Auxiliary recognized during appreciation banquet

Bates County Memorial Hospital is proud to have the opportunity to recognize the valuable service of its’ Volunteer Auxiliary and Chaplain’s staff at a recognition luncheon held on April 24, 2012. 

With 31 members, the Auxiliary contributed 10,000 hours of voluntary service to the Hospital. Through their scholarship program, the Volunteers awarded $10,000.00 in educational scholarships. The Volunteers purchased approximately $8200.00 in equipment and items for various hospital departments. The Hospital is proud to recognize LOUISE FISHER as its Volunteer of the Year 2011. 

With three current members, the Hospital also recognized the selfless service of its Chaplains serving as volunteers for the Spiritual Care Services. The mission of the chaplains program is to provide spiritual support and quality pastoral care to the patients, families, and staff of the hospital, observing the highest standards of compassion and professionalism, and respecting the faith systems of all. By their presence and empathy, the volunteer chaplains are a powerful reminder of the healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling power of faith. 

Bates County Memorial Hospital and the community are fortunate to have the commitment demonstrated by these volunteers as they freely give of their time and service for the hospital.

Pictured left to right:


Seated in chairs: Missie Good, Mary Zellmer, Gina McGuire, Eleanor Gebo, Virginia Hilton, Donna Huber, Mary Carpenter
Middle row: Pat Frederich, Charlotte Guss, Kathy Bunch, Louise Fisher, Hazel Lesmeister, Nelda Pike, Zella Doane, Elaine Cribbs, Juanita White, Dorothy Kincaid,
Back row: Audrey Miller, Dee Hall, Margaret Hess, Beverly Wainwright, Clifford Clark, Leland Hursh, Bob Johnson, Beatrice Harrington, Kathleen Eckert, and Carol Tackett.
Not pictured: Faye Hunt, Alvina Harrison-Wells, Nancy Kunkel-Hjetland, and June Ray.

Attention Butler Junior & Senior high students...

Butler Junior & Senior High Grade Cards are available to be picked up Monday – Friday from 7:30 – 3:00.

-our thanks to Tammy Appleberry

Mining Exhibit Comes to Living History Farm Festival

Western Missouri has a rich mining history and to celebrate that past, Poplar Heights Living History Farm will have a Mining Exhibit opening at their Summer Festival June 9 & 10. Visitors will be able to "pan" for gems at the mine sluice. A water tower provides cascading water down a series of troughs to the mining sluice. Here miners can swirl their bags of mining "rough" in the running water sluices to discover the minerals, gems, and fossils. At the Assay station they can identify their finds. At the Learning Center, visitors will learn about Missouri's mining history, how coal formed, and see displays of various ores, fossils and gems.

Ron Thompson will be at the opening on June 9 &10th to talk about coal mining history. He has been researching coal mining in western Missouri for many years and will be bringing his collection of antique coal mining tools.

Construction has started and will be completed by fall on a typical 1890's area coal mine entrance with mining ore cart and rail road. A great educational experience as children will don hardhats and step back in time to see howl miners worked the coal fields of our area.

This exhibit is part of an on-going research into coal mining in western Missouri. Anyone with photographs, maps or stories of mining in the old days is urged to contact Poplar Heights and share this information. The exhibit opens at 10am June 9th at the beginning of the Living History Summer Festival. Other Festival activities include heritage crafters and demonstrators, live bluegrass and hammer dulcimer music, homemade root beer, ice cream and cream soda, sandwiches and more, The Osage Vigilantes will be putting on western shows with gifts for all the children. Children will be able to dip candles, make rope, play old time games. All can visit the animals, take wagon rides and see the heirloom vegetable gardens.

Poplar Heights Living History Farm is located 7 miles northeast of Butler, Missouri. From Butler go east on H Highway to UU Highway, turn north and follow the signs. To learn more about this charitable foundation visit their website at www.poplarheightsfarm.org, email them at info@poplaheightsfarm.org or call their office at 660-679-0764.

-our thanks to Brian Phillips, Executive Director
Poplar Heights Living History Farm

Route H/Deepwater Creek Bridge closing for replacement

Bates County Route H/South Deepwater Creek Set for Replacement Beginning Monday, June 4

Route H at South Deepwater Creek east of Butler is scheduled to CLOSE Monday, June 4, to allow contractor crews to replace the bridge, the Missouri Department of Transportation said. Route H will remain closed at the South Deepwater Creek bridge until late July.

The old bridge is being replaced as part of MoDOT's Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program. Weather and/or construction delays could alter the dates the road is closed and reopened.

Route H will be closed where crews are working at South Deepwater Creek, but drivers WILL have access to driveways and other entrances on either side of the project.

Drivers will have to find alternate routes around the closing including Bates County Route BB, Route 52 and St. Clair/Henry County Route KK. No official detour will be signed.

MoDOT and contractors have alerted law enforcement, fire and ambulance agencies so they can plan how to respond to emergency calls with the bridge closed.

The post office has been notified so they can adjust mail carrier routes if necessary.

-courtesy MoDOT, Safe & Sound Program

Food Pantry to be closed for inventory at the end of the month

The Community Food Pantry will be closed May 30th and 31st for inventory and will re-open June 4th for regular business.

-our thanks to Joyce Fitzpatrick

Something new on the horizon...

For some 40 years, a look to the West has been complimented with the familiar red and white twin stacks of the LaCygne power generating station- but that's about to change

In order to meet federal and state regulations there's a beehive of activity going on at the LaCygne power plant with the most visible being a new smokestack located on the South edge of the complex. The larger single stack is part of renovations that include a new baghouse, wet scrubber and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to reduce emissions.

The work is being done to comply with federal EPA air quality regulations that go in effect June 1, 2015.

Out with the old...

Crews aren't wasting any time as demolition is underway for the Miami Creek bridge on West 52 highway. While the closure is sure to cause heartburn for those who travel the route, a new, safer bridge is expected to be completed in August.

Photos courtesy of Terry Payne

June 9th and 10th are Free Fishing Days in Missouri

The Missouri Department of Conservation has designated June 9thand 10th as “Free Fishing Days in Missouri.” This means there are no fishing permit requirements for those two days only. Normal fishing regulations, such as limits on size and number of fish remain in effect during Free Fishing Days.
Free Fishing Days is meant to encourage people to explore Missouri’s fishing opportunities without having to purchase permits, trout stamps or trout park daily tags.

Take advantage and “go fishing” for free on June 9th and 10th.