Success: Taming the Wild Wild West in a Dress

This weekend the Adrian Community Theater presented their rollicking rendition of Billy St. John's Taming the Wild, Wild West in a Dress on the Adrian High School stage to a combined audience of 150 people. This play was a first time effort for co-directors Scott Isabell and Michael Gerean, and judging by the audience reaction, was a great success. The cast was composed of actors from Adrian, Butler, and Harrisonville.

This play which was set in the 1890’s took place in Lucky Lady, Nevada, in the Lucky Lady Saloon and Lucky Lady Salon. It has all the elements of romance, suspense, and comedy people have come to expect from many of the performances by this group.

The A.C.T. has been providing good clean entertainment for attendees since its beginning in 2011. The primary mission of A.C.T. is to provide an outlet for area young performers to display their talents in a variety of onstage productions.

An added feature this time was a raffle for tickets, donated by ZIP K.C., to the A.C.T. building fund. The raffle was won by Andy Carpenter.

Obituary - Jim Berry

Memorial services for Jim Berry will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri. Visitation will be prior to services from 10-11 a.m. at Schowengerdt Chapel. Contributions to House of Hound. Online condolences, www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

James Franklin “Jim” Berry, age 80 of Butler, Missouri died Saturday, June 8, 2019 at his home in Butler. He was born December 16, 1938 to Frank Louis and Margaret Faye Green Berry in Hickman Mills, Missouri.

Jim is survived by his wife, Norma Jean Berry of Butler, Missouri; two sons, Travis Berry and wife Seanna of Summit, Mississippi and Bryan Jennings and wife Mary Beth of Butler, Missouri; two daughters, Renae Gros and husband Curt and April Dunn and fiance` Sandel Bastian, all of Houma, Louisiana; one sister, Ruth Ann Herring of Butler, Missouri; nephew, William Miller of Butler, Missouri; and 14 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; and two sisters, Joyce Miller and Jean Bedwell.

Date change for Butler Chamber quarterly meeting

Originally scheduled for June 18th, the Butler Chamber of Commerce quarterly meeting has been rescheduled for June 25th. All other details regarding the event remain the same. Please help spread the word!

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office News Release June 3-10, 2019

St. Clair County Sheriff Scott Keeler reported deputies made four arrests, took a stealing report, and had a deputy involved shooting during the week of June 3-10, 2019.

Click on link for more information. https://www.scsomo.org/press_view.php?id=879

From the desk of Greg Mullinax Bates County Coroner

I responded late this morning to a rural location northeast of Butler on a report of an aircraft crash from the Bates County Sheriff.

One deceased male has died in this crash and was taken into my custody. Identifying information will be released by me once I am confident family has been appropriately notified.

I appreciate the assistance of MSHP, BCSO, and Butler Fire this morning.

Greg Mullinax Bates County Coroner

Thank you to West Central Missouri Community Action Agency Head Start

Thank you to West Central Missouri Community Action Agency Head Start for the donation of two crates of children’s books for our BCMH and clinic waiting areas! We know this will be much appreciated by our patients and visitors.

Pictured are (from left) Troy Trumbore, BCMH Emergency Department Supervisor; Tiffany Frost (WCMCAA); Shirley Goss, Family Care Clinic Supervisor; Johanna Rice (WCMCAA).

#bcmhcares
#westcentralcares

Breaking News Update: One subject dead after plane crash in rural Butler

It is with a heavy heart that the Bates County Sheriffs Office can confirm that the plane crash in rural Bates County ended in one fatality. 

The subject is not being identified until the family has been notified and more information can be ascertained through a complete investigation. 

We ask that you pray for the family and not post any information that you may have until proper family notification can be made.

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

History Achieves: Bates County Courthouse

The officials at the time of the courthouse being built were:

Presiding Commissioner Samuel West
Associate Judge J.D. Wimsatt
Associate Judge John J March
Clerk S.T. Broaddus

The contractors for the courthouse which was built with Carthage Stone, were Bartlett and Kling of Galesburg, Illinois. The excavation began during July 1901; the cornerstone was laid on October 10, 1901 and the court accepted the completed building in July 1902. Theo Lacaff was chosen as the Superintendent of the construction project. According to records for material and labor the project cost $49,749.22.

D.A. Braden was the highest bidder on all of the electric light fixtures, sockets, etc for the amount of $335.03.

McKibben Merchants Company was the highest bidder for all curtains for 62 windows in the amount of $75.00.

Theo J Day was the highest bidder for the concrete sidewalks for the four courthouse entrances for .17 cents per cubic foot.

The courthouse used coal heat until recent years when a new heating system was put in. Back in 1902 David Reese won the bid on 2500 bushel of coal for 11 cents per bushel.

A.B. Cunningham was paid $14.00 to move all the books to the new courthouse. He was also paid $40.00 to move the safe, desks, etc.
Bruce Looney was paid $4.00 to cover the lintel over windows.

Back in 1902 Pierce Allen provided insurance for the courthouse at a rate of $.70 per hundred for $10,000 for fire insurance and $.50 per hundred for $10,000 for tornado insurance.

The benches in the courthouse lobbies are the original benches that were used in the Magistrate courtroom.

Some of the major changes in the courthouse would be the addition of bathrooms on the 2nd floor in 1983, new windows and doors in 1989, the new heating system in 1991 which the first year they still used steam heat and then 1992 went to hot water heat, new air conditioning in 1993, the restrooms in the basement were redone in 1994, a new roof in 1995-1996, new lowered ceilings in 1996, the new and much needed elevator was installed in 2001 that runs from the basement to the attic. The original tile floor was stripped and waxed in 2001 and the hardwood floors on the 3rd floor and all stairways were stripped and refinished in 2002 to bring them back to their original beauty.

The courthouse was placed on the Register of Historic Places on June 28, 2001. A lot of hard work and dedication went into this effort to make this accomplishment possible. - Courtesy of Marlene Wainscott