Make Safety A Top Priority For Memorial Day Weekend!

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, recognizes Memorial Day weekend is highly anticipated and reminds motorists the Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness Reduction Effort) during the long holiday weekend. This means every available trooper will be on the road enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists.

Over the 2020 Memorial Day holiday weekend, 10 people died and 444 were injured in 1,081 traffic crashes. Last year, troopers made 118 DWI arrests.

The Memorial Day weekend is also an unofficial start to the boating season. During the 2020 Memorial Day weekend, there were 11 boating crashes which included one fatality and seven injuries. One person drowned over last year’s holiday weekend. Troopers arrested 11 people for boating while intoxicated over the 2020 Memorial Day weekend.

This year's counting period for the holiday weekend begins at 6 p.m., Friday, May 28, and ends at 11:59 p.m., Monday, May 31, 2021. Troopers will focus their attention on seat belt use, use of child safety seats, impaired drivers, hazardous moving violations, and speed violations.

If your plans include driving or boating, choose to be courteous and obey all Missouri laws. Use a seat belt when you drive and wear a life jacket when you're on or near the water. Always pay attention, whether you're operating a vehicle or a vessel, and choose to be a sober driver on land and on the water. A safe, fun weekend starts with planning and good decisions.

Motorists or boaters in need of assistance or who want to report a crime should use the Highway Patrol's Emergency Assistance number 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.

For road condition reports, travelers can visit the Patrol's website at www.mshp.dps.mo.gov. Click on the Road Condition icon to view road construction areas as well as road conditions throughout the state or call 1-888-275-6636.

Motorists are encouraged to do their part to make Missouri’s roadways safer. Speed, inattention, and impaired driving are leading causes of traffic crashes. Please do your part. Obey all traffic laws and make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint.

Missouri provides a variety of opportunities for boating. Please be courteous to others on the water, wear a life jacket, and obey the law regarding safe operation of a vessel and no wake zones. Causing harm to another person or their property with an excessive boat wake may subject you to enforcement action or civil liability. Always treat other boaters and property owners as you want to be treated. Never operate a boat while you are impaired; never ride with an impaired operator.

Remember: Life jackets save lives. Wear It!!
Follow the Patrol on Twitter for the most current news @MSHPTrooperGHQ

Obituary - Linda Louise (Conway) Houk

Linda Louise Houk, 75, Bronaugh, MO passed away on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, MO. Linda was born January 4, 1946 in Wolf Lake, IL to Everett and Josephine (Helm) Conway. She was united in marriage to John A. Houk on June 11, 1966 in Joplin, MO and he preceded her in death on November 12, 2005.

Linda was raised in various places in Missouri including Pacific, Humansville, El Dorado Springs and graduated from Nevada High School in 1963. Following high school Linda went to Kansas City and worked at AT&T for a time. Upon her return to Nevada, she worked for Nevada Daily Mail, Nevada City Hospital, Bronaugh R-7 School, and was currently employed at 3M in Nevada where she had worked since 1981. Linda was involved in numerous organizations. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Bronaugh.

Survivors include two children, John A Houk, Jr., Bronaugh, MO, and Nathan C. Houk (Leslie), Ava, MO; one granddaughter, Sarah Houk, Kansas City, MO; one sister, Joanne Hoffman, Pacific, MO; five brothers, Gene Conway, Pacific, MO, Robert Conway, Olathe, KS, Richard Conway, Arnold, MO, Robert Conway (Pam), Columbia, MO, and Mike Conway (DeDe), Nevada, MO; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband John, she was preceded in death by her parents; step-father, Harry Angel; two sisters, three brothers; and one step-sister.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Ray Dean Scism officiating. Interment will follow in Newton Burial Park in Nevada. The family will receive friends from 5-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Memorial are suggested in her memory to Meal on Wheels c/o Ferry Funeral Home.

Harmony Mission Day coming next month: Some interesting history

PEOPLE CHOSEN FOR THE JOURNEY TO HARMONY MISSION AND THE STARTING OF THEIR TRAVELS

The U.F.M.S. begin taking applications for families to head to Missouri to build the mission for the Osage. The families had to consist of mechanics, machinists, farmers, physicians, preachers and teachers. The women would teach music, sewing and cooking skills.

The people selected assembled in New York on March 3, 1821 and had farewell services on March 5^th and 6^th. The first lap of the trip, for the missionaries to their new far western home, was to board the steamer, Atlanta. Then they left by wagon train to Pittsburg, PA which took them 23 days. They were grateful when they got to Pittsburg because of the delays they had from sickness and failure of wagons and horses. At Pittsburg they loaded two keel boats with supplies they received on their way to Pittsburg. They were headed down the Ohio River, and up the Mississippi, Missouri and Osage rivers to their destination in the Osage Country.

The week of April 7^th was spent fitting and loading the boats. They were fortunate to hire the same chief pilot who had taken the Union family to Arkansas Territory the year before. The steersman for the second boat agreed to go with them not for wages, but because of his own belief in their cause. They were paid 50 cents a day, only if they engaged for the whole journey. Each stop they made the people were very supportive of their mission and gave them money, food and supplies for their journey.

