Deepwater man arrested after striking horse and rider in rural Henry County

On November 14th around 1:55 p.m. the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Henry County along with Henry County Sheriff's Deputies responded to accident involving a horse and rider on a private property farm field around the area of Z Highway just east of Route U in Henry County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the incident occurred when the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado driven by 67 year old Dean W. Rufenacht of Deepwater, Missouri was travelling erratically in a farm field, Mr. Rufenacht made a sharp left turn into the path of a horse and rider and striking them before coming to rest. 

The rider of the horse 25 year old Kolby L. Walter of Osceola, Missouri sustained minor injuries and he refused medical treatment at the scene.

Dean W. Rufenacht was arrested and charged with 1.) Felony 1st Degree Assault 2.) Felony unlawful use of a fire arm. He was booked into the Henry County Jail in Clinton and is currently being held on a 24 hour investigation hold. 

Disclaimer: Arrest records are public information. Any indication of an arrest does not mean the individual identified has been convicted of a crime. All persons arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

View arrest report below:

https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP71/ArrestDetailsAction?TW01REPORTNUMBER=I430780A

View crash report below:

https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=210592825

Water main leak in Archie

The Archie City Water Department will be working to repair a water main leak this morning. 

The southwest area of town inside city limits, and the area between city limits and Sliffe Road, south of A Highway, will be without water during this repair. 

The repair will begin at 10:00am, and will take approximately 4-8 hours, depending on the severity of the leak.

St.Mary's School Fall Fiesta Taco Dinner

St. Mary's School, Montrose, MO would like to invite everyone to our annual Fall Fiesta Taco Dinner on Saturday, December 4th from 5:00-9:00 pm in St. Mary's basement.  The dinner is free will donation and includes tacos and the fixings, a dessert, and a drink.  

We will also have games/crafts, a silent auction (bidding will close at 8pm), and basket and 50-50 raffles (drawings will be held December 13).  We appreciate your continued support of St.Mary's School.

Local Football Round-Up By Cameron Hook 11/15

By Cameron Hook 

It is a new week. A week in which there are now new 11-man district champions across the state of Missouri. This, of course, means the end of the season for just as many teams. On top of that, 8-man district championships have been set in stone. So to avoid burying the lede, let’s get right into the result everyone has been waiting to find out about.

The Butler Bears took the field Friday night in the Class 2 District 5 championship game. They lined up opposite the Lafayette County Huskers of Higginsville. This was a matchup between two teams that tend to put sizable numbers in the stat line and more than a few points on the scoreboard. Despite this, it was Lafayette County’s distinguishably dominant defense that was the biggest takeaway from the night. Butler tried their hardest to try and find some life on offense but it was to no avail. The Bears were kept scoreless in a game that ended 48-0 in favor of the Huskers. 

Notwithstanding the result of the championship, Butler’s season is one still deserving of praise. Coach Webb and company have done an incredible job putting together an already impressive résumé. The Bears have gone undefeated in the regular season in back to back years. To complement those undefeated seasons have been back to back trips to the district championship, even picking up the win in last year’s. To say that the program is being turned around is an understatement. Coach Webb is building a winning culture at Butler, and for all you Bears fans out there, let’s hope that it can last.

Following I-49 (or 71 depending on who you ask) north from Butler will lead directly to Archie. From Appleton City, follow MO-52 west, then like before, head north on I-49. This is the route the Bulldogs took to get to their Friday evening showdown against the Whirlwinds. Not long after, their season had come to an end then they were back on the road. The Whirlwinds showed again why they are the no. 2 seed, earning a win with a final score of 65-18. Archie took advantage of an Appleton City defense that has given up an average of 47.7 points per game this year. Combine that with a Whirlwinds team loaded with immense offensive firepower, and you get the recipe to Archie’s ticket to the district championship. 

This Friday will be Archie’s second consecutive trip to the district championship, and while they may have come up short last year, they will get the second chance they have been fighting for all year. They have finally earned their shot at redemption, but with one particular team winning last week, perhaps it is no longer about redemption for the Whirlwinds but revenge instead. 

