evaluate sidewalks, crossings, trails, lighting, accessibility and overall pedestrian safety. The self-guided initiative gives residents an opportunity to walk a route of their choice, record observations, upload photos if desired and describe how walking feels in their community today. The feedback will help identify strengths worth celebrating and opportunities for future discussion.

Local Experience Matters

Every sidewalk, trail, crosswalk and street tells part of a community’s story. Residents who use these routes often know where walking feels comfortable, where crossings are difficult and where barriers affect access. Stroll-n-Score is not a technical engineering survey. It is a practical way for community members to contribute firsthand knowledge that maps, reports and checklists cannot capture on their own.

What Participants Will Assess -

•Sidewalk condition and accessibility

•Street crossings and traffic safety

•Lighting, visibility and comfort

•Routes that connect residents to important destinations

•Places that feel welcoming, or are avoided due to safety concerns

How to Participate

Residents can participate by opening the Stroll-n-Score survey at https://form.jotform.com/262434173035148, choosing a route and completing the audit during or after their walk. Participants are encouraged to share the survey with friends, family and co-workers. Longtime residents are especially encouraged to participate. Their memories of former gathering places, once-important routes and changes in sidewalks, trails and community assets can help explain how local walking conditions have evolved. The stories collected through Stroll-n-Score will help keep community voices at the center of conversations about safer, more accessible places to walk.

The survey can be accessed by scanning the QR code below. Still have questions? See more details on our Facebook page or you can reach out to Christy, at (660) 582-5121, ext. 6 or via email at christy@nwmorcog.org.

As County Clerk, Scott Andrews Promises Integrity, Transparency

Scott Andrews jumped into the race for Worth County Clerk following the August primary to oppose Melissa Percell. He will be a write-in candidate for the position. He will face off against her in the November 3rd general election. To vote for him, find the race for Worth County Clerk, fill in the oval next to the “Write-In” section, and write in his name. 

A 1982 graduate of Worth County, Mr. Andrews said that ever since moving back to Worth County in 2016, he has been looking for ways to give back to the county. “This is where the Lord led me,” he said. He said that if elected, he will serve with integrity, transparency, and serve the whole county. “I will serve the people of Worth County and treat everyone with respect,” he said. He is married to Kimberly (Craven) Andrews, and he has three children and nine grandchildren. They live southeast of Denver. 

Currently, he drives a truck for Paul Tracy, something he has done since 2021. Previously, he has had extensive work experience. He worked for five years at Sur-Gro in Plattsburg. He then worked for one year for Missouri Telephone Company in Gallatin and then worked for Commercial Lithography in Kansas City for 28 years. 

With Commercial Lithography, Mr. Andrews went from Quality Control to supervisor to pre-press to 3rd Shift Plant Foreman in 2014. They primarily printed labels for Nestle and Hallmark Cards. He also worked briefly for DRT Ammo in Albany. He has also got his realtor’s license and is a realtor for Whitetail Properties.

He said he was concerned about data centers, saying that he had not studied the issue that much, but that he could see concerns with water and electricity. 

He said that the job of County Clerk would not be all fun and games, but that he would try to keep everyone happy, do the right thing, and abide by county and state rules. “I want to work with the community and do the job with integrity,” he said. 

Scott Andrews jumped into the race for Worth County Clerk following the August primary to oppose Melissa Percell. He will be a write-in candidate for the position. He will face off against her in the November 3rd general election. To vote for him, find the race for Worth County Clerk, fill in the oval next to the “Write-In” section, and write in his name. 

A 1982 graduate of Worth County, Mr. Andrews said that ever since moving back to Worth County in 2016, he has been looking for ways to give back to the county. “This is where the Lord led me,” he said. He said that if elected, he will serve with integrity, transparency, and serve the whole county. “I will serve the people of Worth County and treat everyone with respect,” he said. He is married to Kimberly (Craven) Andrews, and he has three children and nine grandchildren. They live southeast of Denver. 

Currently, he drives a truck for Paul Tracy, something he has done since 2021. Previously, he has had extensive work experience. He worked for five years at Sur-Gro in Plattsburg. He then worked for one year for Missouri Telephone Company in Gallatin and then worked for Commercial Lithography in Kansas City for 28 years. 