Parts of this story were taken from the book “The First Protestant Osage Missions 1820-1837” by William W. Graves and the “Papinville History” book composed by Beverly Sullins and Phyllis Stewart. The next story will be on the journey down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers ending up in St Louis, Missouri. We hope you are enjoying the stories and will join us for “Harmony Days” at the Papinville Museum on June 12^th. To make reservations for the wagon ride to Harmony Mission call 417-395-2594 or 417-395- 4288. If there is no answer, please leave a message with your name and number and we will get back with you. Times for the wagon rides are 10:00, 1:00 and 3:00.

Submitted by PHYLLIS STEWART (Activity Director)

Osage Valley Electric Crews working on power outage

Osage Valley Electric Crews are currently working on an outage affecting members in the areas between Tightwad and Long Shoals Marina.

They will make repairs and restore power as quickly as possible.

J's Southland Tow is looking for a full-time dispatcher

Busy time has hit! J's Southland Tow is looking for a full-time dispatcher. Answering phones, call taking, radio, etc. Pay depends on experience. Day shift!

Please contact Ali with a resume @ ali.southlandtow@gmail.com and/or go online to our website and apply! southlandtow.com

Recognize this truck?

Information Needed: Is this your truck or do you know who this may be?

This person may be a witness or have information to the vandalism of the Henry County Industries truck. The vandalism took place between May 7th & May 10th.

For those that do not know, we are a non-profit business that provides a service our community & other surrounding communities. These trucks are our livelihood.

Any help will be greatly appreciated! Contact the Henry County Sheriffs Office or Henry County Industries.

Benefit Car Show in Butler for Alissa Mercer

Obituary - Debra (Debbie) Lynn Liggatt

After an almost five year, courageous struggle with the effects of brain cancer, Debra (Debbie) Lynn Liggatt, age 63, of Raymore, Missouri, passed away peacefully at home in the care of her husband surrounded by her loving family on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.

A celebration of Debbie’s life will be held with a visitation from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at Cullen Funeral Home, 612 W. Foxwood Dr. Raymore, Missouri 64083.

Debbie was born in Jamesport, Missouri on November 6, 1957 to Larry Harlow and Wanda (Dick) Johnson. Debbie’s parents relocated to Kansas City, Missouri that same year. Debbie attended preschool at KC’s Brookside Day School, Burke Elementary and Baptiste Junior High in the Hickman Mills district. Before graduating from Ruskin High School in 1975, Deb met Mark Liggatt and they fell in love.

Early in 1977 Debbie and Mark eloped in Las Vegas, Nevada, returning to their new home to build a life together in the same area where they first met. Later that year they welcomed their first child Keanon Scott. The couple’s second child, Callie Lauren, was born in 1982. The young family moved to Raymore, Missouri in 1986, where Debbie and Mark would reside for the remainder of her life.

Professionally, Debbie built and enjoyed a multi-decade career in medical practice management. After gaining extensive experience and knowledge in medical business administration, she joined the office of a notable ear, nose and throat surgeon as he opened his own practice. Many years later Debbie became the Practice Manager for Mid-America Rheumatology Consultants and was instrumental in the expansion and financial success of the practice, growing it into one of the largest and most successful arthritis treatment practices in the Midwest. Her expertise, especially in development and implementation of electronic medical records, garnered her a national reputation and accolades in the field. Debbie was energetically involved in and supported the efforts of the local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. She became a member of the National Organization of Rheumatology Managers (NORM) and was a finalist for an election to its leadership board in 2016. She traveled the country as a guest speaker at industry conferences, an activity in which she thrived and excelled. Debbie was diagnosed with grade-three anaplastic astrocytoma in 2017. Thereafter, her role became that of steadfast cancer patient: enduring surgeries and multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, all the while maintaining her role as wife, mother, and “Mimi” to her three granddaughters.

Debbie was preceded in death by her father, Larry Harlow; grandmothers Marjorie Harlow and Mary Dick; grandfathers Virgil Harlow and Ed Dick; mother-in-law Elizabeth Liggatt; and her beloved Boston Terrier, Stella.

Debbie is survived by her loving husband of over forty-four years, Mark Liggatt; mother, Wanda Johnson and stepfather, Bob Johnson; sisters DeAnna Byler and Dana Harlow; son Keanon Liggatt and daughter-in-law Sarah Snow; daughter Callie (Liggatt) Cullen and son-in-law Seth Cullen; and granddaughters Chloe and Claire Cullen and Matilda Liggatt; Axel the Great Dane and Boston Terriers Isaac and Lola.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given in memory of Debbie to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care, 1500 Meadow Lake Pkwy #200, Kansas City, Missouri 64114.

The family wishes to extend undying gratitude to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care for their incredible kindness and commitment to Debbie’s comfort at the end of her life.