Now the question arises, what team winning could affect how Archie views the championship? The answer is clear if one can recall last year's district championship. Drexel ended Archie's season last year and is looking to do it again. Whirlwinds fans everywhere are hoping for a different result, but it will be no simple task. The Bobcats are coming off a win Friday evening against Jasper. Drexel might not have scored as many points as usual, but they still won by forty. The final score was 54-14. With that game out of the way, the Bobcats will look to continue their already dominant season. The main point to key in on for this game is that these two teams met earlier in the season. While Drexel may have won in a blowout that game, Archie is not the same

team that they were then. The Whirlwinds should be a substantial test for the Bobcats. Archie has improved as a team as the season has progressed. With that said, Archie will also have prior experience to build upon, and the coaches will have a game plan to reflect this. This will be an 8-man, gridiron chess match between Coach Dean and Coach Smith with the title of District Champions hanging in the balance.

With all that said, it should be pretty easy to guess the Sports Round Up Game of the Week. With a storyline that sounds reminiscent of a Friday Night Lights season finale, it was unavoidable that Archie at Drexel would be chosen. The No. 2 seed facing off against the No. 1 seed. A battle of Goliaths, a tale of redemption and revenge. Hopefully, for all of us football fans, this will be a close one. 

Make sure to get to Drexel early on Friday to get a good seat as Briar Mcintire and the Whirlwinds try to upset Jacob Coffey and the Bobcats.

Bates County Memorial Hospital’s board member spotlight features Mike Taranto

Bates County Memorial Hospital’s board member spotlight features Mike Taranto, who was first elected for his position in 2016. He currently serves as secretary for the board of directors.

Born in Ridgewood, New Jersey, Taranto was drawn to the Midwest to attend Park University in 1963. He was drafted to the Army for the Vietnam war in 1967, but a football injury prevented him from serving overseas. He worked for Kansas City Southern Industries telecommunications division for about 20 years. In 1982, he completed an Executive Fellows MBA from Rockhurst University.

Taranto’s career in marketing and manufacturing management and microwave communications took him around the world, including a 5-year stint in Athens, Greece to help prepare for the 2004 Olympics. He took part in several other remarkable projects, one of which landed him in South Africa for about six months. While there, he toured vineyards and noticed a specialized fabric utilized for protection from hail and other storms. This would become the inspiration for the company he founded in early 2000, Solar Shade USA. He retired from his active role with the company in January 2020, and his family runs the business today, located north of Rich Hill, Mo.

“When I look back at the experiences I’ve had, I’m really grateful,” Taranto said. He was approached for the role of hospital board member in part because of his background in running a business, with specific focus on strategic planning, quality assurance and customer satisfaction.

“In my bones, I am an opportunity seeker,” Taranto said. “Creative marketing is what I do.”

Mike and his wife Beth live in Butler. They have five children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Beth volunteers at Bates County Memorial Hospital with the Auxiliary.

As elected officials, BCMH board members serve five-year terms, 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.

The hospital medical staff, employees and volunteers thank Mike Taranto for his service.

Well above normal temperatures in store today and tomorrow

Well above normal temperatures in store today and tomorrow. Possible rain chances along and east of I-35 Wed morning.

Obituary - Jack Baker

Celebration of life services for Jack Baker of Butler, Missouri will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler. Visitation 10 - 11 a.m. prior to services at the Schowengerdt Chapel. Interment in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler. Contributions to Jack Baker Angus Scholarship for Local Students. Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

Jack Conrad Baker, age 82 of Butler, Missouri died Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was born February 19, 1939 to James Lloyd and Ruby Ann Conard Baker in Butler, Missouri.

Jack is survived by his wife, Nancy Baker of Butler, Missouri; one son, Jamie Baker and wife Kristi of Bluejacket, Oklahoma; two daughters, Jacqueline Waite and husband Brian and Joni Duffield all of Butler, Missouri;14 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren with two on the way. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a son, Jody Bret Baker in 2020.

8-Man District 1 Championship Game Friday November 19th in Drexel

The Drexel Bobcats who are undefeated on the season will host the Archie Whirlwinds (10-1) for a 8-Man Football District 1 Championship Friday November 19th at 7:00pm.

The Archie Whirlwinds will attempt to get revenge for their only loss of the season which came on October 1st to the Bobcats 58-12. 

This should be a great match-up! We wish both teams good luck!