Correction regarding Drexel City Wide garage sale

Our apologies! the annual Drexel city wide garage sale was indeed last weekend, not this coming weekend as we had noted.

Again, our apologies for any confusion.

Obituary - William "Bill" Warner

William “Bill” Allen Warner, 88, Archie, MO, died Sunday, June 5, 2011 at his home in Archie. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 10, 2011 at the First Baptist Church in Archie. Burial will be in Crescent Hill Cemetery, Adrian, MO. Friends may call 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, June 9 at the church. Contributions may be made to the church memorial fund.

Bill was born February 4, 1923 in Phillipsburg, MO, the son of Roy G. and Eva Lou (Warden) Warner. He married Clissie May Minnick on September 17, 1950. Bill had lived in Cochran, Alberta, Canada for five years. He owned Warner Brothers Oil Company in Archie, with his brother, for 35 years. Bill owned and operated a farm; took care of his horses and mules and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He attended the First Baptist Church in Archie. Bill was a WWII U.S. Merchant Marine veteran.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Clissie, of the home; one son, Ron Warner and his wife, Janice, Archie, MO; four daughters, Linda Ness and her husband, Jon, Ambrose, ND, Sharon Jackson and her husband, Mike, Spokane, WA, Patty Grosshart and her husband, Deral, Archie, MO and Lou Ann Stinson and her husband, Scott, Saratoga, WY; two brothers, Mark Warner, High Prairie, Alberta, Canada and Ron Warner, Banff, Alberta, Canada; 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Meeting reminder for tonight

Just a reminder of the Bates County public hearing for an Enhanced Enterprise Zone this evening at 6:30, lower level of Community First Bank in Butler.

All interested persons should attend.

Out with the old...

A demolition crew is making short work of taking down the old Drexel water tower today as part of recent water system improvements. According to water employee Russ Ream, the crew will have the old tower down and mostly hauled away by later this afternoon.

It's replacement is a new elevated tank located on the northwest corner of Drexel.

Fugitive nabbed in rural Bates County this morning

Last night at approximately 9:30pm the Bates County Sheriff's Office received a call to assist the Butler Police Department in a vehicle pursuit.  The Butler Police Officer was pursuing a vehicle that was reported stolen out of Stockton Kansas on June 5, 2011.  The vehicle was taken after an inmate had escaped from Norton Correctional Facility in Stockton Kansas.  The inmate identified as Christopher Anderson formerly of Butler.  Area Law Enforcement had been watching for the vehicle since it was stolen. 

A Butler Police Officer had seen the vehicle traveling eastbound on Nursery Street when he attempted to stop the vehicle.  The vehicle failed to yield and continued to travel east on Rec. Lake Road.  The vehicle then spun out of control and left the roadway.  The driver was able to re-control the vehicle and it continued on Rec. Lake Road to YY highway.  The vehicle was then abandoned in the driveway of a residence just off YY hwy.  The driver Identified as Christopher J Anderson then fled from the scene into the field. 

Christopher Anderson

Assistance was called out and every deputy that worked for the Sheriff's Office responded to the area to begin the search and notifying the immediate residents in the area.  Assistance was also requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol's Helicopter unit and the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Helicopter unit.  Both air units searched the area of the perimeter for approximately 2 hours utilizing FLIR.  At approximately 0600hrs the perimeter team observed Anderson exit the heavy tree area and begin walking toward the location of where he abandoned the stolen vehicle.  Once out in the open deputies began to converge on him in an attempt to take him into custody.  Anderson began to run back toward the wooded area.  Deputies converged on him and he began to resist the arrest.  Anderson then produced a tree limb in a threatening manner towards the Deputies in an attempt to prevent the arrest.  Deputies then deployed the taser and Anderson dropped the stick and was taken into custody. 

Anderson was immediately transported by Deputies to the Bates County Memorial Hospital for injuries sustained in the incident.  Anderson was released from the hospital and transported to a holding cell at the Bates County Sheriff’s Office.  Anderson will be treated as a high risk inmate until extradited back to Kansas Department of Corrections.

The Bates County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the residents in the area for their cooperation in our search efforts.  We would also like to thank the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Butler Police Department, the Missouri Department of Conservation Agent, Adrian Police Department in assisting with the search efforts.

After multiple calls the Bates County Sheriff’s Office wants to clarify that this was not an escape from the Bates County Jail.

Suspect-at-large in custody

The suspect who attempted to elude law enforcement in an area near YY highway last night was taken into custody shortly after 6 a.m. this morning by the Bates County Sheriff's Department.

More information is expected to be released soon.

Manhunt underway near Butler

Around 9:30 this evening the Bates County Sheriff's Department instigated a manhunt south of Butler near YY highway, south of 52 highway. Information is sketchy at this time- the suspect is reported to be a young male, possibly in his 20's out of Kansas.

It is thought that the suspect is now on foot, making it highly advisable for residents in the area to stay inside, keep doors locked and report any suspicious activity to the sheriff's office by calling 660-679-3232 or by dialing 911. Travel through the area should be avoided for your safety.

We will provide further information as it becomes available.

Sheriff's Department acquires much needed equipment through grant programs

On Tuesday May 31^st, the Bates County Sheriff’s Office took possession of a Military Grade Humvee.  The Humvee was acquired from the Department of Defense’s surplus property.  The Humvee is valued at $40,000 and did not cost the tax payers of Bates County any additional taxes. 

Sheriff Anderson began the process of obtaining the surplus property from the Department of Defense after the large amount of snow Bates County received this year.  When the snow hit Bates County the Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the National Guard to aid in answering calls for service throughout Bates County due to the roads being impassable.  The Humvee has a 6.2 diesel engine and with it being a 4x4 is very capable of travel in extreme conditions.  This Humvee is a personnel carrier and is capable of transporting medical personnel to citizens that need medical services in extreme weather conditions. 

Humvee acquired by grant from the Department of

Defense for use in Bates County emergency situations

The Sheriff’s Office intends on utilizing the Humvee for search and rescue, water rescue, drug eradication, patrol in extreme weather conditions and to aid in extraction of citizens in locations normal vehicles can’t reach that need medical treatment. 

The Sheriff’s Office also received 6 laptop computers from the Department of Defense for the command center.  The estimated value of the laptops was $6,000. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to identify equipment the Department of Defense has in surplus that will aid the Sheriff’s Office in protecting and improving the quality of life for the citizens of Bates County.  The equipment that is acquired through the surplus program is given to the Sheriff’s Office at no cost.

The Bates County Sheriff’s Office was also awarded a grant through the Missouri Police Chiefs Association.  The grant was applied for back in October of 2010 and was for additional laptops for patrol vehicles.  The Sheriff’s Office was awarded three laptops through the grant.  The grant includes the hardware to mount the laptops, mobile data service plans for one year and cost to cover labor for installation.  The grant was a non-matching grant valued at $18,000.  The Sheriff’s Office is currently working with Acting Chief Randy Beshore with the Butler Police Department to assist in obtain equipment for his agency.  The Sheriff’s Office extends it offer to assist any agency in Bates County with grants to obtain equipment as needed.