Obituary - Paul Scott Carr

Paul Carr, age 50, passed away at Golden Valley Memorial Hospital Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Memorial service will be held Tuesday, July 7th, 2020 at 2 PM at Vansant-Mills Chapel with visitation one hour prior. 

A private family burial will follow at a later date. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Paul Carr Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the funeral home. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com.

Paul Scott Carr was born August 21, 1969 in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Michael and Delores (Shriner) Carr. Paul graduated high school then went on to get his master's degree from UCM in Warrensburg, MO. He married Kimberly Kay Hesket on June 20, 1992 in Clinton, MO. Paul worked at Rival, as a substitute teacher, and a tutor. He was a published author and wrote plays.

Paul is preceded in death by his parents and wife Kimberly.

Paul is survived by his daughter, Cassidy Gene Carr, brother Michael (Julie) Carr of Windsor, MO, nephews, Michael (Diana) Carr, and Paul Carr, neice, Stephanie Jeanmarie Carr, great-neices, Dayleena Carr, Alya Carr and Adalyn Carr, and his dog Trixie.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home, Clinton.

Drexel R-IV School District COVID-19 update

July 6, 2020

The Drexel R-IV School District has been notified that a family member of an employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee has been sent home to quarantine and follow self-isolation practices. 

If the health department determines the need for contact tracing, the district will cooperate fully with these efforts. 

Please monitor for any symptoms and contact the county health department with any questions or concerns you may have.

Respectfully,
Terry Mayfield
Drexel R-IV Superintendent

St. Clair County Library Covid-19 Update

A St. Clair County Library staff member was potentially exposed to COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of staff and community members, all library facilities will remain closed until it is determined that the staff member is not positive for COVID-19. 

Thursday, July 9th is the tentative date for the library to reopen, following a negative result. Until then, be sure to use our digital materials through our website. All available holds will remain pending for pickup when we reopen and due dates for items will be extended.

Since resuming library services on May 4th, all library staff members have been implementing best practices for safety including wearing face masks, social distancing within the Library, installation of a clear barrier at the circulation desks, sanitizing areas after staff and public usage, and wearing gloves when handling returned materials. During the closure, we will continue to disinfect all library surfaces and quarantine returned materials for 72 hours.

Sincerely,
Angie Jones
Director
St. Clair County Library

BCMH Press Release: Recognizing board member Jim Shade for 15 Years of Service

On Tuesday, June 30, the board of directors of Bates County Memorial Hospital recognized Jim Shade for 15 years of service on the board. Jim was re-elected to the board on April 7, 2020, and currently serves as the board chairman.

When he was elected to the board in 2005, Jim started as a Vice Chairman, and has since served as Treasurer and Chairman. He sat on several committees, with a special interest in the Building, Utilization and Finance committee.

BCMH board members are elected officials, and have a significant responsibility for the operations and direction of the hospital.

About his role as a board member, Jim said, “I felt serving on the board of BCMH was an opportunity to help ensure that the residents of Bates County will have a hospital that provides quality health care, now and in the future. The hospital is one of the area’s largest employers, and its economic impact is significant. All this and more makes BCMH a cornerstone to the residents of Bates County.”

MSHP Reports Five Traffic Fatalities, Zero Boating Fatalities, & One Drowning Over July Fourth Holiday Counting Period

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the following 2020 July Fourth holiday statistics:

2020 July Fourth Holiday Traffic Statistics

Troopers worked 294 traffic crashes, which included 107 injuries and all five fatalities. Troopers also made 139 DWI arrests and 126 drug arrests over the holiday weekend.

2020 July Fourth Holiday Boating Statistics

Troopers worked nine boating crashes, which included four injuries and zero fatalities. Troopers made six BWI arrests and 25 drug arrests. There was one drowning over the holiday weekend.

The 2020 July Fourth holiday counting period began at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 2, and ended at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 5, 2020.

