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#MidAmericaLive
Friday, July 3, 2026
What to Know Before Lighting Fireworks and Sparklers
These tips help keep everyone safer while you’re celebrating.
There’s something exciting about fireworks on a warm summer night. They’re loud, colorful and often part of holiday celebrations with family and friends. But fireworks can also be unpredictable and dangerous. Every year, thousands of people are treated for burns, eye injuries and other serious accidents due to fireworks and sparklers.
Many fireworks injuries can be prevented by taking a few safety precautions. Before you light any type of fireworks, here are some tips for keeping everyone safer:
- Always have a responsible adult supervise fireworks activities from start to finish.
- Light fireworks outdoors only and keep them away from homes, garages, vehicles, dry grass and trees.
- Have a bucket of water, hose or fire extinguisher nearby in case something catches fire.
- Only light one firework at a time to lower the chance of accidents.
- Never lean directly over fireworks while lighting them.
- After lighting a firework, move away quickly and keep a safe distance.
- Never point fireworks at another person, even as a joke.
- Don’t hold lit fireworks in your hand unless the product is specifically designed for it.
- If a firework doesn’t go off, don’t try to relight it. Wait several minutes, then soak it in water before disposing of it.
- Avoid using fireworks while drinking alcohol or using drugs because impaired judgment increases the risk of injuries.
- Don’t let young children handle or light fireworks, including sparklers. They can become hot enough to melt metal and are one of the most common causes of fireworks injuries in children. Consider safer alternatives such as glow sticks or LED wands.
- Soak all used fireworks in water before throwing them away to help prevent fires later.
- Keep pets indoors during fireworks displays because loud noises can cause fear, anxiety and panic.
- If someone burns their skin, cool the area with running water. Don’t use ice, butter or ointments.
- If a firework injures the eye, don’t rub it or try to remove debris. Get emergency medical care immediately.
- After the celebration is over, check the area carefully for small fires or hot debris that could still cause burns or start a fire.
Fireworks can be a fun part of summer traditions, but safety should always come first. Taking a few extra precautions can help protect you, as well as your family, friends, neighbors and pets, making the night more enjoyable for everyone. Also keep in mind that the safest choice is watching a professional fireworks display from a distance and leaving the lighting of fireworks to trained experts.
#MidAmericaLive
Meet Waylon Greer, contender for Mr. Bates County
Waylon Greer for Mr. Bates County!
Waylon Greer is running for Mr. Bates County at the Bates County Fair!! July 7th he will ride in the parade and there will be a bash after. Waylon will have a box set up along with his buddy Noah!! The boy with the most money will be crowned July 10th!
From his mom, Bailey Reed: Please let me know if you will be around on the 7th so Waylon can come ask in person for your vote!! Call 660-424-4249. We appreciate any and all support for our sweet boy!!
Waylon will also be showing a sheep this year with the help of Miranda Foster, and playing dodgeball with a group of his friends!! Come out to the fair and support all the kiddos.
Courtesy Adrian News Leader
#MidAmericaLive
ACHS welcomes Travis Searles
Please welcome our new School Nurse for the 2026-2027 School Year, Mr. Travis Searles. We are excited Mr. Searles has chosen Appleton City to continue his School Nursing career! Welcome to AC!
#MidAmericaLive
Thursday, July 2, 2026
Notice from the City of Harrisonville
The Board will meet again on July 20, 2026
#MidAmericaLive
Preliminary report released regarding Butler plane crash
The National Traffic Safety Board has released preliminary information that indicates normal operating procedures appear to have been followed just prior to the crash of a skydive jump plane that claimed the lives of the pilot and 11 passengers just before noon on June 14th at the Butler, MO airport
The report also indicates the engine was making full power upon impacting the ground however, the aircraft banked sharply to the left as it began its climbout for reasons still unknown. Some critical controls related to wings and tail section were badly damaged, requiring further forensic study that will hopefully provide clues.
As the investigation continues, NTSB specialists are continuing to review all available data, possibly including GoPro video taken on board during the flight.
During a press conference on June 16th, it was emphasized that the final report may take 12 - 18 months to complete.
