Thunderstorms moving in this evening

Thunderstorms are moving into the area over the next few hours.

Up first will be far NW Missouri, with areas along the I-35 and I-70 corridors coming after sunset and overnight.

The main threats will be gusty winds 40-60 mph and of course frequent lighting and heavy rain.

Rich Hill 4th of July pie auction a great success

Thanks to the bakers, bidders, and quilters we raised a whopping $46,000+ in the auction tonight at the Rich Hill 4th of July Celebration. 

We are so thankful and appreciative of all the wonderful people that continue to support our celebration. 

We definitely wouldn't be "Famous for the 4th" without you!! #speechless 

- Courtesy of the Rich Hill 4th of July Committee

Way to go!

The Missouri Electric Cooperative Youth Tour is once again headed back to Washington DC this year. The seven-day tour provides an action-filled week for high school students, offering them opportunities to learn firsthand what it is like to be involved in politics, leadership positions, community service and today’s pressing issues.

One hundred and three high school students participated in Missouri's 60th annual Missouri Electric Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., June 12-18. Local delegates were Izetta Person, Rich Hill and Case Melzer, Harrisonville.

Obituary - John Ridenour

John Fredrick Ridenour, 85, of Clinton, Missouri. He went to be with the Lord on June 30, 2023, after a short illness. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, July, 5, 2023 at the Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton, Missouri with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial to follow in the Vansant Road Cemetery in Clinton, Missouri. Memorial contributions can be made to the American Diabetes Association and may be left in care of the funeral home.

John was born to Pearl (VonCannon) and Clay Ridenour on May 23, 1938 in Clinton, where he lived throughout his life. He attended Rosehill grade school and graduated from Calhoun High School.

On September 15, 1971, he married Sue Lewis. They had 43 wonderful years together before her passing in October 2014.

He worked at various jobs over the years, starting at the Windsor shoe factory. Later he worked at Riffles Greenhouse and Sluggers gas station. He also spent many years farming with his dad, and eventually farmed for himself along with owning rental property.

John is survived by his brother Led (Billie) Ridenour, Brother-in-law Harold Brown, sister-in-law Jane (Richard) Holt, brother-in-law Jim (Barb) Lewis, Brother-in-law Bill (Sharon) Lewis, sister-in-law Bonnie Lewis, and many nieces and nephews, all who loved him dearly.

He is preceded in death by maternal and paternal grandparents, his parents Clay and Pearl Ridenour, his wife Sue Lewis, sisters Dorothy Mae Kruse, Martha Brown, Sharon Sprouse, brother Mike and one infant brother.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home in Clinton, Missouri.

Obituary - William "Bill" R. Smith

William “Bill” R. Smith, age 80, of Cleveland, Missouri, passed away June 30, 2023, at the Kansas City Hospice House surrounded by the love of his family.

 
A visitation will take place 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 6, 2023, at Cullen Funeral Home 612 W. Foxwood Dr., Raymore, Missouri 64083. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 7, 2023, at the funeral home, followed by burial at the Raymore Cemetery, Raymore, Missouri.

Bill was born in Versailles, Missouri on August 20, 1942, the son of Dencil and Lillian (Stevenson) Smith.

Bill met his soulmate in Kansas City, when he fell in love with the girl next door, Wilma Lea Bishop. They were married on September 30, 1961. Together, they were blessed with four children, Rich, Bruce, Beth, and Candi.

In life, Bill worked for General Diaper Service for over 30 years and for Office Depot for 10 years. After retiring, Bill and Wilma started their own business – Billea Kettle Korn – and enjoyed working together, along with help from their family.

Bill was a member of the Eagle’s Club in Raymore, where he enjoyed visiting with friends, listening to music, and shooting pool. He loved the outdoors - hunting, fishing, camping, or sitting on the deck. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family and friends.

Bill was preceded in death by his loving wife of 54 years, Wilma Lea Smith, and his parents, Dencil and Lillian Smith.

He is survived by his four children, Rich Smith, Bruce Smith (Jean), Beth Taylor (Tom), and Candi Coleman (James); seven grandchildren, Aimee Smith, Ryan Smith, Lauren Nichols (Chris), TJ Taylor (Emily), Zachary Taylor, Amanda Hill (Caleb), and Melanie Taylor (Jacob); five great grandchildren, Kobe, Whylah, Logan, Freya, and Velma.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas City Hospice House 12000 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, MO 64145.

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278

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Flashback: ‘Takin care of business

 

This photo taken looking North from the courthouse lawn during an REA event shows Tom Chandler (left) chatting it up with Fred Cornell in 1958. Some interesting features in the background include a new John Deere tractor (likely a 520), the A&P grocery store and Russel’s Variety store. Courtesy Jana Rosier

What’s Up by LeRoy Cook

 

You Gets What You Pays For

Halfway through the year, we swing into July with hopes of rain and a break in the heat. I drove a trip instead of flying it last Saturday, and it seemed to work as a rainmaker. It all depends on where you are, of course, because thundershowers can be spotty.

Considerable transient traffic came through last week, such as a Cessna Skyhawk, an AirTractor sprayplane/spreader, a Piper Cherokee and a Cessna 182. Locally, Dennis Jacobs and Christian Tucker flew Cessna 150 sorties, Jeremie Platt flew his Grumman Tiger, Les Gorden exercised his T-18C Trojan and I delivered a broken 150 to the maintenance shop. It’s always my job to bring in the cripples. 

The price of used airplanes is still going up. A friend of mine showed me pictures of her “dream plane”, 1948 Stinson Station Wagon, priced at $127,000. I remember when those old Voyagers could be had for $30,000 or so, but the cost of restoration has escalated and good aircraft are worth a bunch. What else can haul four people in style at 110 mph? Problem is, such a fine old ride would need a hangar, and like most airports, her’s has a very long waiting list for storage. 

Airplane owners are getting new Aircraft Registration certificates in the mail, not because they’ve applied for them, but because the FAA is reprinting them with the new seven-year expiration date, now that the Oklahoma City office can no longer keep up with the three-year cycle of re-registering. It takes up to six months to get a transfer of ownership done, at least on paper. Until then, a check of the N-number will show the ownership as “pending”, meaning new registration is in process.

The FAA is taking bids to replace 31 old control towers that have issues like unsafe environmental quirks and non-standard workspace. I’m sure the one at Rosecrans Field in St. Joseph probably is on the list, as it used to be known as the oldest working tower in the country, manned by the Air Force as part of the Reserve base.

The U.S. Air Force is marking 100 years since the first mid-air refueling mission; on June 27, 1923, a hose was dangled from a DeHavilland DH4 to transfer fuel to one flying formation below. Now they are working on a drone refueler that may obviate the risk to tanker crews in combat zones. Bet it won’t wash the windshield as part of the service.

The week’s question was about the Morse code letters, dash-dot-dot-dot, dot-dot-dash, dash-dash, which stands for BUM, the identifier for the Butler VORTAC station, broadcasting since 1948 out by Virginia. In order not to confuse GPS navigators, we have to add a “K” in front of the ID so the box will take us to the runway, not the radio facility. For next week, what maker of fish-finders also built some early GPS receivers?  You can send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com.