Luck of the Draw tickets on sale now

BATES COUNTY, Mo - Now is the time to purchase your ticket to the upcoming Luck of the Draw on March 14th. Only 148 advanced tickets will be sold, so get yours now. Your $100 ticket includes dinner for two (all you can eat and drink); beer and wine garden plus a payout of $5,250 in cash prizes.

Saturday, March 14th the doors at the Butler Fairgrounds will open at 6:30 p.m; dinner will be served promptly at 7 p.m and a dance with a live DJ will follow dinner until 1:00 a.m.

You must be 21 or older to participate. Your $100 ticket gives you the opportunity to win the following prizes which include 1 – $3,000 winner; 1 – $500 winners; 10-$100 winners and 15 – $50 winners.

For ticket information contact Pam Craft 660-679-7505 or Kenny Gabriel 660-679-0997. The Luck of the Draw is sponsored by the Butler Saddle Club and all the fun takes place at the Butler Fairgrounds.
bcl420

History of Bates County: 'Gone Fishing' in a Big Way

By Doug Mager

Virgil Ward

There was a time in the not-too-distant past where main street in Amsterdam was jammed with cars each weekday. So many in fact, some parked in the middle of the street, the cause of a few fender benders for sure. The reason? A world renown fishing lure manufacturing company known as Bass Busters brought in workers from all around the area. 

The great beginnings span back to 1948 as avid fisherman Virgil Ward enjoyed making his own fishing lures. Even while running his appliance store in Amsterdam, Ward followed his passion and made Bass Busters a company in 1955. In 1962, he won the "World Series of Sport Fishing" competition which earned him 4 trophies in 5 days. The win not only served as a launching pad for his 25+ year television career, but his lure business as well.

The familiar packaging of Bass Buster lures

Originally, his lure prototypes were made of wood- while they were highly detailed, they were not very functional (in terms of catching fish), plus they were very time consuming to manufacture. Ward knew there must be a better way. The solution? A hook with a lead head and Maribu feathers attached with tightly wound thread.

While somewhat unconventional looking, the new lure caught fish. The lures also caught the attention of a friend of Wards, who wanted to buy some. The price for 25? A buck a piece, which may have been considered steep, but, they worked. So well in fact, Bass Busters had their second, albeit larger order, just a short time later.

Alas, Bass Busters was off and running. In 1970, the company was sold to Johnson Wax, which afforded Virgil more time to devote to his very popular TV show, Championship Fishing. At one time, the show held the #1 spot in the ratings, which was a very proud time for Ward.

In 1964, Bass Busters introduced a jig with a plastic body under the name BEETLE BUG. After about a month, the name of this lure was shortened to BEETLE. Ward said that the name BEETLE was chosen in an effort to capitalize on the name of the then popular "Beatles" musical group from England.

A pair of needle nosed pliers rest  in a small heated crucible filled with sand- the hot pliers are then used to bend (crimp) some plastic fibers that extend from the fishing lure in a way that will help keep the hook from getting caught in weeds or muck. The job of 'crimping' for a Bass Busters worker meant wearing a good insulated glove in order to get through the day without blisters. The crimp? A patented idea (the fiber weed guard) that is still being manufactured today.

Other employees filled their day by putting the lead ball on the hook which would later be painted with eyes; some tied on brightly colored feathers; some operated a rubber worm mold; spinners were assembled in another area; in the back, there was final packaging with in the familiar blue and green Bass Busters logo. Then, boxes filled with the final product were shipped to resellers all over the world.

 By 1975, Bass Busters had expanded to both sides of main street, plus a new location, known as the J plant (J highway) on the south side of town, which was a highly visible indicator of the success of the Bass Busters enterprise.

As the company was sold again in 1993, in its heyday Bass Busters employed upwards of 300 workers- some of which had served 18 years or more working for the hometown company that had world-wide reach.

Virgil Ward passed away September 13, 2004 and with him, the legacy of his fishing show and Bass Busters in all its glory. He was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in 2008.