With Commercial Lithography, Mr. Andrews went from Quality Control to supervisor to pre-press to 3rd Shift Plant Foreman in 2014. They primarily printed labels for Nestle and Hallmark Cards. He also worked briefly for DRT Ammo in Albany. He has also got his realtor’s license and is a realtor for Whitetail Properties.

He said he was concerned about data centers, saying that he had not studied the issue that much, but that he could see concerns with water and electricity. 

He said that the job of County Clerk would not be all fun and games, but that he would try to keep everyone happy, do the right thing, and abide by county and state rules. “I want to work with the community and do the job with integrity,” he said. 

As County Clerk, Melissa Percell Promises to Go Above and Beyond Call of Duty

Worth County Clerk Candidate Melissa Percell, running as a Republican, has a hectic schedule every day. Thursday was a good example. She got up early, went to Kansas City to give a talk before a business and their employees, and came back to her store in Denver, Nature’s Cure. Later, as Denver City Clerk, she and Charles Cissler were scouting out locations to plant tulips for the tulip festival she is trying to bring to Denver next year. While small town businesses have been closing right and left, she has started Nature’s Cure, and it has become a gathering space for people in the county. “People come here just to visit,” she said. “If I’m elected, I will bring the same work ethic to the Courthouse.”

For two years, in 2024 and 2025, she was laid up with eye issues that required surgery, but now, she is constantly on the move. “I didn’t ask for help or ask for a handout,” she said. “I own my own house and my own business.” Now, she is back and focusing on her family, including her daughters McKenzie and Megan, and her community.

“I’m here to help. If I’m elected, I want to go above and beyond the call of duty for the County Clerk position. I want to do the same thing for Worth County that I do for Denver,” she said to the Express Thursday.

Percell won the Republican Primary in August over Brandon Allee. Since then, she has drawn a write-in challenge from Scott Andrews. They will face off on November 3^rd.

She has worked in insurance, financial services, securities, travel, and business management, and she is still in demand as a consultant. Recently, she has turned to public service, becoming the City Clerk and fighting to make sure that taxpayer dollars are being properly spent.

While the county has not been targeted for a data center like Nodaway County has, there is growing concern about eminent domain. A massive power line has been proposed that would run from southern Iowa through eastern Worth County to Fairport (MO), located near Maysville, which would hook up with a substation down there. “People are coming to me asking about eminent domain and what they can do,” said Ms. Percell. “We need to look for ways to solve these challenges rather than cover it up.”

Another area of interest for Ms. Percell was the youth of the county. She recalled the years when she was growing up in the county. “We knew not to cross Terry Sheddrick, Randy Osborn, or Rex Wilson,” she said. She wants to bring back kids coming to the Courthouse. “That way, when kids grow up, they want to do what we’re doing,” she said. Back in the 1990’s, Worth County students would conduct mock trials, with then-prosecutor David Parman coaching the students. There was one such mock trial conducted at Northeast Nodaway once.

As for commission meetings, she said she wanted to see them more organized and professional. Typically, a Denver City Council meeting lasts around 30 minutes. “We get a lot accomplished,” she said. She wanted to get more insurance benefits for the county. “I want to be here to help,” she said. “In any situation, I want to ask how we can make things better.”

Ms. Percell pledged to operate with transparency if elected. “If I’m elected, I’ll be completely open,” she said. “In Denver, if someone wants to look at the minutes or records, we can show them.”

Worth County has been in a state of continuous population decline since 1900, when it peaked at around 9,600 people. Around 2020, the population dropped below 2,000 although that number may be low given that more people voted in the 2024 Presidential election than voted in 2020. “It’s really important to welcome new people to the county, even if they’re just hunting clubs who come for a short time,” she said. “I’ve had people tell me we’re not very welcoming as a county.”

If she is elected, Ms. Percell said that she will continue to serve both as Denver City Clerk and Worth County Clerk. She promised to play by the rules, reform the county, and get it current with the times. “I’ll always reach out and ask how other counties do things,” she said. “There will be no gray areas, free passes, or special treatment.”

