North Nodaway Honors and Awards

Honor rolls for Second Quarter 2025

GOLD HONOR ROLL

Seventh Grade — Kayden Snuffer.

Eighth Grade — Sophee Clapp, Zoey Pearson, Gannon Stricker.

Freshmen — Conner Pearson.

Sophomores — Juliet Rollnik, Laney Turner.

Juniors — Lily Blane, Mya Hansen, Ridge Harger.

Seniors — Addalea Barcus, Sadee Clapp, Blaine Clements, Aryianna Jimenez, Lacy Riley, Gannon Volner, Casey Wray, Trevin Wyllie.

SILVER HONOR ROLL

Sixth Grade — Marin Alexander, Isabelle Graham, Brysha Allen, McClellan Clements, Adyson Dailey, Taylor David, Torrie Rader, Landon Turner.

Seventh Grade — Arianna Owens, Kamden Reynolds, Avary Volner.

Eighth Grade — Samuel Jenkins, Reed Martin, Cade Miller, Dustie Rader, Tristen Wray, Chandra Wyllie, Ava Steinman.

Freshman — Eliza Clements, Luke Clements, Jaycie Edington, Jackson Keho, Hayden Marriott, Zoey Phillips, Marek Stevens.

Sophomores — Draven Rader, Lena Richards, Savannah Rucker, Pyper Smith.

Juniors — Wyatt Emery, Keith Riedel, Tequilla Miller.

Seniors — Stetsyn Brown, Jordan DeLeon, Emily Keho, Jackie Wray, Kaeden Nave.

BRONZE HONOR ROLL

Sixth Grade — Jayneigh Lawson, Corey Reeves, Cooper Chesnut, Clayton Titus, Brentlee Hager, Lucus Hansen, Zaylynn Luke, Lucian Rader, Emery Reynolds, MyLee Stringer.

Seventh Grade — Braxton Dougherty, Jacobie Edington, Brentley Marriott.

Eighth Grade — Hudson Alexander, Scarlett Brown, Lila Miller, Dustie Rader, Trenton Roberts.

Freshmen — Owen Coleman, Danien Westcott.

Sophomores — Weston Alexander, Trynzlee Ebrecht, Kaeah Edington, Taccoa Moyer, Conner Reeves.

Juniors — Harley Howard, Ty Moyer.

Seniors — Laythen Ebrecht, Landon Parman, Draven Rowland.

PERFECT ATTENDANCE

Sixth Grade — McClellan Clements, Lucien Rader, MyLee Stringer, Clayton Titus.

Seventh Grade — Arianna Owens, Aleesia Rader, Kayden Snuffer, Israel Torres.

Eighth Grade — Scarlett Brown, Samuel Jenkins, Reed Martin.

Freshmen — Luke Clements, Jackson Keho, Ashly Kinney, Conner Pearson, Marek Stevens, Damien Westcott.

Sophomores — Draven Rader, Lena Richards, Juliet Rollnik, Savannah Rucker, Laney Turner.

Juniors — Lily Blane, Ridge Harger.

Seniors — Lacy Riley.

MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARDS

Achievement Award — MyLee Stringer.

Leadership Award — Ava Steinman.

Mustang Award — Torrie Rader.

Student of the Quarter — Zoey Pearson.

HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS

Achievement Awards — Conner Pearson, Lena Richards, Ty Moyer, Emily Keho.

Leadership Award — Kaeden Nave.

Citizenship Award — Juliet Rollnik.

Student of the Quarter — Ridge Harger.

 

 

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

On January 1st, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Kacey Purdun (36) of Hobson (MT) , Jason Rigual (54) of Billings (MT), and Sharif Brown (31) of Saint Clair (MI) alleging Tampering with Motor Vehicle. An affidavit from the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department alleges the defendants stole a U-Haul from a dealer. Bond for all three defendants was denied. Subsequently, Prosecutor Gibson filed charges against James Wesley Young (47) of Myrtle Beach (SC) alleging Forgery (Felony) and Tampering with Motor Vehicle. Bond was denied.

