More changes coming to Bates County Live

As time and technology progresses we understand the need to keep up- and over the next few weeks, you'll see some changes that hopefully will be of great benefit for you. Here's what's coming:

1. Over time, we are going to change our name to Mid America Live (www.MidAmericaLive.com). You may go ahead and use the Mid America Live domain and it will put you right to our home page as usual. Nothing else will change- RSS feeds, news by email, news on mobile devices will continue to work exactly the same as it is now. We will maintain the Bates County Live domain (www.BatesCountyLive.com) and you may continue to use it as well.

The primary reason for the change to Mid America Live is to accommodate our neighbors such as Appleton City, LaCygne, and Archie, to name a few. Research has shown that many communities just outside of Bates County read our site and some have requested we include their news stories as well.

2. We will be adding a news feed for world news that will show on our home page giving you the opportunity to see what's going on elsewhere, too.

3. We are in the process of making great strides in our advertising program. Just recently we unveiled changes made to Heartland Trader classifieds- simply, once your place your ad on Heartland Trader we 'throw it all over the internet' to include posting on Craigslist, Facebook Twitter and more. Click HERE to get the full scoop on how advertising on Heartland Trader gets maximum exposure at a very minimal cost.

4. There's some minor changes coming to how the news and advertising shows up on your mobile device that will make things fit better on your screen.

5. The overall look of our home page will change a little but for the most part remain the same with news stories shown predominately down the middle.

There's more to come- thanks for your patience during the upgrades and as always, thanks for reading Bates County Live aka Mid America Live!

52 Highway/Miami Creek Bridge opening in about a week...

This aerial photo gives a great perspective of progress on the Miami Creek bridge replacement west of Butler. The new bridge certainly appears to be longer and somewhat higher than the old one. The bridge is expected to re-open in about a week. -Dennis Jacobs photo

Tax free weekend runs through Sunday...

The Back to School Sales Tax Holiday, as the name implies, is a three-day period during which certain back-to-school purchases are exempt from sales tax. The dates for the 2012 event are Friday, Aug. 3, through Sunday, Aug. 5. Items typically included are clothing, school supplies, computers, and some computer accessories.

By visiting the Missouri Department of Revenue’s (DOR) website www.dor.mo.gov/business/sales/taxholiday/schools), you can view a complete list of items, as well as the maximum value per item that the back to school tax holiday covers.

Mark your calendar for Butler's annual Aviation Day...

Atmos gas distribution businesses under new ownership

Liberty Utilities Completes Acquisition of Atmos Energy’s Natural Gas Distribution Businesses in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri - Offering additional services in our walk-in Customer Service Centers in 2013; 38 jobs to be created 

Liberty Utilities Co. has announced the completion of its $124 million acquisition of Atmos Energy’s natural gas distribution business in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. The deal is expected to create 38 new full-time jobs within the 3-state area (Midstates).

Liberty Utilities has already filled 9 new full-time positions and will be hiring additional employees in Illinois, Iowa and primarily Missouri, to complement staff that transferred to Liberty Utilities with the change of ownership.

“We have committed extensive resources to ensure a smooth transition for all natural gas customers. All aspects of customer care will be of the highest quality and will continue seamlessly. Customers will experience no disruption in service,” said David Swain, President of Liberty Utilities Midstates.

Although customers will not notice immediate differences beyond a new logo on vehicles and their natural gas bills, they can expect significant beneficial changes in the coming months.

“We will be offering additional services in our walk-in customer service centers at existing locations in the states over the next 12 to 18 months,” said JW Hackworth, Senior Manager of Customer Care, Liberty Utilities Midstates. “Our goal is to deliver ‘best-in-class’ customer service at the local level, where we can provide quality face-to-face assistance.”

The final state and federal regulatory approvals needed to complete the transaction were granted last month. The sale was originally announced in May 2011.

“Liberty Utilities is very pleased to be doing business in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri,” said David Swain. “Our experienced management team and responsive staff located here in the Midstates region are focused on safety, reliability and the delivery of a positive customer and community experience for years to come.”

About Liberty Utilities

Liberty Utilities is an independent water, natural gas and electric company providing local utility management, service and support to small and mid-sized communities across the United States. With more than 335,000 customers, Liberty Utilities is committed to local decision making that directly meets the needs of its customers. This means opening walk-in customer service centers, creating jobs, and providing responsive and reliable service. As a company, Liberty Utilities promotes local conservation and energy efficiency initiatives and programs for businesses and residential customers, including the low-income sector. The company measures its performance on customer experience, public and workplace safety, and service reliability. Liberty Utilities currently operates in Arizona, California, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire and Texas. For more information, please visit www.LibertyUtilities.com.

Obituary - Cordy Reed

Cordy Reed, 79, of Adrian, Mo., died Tuesday, July 31, 2012, at her home in Adrian. Visitation will be from 6:30-8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 3, at Adrian Christian Church in Adrian, Mo. Interment will be in Green Lawn Cemetery, Schell City, Mo. Memorial are suggested to Heartland Hospice in care of the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home, Schell City. Friends may call after 1 p.m., Friday, at the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home.

Kristie Ashley named recipient of of BCCHF scholarship

The Bates County Museum presents: “Freemasonry’s History in Missouri & the Civil War”

Guest speaker Alisha Cole

 The topic of Freemasonry is often accompanied with questions, rumor, and uncertainty. Gain a clear perspective of this fraternal organization through a free program given by Alisha Cole on Saturday, August 11th, 2012 at 10:00 am in Robertson Hall at the Bates County Museum.

A special invitation is extended to all area Masons, their families and to all other Masonic affiliated organizations throughout the region. This is an opportunity to learn about the history of Freemasonry, the role it has played in Missouri, the stories of brotherly concern during the Civil War and the strong bonds of brother Masons during the post Civil War era. Information about the history of Freemasonry in Bates County will also be shared.

The Masonic Lodge continues to strengthen the communities of Bates County and they are staunch friends of the Museum. When ‘men & muscle’ is needed, the Museum calls the Masons! This program is designed to inform and to pay honor to the civic contributions the Masonic organizations have and continue to provide.

Alisha Cole has a unique connection to Bates County. She serves with the Missouri Humanities Council (MHC) and first visited Bates County in 2008 when a MHC ‘Charette’ (an assessment of the museum, its collections & exhibits) was conducted. Alisha’s visit here was the first ‘Charette’ she had co-directed and her experience at the Bates County Museum was so productive and positive that she decided that working with the MHC was the career she wanted to pursue.

The Museum is always delighted to welcome Alisha and we are especially excited about the program she has prepared. The public is invited to attend this free program that is both entertaining and educational. Contact the Museum for further information. 660-679-0134

-our thanks to Peggy Buhr