Poplar Heights Living History Farm Broomcorn Festival July 30th

The Broom - enemy of spiders and friend to witches. Every household, rich or poor, black or white; every business, merchant or doctor, blacksmith or pub owner, since the dawn of domestic history, had this simple tool for a simple task. The broom is functional and efficient at sweeping floors free of dirt and debris and for some, sweeping away the past or evil spirits.

Poplar Heights Living History Farm is celebrating the Broom with a Broomcorn Festival July 30. The Seelinger Broom Works will have its Grand Opening and visitors can watch brooms being made, visit the blacksmith, mill and Threads, make a length of rope, kids can pan for gems and all can sample German foods. There will be a live band concert at noon. It’s a free family event.

In the aftermath of the severe destruction of western Missouri counties in the Civil War, settlers moving into this wasteland found a need for a well-made broom once they settled down into their new homes. To fill this need, an extensive cottage industry of broom corn raising and broom making grew up along the Missouri/ Kansas border. The Seelinger Farmily of Poplar Heights were German immigrants. They joined with other new settlers to form this cottage industry from Charlotte township in Bates County, east to Montrose where broomcorn, seed, and finished brooms were shipped across the country on the KATY and east to Clinton

Western Missouri soil was ideal for growing broom corn. By 1875 just 10 years after the destruction of the Civil War, Missouri was in the top six broom corn producing states. By 1899, more than half the total product grown in Missouri was in the counties of Bates, Benton, Henry and St. Clair.

The new Seelinger Broom Works is funded in part by a grant from Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area. For more information call 660-200-5620.

MDC and partners offer free invasive species control workshop Aug. 9th at El Dorado Springs

MDC and partners offer free invasive species control workshop Aug. 9th at El Dorado Springs

Learn from experts about tools and methods for reducing harmful invasive plants

El Dorado Springs, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation and several conservation partners will offer an Invasive Species Workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at the First Baptist Church in El Dorado Springs. This workshop is designed to help property managers reduce or eliminate unwanted weed, shrub, and tree growth. Applying management techniques and materials can improve land for both farming uses and wildlife habitat.

MDC experts will speak at the workshop as will partners from MFA, Mid-West Fertilizer, MU Extension, Corteva Agriscience and Professional Weed Management Services. A free lunch will be provided.

“We have been battling invasives and must continue the battle to stop these pests,” said Aimee Coy, MDC private land conservationist. “There are ways to suppress the vigor of invasives through the use of fire, grazing, mowing, or other targeted strategies that allows the remaining plant community to better compete with the invasive species.”

Invasive plant species are prolific seed producers with highly successful seed dispersal rates, Coy said. They colonize quickly and rapidly grow to maturity. Invasives are aggressive, competitive, and adaptable. Those qualities give them the ability to out-compete native species and prevent landowners from achieving production goals for their property.

Workshop topics will include: Removal and control of red cedars in grasslands.
Methods and materials for control of invasive species.
Increasing available forage for livestock.
Maintaining resiliency on the farm.
Staying away from monocultures.
Maintaining quality wildlife habitat.

Participants are asked to register by Aug. 5. COVID-19 safety precautions will be observed. To register, call MDC’s Clinton Office at 660-885-6981, or signup online by visiting https://short.mdc.mo.gov/45L.

MDC and conservation partners will offer a free Invasive Species Workshop on Aug. 9 at the First Baptist Church in El Dorado Springs.

Experts will discuss methods and materials for control of invasives such as sericea lespedeza.

Missouri Department of Conservation photos

Obituary - Mary Lou (Short) Weber

Mary Lou Weber, age 95, Olathe, Kansas passed away Wednesday, July 20, 2022. She was born on June 13, 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri the daughter of Harold and Mary Callahan Short. 

She graduated from Bishop Ward High School in the Class of 1945. She was united in marriage to Paul Weber on October 19, 1957. He preceded her in death on October 5, 2000.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Bob Short. She was an assistant Vice President at Security Bank before retiring. Mary Lou enjoyed playing golf and traveling. She was a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church. 