Official NTSB report verbiage
On June 14, 2026, about 1125 central daylight time, a Pacific Aerospace Limited 750XL airplane, N221BN, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Butler, Missouri. The pilot and 11 passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 local parachute jump (skydiving) flight.
On the day of the accident, the operator had planned to conduct 8 parachute jump flights. The operator's landing zone (LZ), a flat grass field, was located at the Butler Memorial Airport (BUM), Butler, Missouri. All the flights were planned for the parachutists to land at the LZ at BUM.
At 0730, the manager of the operation obtained a fuel sample from their fuel truck that they had staged at BUM. The Jet A fuel sample was clean with no sediment or debris observed. Also at 0730, the pilot arrived at the operator's facility, he completed the preflight of the airplane with no issues reported. He also researched and posted the various wind speeds and directions on a whiteboard in the operator's building for the various loads (see figure 1). According to the operator, the pilot utilized ForeFlight for his preflight planning work.
Figure 1. Image depicting the various wind speeds and directions on a whiteboard, for the different altitudes that the pilot researched and posted on the morning of the accident, located in the operator's building at BUM.
At 0920, the first flight of parachutists, which included the pilot and 9 passengers, departed in the airplane. They conducted their parachute jumps successfully, and the airplane landed back at BUM.
At 1032, the second flight of parachutists, which included the pilot and 10 passengers, departed in the airplane. They conducted their parachute jumps successfully, and the airplane landed back at BUM.
At 1055, the manager of the operation assisted the pilot with refueling the airplane. According to the manager, 15 gallons of Jet A fuel were added to the left-wing fuel tank, and 45 gallons of Jet A fuel were added to the right-wing fuel tank. The total fuel quantity was documented by the pilot on a personal clipboard.
At 1125, the third flight of parachutists departed. A review of security video footage from a nearby aerial application operation hangar at BUM showed the airplane takeoff about mid-field from runway 36. During the initial climb, the airplane began a gradual turn to the left (to the west). A security video showed the airplane continuing to turn to the left, with both wings eventually becoming approximately perpendicular to the ground (see figure 2). The airplane then impacted a flat grass field in a nose down profile and a postimpact fire ensued. A search revealed no ADS-B data or track data for the accident flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
Figure 2. Image depicting the security video footage screenshot showing the airplane in flight shortly before impacting terrain (security video footage courtesy of BCS Aerial). The airplane is annotated inside the red circle.
The accident site was located about 445 ft to the west of the southern end of the operator's landing zone, near a north to south running barbed wire fence on BUM property. A postimpact fire consumed the wreckage.
Figure 3. Image depicting the wreckage at the accident site, with various airplane components labeled. Several airplane components were moved to facilitate the initial emergency response.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed that all major structural components of the airframe were identified at the accident site; however, they had sustained significant thermal damage. Both the elevator and the rudder control systems sustained significant thermal damage. Measurements were obtained for the length of the flap gearbox jack screw extension, the length of the pitch trim actuator extension, and the length of the roll trim actuator extension to potentially determine the respective system positions at the time of the impact. The yaw trim system sustained significant thermal damage. The cockpit, the cabin, and the airframe fuel system all sustained significant thermal damage. The left and right direct aileron cables were removed and were transported to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination.
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine displayed contact signatures to its internal components characteristic of the engine developing power at the time of the impact. There were no indications of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures to any of the engine components that would have precluded normal operation. The four-blade controllable-pitch composite propeller was destroyed during the impact sequence. A postaccident sample from the operator's fuel truck found the Jet A fuel sample to be clean with no sediment or debris present.
Multiple damaged GoPro cameras (of various models) were recovered from the accident site and were transported to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. The wreckage was recovered from the accident site, and it was transported to a secure location.
A postaccident review of the operator's Burble Drop Zone Management software showed that the airplane met the weight and balance limitations for the accident flight. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook and Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand-Approved Flight Manual AIR 2825, the airplane has a maximum takeoff weight limitation of 7,500 lbs. According to the operator, the pilot utilized a small personal clipboard to record load notes and fuel load calculations, however, that clipboard was not identified in the wreckage.
