Shed on fire West of Adrian

8:44 p.m. - Adrian and Amsterdam Fire Departments are on the scene of a shed fire at the Bagby residence approximately 7 miles West of Adrian on 18 highway. Initial reports are that the fire is under control and no other structures are in danger.

Use caution and watch for emergency vehicles if traveling through the area.

National FFA week starts Saturday

FFA Week gives members a chance to educate the public about agriculture. Nationwide, chapters host teacher appreciation breakfasts, conduct "Ag Olympics" competitions, speak to the public about agriculture, volunteer for community service projects and more.

The week of George Washington’s birthday was designated as National FFA Week in 1947 at a National FFA Board of Directors meeting. FFA Week always runs from Saturday to Saturday, and encompasses February 22, Washington’s birthday.

On the local level Bates County Farm Bureau is challenging each of the area local FFA chapters to collect food items for the Butler Community Food Pantry. The school collecting the most will win a pizza party hosted by Bates County Farm Bureau. The food drives will be held by Miami, Adrian and Appleton City FFA chapters next week- please give what you can and help the students reach their goal.

Canned goods, crackers, juice and personal hygiene products are needed to help stock the pantry. Your donations are greatly appreciated.

From the desk of Senator David Pearce - Time in school is important

Missourians faced one of the worst snow storms in recent memory a few weeks ago. Many small towns, and even some larger ones, came to almost complete stand stills as citizens had to dig themselves out of doorways and driveways in order to even make attempts to get to streets and highways that were difficult to travel. Local and state road crews did a herculean job in providing roads that were passable. Despite their best efforts, many schools were closed for most of the week. As the snow has melted and life has returned to normal, the question is how and when those snow days will be made up.

Today, every school day is important as we continually rely on teachers to provide students with the knowledge they need to progress to the next level of education. Things like grade-level expectations, the specific guidelines that represent what a student should master, are the tools used to measure if a student is prepared for advancement. But in order to do this, teachers need to have enough time to teach and prepare our students, snow or no snow.

In 2009, the Legislature developed a state wide policy on making up snow days. It requires that the first six days that are lost or cancelled due to inclement weather must be made up. After those six days, the school district must make up one out of every two days lost, up to eight days. So, in total, no school district has to make up more than 10 days.

Missouri has a policy of 174 days, or 1,044 hours of instruction, per school year. As a state, we have determined it is important to attend those many days.

Recently, House Bill 471 has brought up the topic of providing even more snow-day forgiveness for this school year. While I can completely appreciate the thought behind this bill and that a state of emergency had been declared, I have to express concern for the amount of instruction time that will be lost to our students if this legislation, or any other similar bill, should take effect and, therefore, I am opposing that piece of legislation.

We already have an effective policy in place to handle school snow days, and it was in place when school districts established their school calendars. If you would like to review the state wide policy, please visit the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website www.dese.mo.gov and click on the “Quick Link” for “Inclement Weather”. Every parent wants what is best for their child. Closing schools in the face of inclement weather is certainly something that must be done for the safety of our state’s students. However, each and every student in our state also deserves the best chance at a quality education which we can provide them. Forgiving days lost due to weather is not going to help our students reach their greatest potential.

As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or 573-751-2272, or by fax at 573-526-7381.

 Senator David Pearce serves Bates, Cass, Johnson and Vernon counties in the 31^st State Senatorial District.

From Recorder of Deeds, Lucille Mundey

Real estate transfers:

Marla J. Robinson to Melvin E. Headley:
SE/4 OF SW/4 OF 23‑39‑32, DESCRIBED

Helen L. Johnson and Kenneth W. Johnson and Lita L. Long and Randy L. Long and Nila A. Stickney and William G. Stickney and Stanley W. Long II and Kelle H. Long and John D. Long and Candace K. Long and Bary L. Bunn and Robert L. Bunn and Sherry L. Joseph and Keith C. Joseph to Jonathan E. Laughlin:
S/2 OF BLK 37, CONSISTING OF LOTS 13 TO 24, BLK 37, WALNUT NKA FOSTER

Melody B. Roach (suc trustee) and Charlotte J. Gilsdorf and John Echnat to Wanda Davis and Raymond Cook and Mary Fay:
E/2 OF LOT 1, BLK 7, SOUTH DREXEL

CSM Foreclosure Trustee Corporation (suc trustee) and Jason Chrisman and Amy Talley to Chase Home Finance:
BEG AT NE COR OF NW/4 OF SE/4, S ALONG E LINE OF 1/4 1/4 SEC 660 FT, S 84 DEG 28 MIN W 330 FT, N 6 DEG 00 MIN W 660 FT TO N LINE OF 1/4 1/4 SEC, E ALONG N LINE 330 FT TO POB, ALL IN 8‑41‑33

S&W Foreclosure Corporation (suc trustee) and James D. Wolfe and Linda L. Wolfe to Financial Freedom Acquisition:
LOT 3, BLK 14, WEST SIDE ADDN, BUTLER

Ashli Cox to David E. Gillis:
S 54 FT BLK 10, WALLEY'S ADDN, BUTLER

Joe and Linda Wix Trust to Six Bears USA:
LOTS 4 AND 5, BLK 1, WALLEY'S ADDN, BUTLER

Welliver Farms Inc. to Joyce Niggly Trust:
N 27 ACRES OF:  COMMENCING SE COR OF 7‑41‑32, FOR POB & DESCRIBED

Gary Sturdeuvant and Lynda Sturdeuvant to Gary Sturdeuvant and Lynda Sturdeuvant:
E/2 OF NW/4 AND W/2 OF NE/4 OF 25‑42‑33

Lower 70's.......yes!

Today

Cloudy in the morning then becoming partly sunny. Breezy. Areas of drizzle early in the morning. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the lower 70s. Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of showers. Lows in the upper 40s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the northwest 5 to 10 mph after midnight.

Dodgeball tournament for Saturday cancelled

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Butler Bear Backers Coed Dodgeball Tournament scheduled for this Saturday has been cancelled. A new date will be chosen at some point after basketball and wresting season is finished for this year.

We will publish details and the new date when it becomes available.

Fog and drizzle today

Today

Cloudy. Widespread dense fog in the morning. Slight chance of drizzle in the late morning and afternoon. Highs in the lower 60s. South winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Areas of fog. Areas of drizzle. Lows in the mid 50s. South winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.

Obituary - Marian Barkley

Funeral services for Marian Barkley will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 18, 2011 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri with Pastor Ron Dunlap officiating. Visitation will be Thursday evening from 5-7 p.m. at Schowengerdt Chapel. Burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler, Missouri. Contributions to Happy Hill Church of God.

Myrle Marian Barkley, age 92 of Butler, Missouri died Sunday, February 13, 2011 in Tucson, Arizona. She was born July 17, 1918 to Thomas and Florence Chaney Chandler in Bates County, Missouri.

Marian is survived by two daughters, Carol Ann Kershner and husband Wayne of Tucson, Arizona and Sandra Kay Wells and husband Kelley of Butler, Missouri; one brother, Russell Chandler of Butler, Missouri; one sister, Zella Doane of Butler, Missouri; three grandchildren, Vicki Kershner, Toni Huber and wife Noel and Alan Daily and wife Cathy; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Edward Clay Barkley in 2005; two brothers, Kenneth and Lester Chandler; and one sister, Mary Wade Hyatt.