Rich Hill man and woman injured in accident

Travis J. Miller, 31, and Shelly D. Hogan, 30, both of Rich Hill received moderate injuries in an accident yesterday on Route 52 Highway at county road SW 201. According to the report, a 2000 Dodge driven by Melvin D. Wirsig, 75,  of Deepwater pulled into the path of the Miller vehicle at the intersection. Wirsig not not receive any injuries; Miller and Hogan were taken to Golden Valley Hospital in Clinton for treatment. Charges are pending at this time as the investigation continues.

Obituary - Shirley Chase

Shirley Chase, 79 of Drexel, passed away October 4, 2010 at Cass Regional Medical Center in Harrisonville.

Shirley was born December 11, 1930 in Union Township, Ringgold County, Iowa, daughter of Glenn Franklin and Katherine (Brockway) Bear.  She married Lawrence Chase, a true “Mr. Fix-It,” and to this union, four children were born.  She was once a Candy-Striper at the old Bates County hospital and also cared for newborns there.  She worked for Western Electric until health forced her to stop.  Shirley was a homemaker and enjoyed reading, dancing, birds and her dog, Casper.  She was a member of the Harrisonville Chapter of the Eastern Star, and had been a member of the Drexel chapter until it ceased.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Lawrence, son Kenny Chase, and two sisters.  She is survived by son Gary Chase and wife Rosie, daughter Donna Ruby and husband Charles, and son David Chase; seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, with two more on the way.

Local forecast

Today

Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Clear. Lows in the lower 50s. Southwest winds around 5 mph shifting to the north after midnight.

3rd Annual Civil War Heritage Day: Civil War Embalmers

The Bates County Museum will present the final program of the season on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 10:30 am in Robertson Hall.  Celebrating the 3^rd Annual Civil War Heritage Day event, the presentation will be a first-person portrayal of, “William Bunnell, Gettysburg Embalmer,” as presented by Mr. Lee Ward.

Lee worked as a Funeral Director and Embalmer for 45 years and owned funeral homes in Chilhowee and Urich for many of those years.  He owns and maintains a private museum dedicated to the Civil War and funeral merchandise.  The author of two books on the Civil War, his latest is entitled, “Coffins, Kits, and More:  Stories of the Civil War Embalmer.”  

Of more than 50,000 books written on the Civil War, this is the only book specifically written on the subject of embalming.

Of the many aspects of the Civil War era that can be studied, battlefield embalming is one of the most interesting stories.  Embalming insurance was sold to families and soldiers to ensure their loved one would be able to be transported and buried at home.  In his portrayal, Lee shares this most unusual story that was the beginning of a now common practice.

A free will offering dinner of Soup & Ham ‘n Beans will be served following the program.  Please plan to attend this intriguing program and learn something new about our Civil War Heritage.  Call the Museum for further information.  660-679-0134

Court News

CIRCUIT COURT OF BATES COUNTY, COURT NEWS 
JAMES K JOURNEY, JUDGE 
SEPT  27-OCT 1, 2010 

Beverly M Gorman v Todd M Gorman, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed. 

Pat Simons v. Peter Dut, Peter M Dut, J.B. Winters and Rolland P Hinshaw, all if living, or if deceased, their unknown heirs, grantees, consorts, successors, trustees and assigns,  Action for Quiet Title filed. 

Nathan J  Miller v Brodi L Miller, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed. 

Sheryl Ann Greene-Diemer v. Todd Christopher Diemer, Dissolution of Marriage filed. 

Melissa M Harris v Thomas Scott Harris, Petition for Order of Protection  dismissed. 

Thomas Scott Harris v Meliss M Harris, Petition for Order of Protection dismissed. 

Alisha C Ward v Evan M Ward, Petition for Order of Protection dismissed. 

Bonnie Jean Deckard v Margret (Peggy) Hunsaker, Judgment entered in favor of Respondent. 

Jacklin J.P. Barrett v Margret (Peggy) Hunsaker,  Judgment entered in favor of Respondent. 

Travis N Tate v. Ashley M Tate, Dissolution of Marriage dismissed by Petitioner. 

Priscilla O’Riley v Sean O’Riley, Consent Full Order of Protection is entered. 

Local forecast - slightly warmer by the weekend

Today

Sunny. Highs in the lower 70s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Clear. Lows in the mid 40s. South winds 5 to 10 mph.

Don't just flip on that furnace...