 

Kristen Tracy Pitches Perfect Game in Return to Mound

Kristen Tracy pitched a perfect game during her return to the mound Monday, September 28th and Worth County got back on the winning track. She had played but had not pitched since sustaining an ankle injury in the Princeton game. Worth County had struggled in the two games before, against Albany and King City, two teams they have recently had trouble beating. They fell 5-4 against Albany and 2-1 against King City. 

Against Maryville, Worth County got a 17-0 win in four innings as Tracy faced 12 batters and struck out ten. She added plenty of clout with her bat, driving in three runs and scoring four. Worth County had 14 hits with Megan Tracy getting 4, and Kambree Briner, Kristen Tracy, and Keira Hardy all getting two. They had eight extra base hits, with Kristen Tracy and Megan Tracy getting two, and Addie Gray, Kambree Briner, Keira Hardy, and Audrey Runde getting one. Runde’s hit was a triple. The Tigers stole eight bases with Kambree Briner and Kristen Tracy getting two, and Audrey Runde, Braelyn Fletchall, Brooklyn Smith, and Megan Tracy getting one.

Megan Tracy started the game with a double to left field. With one out, Kristen Tracy reached first on a dropped pop fly, and Megan Tracy took third. Kristen Tracy stole second. Audrey Runde tripled to right field to score both Megan and Kristen Tracy to put Worth County up 2-0. Braelyn Fletchall singled on a line drive to center as Audrey Runde scored to make it 3-0. Brooklyn Smith singled on a line drive to left field. The ball got away as Fletchall scored from first to make it 4-0, and Smith reached third. 

In the Maryville second, Kristen Tracy got to ball three with all three batters but struck them out swinging to preserve the perfect game. 

Megan Tracy beat out an infield hit to the third baseman to open the floodgates in the Tiger second. Tracy stole second, and Kambree Briner lined to left for a double that scored Tracy to make it 5-0. Kristen Tracy doubled to left to score Briner to make it 6-0. Tracy took third on a wild pitch. Audrey Runde walked. Runde stole second. Braelyn Fletchall reached on a dropped pop fly as Kristen Tracy scored to make it 7-0, and Runde took third. Braelyn Fletchall stole second. Addison Gray grounded out to score Runde to make it 8-0, as Fletchall took third. Brooklyn Smith walked and stole second. Keira Hardy doubled to center with two strikes on her as Braelyn Fletchall and Brooklyn Smith scored to make it 10-0. 

Kristen Tracy got to ball three in the top of the third against Haleigh Jackson but struck her out to preserve the perfect game. 

Megan Tracy singled to left, and the ball got away to allow her to take second. Kambree Briner beat out an infield hit as Tracy took third. Kristen Tracy reached on a dropped pop fly to load the bases. Audrey Runde flied out to score Megan Tracy to make it 11-0, as Kambree Briner took third. Kristen Tracy stole second. Braelyn Fletchall reached second on an error as Briner and Kristen Tracy scored to make it 13-0. Addie Briner grounded out to advance Fletchall to third. Brooklyn Smith reached first on a dropped third strike as Fletchall held up. Keira Hardy beat out an infield hit as Braelyn Fletchall scored to make it 14-0, and Brooklyn Smith flew from first to third. 

Megan Tracy doubled to right to start the Tiger fourth and took third on a passed ball. Kambree Briner walked and stole second. Kristen Tracy doubled to center as Megan Tracy and Kambree Briner scored to make it 16-0. Addie Gray doubled to center to score Kristen Tracy to make it 17-0. 

Cole Hardy, Jordan Dannar Step Up in 68-18 Tiger Win

With Cole Ruby out for Friday’s game from an ankle injury he sustained during the Rock Port game, two other Tigers stepped up in Worth County’s 68-18 win over St. Joseph Christian. Cole Hardy, after having a big night at running back Monday in Worth County’s 36-14 Junior Varsity win, split time with Jude Archer at running back and ripped off some good runs. Defensively, Jordan Dannar shot up the tackle chart for the Tigers, recording 12 stops. Besides two long runs from the Lions, Worth County put the clamps on an explosive Lions squad, getting four sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

After initial success on its first possession, Christian was driven back by a false start and a sack by Ryder Smyser, and the Lions were forced to punt. Hardy was stopped on his first carry, but then Hayden Sanders scored on one of his quick hitters for 39 yards, taking it to the house with 9:46 left in the first. Sanders got his third straight game of running for over 100 yards, getting 130 more in Friday’s game.

