Belton Fire Department gets new fire engine

The Belton Fire Department is very excited to finally have our newest fire engine. This is a Precision fire engine on a Spartan Gladiator chassis. It is equipped with a 1500 gallon per minute Waterous pump and carries 750 gallons of water. 

The crews will spend the next couple of weeks training with the new truck before putting it in service. It will be staffed from Station 81 on Main street.

The ladder truck will be moving to Station 82. Our current engine will then be stored at Station 81 and serve as a backup unit. Thank you to all of the citizens for supporting your fire department allowing us to obtain and operate quality equipment so that we can better serve you.

BCMH Employee of the Month for March

Help us congratulate Dickie Reinke who has been recognized as the Employee of the Month for March. Dickie is a skilled maintenance worker in Plant Operations and has worked for BCMH since November of 2013. Dickie is very committed to helping the hospital make needed repairs without wasting money, and he treats others with respect and kindness every day. His coworkers say,

“You don’t have to worry about any task that he is assigned to – he puts his shoulder to the wheel and takes care of the problem. Always the first one at work and is ready to go to work. Recently, he wanted to find a leak on the hot water storage tank.

He dug through insulation and standing water while lying down on his side. He found the problem and even came in on his day off to make the repairs so patients and staff could have hot water again. That saved not only precious time, but considerable money for the hospital.” Dickie consistently demonstrates BCMH values, and he is deserving of this recognition.

#employeeofthemonth #plantoperations #congratulations #excellence #responsibility #dependability

Obituary - Larry Ray Oliver

Larry Ray Oliver, age 69, Pleasanton, Kansas passed away on Wednesday March 22, 2023. He was born on July 12, 1953 in Chanute, Kansas the son of Richard and Joan(Sturgeon) Oliver. He graduated high school and attended Shawnee Mission West.

Larry worked as a mechanic for Deffenbaugh Industries, later becoming Waste Management before retiring. He was united in marriage to Paulette Ball on September 16, 1978. She preceded him in death on April 18, 2013. He considered himself a Baptist and attended church at the Mound City First Baptist Church and the Pleasanton Presbyterian Church.

Larry liked to be outdoors hunting and fishing. He was a member of the NRA. He also enjoyed going to dances at Cadmus and Mildred. He was also preceded in death by his mother and a sister, Sherry. Larry is survived by his father, Richard, two sons, John Miller(Lisa) and Tim Miller, a daughter, Christy Sams(Tim), girlfriend, Karen St. John, a brother, Rick Oliver, a sister, Darlene Schlegel, and six grandchildren, Andrew, Samantha, Cooper, Tristan, Avery, and Katerina.

Funeral service will be 6 pm Saturday, March 25, 2023 at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Pleasanton Chapel. Visitation will follow the service until 8 pm. 

Memorial contributions are suggested to Linn County Hunter Safety, c/o Schneider Funeral Home, P.O. Box 525, Pleasanton, KS 66075. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.

Obituary - Jane Lisbeth Porter

Jane L. Porter, 83, of Harrisonville, MO, passed away at her home on Wednesday March 22, 2023. She was surrounded by her family and ever so faithful cats, Snuggers and Miss Kitty. A celebration of life will be held on May 27, 2023 at 2:00 PM at the Harrisonville United Methodist Church, 2600 E Mechanic St, Harrisonville, MO 64701.

Jane loves to tell the story of her 17 moves landing her in Harrisonville, MO over 24 years ago. Here she made many dear friends and never missed a hand of cards if she could help it. After 40 years of nursing, Jane continued to serve others as she loved volunteering. She was a past officer with the United Methodist Women, Chaldeans, The Harrisonville Thrift Store (Harrisonville Ministerial Alliance), Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Cass County Retired Nurses, and Cass Regional Medical Auxiliary.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents, Edith and Miles Morgan; her first husband, Arthur Klotz; and her sister, Jean Morgan. She is survived by her husband, Darrell Porter; her children: Mary "Cathi" Godfrey and her husband, Patrick; her son, Donald Klotz; her daughter, Stephanie Buchanan and husband, Andrew; her step-daughter, Tammy Porter; 5 grandchildren: Melissa Rarick, Michael Cook, Emily Gordon, Kimberly Belflower, and Richard Belflower.

Way to go Liberty!