[During the 2019 counting period, 15 people were killed and 457 injured statewide in Missouri over the holiday in 1,109 traffic crashes. Troopers arrested 162 people for driving while intoxicated last year. Over the 2019 July Fourth holiday, there were nine boating crashes, which included four injuries and zero fatalities. Three people drowned during last year's holiday. Troopers made 13 boating while intoxicated arrests during the 2019 counting period.]

Traffic fatalities occurred in the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, MO, Troop C, Weldon Spring, MO, Troop E, Poplar Bluff, MO, and Troop F, Jefferson City, MO, areas. Troopers worked all five traffic fatalities.

There were no traffic or boating fatalities or drownings on Thursday, July 2, 2020, during the counting period.

One person drowned Friday, July 3, 2020. Gregory J. Muller, 62, of O’Fallon, MO, drowned when he was swimming off a sandbar and got caught in an eddy. Muller was not wearing a life jacket. The incident occurred at the 54-mile marker of the Missouri River in St. Charles County. St. Charles Ambulance District personnel pronounced Muller deceased at the scene.

One person died in a traffic crash on Friday, July 3, 2020. Samuel T. Jakubczak, 24, of Troy, MO, died when another driver failed to yield and the motorcycle he was operating struck the driver’s side of the vehicle. Jakubczak was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, which occurred on Missouri Highway J south of Pear Tree Road in Lincoln County. Lincoln County Coroner R. Parker pronounced Jakubczak deceased at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash; she sustained serious injuries.

Two people died on Saturday, July 4, 2020. A one-year-old male from Kansas City, MO, died after being struck by a vehicle. The child was in the roadway at the time of the crash. The crash occurred on Shawnee View Drive in Camden County, MO. Dr. W.T. Cooper pronounced the child deceased at Lake Regional Hospital. The driver of the vehicle was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. He was not injured.

Regino Puente, 63, of Dallas, TX, died when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving, and it ran off the left side of the roadway, and overturned. He was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. The crash occurred on Interstate 55 at the 33-mile marker in New Madrid County, MO. New Madrid County Coroner George DeLisle pronounced Puente deceased at the scene. There were two passengers in Puente’s vehicle. One passenger was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle, and sustained serious injuries. The other passenger was wearing a seat belt and sustained serious injuries.

Two people died in fatal traffic crashes on Sunday, July 5, 2020. Bryan H. Sanders, 53, of Odessa, MO, died when the motorcycle he was driving traveled off the roadway, struck a fence and several trees. Sanders was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The crash occurred on Missouri Route OO at NW 521st Road in Johnson County, MO. Dr. C. Hirsch pronounced Sanders deceased at Western Missouri Medical Center. A passenger on the motorcycle sustained moderate injuries. She was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

Information about the remaining fatality is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The crash occurred in Butler County, MO.

NOTE: The fatality statistics in this news release could change if late deaths occur, if other departments report fatalities after this news release was sent out, or if a fatality is determined to be caused by a medical condition rather than a traffic incident.

Obituary -Naomi Faye Palo

Naomi Faye Palo, 85, Harrisonville, MO, passed away Saturday, July 4, 2020 at Crown Care Center in Harrisonville. 

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville with visitation from 10:00-10:30 a.m.

(A complete obituary will be posted when information is available).

Feel the heat this week

It doesn't get anymore July than this. Seasonable heat and humidity, with off and on chances for thunderstorms later this week.

Vernon County Most Wanted Suspect Taken Into Custody After Citizens Help

An El Dorado Springs resident is in custody after being placed on the Vernon County’s Most Wanted List. According to Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher, Detectives located 21-year old Chad Ellison and were able to take him into custody Monday morning in the 600 block of W. Garfield Street in Nevada, MO. Mosher says, 

“Our Office started receiving some great tips on Ellison from the citizen’s after our Most Wanted List was posted on our Facebook page. It’s great to have the support and assistance from the public in order continue to make our Community a safer place”.

Ellison is being held in the Vernon County Jail on a warrant for Tampering With a Motor Vehicle-1st Degree with a $5,000 cash or surety bond after he failed to appear in Court.