Your weekend planner...

Thursday
Visioning Committee Meeting 6 p.m. at Butler High School auditorium- Butler residents urged to attend!

Friday
Adrian Bank customer appreciation day at all locations- lunch will be served

Saturday
Mass distribution at the Butler Community Food Pantry 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Santa at the Adrian Masonic Hall 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Santa at the Bates County Courthouse 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.
Santa in Hume 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Hume Community Building
Ohio Street UMC Christmas Dinner (free) 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Hume Christian Church concert with Dusty Workman  7p.m.
Kids can decorate cookies at Country Mart 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday
Hume Christian Church pageant 6:30 p.m.
Lead Me To Bethlehem Cantata at the Ohio Street UMC in Butler 6 p.m.
Mt. Zion UMC Christmas program 6 p.m.

Monday
Rich Hill Christmas Caravan leaves the high school at 6:30 p.m., Dinner at 5 p.m. in the cafeteria

If we've missed something, drop us an email at bateswire@hotmail.com

Back to normal temps

Today

Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 40s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Clear. Lows in the mid 20s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

Sorry, broken tweeter...

For the past couple of days we've not been able to complete Twitter tweets- their website site offers a nice apology and says the problem will be corrected soon...

We also have an occasional problem with Facebook as well- remember you can always get the latest, up to date news by going directly to BatesCountyLive.com or to our mirror site BatesCountyLive.net. A quick bookmark of our home page will insure you'll always get the news on time!

Alzheimer's support group meeting time change...

The December 19th, 2011 Alzheimer’s Support Group Meeting at the Bates County Memorial Hospital has been changed from 6:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Facilitator for the meeting will be Jeanne Reeder, LMSW, Individual & Family Services Specialist,
Heart of America Alzheimer's Association.

If you plan to attend, please note the time change on your calendar.

Don’t let your holidays be spoiled by the food

The Centers for Disease Control estimates that there are 48 million cases of foodborne illness in the United States every year. More foodborne illness is reported during the summer months but with family buffet dinners and other holiday gatherings, the potential is always there. By practicing safe food handling, storage and holding, you can prevent unnecessary illness of your loved ones.

“Leaving food out for ‘grazing’ increases the risk for illness” said Tammy Roberts from Bates County University of Missouri Extension. The old saying of keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold holds true for the holiday season. When food is stored below 140 degrees and above 40 degrees, the potential for bacteria growth exists so be sure to put it away before it has been out for more than two hours. Bacteria grow best on protein-containing foods such as meat, eggs, milk, fish and poultry.

Commissioner Randy W. Pike Announces Bid for State Representative

 Pike pledges common-sense, fiscally responsible leadership in announcement:

BUTLER, MO- Conservative Bates County Northern Commissioner, Randy W. Pike, has announced his candidacy for the Missouri State House of Representatives in the restructured 126th District for Vernon and Bates counties.

“As your District 126th Representative, I will work diligently to address legislative issues. One area of focus will be to foster an atmosphere for job growth in Bates and Vernon counties. The proposed I-49 Corridor will bring new opportunities to our area in many aspects of business and population growth.” Pike said. “Economic development is essential to sustain current business and to foster future job growth.“

Pike’s experience and involvement in economic development is extensive. In addition to county leadership, Pike is currently serving as President of Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission, which provides seven area counties, including Vernon and Bates counties, with funding assistance and administration in areas of economic development, transportation, solid waste management, hazard mitigation, and homeland security planning. Pike is a six-year board member with Missouri Association of Counties, currently serving on the State 911 Hearing Committee in Jefferson City. Experienced in obtaining grant funding, Pike has successfully worked on multi-million dollar state and federal funding projects on the county and community level for targeted watershed projects, recycling, and city revitalization. He is currently President of the Butler Lion’s Club.

Postal Service to delay closures until Spring

The U.S. Postal Service has agreed to delay the closing of 252 mail processing centers and 3,700 local post offices until mid-May.

The cash-strapped agency, which is forecast to lose a record $14.1 billion next year, announced last week it was moving forward on cutbacks. It had planned to begin closing processing centers as early as April, and  some post offices early next year.

Last Thursday, a group of 18 Senate Democrats signed a letter to congressional leaders asking them to add language to legislation that would halt closings for six months.

Closures could cost 100,000 postal employees their jobs including some here in Bates County and surrounding areas.

Last September, it was revealed that the U.S. Postal Service had been overcharged some $75 billion in contributions to the retirement pension fund. That amount (or any part of) repaid to the USPS would certainly reduce the number of closures; however it appears that if it happens at all, it won't happen soon enough.

Pets and holidays don't always mix...

Holiday Tips from the Humane Society of Missouri

Pets are part of our family, so it’s natural for pet owners to want to share holiday foods and festivities with their dogs and cats. However, many pet owners don’t know the hidden dangers in holiday treats and trimmings. The Humane Society of Missouri has helpful tips to help keep pets safe during the holiday season.

Human foods fed even in small amounts can cause stomach upset in pets or, in certain instances, result in severe problems. Some popular holiday treats that can cause harm to your pet include:

• Chocolate – Baked goods and candies containing chocolate are potentially lethal if ingested by pets. Baking ingredients like baking cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate can be more dangerous to pets than the finished products they go into.