We've all done it. The first chilly evening of fall, we flip the switch over to heat and wait for that 'hot dust smell'. After a while, it goes away and we assume that everything is all right. But is it? We don't know that a bird built a nest in the flu pipe or the rusty old burner is putting out a big flame on one side, causing a danger from uneven heating...the list of potential problems is quite big but a simple inspection could save you some from a disaster down the road. If you are not sure, have a qualified professional check your heating system. The following information is from the National Fire Safety Institute regarding safety with common heating systems:

Replace or clean your furnace filter. You should replace or clean your furnace filter(s) three or four times yearly. This is a quick, easy job every homeowner or tenant can do. A new filter makes your furnace more energy-efficient and saves money, too. 

A furnace that is not running at peak performance can be deadly. Carbon Monoxide is a natural product of incomplete combustion. Virtually every gas furnace produces some Carbon Monoxide, which is usually carried away from your home through the furnace's venting. A clean, efficiently burning gas furnace produces very small amounts of carbon monoxide, while a dirty, inefficiently burning one can produce deadly amounts. Carbon Monoxide is odorless and colorless. It causes flu-like symptoms, disorientation, confusion, and even death. 

It is highly recommended that you have your furnace cleaned and checked every year. The older the furnace, the more important this service is. Newer gas furnaces are equipped with many features that shut the furnace off when a problem is detected. Older furnaces have no such devices. Over time, furnaces can develop small cracks in the combustion chamber. These cracks may not be visible to the naked eye. It is through these cracks that Carbon Monoxide can leak into your home.

It is also important to change your furnace filter regularly. The filter usually is found just inside the front cover of the furnace. It may have its own access door on the front of the furnace.  A clean filter will help your furnace burn more efficiently, and will help keep dust from being circulated through your home.

	Keep the area around your furnace clean and unobstructed.
	Keep the burner area of your furnace clean.
	Furnaces that require lubrication on the motors and bearings should be  attended to by a qualified heating technician once a year.
	Do not have anything combustible within six inches of your vent pipe.
	Do not close off more than 20% of the registers in your house. This can cause high resistance and unnecessary heat build up in the furnace.
	Do not store combustible material such as paint thinners, gasoline, etc. near your furnace.

Signs your furnace may be 'sick':

Scale: Flakes of rust, produced by the by-products of burning gas (carbon dioxide and water vapor). Scale may fall on the burners and impede gas flow. Over time, it can damage your furnace by harboring moisture, thereby fostering rust on a large scale. The solution: Your service technician can take out the burners and clean them. You can clean out excess rust flakes that fall to the bottom of the furnace housing. 
grinding, chattering sounds from relays (signifying electrical problems), a burner that huffs and puffs, banging (delayed ignition), or clunking and bumping (cracked belt passing over pulleys)? The solution: A good rule of thumb: if it's an unusual noise, it's a problem. Call your service technician.
Carbon Monoxide:  It's colorless, odorless and tasteless, and it can kill you if it's concentrated enough. It is caused by a lack of oxygen or a disruption of the fuel-burning process. The solutions: Your furnace breathes, just like you. Provide adequate ventilation to the unit and consider installing a fresh-air (combustion) intake. Use carbon monoxide detectors, combined with routine maintenance checks by qualified service technicians (mark them on your calendar). 

Yellow Flame: That flame should be sharp and blue, clean and stable, burning as purely as possible. A yellow flame indicates dirt in the burner, which prevents it from mixing the gas and air properly. The solution: Call your technician to thoroughly test the system and clean it. 

Dusty Smell: You turn up the thermostat and within minutes, your home is filled with a dry, dusty smell. The solutions: 1) Don't worry; it's just burning the dust out of the combustion chamber. Change your filter . 2) If it's a constant odor, call your technician. 3) If it smells like gas, call your utility company or the fire department and stay outside until no danger has been confirmed. 

Backdrafting/Negative Pressure: Negative pressure results when you take air out of the house by using oxygen faster than air can enter the house. Backdrafting is a natural consequence of negative pressure; air rushes into the house through the chimney, effectively choking off the natural process of venting. The solution:  Run a combustible air duct to the unit from the outside.

Beware of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

A clean, efficiently running gas furnace provides safe, economical heat. A gas furnace that is not running at peak performance can be deadly. Carbon Monoxide is a natural product of incomplete combustion. That includes wood, kerosene, gasoline, oil, propane, or natural gas. Virtually every gas furnace produces some Carbon Monoxide, which is usually carried away from your home through the furnace's venting. A clean, efficiently burning gas furnace produces very small amounts of carbon monoxide, while a dirty, inefficiently burning one can produce deadly amounts.  