A pair of carries by Brayden Hoffman carried the Lions into Tiger territory at the 38 before Ethan Lininger shut him down. Bentin Roberts broke up a pass, and the Lions were forced to punt. Cole Hardy found daylight on his second carry after getting a block from Bo Collins for 15 yards to the 26. Jude Archer picked up eight more. On the next play, Brock Healy threw a screen to Bo Collins, who got a block from Jude Archer and took it to the house with 6:18 left in the first quarter. Jude Archer took an option for the extra points to make it 14-0. It was Brock Healy’s third straight game throwing it for more than 100 yards. 

Brayden Hoffman once again carried the Lions into Tiger territory, only for Worth County to step up and stop him. Bo Collins and Jace Burns combined to stop him short at the 36. Quarterback Mason Stewart tried to get loose, but Ryder Smyser tackled him at the Tiger 37 to set up fourth down. On the ensuing play, the Lions fumbled the ball, and Jace Burns recovered it at the 39. Cole Hardy ripped off 18 yards down to the Lion 23. Hayden Sanders started off to his right on the next play, got a block from Bentin Roberts, and cut back to the left side and to the house with 3:30 left in the first. Brock Healy threw a strike to Bo Collins for the extra points to make it 22-0.

Hudson Cameron dropped a Lion back on the 17 on the ensuing kickoff. Hoffman ripped off eight yards for a first down to the 29, but Ryder Smyser got a sack to kill the drive. Christian came under a heavy rush on the ensuing kick, and the Tigers had a short field to work with at their own 39. A long pass was too far for Wyatt Scadden, but the Tigers went back to the ground, getting eight from Hayden Sanders and five from Cole Hardy for a first down. Sanders picked up two more, Brock Healy picked up six, and Jude Archer got ten more to the Lion ten. But a holding penalty killed the drive, and Christian held.

Christian was backed up at their own two, but they got prize receiver Noah Dudeck untracked with a 20-yard pass. Hoffman ripped off 16 more to the 36. But Jude Archer broke up a pass to Dudeck, Ethan Lininger and Bo Collins blew up a running play, and a false start killed the drive, and Worth County got the ball back at the 26. They only needed one play to convert as Bo Collins caught a short pass from Brock Healy and outran everyone to the house with 5:36 left in the second. Worth County’s running quarterback, Hayden Sanders, threw a strike to Bentin Roberts for the extra points to make it 30-0.

This time, the Lions elected to go for it, but Worth County got one of several fourth-down stops, tackling Hoffman inches short of the first down at the Lion 39. Worth County only needed two plays to take advantage of the short field as a pass interference penalty put the ball on the 24 despite plenty of chirping from the Lion side. On the next play, Hayden Sanders weaved his way around defenders and to the house with 3:12 left in the half. Jude Archer got a block from Bo Collins and fooled everyone, cutting back and scoring to add the extra points to make it 38-0.

But the Lions showed their quick-strike capabilities on their next series as Hoffman got loose on a sweep and took it 41 yards to the house with 2:56 left. Dudeck lined up in the Wildkat formation and took it to the house for the extra points to make it 38-8. Christian, trying to get back in the game, kicked a short kick, but right at Bentin Roberts at the Tiger 33. Jude Archer lined up in the Wildkat formation and ripped off 13 yards to the 34. Hayden Sanders took a counter, got a block from Ryder Smyser, and added 11 more to the 23. A short pass from Brock Healy to Bo Collins netted nine yards to the 14. Jude Archer picked up five more and a facemask penalty put it on the three. Amden Ross sacked Brock Healy at the eight to temporarily halt the drive, but Hayden Sanders burst up the middle and broke the plane with his final effort despite more chirping from the Lions’ side with 1:20 left in the half. 

