Way to go Sara!

Congratulations to Clinton Middle School counselor, Sara Vaughn who was recently recognized as the 2020 Central Missouri School Counselors Association (CMSCA) Counselor of the Year.

CMSCA is a professional organization that represents school counselors within the central region of Missouri.

Mrs. Vaughn has been an integral part of the Clinton School District for the past six school years. In 2019, she was named the district's Cardinal Rising Star recipient. This award recognizes Clinton School District educators who are making an impact on their students in their first five years in education.

Help us congratulate Mrs. Vaughn on this well-deserved honor.

#CardinalPride

Obituary - Nadine Baldwin

Frances Nadine Baldwin, 79, Nevada, MO passed away on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at Nevada Regional Medical Center. Nadine was born March 4, 1942 to Frank L. and Evelyn (Garrett) Shutters. She was united in marriage to Eugene Baldwin in Nevada, MO and he preceded her in death.

Following her marriage to Eugene the couple lived in the Nevada area. Nadine worked for Medicalodges for many years as a CNA. She enjoyed spending time with her family - especially her grandchildren, gardening, and crocheting.

Survivors include one son, Roy Baldwin (Shanna), Nevada; seven grandchildren, Susanna Holt, Christopher Lamb (Kalia), Kylee Baldwin, Samantha Bernard (Robert), Brandon Baldwin (Jordan), Megan Hallam (Shane), Dalton Baldwin (Makaylia); 15 great-grandchildren; one sister, Donnell Shutters, Georgia; and a brother, Ronnie Shutters, Schell City, MO.

Memorial services will be held at a later date.

Obituary - Joe Jadlot

On Tuesday, October 19, 2021, Stanlee “Joe” Jadlot, loving husband, father, and grandfather, went to be with his Lord surrounded by loved ones. Joe was born March 5, 1960 in Lawton, OK to Robert V. Jadlot, II, and Anna L. (Collins) Jadlot. On May 23, 1981 he married the love of his life, Vicki Ann Raynor in the Sheldon Baptist Church. They shared 40 years together and raised two daughters, LeeAnn and Cassie.

Joe attended Sheldon School. Following high school he joined the work force, working at various places throughout his life including White Grill, Sheldon Seed Company, City of Sheldon, Sheldon School, and Reaves Construction. Joe was instrumental in forming the Sheldon Volunteer Fire Department where he served as Fire Chief for a number of years as well as being a First Responder. His hobbies included fly fishing, bird hunting, dominos, and cards with special friends.

Joe, a gentle giant, was a kind soul with a funny sense of humor. He loved spending time with his family. His most cherished possessions were his wife and daughters, and the four grandsons, Wyatt, Eli, Grady, and Griffin, that his daughters blessed him with. One of Joe’s biggest enjoyments in life was teaching his grandkids the art of fly fishing. They spent years of weekends at Bennett Springs.

Survivors include his wife Vicki of the home; two daughters, LeeAnn Cox (Brian), Butler, MO, Cassie Boultinghouse (Shawn), El Dorado Springs, MO; four grandsons, Wyatt Cox, Eli Cox, Grady Crews, and Griffin Crews; mother, Ann Jadlot, Nevada; brothers, Earl Jadlot, Honduras, Robert Jadlot, III, Milo, MO, and Charles Jadlot, Nevada; sister, Vesta Cole, Nevada; nieces, nephews, extended family, and numerous special friends. He was preceded in death by his father; sister, Anna Duncan; nephew, Kelly Masters; and a brother-in-law, Gary Raynor.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 22, 2021 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada. The family will receive friends from 5-7:00 p.m. on Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Special thanks to Heartland Hospice for their excellent care of “Joe”.

Memorials are suggested to West Central Missouri Community Action Agency c/o Ferry Funeral Home.

Damaged Property in Osceola

On Monday, October 18, 2021, deputies responded to a call for service in regards to damaged property. Upon making contact with the victim, he stated that he believes that a car ran over the fence while entering the property, then ran the fence over again while exiting the property.

Deputies were able to locate multiple pieces of the car left on the property, some contained stickers and numbers that allowed the deputies to trace the car to a Saturn View.

The car is believed to be dark blue in color and possibly a 2008-2010 model. The victim stated that he believed that it would cost about $2,000.00 to rebuild the fence.

Intercepted letter with contraband mailed to Vernon County jail leads to arrest

Early Monday morning, Detectives with the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Nevada resident for attempting to send contraband into the county jail. According to officials at the Sheriff’s Office, Detention Officers investigated a suspicious package marked as “Legal Mail” to an inmate being held in the Vernon County Jail. Evidence inside the package led Detectives to a Nevada residence and a suspect was arrested.

Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher said the suspect sent the letter with a legal firm marked as the sender, but the letter contained only a letter from the spouse of the inmate and a substance in a bag that was determined to be contraband. Mosher said keeping contraband out of the jail is a constant battle and that his staff had just recently went through additional training on screening, detecting, and confiscating contraband when it is discovered. “People have tried mailing contraband to inmates, smuggling it in clothes, books, and even in one case a Bible,” said Mosher.

