Mountain lion scream frightens dogs, wakes residents in rural Bates county overnight

Sunday evening around 9:30 about 6 miles west of Passaic, what sounded like a woman screaming sent dogs into a tizz and drew the immediate attention of humans - "What the heck is that?"

One homeowner, quite familiar with the sounds of the night had not heard such a cry before; but a quick check on YouTube confirmed the screams on his recording matched that of a mountain lion.

Yes, they're in the area. In Missouri, there  are over 128 confirmed sightings since tracking began in 1994, with totals averaging a few per year (though numbers fluctuate, such as 14 sightings in 2023 and 5 in 2025). 

Although not documented, screams heard (without sightings) may be more common than you think, according to internet chatter.

Listen to a mountain lion scream here https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KgP96GiiXu8

No mistaking, a bobcat scream has more of a growl and slightly lower pitch https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FQxWzIWs5yI

Research from the University of Missouri notes that the state has roughly 24,000 square miles of suitable habitat, primarily in the rugged southern Ozarks and forested southeast hills with some sightings much further north, near the Iowa border.

Although mountain lions are a protected species, they may only be killed without prior permission if it is actively attacking livestock, domestic animals, or threatening human safety and must be reported to a conservation agent within 24 hours.
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Thank you, Archie FFA

NO GOOD DEED GOES UNNOTICED Archie FFA students took time from their weekend recently to pick up trash, giving a sure sign of community pride. 

Thank you, the effort is greatly appreciated.

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More haunted happenings...

There's been some spooky sightings around the Ginger Zellmer home in rural Bates county including Sticks and Broomhilda making repairs to this truck. 

Each year Zellmer's yard comes alive with Halloween favorites, no bones about it!

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What’s Up by LeRoy Cook

Check Your Avgas

The greatest time of the year for flying is here, although there were some hurricane remnants that swept through at midweek. As is typical, we alternate between running the cabin heat early in the day and opening the ventilators in the afternoon. Smooth air awaits above 3000 feet MSL, unlike during the summer months.

Big Iron of the Week title was awarded to a Cessna Citation 560 Encore that came in on Monday, a 10-seat 20,000-lb. class jet that’s also known as the Citation V and Excel. By the book, the Encore requires 3400 feet of runway for a full-load takeoff, but this visitor broke ground at about the 2300-foot point. Also in were a Beech Baron twin, a Piper Cherokee or two, a Piper Archer and a Cessna Skyhawk.

 Local movements included trips by the BCS AirTractor sprayplane, Steve Koehn in the company Skyhawk, Gerald Bauer in the club’s Cessna 172 and the resident Piper Super Cub.  Lamar had good weather for its annual Fly-in get-together on Saturday, always a nice party. 

In national news, there are rumors that NASA is considering returning its Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird to flight status, not for espionage work but for high-speed flight research. It would be very expensive, since the special JP-7 boron-laced fuel, and the necessary aerial refueling tankers, are no longer available. If they need a back-seater, I’m ready..

The FAA is proposing hosting an on-line comment board where pilots can post errors they find in ASOS automated weather reports. As we’ve always suspected, nobody monitors the accuracy of the machines that keep track of ceilings and visibilities, so the Agency is asking us to do it. I’ve seen “fog” reported on clear days, when the airport’s soybean crop was being harvested next to the ASOS sensor. Somebody had to go out and wipe dust off the lens.

It happened again. Last August a Cessna 421 piston twin crashed shortly after takeoff at Blytheville, Arkansas after being refueled with jet fuel, rather than aviation gasoline. The predictable happened; the diesel fuel doesn’t work in spark-ignition engines, detonation rapidly set in and both engines quit. The airport ramp worker took the blame, but it’s ultimately the pilot’s fault, for not noticing the receipt that said he was given 145-gallons of Jet-A, and for not sampling the fuel, which would smell like kerosene. Fortunately, all aboard survived.

Got some money to invest? Samson Sky, which has been developing the Switchblade two-seat flying car for the last decade, is needing another $20 million to get the car-plane into production. They supposedly have $80 million coming from a Dubai group and just need another 25%. The latest iteration of the Switchblade uses a hybrid propulsion system with electric motors. Line up on the left with your checkbook...

