From the desk of Bates County Coroner Greg Mullinax

I am pleased to report I had a productive meeting with the Bates County Commission this morning regarding the Coroner's Office budget for 2023.

 
I was very pleased to confirm that the Coroner's Office came in significantly under budget for 2022. Using that data, I submitted a budget request of almost $19,000 LESS than last year.

Elected leadership means financial prudence and I take a conservative approach to how I spend your taxpayer dollars. We are able to do much with the adequate budget we have, and there is no need to be excessive.

 
That said, in 2022 total investigations continued to increase as I expected they would. The Coroner's Office continues to be in an excellent position to handle increased case load with the assistance of a qualified and trained Deputy Coroner, and financial resources to allow any investigative procedures necessary.

 
The Coroner's Office has recently partnered with MolecularDX, a premier forensic toxicology service. This has afforded faster turnaround to our toxicology testing and at a decrease in cost from the previous provider. 

This allows us to be more efficient in our investigations leading to a decrease in time families wait for a Death Certificate to be signed (in cases involving toxicology). The company offers an online dashboard, meaning toxicology reports are instantly available to the Coroner once testing is completed.

As the remaining 2022 cases become finalized, I will soon publish my annual end-of-year statistics where you may read more about the cases my office handled this year.

 
In the meantime, thank you for the privilege of serving as your Coroner. It is my goal to maintain the highest of standards while serving you with integrity and professionalism.

All the best in the new year,
Greg Mullinax
Bates County Coroner

Obituary - Judy Stuart

Funeral services for Judy Stuart of Lee's Summit, Missouri will be 2 p.m., Saturday, January 7, 2023 at the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri. Visitation will be prior to services on Saturday 1 - 2 p.m. at the Schowengerdt Chapel. 

Burial in Jackson Cemetery, Amoret, Missouri. Contributions to American Cancer Society. Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

Judith “Judy” M. Stuart, age 72 of Lee’s Summit, Missouri died Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at Lee’s Summit Medical Center. She was born April 2, 1950 to Raymond and Thelma Lucille Culbertson Hammett in Amoret, Missouri.

Judy is survived by her husband, Scott Stuart of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; two sons, Jamey Hammett and wife Kristi of Cole Camp, Missouri and Aaron Hammett of Amoret, Missouri; two daughters, Stephanie Collop and husband Eric of Kansas City, Missouri and Lauren Halstead and husband Adam of Gladstone, Missouri; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; one brother, Raymond Hammett of Foster, Missouri; and one sister, Julie Noel and husband Jerry of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister-in-law, Marilyn Hammett.

Attention City of Butler Residents:

Countywide Disposal will start delivering new trash containers the week of January 16th. Please be patient as it might take several days before you receive your new container.

Once you receive the container please start using it going forward. Remember that the first Tuesday of each month is Amnesty Day. During this time you may sit one bulky item at the curb to be picked up.

Countywide Disposal will run on the holidays like normal besides the following this year.

Thanksgiving- Thursday will run on Friday

Christmas- Everything will run a day behind that week

New Years- Everything will run a day behind that week.

We will remind everyone again when it gets closer to these holidays of the changes. - City of Butler

Obituary - Betty Jean Hall

Betty Jean Hall, age 91, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at the Medicalodge in Ft. Scott.

She was born August 25, 1931, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Alfred Marion Wratchford and Myrtle “Sis” Coombs Wratchford. Betty attended the Humboldt School west of Ft. Scott and went on to graduate from the Ft. Scott High School with the Class of 1949.

She married Forrest E. “Slim” Hall in 1953. Betty and Slim moved to Ft. Benning, Georgia where Slim was stationed with the United States Army. They later returned to Ft. Scott in 1955. Betty was employed as a machine operator for Key Industries for over forty years.

Survivors include her son, Danny Hall of Ft. Scott and several nieces and nephews. Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Slim Hall on January 8, 2019. She was also preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Mary L. Hurd.

Rev. Paul Rooks will conduct funeral services at 1:00 P.M. Friday at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday from 12:30 until service time at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to Integrity Hospice 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.

Obituary - Don Robert McCarty

Don Robert “Butch” McCarty passed away early Friday, December 30, 2022, at Maggie’s Place Memory Care in Overland Park, KS in the arms of his loving family. Don was born in Fort Scott, KS on September 17, 1944, the only child of John Russell and Ruby Maxine Schasteen McCarty. Don began his business career in sales for Scott Paper Company covering the territory from Topeka through western Kansas.

Later with a partner, Don bought a Food Brokerage Firm, Ward Marketing, that they successfully expanded through a series of mergers. His final merger was with Acosta, a national food brokerage company, where he worked until retiring in 2000 to refocus his energies on his hobbies and his growing role as Grandpa.

Don accepted Christ as his Savior while attending the Mound City Methodist Church as a child then later he continued his Christian life becoming a member of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, KS. All his life he was guided by the Golden Rule and the Commandments. Beginning in elementary and high school, Don also learned the value of hard work, holding jobs as diverse as paper boy, gas station attendant, soda jerk, and aide to the school janitor.

His drive to keep busy lasted well into retirement where he attended auctions to purchase cars for Beckman Motors and served in the Methodist Men’s group at Church of the Resurrection. One of his most difficult transitions was the requirement to give up much loved activities when Alzheimer’s made it impossible to continue.

