Obituary - Naomi Ann (Graham) Legg

Naomi Ann Legg, 78, of Belton, Missouri formerly of Pleasant Hill, Missouri departed this life, Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at the St. Luke's East Hospital, Lee's Summit, Missouri.

Funeral services are pending under the care of Stanley-Dickey Funeral Home, Pleasant Hill, Missouri.

Service times and a complete obituary will be published here as that information becomes available.

Obituary - James Wesley Fanning

James Wesley Fanning, 57, Milo, MO passed away on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at his home in Milo. Wes was born June 6, 1963 in Nevada, MO to James W. and Norma D. (Cargill) Fanning. He married Susan Rodick on October 18, 2014 and she preceded him in death on May 12, 2017.

Wes was born and raised in Nevada and graduated from Nevada High School Class of 1981. In 1987 Wes joined the United States Navy and served three years on the USS Ranger Aircraft Carrier during the Gulf War. He farmed with his grandfather Jerry for 20 plus years, worked at Eagle Beverage for several years, and drove a truck for Johnson Baker Trucking for seven years.

Survivors include three children, Kelly McClure (Brian), Nevada, Lacy Williams, Springfield, MO, and Kadence Fanning, Branson, MO; six stepchildren, Brent, Delia Jo, Michael, Haylee, Thomas and Erin; three grandchildren, Tre, Kolby, and Kaden; three sisters, Toni Chadd, Milo, Sherry Pruitt, Nevada, and Natalie Foreman, Nevada; numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife, Susan, he was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial services with Military Honors will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Steve Russ officiating. Committal will be held at the National Cemetery in Ft. Scott, KS at a later date.

Contributions are suggested to the family c/o Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada.

Happy Retirement Mike

Mike Connor has retired from Belton Emergency Management Agency (BEMA) after 54 years of service. In 1966 when Mike Connor began serving, BEMA was known as Civil Defense.

Chief Person and Lt. John Baker, on behalf of the Belton Emergency Management Agency and the Belton Police Department, recognized Connor as a dedicated, seasoned volunteer with a retired Captain’s badge.

“I am proud to have served with the unit,” Mike Connor says. “Overall, serving has been a terrific experience.”

Clinton Firefighters Battle Structure Fire in High Wind Conditions...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Wednesday, March 10, 2021
For more information contact:
Matt Willings, Deputy Fire Chief
301 South Washington Street – Clinton, MO 64735
(660) 885-2560

Clinton Firefighters Battle Structure Fire in High Wind Conditions...
CLINTON, MO - Yesterday, March 9, 2021, at 5:38pm, the Clinton Fire Department was dispatched to 214 North 8th Street on a reported residential structure fire. Fire crews were already dispatched and working a grass fire in rural Henry County at the time the structure fire alarm was received. Fire Chief Mark Manuel and a crew of three personnel on standby at fire headquarters responded in two apparatus.

Prior to their arrival, Deputy Fire Chief Matt Willings arrived on scene, finding the garage portion of the home fully engulfed in fire with heavy smoke showing from the attic and rear portion of the home. A second alarm was issued requesting additional personnel to respond to the scene.

Fire crews immediately began fire suppression efforts and were met with extreme fire conditions. High winds fueled the fire, making fire suppression efforts very difficult. Dry conditions created a grass fire around the burning residence that threaten the neighboring homes. Limited personnel on scene created a very dangerous situation, however, firefighters were able to protect the neighboring structures and bring the fire under control in approximately 45 minutes.

The home was unoccupied and had been vacant for several years. An investigation into the cause of the fire concluded that the fire had started in the South East corner of the attached garage of the home. At the time of this press release, fire investigators determined that the fire was suspicious in nature with an open investigation ongoing. An exact cause of the fire could not be determined due to the extent damage to the garage area of the home.

Thirteen firefighters responded to the fire and were on scene for approximately five hours. Throughout the duration of the five hours on scene, firefighters were dispatched to three other incidents. No injuries were reported.

Every bit helps...