The airplane was configured with two seats in the cockpit (the pilot seat on the left side and the copilot seat on the right side), and the cabin of the airplane had two benches installed for the parachutists to utilize. According to the operator, the parachutists would have sat rearwards, straddling their respective benches, with a latched restraint system (a lap belt). The airplane was not equipped with a crashworthy voice or data recorder, nor was it required to be.
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate (airplane single engine land rating with an instrument rating). The pilot had accumulated over 4,100 total flight hours and his most recent flight review was on October 5, 2025. According to the operator, the pilot worked as a contractor, and this was his second consecutive jump pilot season working for them. During the first jump pilot season (which typically occurs from April to October for that geographic area), the pilot operated both the Cessna 182 series and the Cessna 208 series airplanes. The operator reported that they did not have any pervious concerns with the pilot, he was safety oriented, and he was also conservative with his decision making as a jump pilot.
Parachute jump flights, which are revenue passenger-carrying operations, are conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. These operations do not require FAA-issued operating certificates, FAA-issued operations specifications, and FAA-approved training and maintenance programs. #MidAmericaLive
The report also indicates the engine was making full power upon impacting the ground however, the aircraft banked sharply to the left as it began its climbout for reasons still unknown. Some critical controls related to wings and tail section were badly damaged, requiring further forensic study that will hopefully provide clues.
As the investigation continues, NTSB specialists are continuing to review all available data, possibly including GoPro video taken on board during the flight.
During a press conference on June 16th, it was emphasized that the final report may take 12 - 18 months to complete.
Official NTSB report verbiage
On June 14, 2026, about 1125 central daylight time, a Pacific Aerospace Limited 750XL airplane, N221BN, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Butler, Missouri. The pilot and 11 passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 local parachute jump (skydiving) flight.
On the day of the accident, the operator had planned to conduct 8 parachute jump flights. The operator's landing zone (LZ), a flat grass field, was located at the Butler Memorial Airport (BUM), Butler, Missouri. All the flights were planned for the parachutists to land at the LZ at BUM.
At 0730, the manager of the operation obtained a fuel sample from their fuel truck that they had staged at BUM. The Jet A fuel sample was clean with no sediment or debris observed. Also at 0730, the pilot arrived at the operator's facility, he completed the preflight of the airplane with no issues reported. He also researched and posted the various wind speeds and directions on a whiteboard in the operator's building for the various loads (see figure 1). According to the operator, the pilot utilized ForeFlight for his preflight planning work.
At 0920, the first flight of parachutists, which included the pilot and 9 passengers, departed in the airplane. They conducted their parachute jumps successfully, and the airplane landed back at BUM.
At 1032, the second flight of parachutists, which included the pilot and 10 passengers, departed in the airplane. They conducted their parachute jumps successfully, and the airplane landed back at BUM.
At 1055, the manager of the operation assisted the pilot with refueling the airplane. According to the manager, 15 gallons of Jet A fuel were added to the left-wing fuel tank, and 45 gallons of Jet A fuel were added to the right-wing fuel tank. The total fuel quantity was documented by the pilot on a personal clipboard.
At 1125, the third flight of parachutists departed. A review of security video footage from a nearby aerial application operation hangar at BUM showed the airplane takeoff about mid-field from runway 36. During the initial climb, the airplane began a gradual turn to the left (to the west). A security video showed the airplane continuing to turn to the left, with both wings eventually becoming approximately perpendicular to the ground (see figure 2). The airplane then impacted a flat grass field in a nose down profile and a postimpact fire ensued. A search revealed no ADS-B data or track data for the accident flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
The accident site was located about 445 ft to the west of the southern end of the operator's landing zone, near a north to south running barbed wire fence on BUM property. A postimpact fire consumed the wreckage.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed that all major structural components of the airframe were identified at the accident site; however, they had sustained significant thermal damage. Both the elevator and the rudder control systems sustained significant thermal damage. Measurements were obtained for the length of the flap gearbox jack screw extension, the length of the pitch trim actuator extension, and the length of the roll trim actuator extension to potentially determine the respective system positions at the time of the impact. The yaw trim system sustained significant thermal damage. The cockpit, the cabin, and the airframe fuel system all sustained significant thermal damage. The left and right direct aileron cables were removed and were transported to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination.