The Lions overcame a sack during their next series as Hoffman once again took a quick hitter, this time 45 yards to the house with 38 seconds left. Dudeck took the Wildkat snap, and this time threw a strike to Hoffman to cut the Tiger lead to 44-16. They tried to keep the momentum going with an onsides kick, but Bentin Roberts caught it in mid-air and took it all the way down to the Christian 10. That turned out to be enough time for Worth County to score, as Bo Collins caught a short pass at the 7. On the next play, Brock Healy was leveled, but got off a screen pass to Bo Collins, who took it to the house with 16 seconds left. Hayden Sanders took a spread draw to the house on the extra point try to make it 52-16. 

After an onsides kick by Christian didn’t travel the necessary ten yards, they nearly stopped Worth County on fourth and seven at the 36. But Hayden Sanders threw a strike to Jude Archer, who tight roped down the left sideline and to the house with 9:12 left in the third. Brock Healy threw a strike to Archer for the extra points to make it 60-16.

After the Lions went three and out, Ryder Smyser shot through and blocked the ensuing punt, and Hayden Sanders returned it to the Lion 12. Cole Hardy picked up three to the nine, and then Hayden Sanders got blocks from Bentin Roberts and Jude Archer and took it to the house with 5:36 left in the third. Jude Archer took a jet sweep and got a block from Bo Collins to make it 68-16.

The rest of the game was played under the running clock. The Lions blocked a punt which Worth County fell on in the end zone for a safety to cut the Lion deficit to 68-18 in the fourth quarter.

Brock Healy had 6 completions in 10 attempts for 111 yards. Hayden Sanders had 2 completions in 3 attempts for 49 yards.

Hayden Sanders had 13 carries for 130 yards. Jude Archer had 6 carries for 48 yards. Cole Hardy had 6 carries for 41 yards. Brock Healy had 2 carries for 7 yards.

Bo Collins had 5 catches for 115 yards. Jude Archer had 3 catches for 45 yards.

Jordan Dannar had 12 tackles. Bo Collins had 11, Hayden Sanders 8, Ethan Lininger 7, Ryder Smyser 5, Jude Archer and Hudson Cameron 4, Bentin Roberts, Lance Runde, and Jace Burns 3, Dylan Smith 2, and Trent Adwell 1.

Ethan Lininger had 4 tackles for loss. Ryder Smyser and Hayden Sanders had 2. Bentin Roberts, Jordan Dannar, and Bo Collins had 1. Ryder Smyser had 2 sacks, while Bo Collins and Hayden Sanders had 1. 

Worth County Land Transfers for September 2026

September 1^st – Book 212, Page 127; Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems to Ashley Rush and Jason Rush; Deed of Release.

September 3^rd – Book 212, Page 128; Christy Auten, Gene Auten, and Sharon Fletchall to Kayla Troutwine and Tiffany Troutwine; Quit Claim Deed.

September 8^th – Book 212, Page 129; Janet Kinsella and Larry Kinsella to Dawson Lee; Quit Claim Deed.

September 9^th – Book 212, Page 130; Cory Farrell to Dustin Wiley; Quit Claim Deed.

September 10^th – Book 212, Page 131; Barbara Pickering and Doug Pickering to Kirby Auffert and Tina Deiter; Warranty Deed.

September 11^th – Book 212, Page 133; Farmers Bank of Northern Missouri to Kenneth C. Lambert; Deed of Release.

September 14^th – Book 212, Page 134; Blake Ballard & Kelsy Ballard to Peoples Savings Bank; Deed of Trust.

September 16^th – Book 212, Page 138; Anna Hildebrand and Stephen Hildebrand to Abby Troutwine and Tyson Troutwine; Warranty Deed.

September 16^th – Book 212; Page 139; Abby Troutwine & Tyson Troutwine to Nodaway Valley Bank; Deed of Trust.

September 17^th – Book 212, Page 140; Lee & Sharee Dumke Family Irrevocable Trust to Dry Creek Properties; Trustee’s Deed.

September 17^th – Book 212, Page 141; Dry Creek Properties to Nodaway Valley Bank; Deed of Trust.

September 17^th – Book 212, Page 143; Regina Winters and Robert Winters to Charles Johnson and Kaci Johnson; Warranty Deed.

September 17^th – Book 212; Page 144; Charles Johnson and Kaci Johnson to BTC Bank; Deed of Trust.