Last Wednesday, FCCLA at Butler High School teamed up with Bates County Memorial Hospital for a Blood Drive. Donations were done at the BCMH Education Center. Students were given the opportunity to donate from 10 to 12 with an appointment, and the general public donated from 12 to 5 with an appointment. The goal was 50 and 40 pints were collected which is 120 lives impacted or saved.

Butler student makes Scholars 100

Congratulations to Makenna A. Stephens (daughter of Brad and Cheryl Stephens) of Butler High School, who has received “Honorable Mention” for the 2021 Missouri Scholars 100, a statewide program that honors 100 of Missouri’s top academic students in the graduating class of 2021. 

Missouri Scholars 100 is a program sponsored by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals. Schools across Missouri were invited to nominate candidates for this statewide recognition. The selection is based primarily on a formula using the student’s grade point average and ACT or SAT score. Each student nominated had first to meet criteria of an “Academic Decathlon,” which included ten “events” designed to assure the academic strength of the student. The student must have a minimum GPA of 3.750, a minimum ACT score of 29 or a minimum SAT score of 1,600, be ranked in the upper ten percent of the class and have taken high-level courses in mathematics, science, English, and foreign language. The student must also have excellent attendance, be an exemplary school citizen, and be involved in the school activity program.

The Museum Minute: Unladylike behavior leads to arrest

Museum Minute presents:  This Week in History(According to Herrman’s Archives)

Mid-March Happenings in the Year…

1895 – Professor Litten, well known clairvoyant and trance medium, is at the Talmadge House in Rich Hill.  $1.00 charge.
1899 – Much damage is caused by a large twister that hits the Hume area.
1955 – After a series of workouts in Host Springs, Arkansas, Eddie Herrman of Butler, is assigned to the Host Springs Club in the Cotton States League and is to report tomorrow at the Kansas City Athletics training camp in Savannah, Georgie.  (Eddie Herrman of Herrman’s Archives)
1919 – J. F. Kern, originator of the Marias des Cygnes River drainage ditch project, says the new levee, 10 to 14 feet high and 8 miles long, will be completed this fall.
1885 – A 500 pound fire bell is now in place at Rich Hill, some say to wake up the waterworks engineer when there is a fire, so he can pump more water.
1917 – 18 Bates County rural school districts are paying their teachers $60 per month, with a few paying $70.
1918 – A. R. Fox, of Butler, enlists in the Aeronautics branch of the Signal Corps and will study at Cornell University for work at the wars front in France (World War I)
1895 – Three ladies of dubious character detrain at Rich Hill and proceed to do many unladylike things, leading to their arrest for drunkenness at the Merchants Hotel.
1929 – Because of the spring ‘thaw’, many large trucks are stuck on US 71 Hwy, between Butler and Harrisonville, because the gravel is giving way.
1895 – George Rowden and Henry Blum, both prominent Rich Hill citizens, are arrested by Marshal Hieronymous for engaging in a day long scrap over church matters.  Fined $6 each.
1874 – A runaway team & wagon careen around the outskirts of the butler Square.  At the rear of Wyatt & Powers store they knock over an outhouse, injuring an occupant, who was quoted as saying he thought he’d been in an earthquake.
1876 – A mass meeting is held in the courthouse, in Butler, to make arrangements for celebration of America’s Centennial, the Fourth of July, in Bates County.
1868 – Dr. Elliott Pyle can now be seen at his residence on the Northwest corner of the Square, Butler. (Pennell Inn Building)
1874 – J. W. Farley of Hudson City, witnesses a shootout at Monegaw Springs in St. Clair County where a deputy sheriff and John Younger are killed.  A detective is wounded, and James Younger escapes.

Butler Aquatic Center looking for lifeguards

The City of Butler is now accepting applications for persons interested in employment at the Butler Aquatic Center. Lifeguard candidates must be 15 years of age by June 1.

Candidates must be or be able to become Red Cross certified lifeguards. Pre-employment and post-employment random drug screening is required for the lifeguard position.

Applications should be submitted by 5 p.m. Monday March 29, to accommodate the City’s training schedule. For an application, call City Hall, 660-679-4182 or go to cityofbutlermo.com.