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 turboprop engine displayed contact signatures to its internal components characteristic of the engine developing power at the time of the impact. There were no indications of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures to any of the engine components that would have precluded normal operation. The four-blade controllable-pitch composite propeller was destroyed during the impact sequence. A postaccident sample from the operator's fuel truck found the Jet A fuel sample to be clean with no sediment or debris present.
Multiple damaged GoPro cameras (of various models) were recovered from the accident site and were transported to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. The wreckage was recovered from the accident site, and it was transported to a secure location.
A postaccident review of the operator's Burble Drop Zone Management software showed that the airplane met the weight and balance limitations for the accident flight. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook and Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand-Approved Flight Manual AIR 2825, the airplane has a maximum takeoff weight limitation of 7,500 lbs. According to the operator, the pilot utilized a small personal clipboard to record load notes and fuel load calculations, however, that clipboard was not identified in the wreckage.
The airplane was configured with two seats in the cockpit (the pilot seat on the left side and the copilot seat on the right side), and the cabin of the airplane had two benches installed for the parachutists to utilize. According to the operator, the parachutists would have sat rearwards, straddling their respective benches, with a latched restraint system (a lap belt). The airplane was not equipped with a crashworthy voice or data recorder, nor was it required to be.
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate (airplane single engine land rating with an instrument rating). The pilot had accumulated over 4,100 total flight hours and his most recent flight review was on October 5, 2025. According to the operator, the pilot worked as a contractor, and this was his second consecutive jump pilot season working for them. During the first jump pilot season (which typically occurs from April to October for that geographic area), the pilot operated both the Cessna 182 series and the Cessna 208 series airplanes. The operator reported that they did not have any pervious concerns with the pilot, he was safety oriented, and he was also conservative with his decision making as a jump pilot.
Parachute jump flights, which are revenue passenger-carrying operations, are conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. These operations do not require FAA-issued operating certificates, FAA-issued operations specifications, and FAA-approved training and maintenance programs. #MidAmericaLive
You could win big in Rich Hill this evening!
TONIGHT is the 30th Annual PIE CONTEST and AUCTION!
If you’ve never been to one, it’s a prime example of community support for a common goal. I’ve done all 30 of these and remember when $400 for a pie was unbelievable! Now it has become the largest fundraiser for Rich Hill’s amazing “Famous for the 4th” celebration, besides having set a Guinness World Record in 2012 that got nationwide news coverage for the $3,100 pie and we’ve even surpassed that figure since!
And tonight following this pie auction, we will be selling a Tom Altenburg original painting for Ready, Set, Grow, a donated quilt by Breanna Yarick and Jennifer Wheatley for the 4th of July committee, and an amazing collectible, an engraved Henry rifle and display case raising funds for the highway sign on I-49 by TT Highway!
Come join in this incredible FUNdraising evening in Rich Hill’s main park!
Courtesy Larry Hacker
#MidAmericaLive
Raymore man facing three felony charges related to child sexual abuse material
On Jul 1st, 2026, 26-year-old Dakota Parrish of Raymore was arrested in reference to an Internet Crimes Against Children Investigation by Cass County Sheriff’s Detectives assigned to the Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (WMICAC).
Parrish has been charged with three felonies for possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip regarding the possession of CSAM from the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children (NCMEC).
During the investigation, Parrish was identified as a possible suspect.
A search warrant was served at his residence in the 600 block of Andypaul Court and further investigation led to his recent arrest.
He’s currently at the Cass County Jail on a $50,000 cash only bond.
The Western Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children (WMICAC) Task Force is spearheaded by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and consists of personnel from agencies within Cass, Bates, Henry, Johnson, Lafayette, Pettis and Saline counties. WMICAC is an affiliate of the Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (MOICAC).
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