The Belton Fire Department would like to congratulate Liberty Worcester on her promotion to Firefighter/Paramedic. 

Liberty has been serving the citizens of Belton as a Firefighter/EMT since 2019. We look forward to seeing your success in this new role. Congrats!

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Sheriff's Office employee fired for stealing cash bond deposits

On Monday, February 13, 2023, St. Clair Sheriff Lee Hilty was contacted by the Henry County Circuit Clerk with questions on some cash bonds they had not received from St Clair County. 

Sheriff Hilty began looking into the cause and discovered an employee was stealing money from cash bond deposits.

The employee was interviewed and admitted to the theft. Sheriff Hilty placed the employee on leave and requested the Henry County Sheriff's Office assist in the investigation. Sheriff J. Kent Oberkrom conducted a financial review/investigation of the accounts in question.

When Sheriff Oberkrom finished his review/investigation, it was discovered the employee had been stealing small amounts of the cash bonds even before Sheriff Hilty took over in 2021.

On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, the employee was called in and terminated. A detective reinterviewed the employee. The employee was arrested, booked and released, which is a court rule for subjects not posing a threat to citizens or a flight risk, on Felony Stealing charges. Formal charges will be sent to the St Clair County Prosecuting Attorney, Daniel Dysart.

Sheriff Hilty wishes to thank Henry County Sheriff J. Kent Oberkrom for his time and efforts investigating this theft. Sheriff Oberkrom is also assisting in updating the St Clair County Sheriff's Office book keeping system. 

Sheriff Hilty stated "we have addressed newly found loopholes in the book keeping system and will be tightening the security surrounding cash money received into the Sheriff's Office".

Way to go Troy

Archie R-V School District invites you to join us in welcoming Mr. Troy Schulte as the 2023-2024 High School Principal. 

Troy is no stranger to the district as he first joined the Archie family in 1996 as our K-12 Physical Education teacher. During his many years here, he coached several different sports including boys and girls varsity basketball. 

In 2006, Mr. Schulte took on the role of Athletic Director/Assistant Principal and worked in that role for 10 years. In 2016, Troy and his family decided to go back to their roots and returned to Hays, Kansas where Troy has been the Athletic Director and Assistant Principal for 7 years at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School.

 
Troy and his wife Sharon have three children, Jordan, Jackson, and Jaden. Their oldest daughter Jordan is a 2014 graduate of Archie High School. Jordan and her husband Nick, blessed Troy and Sharon with their first grandson, Wells, in 2021. Jackson, their son, is in his sophomore year at Wichita State. 

Their youngest daughter, Jaden, will graduate this year from Thomas More Prep-Marian and attend Wichita State in the fall of 2023. Welcome back Mr. Schulte!

Obituary - Geraldine Lois “Gerry” Prough

Geraldine Lois “Gerry” Prough, 94, formerly of Schell City, MO passed away on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at Moore-Few Care Center in Nevada. Gerry was born October 3, 1928 in Kansas City, MO to Loyd E. and Ethel A. (Fisher) Ackerley. On March 9, 1947 she was united in marriage to Cecil H. Prough in Adrian, MO and he preceded her in death on October 20, 2012.

Gerry lived her childhood years in Kansas City before moving with her family to Amoret, MO where she met Cecil. In 1948, she and Cecil moved to Northeast Vernon County where they lived on the Cressup Ranch for a number of years. Gerry was a farmwife for many years then began working at Farmers State Bank in Schell City in 1964 until her retirement in 1990. She enjoyed picking pecans and going fishing “every chance she got”.

Survivors include two children, Roger Prough (Carol), Schell City, and Dena McKinney, Schell City; six grandchildren, Daleen Abernathy, Dustin Prough, Deland Prough, Greg Prough, Corey Prough, and Erin Lee; 13 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Cecil, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Beverly Prough; three brothers, Mike Ackerley, Gene Ackerley, and Harold Ackerley; and one sister, Virginia Furgeson.

Graveside services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 24, 2023 at Green Lawn Cemetery in Schell City with Pastor Doug Reynolds officiating. The family will receive friends from 1-2:00 p.m. on Friday prior to the service at Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home in Schell City.

Memorials are suggested in her memory to the Schell City Volunteer Fire Dept. or the Schell City Community Building c/o Lewis-Hoagland Funeral Home, P.O. Box 64, Schell City.