Henry County Health Center confirms 10 new positive cases of COVID-19

The Henry County Health Center (HCHC) has received confirmation there are 10 new positive cases of COVID-19.

--Clinton-10
--Windsor-
--Deepwater-0
--Montrose-0
--Urich-
--Blairstown-0
--Calhoun-0
--Creighton-0
--Chilhowee (Henry County)-0
--Leeton-0

This brings the total number of confirmed positive cases in Henry County to 2,857.

All contact tracing has commenced and all parties that have had close contact are being notified. HCHC continues to encourage residents to practice social distancing, washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or more, and to remain home if you are sick.

The CDC continues to recommend that individuals to wear a face covering when you are in public, and are unable to social distance, to assist in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Missouri fall foliage color show begins soon

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri’s hills might not be alive with the sound of music, but they soon will transition into a kaleidoscope of color. The foliage of trees, shrubs and vines is about to burst into its full glory.

Colors usually peak around the third weekend of October, but Mother Nature is a woman of mystery. “It’s always questionable until the last minute what will happen,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. “Fall color is like Christmas morning. You don’t know if you are going to get an orange or a lump of coal in your stocking.”

Some years are better than others, but about once a decade colors really pop, and 2021 might be one of those years, Trinklein said.

Missouri’s size and diverse landscape make it possible to follow the color from one part of the state to the other. Color changes begin in northern Missouri and move south. Leaves of different deciduous woody plant species turn colors at different times. As a result, fall color in most parts of Missouri lasts from four to six weeks.

Sugar maples are the heavy hitters of fall foliage color. They burst with yellows, golds and reds along limestone bluffs bordering the Missouri River. Other species, such as hickories, yellow poplar and persimmon, light up the landscape with their lush yellows and golds. Not to be left out of the show, oaks add rustic reddish-browns for contrast.

Of course, the changing of leaves is not just for show. Leaf shedding is part of the dormancy process that helps trees survive winter, Trinklein said.

During the spring and summer, leaves make food for the trees. Chlorophyll absorbs sunlight to transform carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates such as sugars and starches through photosynthesis.

The shorter days of late summer trigger the dormancy process. A layer of cells called an “abscission layer” forms at the point where the leaf stem attaches to a branch or twig. Sugars, still manufactured by the leaf but blocked from leaving, turn into colorful pigments known as anthocyanins, which usually are red or purple.

In addition, chlorophyll starts to break down. That is when yellow and gold pigments called carotenoids get to shine. These pigments are present throughout the growing season but are masked by chlorophyll’s dark green color.

Leaf color intensity depends on temperature, light and the availability of water throughout the year. Color-watchers favor a steady supply of mild, sunny days and cool but not freezing nights for the best chance of fall brilliance. Leaves also need some moisture for colors to intensify.

Contrary to common belief, frost is not necessary for trees to begin their color show, Trinklein said. Early frosts may even tarnish leaf color.

What will this fall bring? The mystery is about to unfold as Mother Nature dances across Missouri with her paintbrush. “Whatever the outcome, fall leaf colors are a treat we are privileged to witness only once each year,” Trinklein said. “Therefore, take time to enjoy them.”

Visit the Missouri Department of Conservation’s regional fall colors reports at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/fall-color.

Obituary - Betty Jane Smith

Betty Jane Smith, age 86, of Raymore, Missouri, passed away on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 surrounded by her loving daughter.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at the Ball Church of Christ in Dora, Missouri, with burial in the Ball Cemetery.

Betty was born in Dora, Missouri on March 6, 1935 to Clifford Russell and Dorothy (Howard) Russell. She graduated from Bakersfield High School. In the summer of 1952 she was joined in marriage with her late husband, Henry on June 7th. Their union was blessed with two children, Bruce and Sheila. Betty was employed at Western Electric/AT&T for over 25 years. She was very involved with the Telephone Pioneers, in which she was in charge of fundraising for the group, for over 20 years. Betty managed and bought for the company store in the Lee’s Summit facility, as well as many other events throughout the years, raising money for the Pioneers to help the local under served community.

In life Betty and Henry enjoyed traveling. Having been to all 50 states, they ventured out into the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe. After retirement they bought an RV, traveling in that for part of the year and eventually they found a place in Florida to buy and settle down in the winter months, giving up life on the road. She especially enjoyed their winters in Florida and attending music venues as Henry was an avid guitar player.

Betty was preceded in life by her loving husband of over sixty-four years, Henry J. Smith; her twelve year old son, Bruce Wayne Smith; and parents, Clifford and Dorothy Russell.

She is survived by her loving daughter, Sheila Smith; brother C. Eldon Russell; and one niece, Brenda Frealy.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association, 3846 W. 75th Street #4126, Prairie Village, Kansas 66208.