September 18^th – Book 212, Page 145; Harlen Tebben to Autumn Floyd and Douglas McDaniel; Beneficiary Deed.

September 21^st – Book 212, Page 146; POB Properties to Prevail Bank and River Cities Bank; Deed of Release.

September 21^st – Book 212, Page 147; POB Properties to Kansas City Properties and Investments; Warranty Deed.

September 21^st – Book 212, Page 148; Kansas City Properties and Investments to Bank of Springfield; Deed of Trust.

September 21^st – Book 212, Page 150; Kansas City Properties and Investments to Bank of Springfield; Deed of Trust.

September 21^st – Book 212, Page 151; Ben Lang, Cindy Lang, and Worth County Collector to Aubrey Huntsman; Collector’s Deed.

September 28^th – Book 212, Page 153; Laura Spiess to Francis Spiess; Certified Judgement.

September 28^th – Book 212, Page 154; Brett and Stephanie Hardy Revocable Living Trust to State Savings Bank; Deed of Trust.

September 28^th – Book 212, Page 155; Dennis Chipps to Amanda Howard; Quit Claim Deed.

September 30^th – Book 212, Page 156; Allie Rush and Wade Rush to BTC Bank; Deed of Trust.

September 30^th – Book 212, Page 157; BTC Bank to Joann House and William House; Deed of Release.

September 30^th – Book 212, Page 158; Sandra Marshall to Jeffrey Burton; Warranty Deed.

September 30^th – Book 212, Page 159; Jeffrey Burton to BTC Bank; Deed of Trust.

Graham Data Center Meeting Makes Five Requests to Elected Officials

The Graham Town Hall Meeting on data centers that was held Tuesday, September 29^th encouraged citizens to make five requests to elected officials:

--Ask for impact studies. These are different from feasibility studies.

--Ask the Maryville City Council to not sell effluent to the Nodaway County Rural Water District.

--Ask commissioners to extend the moratorium.

--Ask commissioners to adopt a comprehensive plan that is legally binding and accurate.

--Ask for a state moratorium on data centers.

Many opponents of the proposed data center south of Maryville also opposed the county doing Chapter 100 bonds, feeling that if it is a done deal, the data center should have to pay its full share of taxes like everyone else. One person, Joe Baumli, said, “Please do not give out Chapter 100 bonds. If they do come, make them pay a just price.”

Over 100 people attended the meeting Tuesday, including some supporters of the proposed data center.

Susie Strauch spoke first. She lives within ½ a mile from the proposed location and raised concerns about air pollution, light pollution, and the loss of water if the facility were to tap into the groundwater. Ms. Strauch, like many people who live in the area, is not hooked up to Rural Water, but uses well water. She also talked about the heat dome that could occur. “My great-grandson plans to raise cattle here,” she said, expressing concerns about the impact that the noise from data centers would have on cattle. “Our roads are going to be impacted,” she said, citing the ongoing J-turn construction project that currently limits Route 71 traffic going both ways to one lane.

People had expressed concerns about speeding traffic going through the construction zone. Recently, speed limit signs were put up limiting traffic driving through the zone to 55 mph. Fines for speeding through a construction zone in Missouri are much higher than for a normal speeding ticket. There are signs warning of increased penalties for speeding through a construction zone.

Tim Schafer talked about the impact he feared the proposed data center would have on his livestock operation. He said that his cattle operation produced 95% of his revenue. “Many people can just go to town and work. This is my livelihood,” Mr. Schafer said. “This will hurt my bottom line.” He said that his daughter teaches at King City and that some days, she wants to come back. He cited the effects that low-level sounds have on cattle, noting that his operation is 1 to 1¼ miles away from the proposed site. “It’s very concerning to me that we haven’t gotten the answers we have been seeking,” Mr. Schafer said. “If this goes through, there is nothing to stop them from doing what they want. The EPA is turning their heads.”

Sam Schafer said that he had originally supported the wind farms, but that they had not done what they said they were going to do, and that he was sorry he supported the project. And his opposition to the wind farm has extended to the data center. “First, they were going to do 1 million gallons a day, then 70,000,” he said. “You’re hearing different stories from different people. The tax dollars they promise sound great, but they will be bad for us in the long run.” He said that the taxpayer dollars promised would not compensate for the harm he says they could do to the environment, the water, the livestock, and the wildlife. “We have the most wildlife here of any part of the county,” he noted.

