Mellenbruch's to celebrate 50th Anniversary

Walter and Norma Lea (Drysdale) Mellenbruch were married April 22, 1961 at the Foster Christian Church, Foster, Missouri. They will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in Branson with their children, Mike and Carrie Mellenbruch, Lori and Tim Rapp, and Bruce and Chanda Mellenbruch in the near future. Also the couple love spending time with their 14 grandchildren & 4 great grandchildren. To help them celebrate this occasion, the family is requesting you send a card or note to: Route 1 Box 175, Rich Hill, MO 64779. 

A little fun after a long week of MAP testing...

Steven Miller (4th Grade,
Aaron Allen , PE)

Tomorrow Butler staff and students will end map spirit week with skits from the Hee Haw Show. "We're A Pickin and We're A Grinnin"! 

"Kickin Up The Test Map Spirit Week" - Hee Haw Show

Hillbilly Up Day. The staff would like to wish students good luck in the testing this week.

Staff Getting in the Spirit of things.....Kerry Jacobs, Diana Vermaas, 
Megan Trussell, Heath Oates, Elisa Orr, Susie Judd, Linda Mareth, 
Kristin Diehl, Carol Tilley, Steven Miller, Aaron Allen, Penny Smith, 
Miranda McKinney, Vickie Spencer, Krista Reno, Brenda Prichard 
and Lynn Bagby

Possible severe weather inbound...

The rest of the evening's forecast calls for showers and thunderstorms, some of which may be severe early on. Lows in the upper 40s. Southeast winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.


Currently there are not watches or warnings in effect. View live radar here

Fire on south Delaware street Butler

Butler and Adrian fire departments are responding to the 400 block of south Delaware on the report of a fire in an apartment. Initial reports are that fire is visible with heavy smoke coming from the residence.

Update - Fire was found to be in the kitchen area of an apartment at 401 S. Delaware. The fire was quickly extinguished and there was moderate smoke damage throughout the residence. No injuries were reported in the incident.

From the desk of Senator David Pearce

Education Issues Take Center Stage

 Education issues have been discussed often this year in the Missouri Senate. With balancing our state budget as a main topic of interest, and education being a large part of that discussion, there has been much discussion revolving around K-12 classrooms, public universities and colleges, and other educational issues. This week, the Senate again discussed Senate Bill 291, a measure that would address a number of issues relating to charter schools, including expanding charter schools to be operated in districts other than St. Louis and Kansas City. An expansion could only be approved and operated by local school districts. A provision of the bill would require a charter school sponsor to develop the policies and procedures of that organization, by which the school would be reviewed and how the records would be held.

Currently, charter schools are only allowed in Kansas City and St. Louis. In terms of education, a charter

Harvey preliminary hearing waived, arraignment May 16th

Raymond S. Harvey appeared in the Bates County Circuit Court yesterday afternoon for a pre-trial conference hearing. A preliminary hearing has been waived and Harvey will be arraigned in circuit court on May 16th at 10 a.m. in the Bates County Circuit Court.

Harvey is charged with two counts of first degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of second degree arson in connection with the March 9th double murder of Brandee and Bailey Bickleman of Butler.

From Recorder of Deeds, Lucille Mundey

Marriage Licenses:


Kelly Wayne Keister and Jill Nicole Parris
John Franklin Smith and Shryl Lynne King

Real estate transfers:

George A. Tomlinson and Twila B. Tomlinson to Tomlinson Trust:

N/2 OF 4‑42‑31, DESCRIBED

Gary E. Goforth (suc trustee) and Gary E. Goforth trust and Carol A. Goforth trust to Gary Cook and Cheryl J. Cook:

SW/4 OF 34‑40‑30 DESCRIBED

Sharon K. Miller (trustee) and Francis P. Lesmeister (trustee) and Ralph R. Lesmeister (trustee) and Teresa Mary Lesmeister Trust to Harold E. Lesmeister and Karen G. Lesmeister:

N/2 OF NE/4 OF 28‑41‑31, DESCRIBED

William Mawson (trustee) to Rodney P. Mawson and Vonda Kay Mawson:

S 1100 FT SE/4 OF NW/4 OF 9‑42‑31, LYING ELY RR R/W

Millsap & Singer (suc trustee) and Craig M. Lister and Michelle E. Lister to Federal National Mortgage Association:

BEG 214‑1/2 FT E OF SW COR OF E 12‑1/2 ACRES OF SE/4 OF NE/4 OF 33‑42‑31, N 90 FT, E 70 FT, S 90 FT, W 70 FT TO POB, ADRIAN; ALSO BEG 196‑1/2 FT E OF SW COR OF E 12‑1/2 ACRES OF SE/4 OF NE/4 OF 33‑42‑31, N 90 FT, E 18 FT, S 90 FT, W 18 FT TO POB

Donnie R. Parker (II) and Stephani D. Parker and J.D. Baker (trustee) to USDA Rural Development:

LOT 1, BLK B, PARK WEST SUBDIV, BUTLER

Edward A. Swink and Sharron E. Swink to Shannon S. Irvin:

W 125 FT OF LOT 3, BLK 2, SOUTH DREXEL

Matt Goforth to Gary Cook and Cheryl J. Cook:

SW/4 OF 34‑40‑30, DESCRIBED

Marvin Julien aka Marvin Ernest Julien to Shan Julien and Bonnie Julien:

SE/4 OF NW/4; SW/4 OF NE/4; N/2 OF NE/4; AND SE/4 OF NE/4 OF 24‑41‑33, EXCEPT DESCRIBED

Millard J. Cook (trust) and Thomas M. Cook (co-trustee) and Marilyn J. Wheatley (co-trustee) and Laverne K. Cook (trust) to William D. McElwain and Sharon E. McElwain:

NW/4 OF NW/4 OF 36‑41‑30, DESCRIBED

Kevin Lee Nitsche and Patricia A. Nitsche to Kevin Lee Nitsche and Patricia A. Nitsche:

E/2 OF SE/4 DESCRIBED; NW/4 OF SE/4 AND NE/4 OF SW/4;  R/W OVER E 2 RODS OF SW/4 OF SE/4 ALL IN 5‑40‑31

Bates County Live to celebrate 1 year anniversary June 28

To be precise we marked the beginning of Bates County Live at 6:54 p.m. on June 28th, 2010 when we posted our very first news story. A lot has happened since then- we've made a lot of new friends, learned a lot about our community and the number of those reading BCL grows every day.

Providing an up to the minute news service can be very demanding, but make no mistake, we enjoy what we do. Our initial goal was to simply provide news as it happens but that's grown into many other things such as the County Wide Calendar for example. Over time, we would like to add everything of significance in our community to the calendar such as council meetings, school board meetings, township and water board meetings, religious activities and more.

Our next goal is to provide more video news whenever possible. We feel that you should be able to watch video of big local news just as you do on television. Likewise, we are looking into streaming audio and video over the internet so those unable to attend can get play by play action of local ball games and other events. There's a lot of technical hoopla involved but we're hoping to be streaming by this fall.

Allrighty, enough chit chat. Most importantly we want to thank all those of you who read BCL and tell your friends about us. We encourage you to send us your news/calendar events no matter how insignificant you think it might be- attach photos if you like and we'll give you credit for the submission.

One more time- thanks again from Bates County Live.