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278

Adrian Lions Club Appreciation Day!

Obituary - Helen Faye Mielke

Helen Faye Mielke, age 63, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Thursday, September 30, 2021, at the Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. She was born June 2, 1958, in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina, the daughter of Chester Eugene Crim and Judy Bass Crim. Faye married Michael E. Mielke on August 8, 2009, in Ft. Scott. 

Faye had worked in customer service at both Digital Lighthouse and Cigna. She enjoyed gardening, tending her flowers, going to rummage sales and auctions and playing cards. She was a member of the Lighthouse Tabernacle in Pittsburg, Kansas and had recently been attending Open Door Mission Church in Arcadia, Kansas.

Survivors include her husband, Mike, of the home, two sons, Steven Bailey (Kaytie), of Ft. Scott and Jerry Bailey (April), of Branson, Missouri and two daughters, Suzie Haffer, Orange Beach, Alabama and Hillary Henson, of Osawatomie, Kansas; a step-daughter, Deserie Salazar of Chicago, Illinois several grandchildren and a great-grandson. Also surviving are her step-mother, Mary Crim of Holden, Missouri, a brother, Kelly Crim of Holden, Missouri, two sisters, Gail Crim, Olathe, Kansas and Linda Sieg, of Leavenworth, Kansas and a step-sister, Debbie Wiely and a step-brother, Louis Wiely both of Leavenworth. She was preceded in death by her father.

There was cremation. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 A.M. Monday, October 11th at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Faye Mielke Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Public Service Announcement from the Butler License Office

Motor Vehicle and Drivers License systems just went down state wide. We are unaware how long this will be down. 

Please call or check back on the page for updates. So sorry for any inconvenience.

(660) 679-0061

Attention City of Rockville Residents

NOTICE:
The City of Rockville water tower will be turned off due to water repairs on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

The Streets will be Bates & 2nd & Lakeview & 2nd. A Water Boil Advisory will be in place from Tuesday, October 5, 2021, beginning at 12:00 p.m. Thru Friday, October 8, 2021, Ending at 12:00 p.m. 

Thank You, The City of Rockville

BCMH Board Member Spotlight: Jerry Jones

Bates County Memorial Hospital’s board member spotlight features Jerry Jones, who was first elected for his position in 1986, and has served on the board a total of 32 years.

Jerry, who grew up in Bates County and graduated from Butler High School in 1967, believes his hometown hospital is an underrated asset to the community.

“The service we provide to our community is not always recognized," he said. “Our stability in the past benefits us now, and hopefully will continue to in the future. We have good health care providers, which includes everyone here – doctors, nurses, housekeeping, dietary – not just one group, but the entire staff.”

Jerry’s career started with BCMH, cutting grass for the hospital at age 15. He was an orderly for the hospital in 1969 while taking classes in Ft. Scott, then at a nursing school in Nevada, where he earned his LPN in 1974.

In 1973, BCMH was approved by the State Division of Health to provide ambulance service to Bates County, and Jerry was among the first to obtain his EMT license. At the inception of the ambulance program, an employee from every department at the hospital obtained an EMT license to assist with the new ambulance service. Eventually, a dedicated ambulance department was formed, and Jerry served as its first director. To help build the program, he coordinated and taught EMT classes for a number of years in partnership with the University of Missouri. Paramedic services were added around 1978.

Jerry’s career path took him away from BCMH in 1984, but he remained closely connected to the hospital and community through his service with the board of directors. His background in health care, and later in information technology with Truman Medical Center and Cerner, has proved to be valuable in his position. Still, he says, a hospital board member’s role requires ongoing training to stay current with regulations and other changes in the health care industry, which at times evolve rapidly.

Together with his fellow board members, Jones was among the founding members of the Bates County Community Health Foundation, formed in 1998. In 2004, he received the Excellence in Governance Award from the [Missouri Hospital Association].

“My interest has been for this hospital, for this community,” Jerry said. “I have seen the value that we have here. I hope we can continue to have it in the future.”

Jerry and his wife Sharon reside in Butler, and they enjoy spending time with their two grandsons. Their son, Jeremy Jones, is a physical therapist for Rehabilitation Services at Bates County Memorial Hospital.

The hospital medical staff, employees and volunteers thank Jerry Jones for his service.

 

About BCMH Board Members: As elected officials, BCMH board members serve five-year terms on a volunteer basis, and oversee such matters as making strategic decisions for the hospital, hiring and monitoring an effective CEO, ensuring the hospital is providing quality care, overseeing the hospital's financial well-being, staying educated in healthcare industry news and best practices, and being a representative of the hospital in the community. They delegate the responsibilities for the hospital’s day-to-day operations and decision making to the chief executive officer and the hospital’s management team.