Last week, our question was about the reason the FAA spends $2.5 million per year keeping up the Midway Island airport out in the mid-Pacific ocean, even though it’s seldom used. It’s because the old WW-II field is needed as a legal alternate airport in case a twin-engine airliner would lose an engine on its way across the Big Pond.  Four-engine planes are exempt from the rule. For next time, what famous Bates County pilot made the first flight of the Cessna Citation jet? You can send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com.

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Bates County Court News

Judge Julie Highley-Keutzer presiding

Fines do not include added court costs

City of Rich Hill v Devern Koehn- fail to register vehicle, fine $50.50

St v Jennifer Davin- speeding, fine $200.50

St v Aaron Kerns- speeding, fine $80.50

St v Lonnie Williams- fail to register vehicle, fine $50.50

St v Aaron Hackler- speeding, fine $200.50

City of Butler v Ronald Oliphant Jr- expired plates, fine $50.50

St v Kenneth Conway- speeding, fine $80.50

St v Miracle Shatto- fail to stop at stop sign, fine $60.50

St v Thomas Oliver- fail to register vehicle, fine $50.50

City of Adrian v Scott Paxton- expired plates, fine $50.50

St v Dusty Sampson- speeding, fine $200.50

St v Alfred Gare- seatbelt violation fine $10.00

St v Dalton Cage- seatbelt violation, fine $10.00

St v Bernie Passler- speeding, fine $120.50

City of Rich Hill v Dakota Knapp- expired plates, fine $50.50

City of Appleton City v Xavier Bean- speeding, fine $60.50

City of Butler v Alfred Jensen- expired plates, fine $50.50

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Bates County real estate transfers and marriage licenses

Christopher, Linda S to Garver, Krystle Str 35-41-32 //Nw

Brubaker, Walter S to Brubaker, Simon M Str 23-38-32 //Se

Lawson, Scotland V to Lawson, Scotland V Str 12-39-30 //Nw

Splitter, Leland to King, Kyle Str 6-38-33 //Ne

Rolling Meadows Holdings to Nog Properties Str 3-41-31 //Ne

Barnett, Donna to Glick, Jason Lt 5 Bl 72 Rich Hill, Original Town Of

Bailes, Tracy Hodges to Grenawalt, John E Lt 11 Bl 72 Rich Hill, Original Town Of

Leneve, Don B Trust 02-06-1995 to Salazar, Felix Lt 4 Bl 10 Butler, Original Town Of

Nitsche Family Trust 6-10-2009 to Leatherman, Alex Lt 5 Bl 3 William's Addn

Marriage License

Mazelin, Jonathan Habeggar and Glick, Rosellen Joy

Spencer, Caleb Steven and Vermillion, Daylyn Leigh

Brewster, Collin Ryan and Welliver, Caitlin Janelle

Hansen, Paul Andrew and Heider, Stacy J

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The Museum Minute: Carrie comes calling

Courtesy of the Bates County Museum 802 Elks Drive, Butler Mo 64730 (660) 679-0134

Herrman’s Historical Happenings week of October 14

1864 A squad from Co A, 3rd Wisconsin Cavalry, has left Balltown, in Vernon Co., and are in the Pleasant Gap area in Bates County. They do not encounter and "rebs".

1867 Records show the steamboat "The Osage" has made two trips, one to Papinville, and the other had to unload just upstream. The "Tom Stephens" steamer also has made 3 trips from St. Louis.

1869 An extremely large crowd visits the first Bates Co Agricultural and Mechanical Society Fair held in Butler.

1900 Carrie Nation, anti-saloon crusader, makes a stop at Rich Hill, but she is quickly put back on the train when the saloons empty and form a pro-booze barrier.

1920  The Farmer's Elevator breaks ground for a $15,000 elevator & store in Hume.

1934 An estimated 3,000 people attend the Butler Bit & Bridle Club horse show in Butler.

1959 Robert Hall, manager of the J.C. Penney store in Butler announces they will offer charge accounts in 1960.

1978 Jimmy Harris, 29, of Amsterdam is seriously injured when his pickup collides with a train. He is thrown from the vehicle and neighbors are able to get the pickup off of him.

1999 The Rich Hill Youth Development Center is officially opened with a ribbon cutting and a keynote address by State Senator Harold L. Caskey.

2000 Many descend on the site of the Bates County Habitat for Humanity home at 4th & Myrtle in Rich Hill. The will work every Saturday until the home is completed.

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Recipe of the Week

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