Info to contact those in the Joplin area

A little more information supplied from the Missouri Hospital Association regarding the Joplin Tornado:

·         Missourians wishing to make donations to help with the relief effort can go to http://www.sema.dps.mo.gov/recover/donations.asp or call (800) 427-4626 or 2-1-1.

·         Residents affected by the tornado who wish to notify their friends and family that they are safe should go to:https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php.  Friends and family who would like to check on their loved ones in the affected area can use the same site.

-our thanks to Bates County Memorial Hospital

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Severe weather possible through tomorrow

While all eyes are looking South, our local weather could get ugly- including a chance of large hail later this evening, according to the National Weather Service outlook. Here's the forecast:

Rest of Today

Chance of showers...thunderstorms late in the morning...then showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. Southwest winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Lows in the lower 60s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

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Butler actively seeking new police chief

The recent resignation of Jim Garnett has left the City of Butler with the difficult process of finding a new police chief. The  official job posting may be viewed by clicking the Notices button at the top of our home page.
The City hopes to fill the position as soon as possible- all qualified candidates are urged to apply.



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Area church organizing relief effort

South Range Line Road in Joplin, Mo.

Local folks were up late making plans to help with relief for the Joplin disaster- including Cindy Nieder with the First Assembly of God Church in Butler. "We're seeking donations of food, clothing, bottled water, toiletries and more- basically anything you imagine someone might need at a time like this" Nieder told BCL this morning. "We're open to accept donations through Thursday evening. If it's early or late, just call and we'll meet you" she added.
The church plans to roll a truck load of donations southbound on Friday.
The First Assembly of God Church is located at 801 S. Main street in Butler. For info or to make arrangements to drop off items call the church at 660-679-4405 or call Cindy Nieder at 660-679-1090.

Bates County Memorial Hospital ready to assist in Joplin disaster

St.John's Hospital in Joplin Mo.

The following is an excerpt of information received from the Missouri Hospital Association concerning the tornado in Joplin to all Missouri hospitals. Bates County Memorial Hospital has openly agreed to provide assistance as needed:

As you are probably aware, St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, as well as the community of Joplin, was damaged by a severe tornado yesterday evening. Although many news stations are calling for medical personnel to help, please advise your staff to adhere to protocols in place through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Missouri Emergency Operations Center. We are in constant contact with the Disaster Situation Room at the department.

The Disaster Medical Team has been deployed. Volunteers will be deployed through the Show Me Response system. Resources also have been deployed from Springfield. Updates are available and are most reliable through EMSytem, which is in every Missouri hospital, response unit and in local public health offices.

 As of this morning, here is what has been done-

·     A temporary hospital has been set up at Joplin Memorial Hall 212 West 8^th Street.  

·         A morgue as been set up at Mason Woodard (sp) at 3001 E 7^th. 

·         Emergency Medical Services staging is  set up at 7th and Virginia.

·         Trailers with communication equipment and supplies are being sent to Joplin. The trailer in Joplin was destroyed and the ones in Springfield are already in use or anticipated to be used.

·         Critical supplies needed are water and sterile supplies. Water is being handled, we may be reaching out to the hospitals for the sterile supplies and other identified supplies.

·         The initial wave of patient movement out of Joplin is largely complete but it is expected that with daylight they will have another surge of patients. We are assessing the bed and trauma capability of all hospitals statewide within the next few minutes.

There's no word about need for additional staff yet. There are multitudes of EMS and approximately 40 DMAT on scene. However, people will need rest. It appears the Show-Me Response volunteer pool may be formally activated this morning.

Again, BCMH is awaiting word on the need for additional response. Our thanks to the hospital for sharing this information.

Circuit Court News May 16 - 20, 2011

CIRCUIT COURT OF BATES COUNTY, COURT NEWS 
JAMES K JOURNEY, JUDGE 
Diana L Rich, Clerk 
 MAY 16- 20-2011

Barbara Engle v Connie Bell, Petition for Order of Protection dismissed, FTA 

Barbara Engle v Anthony Cauthon, Petition for Order of Protection dismissed, FTA. 

St v. William P McLay, I: Felony burglary, II: Felony stealing, found guilty, given SIS, placed on 5 years probation, to pay $1200 restitution and court costs, Defe. Shall successfully complete any counseling/treatment as directed, Defe. Shall be subject to random drug testing, shall be subject to random home/vehicle searches, Defe. Shall perform 100 hours of community service, to spend 8 days in Bates Co Jail for shock detention and to pay the daily rate. 

St v David W McKinney, Jr., Felony possession of controlled substance, methamphetamines, guilty plea, Ct. II dismissed by State, sentenced to 4 years in MDOC, given SES, placed on 5 years probation, to pay court costs, to successfully complete treatment/counseling as directed, to get substance abuse treatment and aftercare, to attend AA/NA, to be subject to random drug testing, random home/vehicle searches, Defe. Shall not possess/consume any alcoholic beverages or be upon premises where sold/served, Defe. Shall perform 100 hours of community service, Defe. To spend 10 days shock detention in Bates County Jail. 

St v. Johnny Lee Poe, Jr., Felony stealing, found guilty, given SIS, placed on 5 years probation,  to pay $100 restitution, to pay court costs, to successfully complete counseling/treatment as directed, Defe. Shall be subject to random drug testing, random home/vehicle searches, Defe. Shall not possess or consume any alcoholic beverages or be upon premises where sold/served, Defe. Shall perform 200 hours of community service. 

Kathy M Plumb v Donna S Plumb, Petition for Order of Protection dismissed by Court. 

Chris Luecke v Tara Wheatley, Petition for Order of Protection filed. 

Michelle Bell v Dallas Moreland, Petition for Order of Protection filed. 

Michelle Bell v Chrystal Moreland, Petition for Order of Protection filed. 

Melissa J Morris v Judy Lynn Gabriel, Petition for Order of Protection filed. 

Jennifer Arnold v Harold Haskey, William C Hopkins and Caskey, Hopkins & West LLC, Petition for Legal Malpractice filed. 

Jordan Beryl Fletcher v Samantha Mae Fletcher, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed. 

Jeremy W Minnick v Desiree M Minnick, Modification  of Dissolution filed. 

St v Jason D Edge, I: Felony burglary, II: Felony theft/stealing, set for 6-10-11. 
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Tornado watch cancelled

At 6:46 p.m., the National Weather Service cancelled the tornado watch that was in effect for Bates County. Current radar shows no thunderstorm activity in our foreseeable future.
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Freedom’s distant cry - from today's Kansas City Star

Freedom’s distant cry

BY MARA ROSE WILLIAMS AND GLENN E. RICE

BUTLER, Mo. | The wind-whipped field looks no different from millions of others. Even as a field of battle, it is hardly distinguishable from thousands.

But these grassy acres west of town are hallowed.

Here, in October 1862, black men — escaped slaves and freedmen both — fought rebels in a bloody hand-to-hand skirmish as an American unit for the first time.

“Like tigers,” noted one Southern man who tangled with them here at Island Mound.

Willadina Johnson and her cousins had known nothing about the bravery of these African-American defenders of their country or how this moment made an early, indelible imprint in the uneven, bitterly long and sometimes bloody path to equality to be trod by their descendants.