Mary Lou is survived by four sons and their wives, Mark & Lorrie, Patrick & Vicki, Paul & Barb, and Matthew Weber, four grandchildren, Daniel, Alexis, Taylor and Anthony, and two great grandchildren, Amira and Aiden.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:30 am Saturday, August 6, 2022 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Olathe, Kansas. Mary Lou will be laid to rest in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Mound City, Kansas. 

Memorial contributions are suggested to St Jude Children's Hospital. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.

Liberty man seriously injured in Bates County motorcycle crash

On July 24th around 12:14 a.m. the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Bates County along with Bates County Sheriff's Deputies, Bates County EMS and Rich Hill Fire responded to a motorcycle accident in the northbound lanes of I-49 near Rich Hill.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the accident occurred when the northbound 2012 Harley Davidson Motorcycle driven by 60 year old William K. Sexton of Liberty, Missouri traveled over uneven lane and driver lost control, causing the bike to overturn and eject the driver.

Mr. Sexton sustained serious injuries and he was transported by ambulance to Bates County Memorial Hospital in Butler for treatment.

View crash report below:
https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=220392870

Today, Cold front will help keep temps down for many

 Good News Everyone! We've cancelled the Heat Advisory for much of the region (still in effect for the Ozarks and SE KS). With cloud cover and a front moving through, we're not expected to get as hot as originally forecast. Still warm though, so be careful out there!

Image Description: Two maps of the KS/MO border region with Kansas City in the center. The left map shows a color gradient of reds and oranges depicting maximum temperatures for this afternoon with labels for select cities.

The right map shows a color gradient of reds and oranges depicting maximum heat index values for this afternoon with labels for select cities.

Texas man arrested in Bates County

On Friday night July 22nd around 10:23 p.m. the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Bates County arrested 39 year old Jonathan K. Brown of Houston, Texas.

Mr. Brown was arrested and charge with 1.) Felony Possession of a controlled substance 2.) Speeding 3.) Possession of drug paraphernalia 4.) Misdemeanor possession of marijuana.

Johnathan K. Brown was taken to the Bates County Sheriff's Office for booking and was later released.

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.

Obituary - Donna Rae Sewell

A celebration of life cremation memorial service for Donna Sewell of Butler, Missouri will be 11 a.m. Saturday, July 30, 2022 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri. Visitation prior to service 9 - 11 a.m. Saturday, July 30 at the Schowengerdt Chapel. Contributions to Butler Public Library. Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

Donna Rae Sewell, age 65 of Butler, Missouri died Friday, July 22, 2022 at her home. She was born February 14, 1957 to Donald Allen and Doris Yvonne Cox Dick in Mexico, Missouri.

Donna is survived by her husband, Greg Sewell of Butler, Missouri; son, Todd Sewell and wife Ryann of Kansas City, Missouri; daughter, Meredith Brown and husband Phil of Lebanon, Missouri; six grandchildren Aila, Archer, Arrick, Gwendolyn, Atlee and Nataleigh; brother, Dyke Dick and wife Marilyn of Centralia, Missouri; sister, Dana Kuhlman and husband Jim of Phoenix, Arizona; mother-in-law, Bette Sewell of Mexico, Missouri; four sisters-in-law, Sherry Medley and husband Jim, Sandra Duffey and husband Scott, Linda Castle and husband Norman and Lorry Myers; and brother-in-law, David Sewell and significant other Dee.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Doris Dick; maternal grandparents, Charles and Virginia Cox; father-in-law, Walter Sewell; and brother-in-law, Randy Myers.

Butler man injured in motorcycle accident in Cass County

On July 23rd around 1:33 p.m. the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Cass County along with Cass County Sheriff's Deputies and Pleasant Hill Fire Department responded to a motorcycle accident on Missouri 7 Highway south of 203rd Street in rural Cass County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the accident occurred when the northbound 2019 Harley Davidson driven by 49 year old Jason K. Roberts of Butler, Missouri struck a deer in the roadway, ejecting the driver before the bike struck a utility pole.

Mr. Roberts sustained moderate injuries and he was transported by Pleasant Hill EMS to Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri for treatment.

View crash report below:

https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=220391503