Weather Update: Warm-up Dead ahead

Dry and warmer weather headed our way. It all starts today with temperatures heading above the freezing mark for all but northeast Missouri. Loads of sunshine Thursday and Friday combined with southwesterly winds should send the mercury well into the 40s, with some locations in west-central Missouri and eastern Kansas reaching the lower 50s. The dry weather is expected to continue into the first part of next week with above average temperatures continuing.

Boy Scouting Returns to Butler

After many years, Boy Scouting is returning to Butler. Pack 237 has become active and the Cub Scouts held their first meeting on Thursday, January 8, at the Scout Hall on Ft. Scott Street in Butler.

Efforts to organize a new scout troop began last fall when David Riker, Lone Bear District Director with the Heart of America Boy Scout Council, began holding meetings with potential scouts and their families at the Butler Elementary School. As interest grew, Brian Phillips with the Marias des Cygnes Society stepped forward and volunteered Poplar Heights Living History Farm as the sponsoring organization. Others stepped forward to volunteer as Den Leaders, Cub Master and Pack Committee members.

By early December, the Cub Scouts were given their Pinewood Derby kits and traveled to Adrian to meet with Troop 238 and begin work on building their race cars. Organization work and leadership training has continued and as of January 1st, Pack 4237 was officially reactivated.

The new Butler Cub Scout Pack is open to all boys ages 7 or in 1st grade through 5th grade. Meetings will be held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, usually at the Scout Hall on Ft. Scott Street in Butler with special activities planned at Poplar Heights Living History Farm east of Butler.

"We're very pleased to be sponsoring the Cub Scouts", said Brian Phillips, Executive Director Poplar Heights Living History Farm. "We have so much to offer at the Farm with fishing, archery, camping, outdoor cooking, hiking, crafts, animals and more. An excellent group of parents are now working together to give these young boys a great experience. I was a scout and I'm glad we were able to bring Scouting back to Butler because I know firsthand the value it can have in a boy's life."

For over 80 years, Scouts have been having the time of their lives learning new things in an environment designed to help them succeed. From camping and swimming to archery and shooting, from fishing and hiking to making new friends, scouting is a time for fun and adventure..

Any boy interested in joining, or getting more information, should contact Brian Phillips at 660-679-0764 for more information. The next meeting is Thursday, January 22, at 5:30 p.m. at the Scout Hall. Anyone who has old uniforms they would like to donate so that all the boys can have uniforms should also contact Brian Phillips at 660-424-9200 or leave them at Butler Monument Company, 11 N. Havannah St.

History of Bates County Series: A Visit to a Minuteman Missile Silo

Exterior view of a Minuteman missile silo

By Doug Mager

This is the first in a series of the "History of Bates County" articles. Over the next few days we'll be covering the legacy of being one of the few counties in the United States that was actively involved in the Cold War by hosting Minuteman missiles and their control facilities.

You remember seeing them around the county- a driveway leading to a chain link enclosed area that included a sign reminding you that entering the area could have deadly consequences, per the U.S. Air Force.

Alas, you were looking at a Minuteman Missile Silo in it's purest form.

About 20 of the silos were scattered around the county under the command of two Launch Control Facilities (LCF), one located about six miles west of Passaic, and the other a few miles south of the Hudson school. The actual silos were scattered in an area that stretched from the northwest part of the county to the southeastern corner.

We often wondered what secrets were buried in the confines of the heavily secured area, only knowing that a missile capable of reaching Russia was hiding within. Thanks to declassification of documents, we now know.

In early 1960's numbers, each silo came at a cost of about $400,000. That's not including the 1.8 million dollar Minuteman missile, complete with nuclear warhead tucked inside. The Minuteman was a serious piece of hardware- about 60 feet long weighing 65,000 pounds and able to reach a top speed of 15,000 mph. Thus could be delivered anywhere in the world "In 30 minutes or less. Guaranteed" as promised by those working within the LCF's.

Occasionally we'd see trucks and workers at a silo, possibly doing maintenance work. A few times you might have even witnessed the changing out of a missile without fully realizing it. Those working at a silo did it in the most covert way with heavy security in mind.

Ground level access hatch (note guard)

So what was actually underground at a Minuteman silo? First lets go through the steps of full entry (the entire process took about two hours):

At the gate, personnel would get on the Missile Net Radio, calling agencies at the LCF to let them know they arrived. Verification of authorization came from two different entities which could take 15 minutes. No entry through the gate was allowed until fully authorized. Any mistake in the entire process  would be followed with a response team that would hold them at gunpoint until their presence was verified.

'B plug' door

Once inside the fenced area, a ground level access hatch would be opened, which was no quick task. The door, weighing about a ton would need to be 'jacked' open after several security pins were removed. This alone took up to 30 minutes.

B plug door lowered, allowing access to the silo

Missile tube is on the left;
guidance system and security
equipment racks on the right

About ten feet below the ground level hatch was another secured door, shown at right, known as the 'B plug'. Opening the 'B plug' was quite time consuming- two combinations had to be entered, pins removed, then wait. And wait. Eventually the 'B plug' hatch would begin lowering itself, allowing full access to the inner workings of the silo.

A large steel tube housed the missile. Another tube surrounded that tube which housed a plethora of equipment including miles of wire, lithium batteries, lead acid batteries, the guidance and control computer, security system, a diesel generator, air conditioning and much more. All of which was mounted on a floating 'shock absorber' system.