Nina Wiederholt showed a heat dome with a six-mile radius from the proposed facility. It would affect everywhere from the southern edge of Maryville to the southern edge of Nodaway County and come close to Graham, where the meeting was held.

Scott Wilson gave some background on where the proposed facility is at. Scale Microgrids, the developer for the project, has an option to purchase 900 acres of land that they have five years to exercise. There will be two separate entities, White Cloud Generating and White Cloud Acres. White Cloud Generating will operate a 600-megawatt generating facility that will sell power into the grid, while White Cloud Acres will operate the data center. The latter operation will be sold or leased to an end user, since Scale has never built a data center, but specializes in generating electricity. Wastewater would be sold from Maryville through the Rural Water District to the data center and then trucked off to an approved facility. Currently, Maryville is doing an impact study on selling wastewater. The Rural Water District’s position is that since they are a public utility and not a private business, they cannot deny service to a data center. White Cloud Generating and White Cloud Acres are both separate from an Evergy substation that is being built next door. Evergy is getting its water from Savannah via Andrew County Rural Water District #3.

Mr. Wilson expressed the fear that if the state were to reclassify data centers as public utilities, they would be able to exercise eminent domain. It would also mean that the state would assess them, not the local assessor, and revenues would be distributed statewide instead of to local taxing entities like the South Nodaway School District. One of the main selling points for the data center at the June town hall meeting was the revenue that the school would receive.

Jeff From talked about his background. He served for 25 years in the Army before coming back to Nodaway County, where he has lived the last 20 years. He has pushed the county commission to do its due diligence during the moratorium period, which the commission passed on July 21^st. He laid out ten areas that he wanted the commission to research and that he wanted to see answers for. They include:

--Program management;

--Due diligence;

--Infrastructure impact;

--Water resources;

--Public health and environmental reviews;

--Emergency services;

--Economic impact;

--Public engagement;

--Regulatory framework;

--Final decision.

Mr. From said that in his recent two-hour conversation with Dan Scheffler of Scale Microgrids, he heard a lot of the right things from him, but that it had to be put into writing. He noted that it was a national security issue, noting that data centers are often targets in war. The US is currently fighting a war with Iran. He noted that the developer had not given any answers to the project that would create any kind of a baseline for the county to do its due diligence.

Commissioner Scott Walk, who was present at the meeting, said that the commission is running Mr. From’s ideas through the attorney, and that they were taking everything he brought up into consideration. “He has put in a lot of work into this,” said Mr. Walk. “We will work with him and the whole group.”

Scott Wilson said that since Scale Microgrids has never built a data center, they don’t know a lot of the answers. “They could have bought up the whole county if they had wanted to,” he noted. “Hopefully, zoning will have an impact.”

Susie Strauch pointed to a map of the proposed project, noting that much of it is currently used for corn, one section was CRP land, and a lot of the land is used for livestock, noting that if the project goes through, it will take a lot of farmlands out of production.

Tim Lance of White Cloud Township gave a talk about the proposed zoning measure that will be on the November ballot for White Cloud Township. “We want to know who is coming so that people will know,” said Mr. Lance. He told the Express afterwards that it wasn’t the board trying to push this measure, but that some people had asked them to put a measure on the ballot, and that they had agreed.

Mr. Lance said that he had gotten two recent calls from people. They wouldn’t say who they were or who they were working for, but they asked if his township had zoning. He said that if the township had, they would have hung up the phone. “When they found out we had no zoning, they were like kids in a candy store,” he said.

A “Yes” vote means that the Township will appoint a zoning board to implement zoning for the township. It would supersede any zoning that the county would do; the county is looking into its own zoning plan. It would be a different board than the Township Board. He said his personal preference would be to zone everything as “Agricultural,” and go from there, but that any zoning would be up to the board. It would be composed of five members.

