Arrests made in fire at Liberal School in Barton County

On 09-22-2019 the Barton County 911 Center received several calls at approximately 10:16pm of a possible fire at the Liberal School. Numerous emergency agencies responded to the scene to discover the old High School and gymnasium was fully engulfed.

During the fire mutual aid was requested and fire agencies from Lamar, Nevada, and Pittsburg Fire Departments responded to assist the Liberal Fire Department in putting the fire out.

Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office and the Liberal Police Chief responded to the scene and started investigating and interviewing people. The State Fire Marshall also responded from Springfield to assist in the investigation.

During the investigation leads obtained led deputies to a residence on Hill Street in Liberal. With the assistance of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office the home was surrounded and two subjects were called out from the home. A third subject was later located inside the home after an hour long standoff and was arrested on unrelated criminal charges.

The two subjects detained from the residence on Hill Street was questioned and then later released from the Barton County Sheriff’s Office.

After interviews were conducted further leads led to a subject that resided on Yale Street in Liberal. That subject a 27 year of age male was brought to the Sheriff’s Office for questioning. During the questioning enough information was obtained to send a probable cause statement to the Barton County Prosecutor on the criminal charges of Burglary and Arson. At approximately 2:00 p.m. that subject was arrested and placed on a 24 hour hold for investigation.

At approximately 3:12 p.m. Law Enforcement from the Fire Marshall Office and the Barton County Sheriff’s Office went to a residence on College Street and took a 24 year of age male into custody also for the criminal charges of Arson and Burglary.

The names of the two subjects are not being released at this time awaiting formal filing of criminal charges.

Ohio Street Methodist Church Chicken BBQ in Butler

Tickets still available! Best chicken of the year!!

Looking for a job?

Thursday Sept. 26th from 9-11:30 and 1:30-3:30 Open Interviews will be offered. Please come ready with an updated resume.

Animal abuse and neglect in Benton County

On 09/12/19, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Missouri Humane Society Animal Cruelty Task Force about a possible case of animal abuse/neglect within our county. The Task Force stated they were contacted by the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office in Texas where Steven C. Woodington, 55, of South Padre Island, TX, and another unidentified male were arrested for animal cruelty.

Steven and his wife Tiffany L. Woodington, 49, of Cole Camp have been operating a not-for-profit animal rescue called “All Accounted For” in Benton County. Steven Woodington was housing 278 dogs in unfit and severely inhumane conditions in Texas and transporting animals to the Cole Camp location. Authorities estimated that over half of the animals would not survive due to health conditions where euthanasia would be required. The survivors were rescued and treated by a veterinarian to insure the animals would be healthy enough for adoption.
Law enforcement, sided by Animal Task Force Officers, arrived at the address of concern where contact was made with Tiffany Woodington. 

Tiffany was cooperative and led authorities to an old school bus, a barn and a house where 38 dogs and one cat were discovered alive but in unimaginable condition. It was discovered that approximately 120 dogs and one cat had perished. 

The animals were in various stages of decay, some were just bones.

The Missouri Humane Society Task Force removed the living animals for treatment and returned the following day to collect the remains of the deceased animals for further forensic examination. The Prosecuting attorney charged Tiffany Woodington with 10 Class “E” Felonies and 2 Class “A” misdemeanors resulting in a $100,000 cash or surety bond.

It saddens me that law enforcement is limited with charging offenders because of a lack of good Statute. We can only charge on Statutes 578.009 Animal Neglect and Statute 578.012 Animal Abuse. No matter how egregious the crime is, suspects can only be charged with a Class "E" Felony and prosecution has to prove the "willful" or "intentional" element to even get that! I fully intent to reach out to lawmakers and pursue better law to give our furry friends better justice in Missouri!

My eternal gratitude goes out to the hard working men and women of the Missouri Humane Society who spend countless grueling hours protecting and defending animals. We call upon this amazing group way more than I'd like to see here in our county.

*** Please direct your inquiries to the Missouri Humane Society at (314) 647-4400. They are swamped and short handed so please try to be patient while searching for your furry family.***

Best wishes Brooks

This is Jennifer and I have an announcement to make regarding the future of the House of Hound.

I'm saddened to say that Allen will be leaving us in 2 weeks, but it's truly for the best.

It's finally time for Allen to take care of Allen. He's the kind of guy who will make sure EVERYONE else is taken care of, while putting his needs on the back burner.

I'm so glad he trusts me enough to let me run this amazing organization. While there will be a lot of changes happening, know I will be pushing the rescue forward in hopes of making Allen proud. The sky is the limit and this is all possible because of the sacrifice he has made for the love of dogs.

I'm unsure how many of you have worked in an animal shelter environment, but you should know this is hard work. It's taxing to your heart, mind, body and soul.

Please help me send Allen off with the best 2 weeks he coukd ever have at the House of Hound.

THANK YOU ALLEN!!!
We love and respect you.
We will make you proud!
Go take care of you!

Obituary - Rodney C. Purkey

Rodney Curtis Purkey of Harrisonville, MO was born March 2, 1951 in Harrisonville, MO. the son of Dale Purkey and Wilma Mickleberry Purkey. He departed this life on Friday, Sep 20, 2019 at Hospice House in Kansas City, MO. at the age of 68.

Rodney left behind Judy his wife for 26 blissful years, a sister Shiela of Warsaw, a sister Sherri of California and a brother Richard of St. Joseph, MO., 3 stepsons, Bryan Doll of Garden City, MO, Randy Boulton of Memphis, TN, and Kevin Boulton of Douglasville, GA. 10 step grand children.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his stepfather Robert Wade, 1 brother James "Jamie" Purkey , and one son Johnny.

Rodney was an Army Vietnam Veteran.

Rodney enjoyed hunting all of his life and in the last several years he enjoyed going to South Dakota Pheasant hunting.

Rodney retired from Lake City Army Ammunition in 2005 and enjoyed helping the neighbors and being a handyman for the neighborhood.

Cremation. No services scheduled at this time.

Family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas City Hospice House.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dickey Funeral Home, Harrisonville, Missouri.

October Bates County Cattlemen's Annual Dinner in Adrian

Police chase with stolen vehicle ends in Bates County

On September 22, 2019 Deputies were notified of a pursuit coming into Bates County from Linn County, Kansas. Dispatch advised the Deputies that the vehicle being pursued was a white 2019 Ford F150 that was stolen from KCI airport. The pursuit headed north on County Road 10001 towards 18 highway where a Deputy deployed stop sticks hitting all four tires on the stolen vehicle. 

Shortly after the stop sticks were deployed the vehicle went through a fence and out into a field on the south side of 18 highway. Two subjects then fled from the vehicle.

After a short search the K9 unit was able to take the male subject, identified as Bryan Bailes (DOB 1/27/1977) into custody. Another K9 unit was able to take the other female subject into custody. The female was identified as Mary Freeman-Appleton (DOB 1/22/1988).

Bailes was transported to the ER for medical treatment before he was turned over to the Jail.

Both subjects had warrants out of Wyandotte County, KS for burglary and theft. They currently remain in the Bates County Jail awaiting extradition hearings.