On January 1st, Nodaway County Prosecutor Tina Dieter filed charges against Christopher Moore (36) of Maryville alleging Domestic Assault (Felony) and Assault (Felony). Bond was set at $10,000, cash or corporate surety.

On January 2nd, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Keith Coffin (45) of Channelview (TX) alleging DWI, No Valid License, Speeding (98 mph), No Insurance, and No Plates. Bond was denied.

On January 5th, Ashley Howes (30) of Carrolton pleaded guilty in Nodaway County Circuit Court to a charge of Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony). She was placed on five years probation by Judge Corey Herron.

On January 5th, Hollyann Hill (38) of Skidmore pleaded guilty in Nodaway County Circuit Court to charges of Harassment (Felony) and DWI. She was placed on five years probation by Judge Corey Herron.

On January 5th, Christopher Cash (42) of St. Joseph failed to appear in Nodaway County Circuit Court on a charge of Stealing (Felony). A warrant was issued and bond set at $4,000 with defendant given leave to post 10% cash.

On January 5th, Melissa Sybert (41) of Maryville pleaded guilty in Nodaway County Circuit Court to a charge of Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony). She was placed on five years probation by Judge Corey Herron.

On January 5th, Gentry County Prosecutor Jessica Jones filed charges against Michael Manion (60) of Gentry alleging DWI (Felony) and Driving While Suspended. Judge Rebecca McGinley recused herself and Judge Joel Miller was assigned. Bond was set at $4,000, cash or corporate surety.

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

 

Ravenwood Council Pays Off Lagoon Bond

The Ravenwood City Council, at its regular meeting Tuesday, January 6th, voted to pay off both the $35,760 lagoon bond payment that was due this month and a final $11,045 payment that was due in July, meaning that the bond issue is now paid off and the city is no longer in debt. 

Electric crews were in Ravenwood that morning cutting down trees. The electricity flickered on and off during the afternoon. 

Kenna O'Connell resigned from her position as a city employee. The council made Jo Kerwin a full-time employee for the city, and O'Connell has been helping her to get started.

The council removed O'Connell from the checks and made Mayor Ed Wiederholt, Jo Kerwin, and any council member a third signer. All city checks must be signed by at least two parties.

A wish list of projects was developed for this spring, including a tube rotted out near Joe Pappert's, ditch issues near Bill Stephenson's, and a road near Steve Spire's that is going bad even though there is no water line or tube nearby.

More work was completed on the park shelter house by Jake Rush. The next step is to do the electrical work, then put in the ceiling. They are also in the process of putting together picnic tables. 

There were no shutoffs last month, but one check was returned for insufficient funds. The city charges customers $35 for returned checks. 

There were two complaints about black rings around toilets. It typically occurs twice a year when the city flushes fire hydrants.

The choke cable broke on the mower.

There are no elections for the city for this year. The next election will be in April 2027, when Mayor Ed Wiederholt and all four council positions will be up for reelection. 

Tentative Schedule Discussed for Worth County Tractor Cruise

A tentative schedule for the Worth County Tractor Cruise to be held in conjunction with the nation’s 250th anniversary was discussed at the Worth County Progress Organization Meeting Monday. The schedule includes starting at the Fairgrounds in Grant City with breakfast, traveling to Allendale and then Denver, stop at the Schoolhouse for snacks, travel to the 169 Club between Worth and Grant City for lunch, travel to Sheridan, and travel back to Grant City and end at the Fairgrounds.  The tentative date is either July 2nd or 3rd.

The celebrations would be managed in a way so as not to conflict with existing celebrations. Sheridan will still have Old Defiance Days, while Allendale will still have its 4th of July Breakfast.

One of the more intriguing ideas for the celebration would be a hot air balloon ride, possibly at one of the highest elevations in the county. Possible locations include the former airport at Route Y (1075 feet above sea level), Mueller Trust (1050), the Wool Shop (1180), the Monticue/Cadle area (1157), and Devil’s Horn north of Sheridan on Route F (1200). Drawbacks include the high cost ($20-25/ride for a tethered ride, $250 for an untethered ride).

For July 4th itself, besides the Allendale Breakfast, ideas floated included a parade on the Square, a dedication of the new War Memorial, bands and music, and the annual golf tournament.

