Venison is a Healthy Choice but should be handled with Care

During this hunting season venison is gracing the table in many households. From a nutritional perspective, it is a good choice. It is a great source of protein that has significantly less fat than beef and pork. As with all protein-based foods, it is especially important to handle venison with care to prevent foodborne illness in the people who consume it.

Three ounces of deer meat contains 134 calories and has only three grams of fat. The same amount of beef can contain 259 calories and 18 grams of fat; pork, 214 calories and 13 grams of fat. 

From Recorder of Deeds, Lucille Mundey

Real estate transfers:

Security Bank to Tyler Gill:
LOTS 1, 2, 3 & 4, BLK 135, TOWN CO'S 1ST ADDN, RICH HILL WITH ABANDONED RR R/W ON S

Henry Otto Klumb (trustee) and Henry Otto Klumb Trust to Ronnie H. Reno and Krista A. Reno:
SE/4 OF 15‑40‑31, DESCRIBED

From the desk of Senator David Pearce

In Support of

Missouri Veterans Homes

The recent Veterans Day ceremonies gave me an opportunity to reflect on the importance of commemorating the events and the people who have protected us. Celebrating those brave men and women who have answered our nation’s call to protect our freedoms is an act I don’t carry out lightly. As a lawmaker and a member of the Missouri Veterans Commission, issues dealing with Missouri’s military and veterans continue to be among my highest priorities.

Obituary - Jim Morris

Services for Jim Morris, 67 of Springfield, will be on Saturday, November 26th at 6:00pm at the J.D. Lee and Sons Funeral Home in Rogersville, Mo. Visitation will be from 4:00 - 6:00pm prior to the service.

Burial will be in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery.

Jim is survived by his wife Lurenda Sivils Morris, three sons, his mother Thelma Wheatley of Butler and sister Sue Lockard and husband Gene. Jim worked for the American Detection Systems of Springfield.

J.D. Lee and Son's Funeral Home website www.jdleeandsons.com or call 417-753-4300.

Butler Police Department weekly report

Nov. 15th - Animal complaint in the 700 block of N. Delaware; animal complaint in the 300 block of S. Main; disturbance at the grade school; theft call in the 500 block of W. Ohio; alarm at Casey's on Fort Scott; theft at Ohio and High.

Nov. 16th - Medical assist in the 400 block of S. High; walk in theft report taken; funeral escort; medical assist in the 600 block of S. Delaware.

Obituary - Gary Fisher

Funeral services for Gary A. Fisher will be 11 a.m. Saturday, November 26, 2011 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri with Pastor Bud McClesky officiating. Visitation will be prior to services from 10-11 a.m. at Schowengerdt Chapel. Burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler, Missouri. Contributions to charity of choice.

Gary Allen Fisher, age 72 of Butler, Missouri died Monday, November 21, 2011 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. He was born June 20, 1939 to Roy Truston and Bonnie Norine Igo Fisher in Sedalia, Missouri.

Gary is survived by four daughters, Grace Snethen and husband Mike of Butler, Missouri, Bonnie Lesmeister and husband Mark of Raymore, Missouri, Barbara Hall and husband Dusten of Bolivar, Missouri and Amy Brooke and husband Gary of Kansas City, Missouri; one son, Greg Lesser of Florissant, Missouri; two stepsons, Jim Bartley and wife Pam of Cross Timbers, Missouri and Gary Bartley of Butler, Missouri; two stepdaughters, Brenda Ash and husband Wayne of Bonner Springs, Kansas and Karen Baker and husband Dave of Butler, Missouri; 22 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Patsy Fisher; two brothers, Roy and Dale; three sisters, Rosalia Pasley, Wilma Parrish and Barbara Pittsenbarger; and one son, Gary D. Fisher.

10 years for Joann Stepp in murder for hire plot

In June of this year the Bates County Sheriff's Department received information that Rich Hill resident Joann R. Stepp was in need of a hit man to kill her husband, Jody Stepp- and thus was the beginning of an undercover operation that involved some convincing role playing for the sheriff's department agents.

Joann Stepp

An initial meeting with Joann Stepp was set up in early July,  where undercover agents learned of specific details about Jody Stepp- including how to see a photo of him on Facebook, his address, and other crucial information. During the meeting she made it clear that she wanted him killed as soon as possible, although she wouldn't be able to pay the 'hit man' $4,000 for the task until she received her income tax return next year. 

With that said, another meeting was scheduled on July 14th to finalize the deal.

During that meeting Detective Talley, Lt. Perryman, Under-Sheriff Moreland and Sheriff Anderson dressed in disguise, met with Joann Stepp in Rich Hill- this, she thought, was the motorcycle gang hired to kill her husband. She  provided a knife (belonging to her husband) to the group to be used in the homicide and requested that certain body parts be returned to her once the killing was done. 

Stepp was arrested by uniformed Deputies shortly after leaving the meeting and charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Bond was set at $300,000. 

Yesterday Joann Stepp was sentenced in the Bates County Circuit Court on a Class B Felony, Conspiracy to Commit Murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Additionally, she was sentenced to 5 years DOC on a Class C Felony of Endangering the Welfare of a Child in the same case.

Deer taken in Bates lags neighboring counties

While the number is up from last year, just over 1,800 deer have been harvested  in Bates County. More information is available here http://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/reports/deer-reports/deer-harvest-map