Burglary at Henry County Dollar General Store

Farris A. Higginbotham

On Monday, March 20, 2017 just before 8:00 a.m. Deputy Lambirth was dispatched to the Dollar General Store in Windsor regarding a burglary in progress. The store clerk heard glass break near the front of the store and they locked themselves in the office until law enforcement could arrive.

As Deputy Lambirth arrived on scene a male subject had ran from the building carrying a cash drawer and other items and was going towards the Katy Trail. 

A neighbor to the store, who overheard the radio traffic, reported that they saw the subject running down the Katy Trail towards Calhoun.

Deputy Lambirth spotted the subject and the subject continue to run despite commands from Deputy Lambirth to stop. Deputy Lambirth was able to catch the subject. Taken into custody was Farris A. Higginbotham, age 39 from Sedalia. Higginbotham was arrested for burglary 1st degree, stealing, resisting arrest by flight, and property damage. Higginbotham is on supervised parole from the Department of Corrections and a parole violation warrant was also issued. 

Deputy Lambirth and Deputy Hodges returned to Dollar General and completed a search of the property and found no other subjects in the store besides the employee.

Mr. Higginbotham was transported to the Henry County Detention Center after being medically cleared for confinement and is being held without bond on the parole violation warrant at this time.

Obituary - Donald H. Gaynor

Donald H. Gaynor, 81 of Appleton City, Missouri passed away March 20, 2017 at Appleton City Manor in Appleton City. Cremation with private family graveside services to be held at a later date. 

Arrangements entrusted to the Mullinax Funeral Home, Butler (660-679-0009). Memorial contributions are suggested, in lieu of flowers, to Appleton City Manor. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.

Donald Henry Gaynor was born June 23, 1935 in Whittier, California to Robert and Lucille Drake Gaynor. He graduated from Whittier High School and owned and operated his own plant nursery for many years. He loved the beaches and the casinos of California, and missed them terribly after retiring to Missouri to be near family.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents and wife Betty Coats Gaynor. He is survived by his son Ronnie Gaynor and wife Laura of Banning, CA, and by his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Deepwater man arrested in St. Clair County

Micheal Taylor

On March 19, Micheal Taylor, 28, Deepwater, was arrested on a St. Clair County warrant for failing to appear in court on two counts, class C felony domestic assault-second degree and class D felony resisting arrest. 

The warrant was issued on March 16 and bond is set at $5,000 cash only. The original charges stem from an Osceola Police Department investigation on April 24, 2016.

Stolen property recovered, two arrested after citizen provides information in Vernon County

Alexander D Trexel

Joel T O’Connell

Charges have been filed against two Vernon County Residents for felony stealing and 1st degree trespassing. 

Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher said in a statement Tuesday morning that deputies received valuable information from a resident over the weekend leading deputies to the location of a large amount of stolen property and the identification of a suspect. 

During the investigation, deputies were able to identify a second suspect and recover additional stolen items. Mosher said detectives have been in contact with the owners of the stolen property that is linked to multiple burglary cases.

The suspects have been identified as 28 year-old Joel T O’Connell of rural Nevada, and 20 year-old Alexander D Trexel of Nevada. 

Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher said Trexel, and O’Connell are being held in the Vernon County Jail on a $5,500 cash only bond.

Obituary - Genevieve Lou Guinn

Genevieve Lou Guinn

Genevieve Lou Guinn passed peacefully into the arms of her Savior on Monday, March 20, 2017. She was born November 30, 1938 in Morrisville, MO to Claude and Sylvia Johnston Crain. On October 19, 1959 she was united in marriage to Charles Virgil Guinn in Mount Vernon, MO and he preceded her in death on February 14, 2012.

Genevieve graduated from Greenwood High School in Springfield, MO and Southwest Missouri State College with degrees in Art and Education. In her early years Genevieve taught school in St. Charles, MO where she was an Art teacher for 11 years. In 1973 she moved to Lamar and became the Librarian at Lamar High School until 1992. While in Lamar she was an active member of the Missouri Community Betterment. Genevieve began her second career in 1995 becoming lay pastor of the Horton Methodist and Metz Methodist churches until retiring in 2006. Following her years in the ministry she became a member of the Ohio Street Methodist Church in Butler where she continued to teach Sunday School for a number of years. For the past seven months, while residing in Medicalodges in Nevada, Genevieve held a Bible Study for any residents who wished to gather with her. She was loved by many and impacted many lives along her journey. She will be missed.

She is survived by her two sons, Brad Guinn, Nevada, Jeff Guinn and his wife Pamela, Ft. Worth, TX; 5 granddaughters, Abby Underwood, Columbia, MO, Sarah Guinn, Bryan, TX, Karly Guinn, Kansas City, MO, Rachel Guinn, Ft. Worth, TX, and Whitney Robertson, Ft. Worth, TX; 1 great granddaughter Gemma Sue Underwood; 2 brothers, Coney Crain, Morrisville, MO, and Ron Crain, and his wife Gale, Columbia, MO; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Charles (Chuck) Guinn; her brother Marvin Crain; her parents Claude & Sylvia Crain; and her nephew, Danny Crain.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Ferry Funeral Home with Pastor Roger Beach officiating. Interment will follow in Balltown Cemetery, Horton, MO with Lawrence Cripps presiding. Visitation will be held from 9-10:00 a.m. prior to the service.

Those who wish may contribute to the Danny and Claude Crain Memorial Scholarship Fund or to Medicalodges of Nevada c/o Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada.

Obituary - Hattie Frances Brizendine

Hattie Frances Brizendine, 91, Redding, California, formerly of Harrisonville, MO, died Tuesday, March 21, 2017 in Redding, CA. 

Funeral services are pending at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville, MO.

Service times and a complete obituary will be posted when that information is available.

Something to be proud of!

Congratulations to Coach Allen and the Butler Elementary School for raising over $11,000 for hoops for hearts

Update on Baby Remington Craft 3/20/17

About an hour ago we were told the doctors were done. We waited a few minutes for the update and prayed that Remi was okay.

The doctors came and said that the procedure went well. They also told us that because this procedure is so high risk and rarely done, there is no good test to follow its outcome.

They made several passes with the balloon and did the best they possibly could.

The plan as of now is to keep her calm for 24 hours and slowly wake her to see how she reacts. Even if this buys them time for her to heal more, surgery may be an option to better repair the issue.

Today was extremely stressful... she's not out of the woods yet, but today went well and we are so grateful for the doctors. Remi continues to amaze us with her strength, it appears that all of our prayers continue to be answered for our little hear warrior. Thank you sooo much to everyone for continued prayers