A fourth generation McCarty to be raised in the Mound City vicinity, Don had a deep connection to and love for his community and country. During the Vietnam War, he joined the United States Naval Reserve immediately after graduating from Mound City High School.

He served regularly with VA-882, Naval Air Station Olathe, Kansas during his military deferment to attend college. Don attended college at Pittsburg State University, Fort Scott Community College, and Washburn University, Topeka from which he graduated in 1967 with a BA degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation, Personnelman (PN) 2nd Class McCarty reported to Naval Air Station, Willow Grove, PA to complete his obligation with the Navy. High School sweethearts, Don married Linda Jean Ware on June 7th, 1966. His young bride accompanied him on the adventure east to complete his Navy assignment.

For more than 56 years, until his death, they were a team in all aspects of their lives - work, worship, travel, play, family, friends, and his final illness. While living in Pennsylvania in 1970, they welcomed the addition of their beloved son, John Ellis McCarty.

Don loved son, John and daughter-in-law, Holly Porter McCarty, and family with all his heart. He always looked forward to seeing them and was so proud of their accomplishments, none more so than their three handsome, loving sons who called him Papa. They were a steady source of pleasure during Don’s final years and always brought a sparkle to his eye.

Don and Linda were blessed to spend many winters in Scottsdale, Arizona where they enjoyed the camaraderie of a group of three other couples, traveling, eating out and watching sporting events. Don was introduced to sports - baseball, basketball, track, and football during his formative years and never lost the love of athletic competition.

After he no longer played, he continued as a fan, especially rooting for the Chiefs, Royals and KU Jayhawks. Don was a member of Masonic Lodge #33 AF & AM Mound City, KS, Mirza Shriner, Pittsburg, KS, and the American Legion Post 248, Mound City KS.

Don lived a life rich in love and friendship. He leaves to mourn his devoted wife, Linda; his son and daughter-in-law, John and Holly McCarty and their three sons, Maxwell, Samuel and Jackson; a brother-in-law and wife, Ron and Dora Ware; a nephew and wife, Brian and Chasity Ware and their family; and a niece and husband, Andrea and Ray Webb; several cousins and many friends.

A visitation will be held from 2 pm to 3 pm Friday, January 6, 2023 at Church of the Resurrections, Leawood, Kansas, Building C, Wesley Chapel. A memorial service will follow at 3 pm. A graveside service will be held 3 pm Saturday, January 7, 2023 at the Curry Cemetery near Mound City, Kansas. Visitation will be held from 1 to 2:30 pm Saturday at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Mound City Chapel.

Memorial contributions are suggested to American Legion Post #248, Shriner Children's Hospital c/o Schneider Funeral Home, P.O. Box J, Mound City, Kansas 66056, or Maggie's Place Memory Care, 12610 W 137th St, Overland Park, KS 66221. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.

Two Nevada teens injured in Wednesday morning rollover crash

On January 4th around 7:25 a.m. the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Vernon County along with Vernon County Sheriff's Deputies and Vernon County EMS responded to a one vehicle rollover accident on Route BB around 3 miles south of Nevada.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the accident occurred when the northbound 2012 Chevrolet Impala driven by a 16 year old female from Nevada traveled off the right side of the roadway, overcorrected, traveled off the roadway again, struck an embankment and overturned.

The driver sustained minor injuries, while the passenger, another 16 year old female from Nevada sustained moderate injuries in the crash. Both were taken by ambulance to Nevada Regional Medical Center for treatment.

View crash report below:

https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=230004786

Update: Miami County Kansas shooting victim dies

On January 1st around 7:30 p.m. emergency personnel were dispatched to the area of 299th Street and Somerset Road in rural Paola on a report of a subject laying in the ditch with an apparent gun shot wound. 

When emergency personnel arrived on scene the began to provide medical treatment to the victim. Miami County EMS transported the victim, an adult female in her 40's to a local area hospital with life threatening injuries.

While on scene, Detectives were able to identify a suspect, John Raymond Gray,36, of Grandview, Missouri. Detectives contacted the Grandview Police Department to assist with locating Gray.

Gray's vehicle was located in his driveway. Contact was attempted at the residence by the Grandview Police Department but was unsuccessful. 

A warrant was obtained for Gray's pickup truck, a white Ram 1500, which is believed to be the scene of the shooting. The vehicle is believed to have been in Miami County at the time of the shooting. The vehicle was transported to the crime ab for processing.

On January 3, 2023, Detective received a phone call from Grandview Police department advising Gray was located inside his residence, deceased with an apparent self inflicted gun shot wound.

Through the investigation, it was learned that Gray and the victim left the residence in Grandview Missouri on 1/1/23, then drove to Miami County where the shooting occurred. Gray then drove to the area of 299th Street and Somerset Road where he removed the victim from the vehicle, before returning to his residence in Grandview.

Update: On January 3rd shortly before 5:00 p.m. the victim who is identified as 41 year old Jennifer Christine Rodriguez of Belton, Missouri died as a result of her injuries from the shooting. Many thoughts and prayers at this time for the family.  

2023-2024 Butler Early Childhood Preschool Screening Information