Mid America Live

Friday, April 2, 2021

Drexel Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Just a reminder! This wonderful tradition has been going since around 1968, so I was told. It has only been missed once which was last year due to Covid. So help us in supporting this tradition and keep it going for many years to come. Thanks for your support.

Bates County Route M/Osage River Bridge CLOSED Beginning Week of April 5th for Rehab Project

Bates County – Drivers should look for alternate routes when Bates County Route M at the Osage River bridge north of Schell City CLOSES the week of April 5, the Missouri Department of Transportation said.

Contractor crews will remove the bridge deck/driving surface and replace it with a new surface.

The bridge will remain closed for up to 112 days to complete the work.

The current structure was built in 1979 and is experiencing increasing deterioration. Approximately 238 vehicles cross the bridge daily.

As part of this project, a culvert located approximately one-half mile north of this bridge also will be replaced.

Traffic impacts:

All lanes of Route M will be CLOSED beginning the week of April 5 for the duration of the project
Drivers will have access to entrances on either end of the bridge, but will not be able to drive through the work zone
No detour will be signed, drivers are urged to find alternate routes around the project
Signs and message boards will alert drivers to the bridge closing

Weather and/or scheduling conflicts could alter the work schedule.

This contract also includes replacing the bridge deck/driving surface on Bates County Route B bridges over Camp Branch and Panther Creek. The work on these bridges will begin upon completion of the Route M bridge and culvert projects.

Project information:

Prime contractor – Lehman Construction LLC, California
Total project cost: $3.3 million
Contract completion date: December 1, 2021

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Harrisonville Police Department seeking public assistance

Harrisonville Police needs your helping making sure this young lady is safe. We are trying to find Swan Ware, a 17 year old white female from Harrisonville. Swan was last seen on 3/27/21 in the 1100 block of Garden Drive in Harrisonville.

Swan has friends and family in Belton, MO and Raymore, MO. She has blonde hair and blue eyes. We are unsure what she was last seen wearing.

If you have information in Swan's location contact the Harrisonville Police Department at 816-380-8940.

Join us in congratulating Greg Weaver

Join us in congratulating Greg Weaver, who was recently named Chief Executive Officer by the BCMH board of directors. Mr. Weaver has been serving as interim CEO since September 1, 2020.

Before joining Bates County Memorial Hospital as Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Weaver was practice administrator and COO for Coteau Des Prairies Hospital in Sisseton, South Dakota.

He also served as interim CEO of Coteau des Prairies Hospital. With over 30 years of hospital experience - 13 years at the executive level - Mr. Weaver is highly qualified to serve the employees and patients of Bates County Memorial Hospital.

About his appointment as CEO and his vision for the hospital, Mr. Weaver stated, “Healthcare is very challenging with many changes, Medicaid expansion, COVID-19, and trying to keep healthcare close to home. BCMH is dedicated to keeping as many services as possible right here in Bates County to support our residents.”

Mr. Weaver also serves the community as president of the Butler Chamber of Commerce. He lives in Butler with his wife, Barbara, who also serves the hospital as an Auxiliary volunteer.

Obituary - Horace Richard Holland

Horace Richard Holland, age 78 of Belton, Missouri passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on March 31, 2021. He was born May 6,1942 in Brookville Indiana, to the late Roy and Grace (Broglin) Holland. He preceded in death his wife, Irene Holland December 9, 2020. They were married for 53 years on August 5, 1967 in Rushville, Indiana.

Richard enjoyed his morning breakfast with his friends at a local restaurant. He did not know a stranger, he enjoyed laughter and conversations. Richard worked for Missouri Public Service (KCP&L) as the linemen for 26 years then happily retired. Among Richard's many accomplishments he took the time to enjoy traveling to 45 states. He loved roller blade hockey with his son and grandchildren, he collected knives and guns, with weekly trips to shooting range. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Surviving are his daughter Shelley Graves of Belton, Missouri and son Richard (Tera) Holland of Overland Park, Kansas, brothers: Thomas Holland of Glenwood, Indiana, Otis Holland of Gainesville, Florida, along with his grandchildren Taylor (Ethan) Fulghum, Seth Smith, Morgan Graves, Parker Graves, and one great-grandchild, Luke Fulghum.

Richard is also preceded in death by his sisters, Alice Holland, Vivian May, Loretta Holland; brothers: Lemuel Holland, Kenneth Holland, Curtis Holland and Vernon Holland.

Due to family request a family viewing only will be held on Friday, April 2, 2021 at 11:00 am at Cullen Funeral Home in Raymore, Missouri (612 W Foxwood Dr, Raymore, MO 64083) followed by cremation. With any thoughtful considerations please send to the address of the funeral home.

The family of Horace Richard Holland wishes to acknowledge with deep appreciation the many expressions of love and kindness shown to them during this time of bereavement.

Proverbs 31:31 Honor he for all that his hands have done.

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278

News from the Bates County Memorial Hospital

Tiffany Vernon, RN, gives Judy Cole her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 at today's vaccine clinic. A total of 2,360 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered into the arms of Missouri residents since January at Bates County Memorial Hospital. That’s 1,418 first dose shots delivered, and 942 second doses. An additional 450 are scheduled for a second dose in April.

Call the BCMH Vaccine Hotline (660-200-7046) if you would like to sign up for the BCMH vaccine contact list. By April 9, every Missouri adult will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. If you sign up for our contact list and receive the vaccine somewhere else, please call the hotline to let our staff know.