CO is a toxic, tasteless, colorless, and odorless gas. Even small amounts can cause severe illness and even death. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, faintness, drowsiness, pain in the ears, or seeing spots. Many people often mistake CO symptoms for the flu.  If you or any of your family members are experiencing flu-like symptoms that seem to disappear when you leave your home, have your furnace checked immediately. If you suspect a carbon monoxide problem, open the windows, leave the home at once, and call the fire department by dialing 911.

Fireplace Safety

	Have your chimney inspected annually for damage and obstructions.
	Clean the chimney regularly to avoid buildup, also known as creosote, that could ignite your roof.
	Be sure to use a screen in front of your fireplace large enough to catch rolling logs or sparks.
	Don't use flammable liquids to start the fire.
	Don't use excessive amounts of paper to build a fire. It's possible to ignite soot in the chimney by over-building the fire.
	Never burn charcoal in your fireplace. Burning charcoal gives off deadly amounts of carbon monoxide.
	Be sure no flammable materials hang down from or decorate your mantel. A spark from your fireplace could ignite these materials and cause a fire.
	Never close your damper with hot ashes in the fireplace. A closed damper can help hot ashes build up heat, causing the fire to flare up and ignite your room.
	Store cool ashes in a tightly sealed metal container.

Electric Space Heaters

	The heater should be listed by UL (Underwriter's Laboratory). It should be equipped with a safety light, loud alarm, a switch that automatically shuts the heater off if it tips and a cut-off device in case of overheating.
	Space heaters must have space. Keep all objects, pets and people at least three feet away from the heater at all times.
	Don't use space heaters in your bathrooms. Do not touch a space heater if you are wet.
	Never try to repair the heater yourself.

How to survive without heat

Fireplace or Wood Burning StoveRemove all obstructions from the fireplace and flue before you start a fire. Burn only well seasoned wood. Do not start a fire with highly combustible fuels such as lighter fluid or gasoline. Charcoal and other coal products can give off toxic fumes and should not be used. Remember to also have proper ventilation because the fire is using up oxygen. Always use a fireplace screen to keep sparks from flying into the room. And keep the damper open when a fire is burning, as well as when a fire is dying out. 

Stay Elsewhere
If your heating equipment will be out of service for an extended period of time, you might want to consider staying with family or friends or in a hotel/motel, particularly if there are infants or elderly people in your household. Find a friend to take your pets in and care for them.
Never Use Your Gas Oven for HeatingProlonged use of the open oven in a closed house burns oxygen, thereby causing improper combustion of gas, which creates a lethal carbon monoxide gas.

Sheriff's Department unveils new mobile command center

Sheriff Chad Anderson today unveiled a new addition, the Bates County Sheriff Mobile Command Center as seen here. The converted travel trailer was purchased from the State of Missouri as surplus property, and will be undergoing some transformation over the next few months. Such a unit has been needed for quite a while- "We have worked some eight standoff situations since I became Sheriff, and every time we had work out of the front seat of my truck" said Anderson. The command center will be set up for any situation, including standoffs "We want everyone to know that this unit is available for any situation, county wide" explained Anderson "Whether it be a natural disaster, a police situation or other". The Sheriff emphasized that if the mobile command center is needed, the department will also provide personnel to man it as necessary.

Not only will the mobile command center provide more working space, but a few needed indemnities, too "Such as a restroom" laughed the Sheriff "People tend to forget when you're on a scene for many hours, that's a necessary thing". The interior of the unit currently has a standard travel trailer set up which will be modified to include wireless video surveillance, internet, exterior lighting and a radio  dispatch center, enabling the operator to maintain contact with all other state and local agencies involved. The pull out section of the trailer will allow seating for up to 7 people, while the kitchen portion will be maintained as a 'clean area' for preserving and handling evidence.

The mobile command center project is funded by money received for civil service fees collected by the department. "Again, this is for the entire county to be used when and where as needed" said Anderson. Although the command center can be used as is, the work detailed above should be completed by the first of the year.

Left to right-Southern Commissioner Larry Berry, Northern Commissioner Randy Pike, Presiding Commissioner Donna Gregory, Sheriff Chad Anderson