 More articles about Virgil Ward can be found here:

The World of Virgil Ward
A Tribute to the Late Great Virgil Ward
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame

See more Bass Busters photos here:
Bass Busters 1975-1977

Behind the south side main street location, a scabber could occasionally find some rejected lures in the trash, as quality control was a big part of the Bass Busters operation. As a child, I pulled a few from the trash myself....after all, does a fish know a lure shouldn't have two different colored eyes?- Doug Mager 

Update-Minor Structure Fire Sunday Afternoon In Adrian

At approximately 2:00 p.m. today, the Adrian Fire Department was dispatched on a possible structure fire in the area of 1st and Virginia Street in Adrian. The Butler Fire Department was dispatched at the same time following the “automatic” mutual aid protocol set between the two fire departments. Fire units quickly arrived on the scene and determined the structure to be a detached garage located at 104 North Virginia Street. Fire suppression began and the fire was reported under control within minutes. Butler Fire Department responding units were cancelled after the fire was placed under control. The fire was accidental in nature and determined to be caused from a faulty flue pipe. Adrian Medical First Responders checked two subjects who stated that they had been exposed to the smoke coming from the garage. After evaluating the subjects, they both refused any further care.

The Adrian Fire Department was assisted by the Adrian Police Department, Bates County Sheriff’s Department, and the MO State Highway Patrol.

bcl420

1 vehicle accident at Butler City Lake

The Butler Fire Department along with the Bates County Sheriffs Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol is in route to a 1 vehicle accident on 52 West Highway at the entrance to the Butler City Lake.

The accident is reportedly involving a van that is in the ditch. Unknown at this time if there are any injuries. No one appears to be in or around the vehicle.

Mid America Live will update when more information becomes available.
bcl420

St. Clair County crash injures 3 people

Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident on Feb. 21 in St. Clair County on NW 401 Rd., around 6 miles south of Appleton City.

The accident occurred as Christal J. Huey, 31, Rockville, not wearing a seat belt, northbound in a 1998 GMC Yukon, and a 1996 Chevrolet 1500 eastbound by Joshua M. Eye, 24, Rockville, wearing a seat belt, failed to yield upon entering a rural intersection without traffic control devices.

Three passengers in the Huey vehicle were injured. Brandon L. Bush, 26, Rockville, not wearing a seat belt, experienced minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Ellett Memorial Hospital. Madison L. Huey, 12, Rockville, not wearing a seat belt, had serious injuries and was airlifted to Children’s Mercy Hospital. Alecia Warham, 14, Appleton City, wearing a seat belt, experienced minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Ellett Memorial Hospital.

The Huey vehicle was totaled and removed from the scene by Bulldog Towing of Appleton City.

The Eye vehicle was totaled and removed from the scene by Bulldog Towing of Appleton City,

Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper Inman investigated the accident.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Report: Adrian man arrested in Cass County

On 2/22/15 around 3:00 a.m. The Missouri State Highway Patrol in Cass County arrested 38 year old Jed M. Sharp of Adrian, Missouri.

Mr. Sharp was arrested on 1.) Driving while intoxicated 2) Lane violation. He was arrested and booked into the Cass County Jail.

He was later released.
bcl420

Lady Bobcats finish season undefeated

Drexel Lady Cats finished their season undefeated with a record of 25-0.  They will begin district play Tuesday evening in Appleton City taking on Northeast Vernon County.  The girls hope to continue their winning ways with their "No Excuses" mentality they set out with at the beginning of the season.  Congratulations Lady Cats and good luck in Districts.

The seniors were also honored last night.  Senior Lady Cat players are:

Jenna Bartholomew, Sarah Cawby and Lauryn Campbell

Obituary - Frances Lee Kearns

Frances Lee Kearns, 79, of Drexel, MO passed away February 20, 2015 at Cass Regional Medical Center, Harrisonville, MO. Funeral Services will be held 3:00 pm Saturday, February 28th at Mullinax Funeral Home –Drexel Chapel with Rev. Dennis Stone officiating. A visitation will be held prior to the service from 1:00 to 3:00 pm Saturday, also at the Drexel Chapel. Burial will follow services in Sharon Cemetery, Drexel, MO. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents and husband Damon K. Kearns. She is survived by her Darren Kearns and daughter Damona Parks.

A full obituary will be published when it becomes available.
bcl420