The perfect Christmas gift

Macie and Mylynn Vail would like to announce the birth of their new baby cousin Keylynn Mack Stephens. Baby Keylynn was born at 6:56am on Tuesday December 20,2016 at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada, Missouri.

Parents are Johnny Stephens Jr. and Fiance Trista Vail both of Butler, Missouri.  Proud maternal grandparents are Mr. Curtis L Vail and wife Vicki of Butler, Missouri and Russell and Debbie Holdsclaw Whitesburg, Georgia, and the late Tammy Vail who passed away in 2011. Keylynn was 18 1/4 inches long and she weighed 5lbs 8oz.

Hollis announces retirement from Ellett Memorial Hospital

(Appleton City, MO) -- Ellett Memorial Hospital announces the retirement of C. Thomas Hollis, chief executive officer of EMH. Hollis has served as CEO since June 2015, and previously served as the chief financial officer for seven years. Melissa Fletcher, chief nursing officer, will assume the role of interim CEO, and Laura Smith, director of infection control, will assume the role of interim CNO.

“We want to thank Tom Hollis for his leadership and wish him well in his retirement,” says Dean Alexander, president of the EMH board of trustees. Hollis will retire in early 2017 and will be available to assist during the transition period. A search is being conducted for a permanent CEO.

Fletcher is an Osceola native and graduated from Osceola High School in 2006. She obtained her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training through Ellett Memorial Hospital in 2005, and graduated from the Registered Nursing (RN) program at Bolivar Technical College (BTC) in 2013. She will complete her bachelor of science in nursing in Fall 2017 from Cox College, Springfield. Fletcher previously worked for Mercy Hospital, Springfield, for five years as an EMT, and two years in the burn unit, before joining CMH Osceola Medical Center in November 2014. She also is an adjunct professor at BTC. Fletcher joined Ellett Memorial as CNO in August 2016. She and her husband, Jeremy, a lineman for IBEW Local 53, live in Osceola and have three children, Rilan, 8, Mason, 2, and Stoney, 1.

“I have loved working for Ellett Memorial and I am excited for this new opportunity to help the community even more,” says Fletcher. “We have so much to offer the community – especially the new specialists in our outpatient clinic – and we encourage community members to continue to support the hospital and its services.”

Smith is an Appleton City native and graduated from Appleton City High School in 1992. She earned her RN training from Excelsior College in 2013, and has worked at EMH since 2008. She and her husband, Loren, live in Appleton City. They have two children, Andria Boswell and her husband, Daniel, and Coleton Smith, 18; and two grandchildren, Reagan Boswell, 2, and Raylee Boswell, 1.

In addition to providing 24 hour ambulance and emergency services, EMH offers an array of hospital services including: acute and extended care; radiology; laboratory; respiratory therapy; sleep studies; physical, speech and occupational therapy; and more. EMH also owns and operates Appleton City Rural Health Clinic, and provides numerous outpatient specialty clinics for cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, rheumatology and urology.

“We appreciate the support of the community,” says Fletcher. “That support -- through utilizing services and participation in community outreach programs -- not only benefits the hospital, but in turn benefits the community with added services and programs.”

For more information about Ellett Memorial Hospital and its services, call 660-476-2111.

MSHP: 103rd Recruit Class Graduation Scheduled December 30, 2016

Colonel J. Bret Johnson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces 39 troopers will graduate from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy on Friday, December 30, 2016. The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. and will take place in the Academy gymnasium. 

The 103rd Recruit Class reported to the Academy on July 5, 2016. The new troopers report for duty in their assigned troops on January 17, 2017.

Governor Jay Nixon will provide the keynote address during the graduation ceremony. Governor-elect Eric Greitens, Department of Public Safety Director Lane Roberts, and Colonel J. Bret Johnson will address the class. The Honorable Edward R. Ardini Jr., Missouri Court of Appeals ─ Western District, will administer the Oath of Office to the new troopers. Dean Gil Kennon, vice president of College Affairs for Mineral Area College, will confer an associate of applied science degree to 12 of the new troopers.

Troop F Color Guard will present and retire the colors. Trooper Andrew A. Armstrong, Troop F, will sing the national anthem. Reverend Jimmy C. McMasters, of Corning, AR, will provide the invocation and benediction. 

The public and the media are invited to attend the ceremony.

Highway Safety Hazardous Moving Violations / Aggressive Driving Traffic Enforcement Saturation — Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, 2016

Sheriff Kent Oberkrom is pleased to announce that deputies of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office will be gearing up again this year and watching for hazardous moving violations on primary highways throughout Henry County over the holiday seasons. With a grant awarded by the Missouri Department of Transportation / Division of Highway Safety, and working in a combined effort with the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, deputies will be conducting vehicles stops for observed violations during grant enforcement periods. The goal of all participating agencies is to reduce the number of fatalities as a result of motor vehicle accidents on state highways each year.