A committee has been formed to coordinate the activities leading up to July 4th.  It held its first meeting on December 8th. Members include Chevy and Jessica Davidson, Brennen and Brooke Claypool, Jezzie Jeanes, Brad and Emily Maudlin, Bobbi Gladstone, Vickie Miller, Stephanie Rush, Helen Foster, Bill Calhoon, Rachel Brown, David Hardy, and Roberta Owens. Mayors on the committee include Debbie Roach (Grant City), Kevin Harding (Allendale), Adam Downing (Worth), Butch Thomas (Sheridan), and Charles Cisler (Denver). Commissioners are Regan Nonneman, Jubal Summers, and Tyler Paxson. Church pastors include Darrell Darby, Helen Foster, Darin Drury, Dirk Buffington, Delbert Biehle, Donna Lynch, Lowell Houts, Len Green, Jeff Blaine, and Josh Kollitz.

Facebook followers were at 1,428, up 23. Views were at 16,193, up 98%. Of those, 54.8% of them were non-followers. There were 1,521 engagements.

There were 70 visitors to Santa at the bank during the Mingle and Jingle last month.

Donations for the military wall are now up to $30,065 as of Monday evening. The electrical connections will be the main expense.

The frame of the new Grant City Christian Church Fellowship Hall is up. They are still seeking donations to finish up the project.

Several packages of deer meet were donated to the Mission Possible Food Pantry through the Share the Harvest program.

Great Northwest Days will be held in Jefferson City on February 3rd and 4th. Economic Developer Kevin Fisher will attend.

Various ideas for jumpstarting the local economy were discussed, including a one-time small business grant, buying up land and dividing it up for new families, and setting up a scholarship program for graduating seniors.

When it dissolved, the Crestwood Board donated $5,000 towards the annual Shop with a Cop program. There was $1,920 spent from it this year.

The county donated $6,500 towards Economic Developer Kevin Fisher’s position.

The Maximize NWMO Survey was completed. There were 212 responses completed, which exceeded the goal for 85% confidence. This qualifies the county to receive county-level data, which will be received sometime this month.

 

 

Gilman City Girls Rise to Sixth in State Rankings

Gilman City’s girls have risen to sixth in the Class 1 state rankings in the second release of the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association rankings. They remain undefeated at 10-0. Rock Port remains at second while Green City, one of the teams the Hawks beat in Trenton, debuted in the rankings at tenth. Mound City received votes in the poll.

Mid-Buchanan is ranked fifth in Class 3, while North Platte received votes. Chillicothe is ranked seventh in Class 4. Benton is eighth and Savannah received votes.

 

Worth County Brush Enforcement Discussed

Brush enforcement was discussed at the Worth County Commission meeting Monday. The brush ordinance is a voter-approved measure passed 15 years ago. It states that all landowners are responsible for clearing brush along county roads. If a road is deemed in violation, the county will send all landowners along the road in question a brush letter. Failure to cut brush after receiving a brush letter means that the county can cut brush for them and assess it on their taxes. The county will not post cost estimates along with a brush letter; the cost for removing brush is between a landowner and a contractor.

If trees are partially cut in response to a brush letter, and the brush grows back again in five to ten years, then the landowner is still responsible for cutting the brush at that time.

There are setback rules for county roads. Most have a right-of-way of 50 feet, or 25 feet from the center of the road in each direction. However, some are as low as 40 feet and some setbacks are as wide as 60 feet.

The county plans to pass a budget by the end of January. The county is taking bids on various projects between now and the end of the month, and they are still waiting for last-minute tax money to come in that was mailed on December 31st as well as end-of-year interest.

Someone hit the Gilland Bridge in the middle of the night recently, damaging a guardrail corner as well as 10-15 feet of guardrail. The person left the scene.

There was discussion about cutting off more tree branches in the courtyard, including the tree on the southwest corner.

The Worth County Not for Profit group met following the regular meeting and appointed Stephanie Hardy as Secretary/Treasurer. The group was formed to get the USDA loan/grant for a new motor grader and excavator three years ago, since the USDA could not give the money directly to a county. The Worth County NFP is paying off the loan with around $45,000 a year that is passed from the Road & Bridge Fund. The loan is being paid off over a 12-year period at 2% interest.