Some of the biggest pushback of the night came from the zoning measure. Bruce Skoglund, a supporter of the proposed data center, expressed concern about property rights. Mr. Lance said that it was a matter of transparency. “Hopefully, we will know what people are up to,” he said. “So what if I build a garage? Do I need special approval?” asked Mr. Skoglund. “Things can be rezoned. There is no guarantee that things will stay in place. You’re asking us to trust you guys.” “I don’t want to live next to an industrial park,” replied Mr. Lance. “Missouri is very much a pro-Ag state. We put this measure on the ballot to generate discussion about what we should and shouldn’t do.”

Joe Baumli said that in this case, the zoning board would consist of friends and neighbors. Mr. Baumli said that it was a matter of protecting agriculture and that if they kept it simple, it would work. If a seed company, for instance, wanted to locate in White Cloud Township, as an example Mr. Baumli gave, the zoning board could allow it. “It’s not rocket science,” he said.

Mr. Lance said that it was a matter of trying to bring people together. “Why don’t these data centers go to Kansas City or St. Joseph? Because of land values,” he said. “Try buying land down there by the square foot.” He said that proposed zoning rules could be voted on by the people.

Duane Lester, another supporter of the proposed data center, said that he owned land in Madison County (IA), which has zoning, and that they micromanage every aspect of his operation every time he wanted to build a new building there. “We don’t know who is going to be on these boards,” said Mr. Lester. “I’m hoping people will show up and speak up,” replied Mr. Lance.

Mr. Lance said that he didn’t want to give any false hope, and that zoning can’t stop a project that has already started or an existing project, but that it could limit expansion. “So why are we putting this measure on the ballot,” asked Mr. Skoglund.

Rob Duval said that zoning was not a cure-all, but that if you interfere enough with such projects, it was a useful component in keeping them out.

Polk Township used to have zoning before it was rescinded recently. Mr. Baumli, who was involved in that, said that it had gotten too complex. “It has to be based on common sense and easy to comply with,” he said.

Mr. Lester challenged everyone in the room to name one government program that did not get out of control at some point. “It can start out based on common sense,” he said. “It never stays that way.”

Scott Wilson talked about his background. He owns a repair shop in Bolckow, but even before the data center story broke last spring, he wanted to do more for the community. He promised if elected, he would give straight answers. Mr. Wilson is running for Nodaway County Presiding Commissioner as an Independent. “I live by the 102, and there are times when it drops to a trickle in the fall,” he said. He noted that after he and his wife built their house, a gigantic power line was built next to their property. “I didn’t want to look across at 1,500 acres of solar panels,” he added. He said that he wasn’t in it to make money, but he was there to, “Keep rural areas rural.” He noted that 300 water customers of Bolckow could be affected if the data center is built. “When you think about how it affects people, don’t just think of the Eveready plant,” added Rob Duval.

Dustin Skoglund, Superintendent at South Nodaway, took a question about state assessment. He said there had been discussion about making data centers state assessed and public utilities. “We’re talking about a large amount of money,” he said, saying that he had already contacted legislators Jeff Farnan and Rusty Black to register his opposition. He said that South Nodaway taxpayers already pay a high tax rate for the school, and that taxpayers would be footing the bill if the state were to make such a move. He said that if data centers were made into public utilities, that meant they would be able to exercise eminent domain.

Wayne Beattie said, “They’re going to turn my land into crap,” citing concerns about PFAS, or “Forever Chemicals,” which are difficult or impossible to clean up and that do not degrade over time. He noted that it took 40 years of groundwork to get the Mozingo Lake. There were a lot of setbacks along the way, including a massive defeat at the county-wide level in the 1980’s before subsequent efforts finally got it built. He noted that the projects in Montgomery County were hit with a massive lawsuit that a judge recently ruled could move forward. “I’m not going to roll over and play dead, and neither should anyone else,” said Mr. Beattie. “We were told the lottery would pay for our schools, and that never happened. We’ve got generations to come, and they’re going to live with what we do.”

Commissioner Walk said that the county was still looking for members for an advisory committee they are forming for zoning. They are looking for members throughout the county. Contact any commissioner if interested.

Another town hall meeting is being planned for Monday, October 12^th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Maryville Community Center. It is free and open to the public. Representatives from the Nodaway County Commission, Nodaway County Economic Development, the City of Maryville, and the Rural Water District have been invited to participate.