“This is a competitive grant process and the application was completed and submitted by Major Rob Hills, which awarded the Sheriff’s Office with just over $ 9,100 dollars for overtime salaries”, Sheriff Oberkrom stated. “This same grant also allowed for the purchase of six (6) new traffic enforcement radar units during last year’s grant cycle, which have been installed in patrol vehicles, saving $ 5,400 dollars in county funds”, Sheriff Oberkrom continued.


Grant funding will pay deputies for additional enforcement activities over the holiday travel periods in 2016 and 2017, including various weekends throughout the summer months when the traffic volume drastically increases in Henry County.

Over the past several years, this same grant had been utilized over the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve winter holidays, along with the Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day summer holidays.

Grant enforcement periods for 2015-2016 accounted for 495 moving violations and 101 non-moving violations being encountered by deputies, to include five (5) arrests for drivers with revoked / suspended licenses, four (4) arrests for no operator’s licenses, one (1) arrest for drug-related charges and one (1) arrest for an outstanding felony warrant, while paying overtime salaries for deputies in the amount of $6,000 dollars.

“Our local highways are being utilized by many more holiday travelers than what we normally encounter day-to-day, while our families, neighbors and friends are also using these roadways over the same periods with this increased volume in traffic. In an effort to make our roadways safer as we celebrate the holidays with our families, the active enforcement of dangerous moving violations is an important task that we feel we must undertake within our community”, Sheriff Oberkrom stated.

Update: Missing Kansas man found dead near Garnett

 Devyn Long

On 12-20-2016 the Anderson County Kansas Sheriff Department, K.B.I. Anderson County / Garnett Fire Department and several citizens conducted a second search for Devyn Long who had been missing since Saturday December 17th  in a rural area SW of Garnett, Kansas.

Due to the additional 20 + personal and volunteers on this afternoon we were able to locate Devyn and he was deceased. 

There are no signs of foul play. Cause of death at this time is pending autopsy. 

The Anderson County Sheriffs Office would like to thank everyone for all their help in locating Devyn.

Mid America Live News will update this when more information is made available to us from the Anderson County Kansas Sheriffs Office.

Bates County Historical Society Board of Directors

The Bates County Historical Society Board of Directors. This amazing group is dedicated to making the Museum the best it can be!

L - R: Front row - Joyce Grainger, Doris Fuller, Donna Gregory.
Back row - Stan Sechrest, Hank Roberts, Alan Mundey, Kevin Hines, Tyler Bise, Jim Bartlett.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Updated Obituary - Lottie Christina Ammann

Lottie Christina Ammann

Funeral services for Lottie Ammann will be 11 a.m. Thursday, December 22, 2016 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri with Pastor Ron Dunlap officiating. 

Visitation will be prior to services from 10-11 a.m. at Schowengerdt Chapel. Burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler. Contributions to American Cancer Society.

Lottie Christina Ammann, age 89 of Butler, Missouri died Sunday, December 18, 2016 in Butler. She was born June 3, 1927 to Adolph and Ida Bertha Stehwein Ammann in Chloe, Missouri.

Lottie is survived by two daughters, Patty McGuire and Janet Castrogiovanni and husband Stacey, all of Butler, Missouri; three grandchildren, Amy, Emily and Megan; four great-grandchildren, Baylor, Landon, Jaiden and Bradley; and a host of nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents; six brothers, Carl, Lee, Ed, Otto, Paul and Jake; three sisters, Mary, Clara and Louise; and one infant sister.

Obituary - Darrel D. Daniels

Darrel D. Daniels

Darrel Daniels of St. Charles Mo formerly of Deepwater Mo passed away Saturday December 17th, 2016 at his daughters home in St. Charles Mo. 

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 pm, Wednesday December 21,2016 at the Vansant-Mills Chapel. Visitation will be one hour prior. Interment at Englewood Cemetery following services. 

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society and may be left in care of the funeral home. Fond memories and condolences can be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com .

Darrel was born on September 5th, 1935 to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Daniels. Darrel is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he worked for Cummings Diesel in Sikeston and St. Louis Mo. He was a "Jack of all Trades", and loved to hunt and fish.

Darrel is preceded in death by his parents, wife Judith Faye Daniels, and his daughter Debbie.

Among survivors are sons; Ron Daniels of Highridge, Mo, Marty Daniels of Cedar Hill, Mo, John Daniels of Highridge, Mo, Daughter; Gennie Skyles of St. Charles, Mo., Brother; Wardell Daniels of Hillsboro, Mo., Sister; Norma Jean Manley of Hickman, Ky., Grandchildren; Justin Daniels, Tiffany Daniels, Adam Zierenberg, Ashley Daniels, Monica Johnson, Barbie Daniels, Great-Grandchildren; Ella Marie Zierenberg, Luke Zierenberg, Trey Anglin, Molly Anglin, Logan Anglin,Noah Anglin, Levy Anglin, and Ethan Despain. Numerous family and Nieces and Nephews.

Arrangements have been entrusted with the Vansant-Mills Funeral Home Clinton MO.