Kansas City woman arrested in Bates County on drug charges

On 12/12/15 around 12:49 a.m. the Missouri Sate Highway Patrol in Bates County arrested 25 year old Cassy D. Keith of Kansas City, Mo.

She was arrested for 1.) Felony possession of a controlled substance - Methamphetamine 2.) Felony Warrant - Henry County Sheriffs Office 3.) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Keith was booked into the Bates County Jail and is listed as bond able.

Copyright Mid America Live News

Obituary - Bryce Manser

Funeral services for Bryce Manser will be 11 a.m. Monday, December 14, 2015 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-655) in Butler, Missouri. Visitation will be prior to services from 10-11 a.m. at Schowengerdt Chapel. Burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler, Missouri.

Bryce Philip Manser, age 97 of Raytown, Missouri died Friday, December 11, 2015 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. He was born October 14, 1918.

Bryce is survived by his brother, Lynnville Manser of Independence, Missouri; sister-in-law, Gladys Nesmith and husband Robert of Springfield, Missouri; and nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents; and wife Alsie in May 2006.

Drug arrest in Garden City

At approximately 5:00 today, Officers of the Garden City Police Department received a report of suspicious activity in the 500 block of Old 7 Hwy. Officers contacted a group of two juveniles and an 18 year old man from Garden City.

While visiting with the individuals, Officers discovered a green leafy substance believed to be marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The 18 year old Garden City man was taken to the Garden City Police Department where he posted bond.

The juveniles were released to their parents.

Forklift accident in Garden City

Officers of the Garden City Police Department are on the scene of a non-injury motor vehicle accident between a forklift driven by a 45 year old Kansas City man and a pickup truck at driven by a unknown Garden City man at Old 7 Hwy & F Hwy. Please use caution when traveling in this area.

Mid America Live News will update this when more information is made available.

Public Statement from Cass County Sheriff Dwight Diehl

 Cass County Sheriff Dwight Diehl

As commissioners continue to struggle with investments made in the past by previous commissions, we hope they haven't lost sight of the good investments, our employees, which could soon be diminished because of a lack of vision.

A commitment was made to the public and employees of the Sheriff's Office in 2004, with a tax, passed by the public, to better staff and pay members of the Sheriff's Office. That tax allowed us to add staff and implement a comprehensive pay plan which would give employees merit pay out to 8 years. As the economy took a down turn, the salary plan was frozen and we lost 4 positions to cuts in the 2010 budget. The Sheriff offered to use discretionary funding in 2016 if a commitment was received by the commissioners to reinstate the 2004 salary schedule.

Employees at the Sheriff's Office continued to work hard, even with an average increase in daily jail population of 20% and an 11% increase in total incidents since that time. It should be noted that during this same time period, employees had their LAGERS retirement plan cut in half, while continuing to pay more annually for health benefits.

Additionally, Sheriff's Deputies continue to be required to carry holiday and vacation time on the books that they are not able to use because of limited staffing. The Sheriff's Office carry over time, reported annually to the commission, has been requested to be paid off every year using un-spent funds in our existing budget, which is anywhere from $200,000.00 to $400,000.00 annually, but is denied due to lack of county funds. The estimated liability to the county for this carryover time, ending in 2015, is approximately $600,000.00. The Sheriff's Office operates with approximately a $7,000,000.00 annual budget and because of good management, we have never overspent our budget, on the contrary, we have always returned any un-spent funds.

The county provides service to the citizens, some of the service is with the use of equipment, but most is with county employees. This year alone the Sheriff's Office lost 6 employees, each with an average of 10 years of service, to better paying jobs. A loss of 60 years of institutional knowledge is devastating to the services we provide to this community, and will take years to recover from. With no relief in sight within the budget, the Sheriff's Office should expect to lose more valuable employees.

And while we understand that we may never be made whole from the lack of investment to our employees over the last 5 years, we fail to see how going forward and not focusing on the best investments the county has, which is our employees, can be considered a positive vision.

Because the Sheriff's Office is dedicated to serving the public, we will still continue to serve the public to the very best of our ability with the funding appropriated to the Sheriff's Office.

Obituary - Peggy Eldora (Mullen) Pilcher

Peggy Eldora (Mullen) Pilcher, 78, Milo, MO passed away on Tuesday, December 08, 2015 in Fulton, MO following an illness of several months. Peggy was born August 20, 1937 in Butler, MO to Joseph Warden and Dorothy Alma (Bearce) Wix. She was united in marriage to Richard L. Mullen on January 1, 1968 and he preceded her in death on May 28, 2002. She later married Daniel B. Pilcher on May 14, 2005 and he survives of the home.

Peggy was raised in Butler and in Round Prairie near Appleton City, MO. She graduated from Appleton City High School Class of 1955. Following high school Peggy attended Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar for a time then began employment at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City working there for 5 years. At that time she came to Nevada and worked at C.A. White Motors for 1 year prior to working with her husband Dick at the Mullen Body Shop in Nevada which they owned and operated. Peggy was a longtime member of the Milo Baptist Church.

In addition to her husband Danny survivors include her children Judy Rae Virgil, KS, Tana LaRae Trost, CA, Steven Michael Jones, AL, Richard Lloyd Mullen, Milo, and Robin LoVe Mischnick, Fulton, MO; 14 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; one sister, Joan Gerken, Clinton, MO; and several nieces. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Richard, her parents, and one nephew.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada. Interment will follow in Olive Branch Cemetery. Friends may call from now and until the hour of service at Ferry Funeral Home.

Vernon County Sheriff reduces CCW fee, encourages law abiding citizens to carry guns

Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher announced this week that he will be lowing the cost of the CCW permit fee at the Sheriff’s Office for the foreseeable future. The Sheriff said the current amount has been $100 but will now be lowered to $65. “We are living in troubling times that appear to be growing more and more dangerous. We want to encourage citizens to exercise their legal right to carry and protect their families and property” said Mosher.

The Sheriff said state law requires money received from CCW permit fees be placed in a “CCW Fund” and be used to help offset the cost of processing the CCW permits. The Sheriff said there is now enough money in the fund to repair or replace any damaged equipment so the cost can be lowered.

The Sheriff said he planned to start the new rate January first of 2016, but due to recent events around the country decided to make the changes effective immediately.

Currently CCW permits are good for 5 years before needing to be renewed. 

Obituary - Joan L. Lowery

Joan L. Lowery

Joan L. Lowery, age 80, of Pleasanton, Kansas passed away Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at the Prescott Country View.

Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, December 11, 2015 at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Pleasanton Chapel. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m, Thursday, December 10, 2015 at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Pleasanton Chapel.

Burial will be in the Pleasanton Cemetery. Online condolences for the family can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com. Arrangements: Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Pleasanton Chapel.