Bates County Sheriffs Office: CCW Classes

The Bates County Sheriff's Office will be hosting a free CCW class on May 16th. This class is for Bates County residents only. You must provide ear and eye protection. The class is 8 hours long and starts at 8 a.m. 

If you live in Bates County and want to sign up please contact Jami Page at 6606793232. 

Please do not sign up for the class if you are not going to attend. This is a highly sought after class and the class size is limited. 

If anyone signs up for the class and doesn't show up, they will not be permitted to sign up for any future classes.

Nationwide Drunk Driving Crackdown: Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over

Local police will be out in full force as part of the annual nationwide Youth Alcohol Enforcement “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” crackdown on drunk driving. The crackdown, which will include high-visibility enforcement throughout St. Clair County, will run from May 1 – May 12.

The effective nationwide drunk driving crackdown will include high-visibility enforcement, high-profile events, and will be supported by national paid advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb drunk driving during the campaign.

St. Clair County Sheriff Scott Keeler said deputies will be aggressively looking for drunk drivers during the crackdown. Although it is illegal to drive drunk far too many people across the nation get behind the wheel after consuming too much alcohol. The latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underscore the serious nature of the nation’s continuing drunk driving epidemic.

Every year, about one third of all motor vehicle traffic deaths involve one or more impaired drivers or motorcycle operators. There were 191 people killed and 640 seriously injured in 2014 Missouri traffic crashes that involved at least one substance-impaired driver by either alcohol and/or drugs.

The Youth Alcohol Enforcement is particularly dangerous. During the Youth Alcohol Enforcement six people were killed and 29 seriously injured in Missouri traffic crashes that involved at least one substance-impaired driver (alcohol and/or drugs). A substance impaired driver less than 21 years of age was involved in two of the serious injuries.DWI arrests were made statewide.

“Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement like the 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign reduces drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. By joining this nationwide effort, we will make St. Clair County roadways safer for everyone throughout the holiday,” said the sheriff. “We want to remind everyone that getting behind the wheel drunk is a terrible idea. Unfortunately, not only does drinking impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely, it also impairs your judgment and good sense about whether you can, or should drive. If you have any doubt about your sobriety, do not get behind the wheel. If you do chose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses,”

The sheriff noted that being arrested for driving drunk brings a wide range of negative consequences into one’s life. Drunk drivers face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, and steep financial consequences such as higher insurance rates, attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators also often face tremendous personal embarrassment.

“Driving drunk is simply not worth the risk. So don’t take the chance. Remember, we will be out in force and we will be watching, so ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,’” said Sheriff Keeler.

Hudson Hustlers 4-H’ers compete in state wildlife contest

From Left  Alexis O’Farrell, Jacob Uptegrove and
Dawson Hoagland

On Saturday, April 18^th, three Hudson Hustler 4-H members Dawson Hoagland, Alexis O'Farrell & Jacob Uptegrove, participated in the Junior Division of the Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) in Columbia, MO.  Seventeen 4-H’ers from across the state, fourteen Juniors (Ages 8-13) and three Seniors (Ages 14-19), met at the Bradford Research Center to compete in the WHEP contest. 

This year the contest was based on the Great Plains Grasslands - Tallgrass/mixed Prairie eco-region.  The kids were required to evaluate a 100 acre site and recommend wildlife practices for specific species, write a wildlife plan and compete in the wildlife challenge testing their wildlife identification and knowledge. 

4-H’ers shown competing in the WHEP contest

The Bates County team placed 7th, 9th &10th individually and a very close 2nd as a team. The Vernon County team placed 1st and Pike County placed 3rd.

Butler City Wide Garage Sale Maps Now Available

Butler’s City Wide Garage Sale will be held this Saturday, May 2nd rain or shine.

Garage sale maps are now available at the following locations:

• Cook Insurance Agency
• Koehn Bakery
• The Messenger and The Hub
• Medicalodges
• Osage Valley Electric Cooperative
• Casey’s General Store – both locations
• Massey’s Country Mart
• Gray’s Café
• Citizens Bank
• Derailed Commodity
• The Dusty Attic
• Fm92
• Sonic
• The Pennell at the Inn Building
• Adrian Bank

Courtesy of Marla Kash 92.1 News

Nylabone issues recall for dog chews

(CNN) - Nylabone dog chews sold in a Puppy Starter Kit are being recalled for possible salmonella contamination.

The Food and Drug Administration said there's a potential risk that dogs or humans handling the bone-shaped chews could be infected.

The recall is voluntary and no illnesses have been linked to the product.

Symptoms of salmonella infection include lethargy, fever, vomiting and bowel upset.

The recalled Puppy Starter Kit consists of one lot of dog chews that were distributed nationwide, to Canada, and through one domestic online mail order facility.

Only packages carrying the lot number 21935 are affected.

Copyright 2015 CNN. All rights reserved.

St. Clair County Sheriff's Office: Trailer recovered

On April 26, a St. Clair County met with Danny Purvis in reference to an abandoned trailer found on his property at the southeast corner of the junction of B Highway and E Highway, Osceola.

The trailer was located behind a barn and had several pieces of tin piled on and around it. The investigation determined the trailer was owned by Timothy Stevens and was reported stolen from his residence on B Highway on April 8. The trailer was stolen along with a red and gray Polaris 400, a green and yellow John Deere zero turn lawn mower, and a weed eater. There was no sign of the other items reported stolen.

Stevens responded to the scene and identified the trailer. It was noted his residence where the items were stolen is located an estimated half mile east of where the trailer was found.

St. Clair County Sheriffs Office: Warrant Arrest

 Kristi Swearengin

On April 24, Kristi Swearengin, 43, Urbana, was arrested in St. Clair County on a Dallas County warrant charging her with a class C felony of involuntary manslaughter-first degree. Bond is set at $50,000 cash or surety.

Updated Obituary - Lewis E. "Gene" Fields

Lewis E. "Gene" Fields 62, of Butler Missouri, died Thursday, April 23, 2015 at Willow Lane Care Center in Butler. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 27, 2015 at Taberville Cemetery in Taberville, Missouri, under the direction of Atkinson Funeral Home, Adrian, Missouri. Memorial contributions may be made to charity of choice.

Lewis was born March 17, 1953 in Independence Missouri, the son of Lewis A. Fields and Clarice Coonce and grew up around Harrisonville Missouri. Lewis did mechanical work, loved hunting and fishing, and spending time with family. He loved gardening with his wife, Mary, and their dogs, Jack and Trixie.

Lewis was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis A. and Clarice Fields, his wife of 40 years, Mary K. Fields, two brothers, Ronnie Fields and Larry Fields, three sisters, Carolyn Barnard, Donna Barnard, and Shirley Eslick, one great-granddaughter, Chloe Wadel. He is survived by his step-son, Robert O'Banion and wife, Tiffany of Butler, Missouri; step-daughter, Brenda Langley of Butler, Missouri; son, Doug Fields and wife, Stacy of Peculiar, Missouri; one brother, Randy Fields and wife, Helen of Rich Hill, Missouri; 16 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.