Cut away view of the silo

1 : Missile Guidance Control System Cooling System 

2 : Security System Drawer and Missile Power Supply
3 : Signal Data and Computer Control System
4 : Medium Frequency Radio System
5 : Pneumatic Shock Isolators
6 : MF Radio Low-pass Filter System
7 : AGE Power Supplies
8 : Air Conditioning System
9 : AC/DC Motor-Generator
10 : B-Plug (shown fully lowered)
11 : motorized screwjack for B-Plug
12 : LER #2 access ladder
13 : Electrical Surge Arrestor (ESA) room
14 : Launcher Closure Actuator System
15 : Emergency Power Batteries
16 : Signal/Power Distribution Box (D-Box)

Brains of the operation-the launch and guidance computer located deep in the missile silo

Next in our series, we'll detail the Launch Control Facility and what actions would be taken if an actual call to launch was initiated. 

Obituary - Nina R. Long

Nina R. Long, 81 of O’Fallon, Missouri passed away January 13, 2015 at St. Joseph West Hospital in Lake St. Louis, Missouri. Her wishes were to be cremated, with a memorial service scheduled for 2:00 PM Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the Mullinax Funeral Home (660-679-0009) in Butler. There is no visitation. Inurnment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery in Butler. Messages of condolence for the family may be left atwww.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.

Nina Rose (Bitner) Estes Long was born April 25, 1933 in Bates County, Missouri, daughter of Herald and Ethel (Robinson) Bitner.

Nina was preceded in death by her parents, as well as two sisters: Virginia McElwain and Helen McElwain; and her first husband, Rev. Russell Estes. She is survived by her husband, Dale Long; sons Andrew Estes and wife Debbie of Gladstone, Missouri, Jeff Estes and wife Kathy of Kirkwood, Missouri, and Steve Estes and wife Karen of O’Fallon, Missouri; and one brother, Joe Bitner of Wichita, Kansas. She also leaves behind 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Additional obituary information will be provided as it becomes available.

Obituary - Dean T. Corbin

Dean T. Corbin, of Schell City, passed away on Saturday, january 10th at Community Springs Healthcare in El Dorado Springs. he was 87. Arrangements are under the direction of Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home in Schell City. 

No local services are planned, but friends may call at the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home. Interment will be held at a later date in Pleasant Park Cemetery in Conifer, Colorado. 

For those who wish, memorials are suggested to the Schell City High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund or to Heartland Hospice of Butler, in care of the Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home.

Endangered Silver Advisory -- Kansas City Missouri Police Department -- James D. Johnston‏

James D. Johnston‏

NEWS ALERT

For further information please contact: Kansas City Missouri Police
Department
816-719-8305

EMPHASIS: Endangered Silver Advisory Alert

State of Missouri Endangered SILVER Advisory

The Kansas City Missouri Police Department has issued an Endangered SILVER
Advisory for a missing adult incident that occurred at 2611 Agnes Ave,
Kansas City, Missouri at 8:30 a.m. on January 12, 2015.

The endangered SILVER advisory missing adult is:

James D. Johnston, a white, male, age 75, hgt 509, 200 lbs, black/gray
hair, brown eyes, wearing a brown ball cap, light blue jacket, dark blue
shirt, dark brown slacks.

Unique characteristics: Subject walks taking small steps and shuffling his
feet.

Diagnosed Medical Condition: Dementia

Brief circumstances regarding the Endangered Silver Person incident:

Subject walked away from his son-in-law’s residence at 2611 Agnes Drive in
Kansas City, Missouri on January 12, 2015 at 8:30 a.m. Subject suffers from
dementia and is not dressed appropriately for cold weather.

Anyone seeing the missing person, suspect, associate, or vehicle, or anyone
having any information related to the endangered missing person should
immediately dial 911 to contact the nearest law enforcement agency or call
the Kansas City Missouri Police Department at 816-719-8305.

Bates County Court News Dec 29, 2014 - Jan 9, 2015‏

CIRCUIT COURT OF BATES COUNTY, COURT NEWS

JAMES K JOURNEY, JUDGE

Diana L Rich , Clerk

Dec 29, 2014-Jan 9, 2015

• Chandra R Mellenbruch v Mo Department of Revenue, Petition filed.

• Lacy A Glass v Timothy Ryan Glass, Petition for Dissolution filed.

• Michelle Berry v Edwin Berry, Petition for Dissolution filed.

• Dianna Cumpton v Raymond E Cumpton, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed.

• Brandon M Hecox v Louise R Hecox, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed.

• Billy W Hudson v Krystal N Hudson, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed.

Important info regarding the Mid America Live mobile app...

Ah, change. You gotta love it... the world of mobile devices is changing every day, causing grief for some, including us. Specifically, the company who hosts our web app, MyLocal, recently announced changes that have forced us to stop using their services. That's ok with us, it seemed to be plagued with problems anyway.

Thinking this further, we've decided to eliminate the idea of having an app altogether, at least for now.

So what's a quick way to view the news on your mobile device or tablet? Since our web site is already formatted for mobile devices, it's real easy. Simply add a link icon to Mid America Live to your home screen:

For iPhone users:
1. Open your web browser and go to www.midamericalive.com
2. You will see the mobile version of our web page.
3. Press the box with an arrow pointing up at the bottom of the screen.
4. Press Add to Home Screen. An icon labeled as Mid America Live will appear on your home screen. Simply touch to see the latest news!

Mobile version of Mid
America Live

For Android users:
1. Open your web browser and navigate to www.midamericalive.com
2. Click to add a bookmark.
3. Press and hold on the bookmark you just created, and select Add shortcut to Home.

Still having trouble?

Note that many mobile devices are different, so here's a dandy link that shows you how to add a bookmark on the home screen of any device:http://www.howtogeek.com/196087/how-to-add-websites-to-the-home-screen-on-any-smartphone-or-tablet/

Thanks for understanding and thanks again for reading Mid America Live!