Get certified to boat on Missouri lakes...

Highway Patrol's Water Patrol Division To Offer Boating Safety Course At Truman Lake

Major Tommy Roam, director of the Water Patrol Division, announces a boating safety certification course will take place on June 22, 2011, at the Harry S. Truman Visitor Center in Warsaw, MO. The class will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude by 3:00 p.m. There will be no charge for this course, however, students are required to pre-register on-line as seating will be limited and notification may be sent in the event the course is canceled. To get more information, to register for this course, or to obtain a complete listing of where other courses are being offered you may visit the Missouri State Highway Patrol website www.mshp.dps.mo.gov. Once there select “Divisions”, “Water Patrol Division”, “Safety Education
Classroom Course”.

Missouri law requires any person born after January 1, 1984, to carry a boating safety certification card along with a picture ID anytime they operate a vessel, which includes personal watercraft, on Missouri lakes. Any student who successfully passes this course will be eligible to order the boating safety certification card for $15.

Harvey arraignment this Monday

Raymond S. Harvey will be arraigned in Monday, 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.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until 10 p.m.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Showers...thunderstorms likely in the evening...then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the mid 60s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

View live radar here

Possible closure of local MoDOT barns

MoDOT’s Statewide Consolidation Plan Gets Response From Local Elected Officials

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Rep. Barney Fisher, R-Richards, have stated that they will work with elected officials in the 31^st Senatorial and 125^th House Districts to make sure the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) continues to provide promised coverage in the wake of last week’s budget plan announcement.

The “Bolder, Five-Year Direction” will cut almost one-fifth of the department’s positions, close facilities, and sell equipment to save hundreds of millions of dollars, devoting the funds to other projects, such as road and bridge improvements.

“While I understand MoDOT’s need for a plan to streamline due to diminished funding, I am in hopes that it will in no way affect actual local and community coverage,” said Sen. Pearce.  “I will work with MoDOT to make sure no community is disadvantaged by reduced MoDOT services or increased response times.”

 “If MoDOT can continue to provide for all of Missouri’s citizens, I will be satisfied with the program,” said Rep. Fisher. “I just want to ensure that the best possible service will be provided, not just in the 125^th, but across the state.”

The potential consolidation area would lump together the Willow Springs, Joplin, and Macon district offices. Locally, MoDOT barns would close in Rich Hill and Archie.

MoDOT will be taking input regarding the “Bolder, Five-Year Direction” until its June monthly meeting. No proposed changes would go into effect until Aug. 1, 2011.

For more information, or to view the original and proposed maps, please visit www.modot.mo.gov/bolderfiveyeardirection.

Butler honor day awards ceremony to be broadcast on FM 92 today

Tune in to Fm 92 today for the Butler Honor Day awards ceremony live from the Butler High School starting at 1:30 p.m.

Elks car show coming June 25th...

The Bates County Elks Lodge will hold their 5th annual car, truck and bike show June 25th at the Elk's lodge in Butler. There will be 13 classes in the show including antiques, classic cars, competition, street rods, rat rods, custom trucks and more, including four classes for motorcycles.

There'll be all kinds of fun including a 50/50 pot, door prizes, food and music. Awards start at 3 p.m.

Pre-registration of $12 ($15 day of) may be mailed to Terry Agnew at 208 S. Birch st., Butler Mo., 64730. Deadline for  pre-registration is June 22. For more info call 660-679-5139 or 660-424-0270.

Home school workshop to be held on May 20th in Butler

The Hearth & Home Educators homeschool support group will be hosting a free Homeschooling 101 workshop on Fri., May 20 at 7 p.m. at The Carriage House Reception Center at Mullinax Funeral Home. The workshop will be presented by Sheryl Schmidt, Regional Director for Families for Home Education, Missouri's state homeschooling organization.

The workshop will provide information on how to get started with homeschooling, complying with Missouri state law, & other important information for new homeschoolers. Contact HHE at hearth.home@gmail.com for more information.

Heavy damage to McBee's store in early morning theft

Sometime after midnight thieves drove a vehicle, possibly a pickup truck, through the front doors at McBee's Store in Amsterdam in an apparent smash-and-grab robbery. The suspect vehicle was last seen heading westbound towards Kansas where the subjects abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into a wooded area. It is unknown if Kansas authorities were able to locate the suspects.

Two cash registers from the store were recovered from the vehicle, while the ATM was left behind. More information is expected to be released in the near future; right now the McBees are in the long and tedious process of clean up and planning repairs.

Two cash registers were taken in the theft at McBee's store. Thieves
drove a vehicle through the front of the building to gain access.