The suspect was identified as 39-year-old Heather Durossette of Nevada. Durossette was charged with Delivery of Item at a County Jail which Prisoner is Prohibited from Receiving. She was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court.

Obituary - Sammy Lee Meyer

Sammy Lee Meyer, affectionately known as "Snuffy", age 67, Mound City, Kansas passed away Tuesday, October 19, 2021. He was born on April 9, 1954 in Paola, Kansas the son of Richard Arnold and Marie June Lockhart Meyer. He was a graduate of Louisburg High School. Sammy was united in marriage to Brenda Carol Murrow on June 14, 1974. 

She preceded him in death on March 5, 2020. He worked in the sod and lumber business. Sammy was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He enjoyed playing the banjo, fishing eating ice cream, and chewing tobacco. He was also an avid rock climber.

He was also preceded in death by his parents and a brother, John. Sammy is survived by three sons, Calvin Meyer(Aggie), Jesse Meyer(Kate), and Mike Meyer(Joanna), two brothers, Paul and Larry Meyer, two sisters, Donna Cook and Carolyn Daulton, and six grandchildren, Lillian, Abbigail, Casey, Gabriel, Theryn, and Kyndal

Graveside funeral service will be held 11am Saturday, October 23, 2021 at the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Mound City, Kansas. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 pm Friday at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Mound City Chapel. Contributions are suggested to Care to Share, c/o Schneider funeral Home.

Oct. 22nd is Buckle Up Phone Down Day in Missouri

Join the movement to decrease roadway fatalities

JEFFERSON CITY – Gov. Mike Parson has proclaimed Oct. 22 as Buckle Up Phone Down Day in Missouri in an effort to encourage Missourians to take two simple actions to save lives on the state’s highways – fasten their seat belts and put their phones down while driving.

For the fifth straight year, the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, along with safety partners throughout the state, will mark Buckle Up Phone Down Day to encourage better driving behaviors.

Since the program began in 2017, the BUPD initiative has spread steadily across Missouri and into more than a dozen other states. More than 14,000 individuals and businesses have accepted the BUPD challenge, and several other states are actively sharing the messages along their highways.

“Keeping momentum behind this challenge will help us reinforce the two easiest and most effective ways to stay safe and save lives on our highways,” said Robert Brinkmann, chairman of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety Executive Committee. “I encourage everyone to take today as an opportunity to make these actions a part of your routine every day and challenge your loved ones to do the same.”

Missouri’s 2021 Seat Belt Usage Survey showed 88% of vehicle occupants use a seat belt, matching the highest rate the state has ever recorded. But the unbuckled 12% make up a majority of the state’s roadway fatalities, which spiked in 2020 despite a decrease in traffic volume. More than two-thirds of the drivers and passengers killed in traffic crashes last year were not wearing a seat belt.

“The simple act of buckling up has proven time and time again to be a person’s single greatest line of defense in a crash,” said MoDOT State Highway Safety and Traffic Engineer Nicole Hood. “It only takes a few seconds to make these two simple choices with life-saving results: Buckle up, and if you’re driving, put the phone down.”

Cellphone use continues to be one of the most concerning behaviors for all roadway users. In 2020, nearly 60% of the distracted driving fatalities in Missouri claimed the life of someone besides the distracted driver.

Missourians can accept the challenge to BUPD at modot.org/bupd and spread the word on social media using the hashtags #BUPD and #BUPDDay.

Obituary - Curt Wayne Hocker “Big Curt”

Curt Hocker, age 57 of Drexel, Missouri passed away on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. Cremation, with a visitation to be held Friday, October 22, 2021 from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Mullinax Funeral Home, Drexel Chapel (816-657-4400). Memorial services will follow at 6:00 pm Friday, also at the chapel. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.

Curt Wayne Hocker “Big Curt” was born on May 24, 1963 in Paola, Kansas, the son of Marvin Hocker and Sybil Zimmerlee Mills. He attended Drexel schools, and then went to work right away. Curt worked for Dover Sod Farm for many years. He also worked in construction building pole barns and homes, and performed custodial work for Blue Valley Schools. Curt was married to Betty Burrous for twenty-two years, and they raised four children together. He had many loves in his life, the first being his family, then came mushroom hunting and deer hunting, going fishing or basically any and everything outdoors. Big Curt will always be remembered as a jack of all trades and a master of none.

He was preceded in death by his father Marvin Hocker, and his brother-in-law Rick Jones.

Curt is survived by his mother Sybil Mills of Bronson, Florida, his children, Melissa Nichols of Adrian, Missouri, Elizabeth Smith of Adrian, Missouri, Kurtis Hocker “Lil Kurt” of Drexel, Missouri, and April Hocker of Florida, eight grandchildren Sidney Hocker, Sage Smith, Cameron Frazier, Mykanzie Cadet, Maddox Cummings, Elija Cadet, Carson Smith, and Leo Smith, sisters Pam Jones of Williston, Florida, Patsy Stewart (Mike) of Harrisonville, Missouri, Peggy Kidd (Ray) of Williston, Florida, and many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.