 

$216 Million Rural Health Grant Not Enough to Offset Missouri Medicaid Cuts

The Missouri Independent, on Friday, reported that the state had won a $216 million federal grant to close the rural health gap, but that it would not be enough to offset Medicaid cuts that were passed last summer as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Monday, December 29th that all 50 states would get $50 billion combined under the Working Families Tax Cuts legislation. States will receive first-year awards from CMS averaging $200 million in 2026 with a range of between $147 million and $281 million.

The CMS listed the following objectives of the program:

Bring More Care Within Reach

States will advance Make Rural America Healthy Again goals by expanding preventive, primary, maternal, and behavioral health services and creating new access points that bring care closer to home and help preserve strong local health systems. Many states are implementing evidence-based, outcomes-driven strategies—such as physical fitness and nutrition programs, food-as-medicine initiatives, and chronic disease prevention models—to address root causes of diseases and manage chronic conditions. States will also strengthen rural emergency care through improved emergency medical services (EMS) communication, treat-in-place options, and coordinated transfers.

Strengthen and Sustain the Rural Clinical Workforce

States will support clinical workforce training, residencies, recruitment and retention incentives, and new pathways that help students begin health care careers in their own communities. States are also investing in programs to train and support the existing clinical workforce and build futures close to home. 

Modernize Rural Health Infrastructure and Technology

Investments will modernize rural facilities and equipment; strengthen cybersecurity and interoperability; and expand telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and digital tools that enable timely access to care. States are also exploring the use of technology such as AI scribes and clinical workflow improvement tools to reduce burdens on clinicians. 

Driving Structural Efficiency & Empowering the Community Providers

States will prioritize streamlining operations, empowering providers to enhance coordination of care and resources, and building partnerships across the state with the goal of keeping care local. This includes establishing specialized hub-and-spoke models, rural regional centers of excellence, comprehensive data-sharing platforms, and rural clinically integrated networks.

Advance Innovative Care Models and Payment Reform

States will test new primary care and value-based care models, strengthen partnerships among rural and other providers, and promote regional collaboration that improves health sustainability and patient outcomes.

On July 24th, Kaiser Family Foundation released a study showing that cuts under the Federal Reconciliation Package would reduce federal Medicaid spending in rural areas by $137 billion over ten years, of which the $50 billion Rural Health Fund would only partially offset. This figure does not account for the full change in total Medicaid spending or the ACA Marketplace coverage that expired recently, which Kaiser says represents the “biggest rollback in federal support for health coverage ever.”

Kaiser notes that federal spending cuts could mean increases in uncompensated care. The great majority of civil lawsuits filed in Worth, Gentry, Harrison, Nodaway, and Daviess Counties involve either medical debt or credit card debt.

Several years ago, Missouri voters voted to expand ACA coverage. The Kaiser study found that the greatest Medicaid spending cuts in rural areas will occur in states that have expanded Medicaid and have higher shares of rural residents. Missouri is estimated to lose $4.53 billion in federal Medicaid spending money over the next ten years according to Kaiser’s figures, which places it just outside of the top ten.

The Missouri Independent reported that Missouri is seeking to establish 30 community hubs across 104 counties which the state says will help hospitals, clinics, and community organizations identify local priorities and coordinate care. Missouri has already used one pilot program, called Transformation of Rural Community Health, to partner with community organizations to use Medicaid funding to address underlying causes of illness.

The Independent quotes a study from Washington University which found that while the amount of funding for Missouri seems high, at above the average of $200 million, Missouri actually ranked 36th for the amount of funding allotted per rural resident.

And while the federal and state initiatives seek to modernize rural health infrastructure and focus more on outcomes, they overlook facility needs. For instance, the Independent interviewed Lori Wightman, the CEO of Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia. The facility participated in the Missouri pilot health program. As quoted by the Independent, Ms. Wightman stated that her hospital only had 14 days cash on hand and that the hospital was dealing with a leaky roof which forces them to shut down two operating rooms when it rains.