Springfield woman injured in Bates County crash

On Sunday January 21st around 9:40 p.m. the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Bates County along with Bates County Sheriff's Deputies and the Butler Fire Department responded to a two vehicle accident in the southbound lanes of I-49 at mile marker 135.6 in rural Passaic.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the accident occurred when a 2002 Oldsmobile van driven by 41 year old Christopher Bishop of Springfield, MO began to slide, and a 2011 Ford Explorer driven by a 17 year old male from Adrian attempted to pass by the van, began to slide, and impacted the van. The two vehicles then ran off opposite sides of the roadway.

A passenger in the van, 26 year old Mikayla Wurzburger of Springfield sustained minor injuries, and was taken to Bates County Memorial Hospital.

View crash report below:

https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=240032461

Ongoing icy conditions this morning

Ongoing icy conditions from light freezing rain has impacted most areas this morning. While the freezing rain will come to an end, the conditions will greatly affect the morning commute. A second round of minor ice accumulation is possible tonight.

Rollover accident west of Butler

The Missouri State Highway Patrol along with Bates County Sheriff's Deputies and Butler Fire Department are on scene of a rollover accident on Missouri 52 West Highway and K Highway around 3 miles west of Butler.

The accident is said to involve a MoDot truck that overturned. Please use caution if you must travel in this area. If you don't have to travel then please don't.

Mid America Live News will update when more information is made available to us at a later time. 

This story has been updated:

https://batescountynewswire.blogspot.com/2024/01/modot-driver-escapes-serious-injury-in.html

Closings and Cancellations for Monday January 22nd

The following will be closed on Monday January 22nd due to cold and inclement weather:

Amsterdam Café 

Archie School District AMI DAY 

Bates County Courthouse 

Bates County Health Center 

Belton School District AMI Day 

Bronaugh School District 

Butler License Office 

Butler USDA Office

Butler Senior Center

Cottey College 

Crowder College (All locations) 

Bates County Public Administration Office

El Dorado Springs School District (AMI DAY)

BCMH Family Care Clinics 

Gray's Café (Adrian) 
Harrisonville School District AMI Day
Hudson School District
Hume School District

Lincoln School District 

Midway School District (AMI Day)

Nevada School District 

Railroad Salon (Butler)

Rich Hill School District 

Sheldon School District

State Farm (Butler)

Please bookmark this page as we will be adding to this list as more closings are made available.

Osage Valley Electric Cooperative power outage reported in Cass County

Our power provider, KAMO Power is having a transmission issue affecting the Austin and East Lynne substations. 

Members in and around the Harrisonville, Archie and Garden City areas are experiencing an outage at this time. 

Osage Valley Electric Cooperative Crews have been dispatched and power will be restored as quickly and as safely as possible.

Avoid travel this morning if possible

Absolutely do not travel. We have first responders that are not able to get anywhere on secondary highways. 

We are in the process of attempting to get to them. Please do not do any unnecessary travel at this time.

Courtesy of the Bates County Sheriff's Office 

Obituary - David George "DG" Johnson

When people met David "DG" George Johnson and asked what the DG stood for, he would always tell them "Darn Good." At the age of 79, on Friday, January 19, 2024, at Lee's Summit Medical Center in Lee's Summit, Missouri, DG passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. 

DG was born on November 6, 1944, in Harrisonville, Missouri, the son of George Girdner Johnson and Hazel Louise (Bradley) Johnson. DG married his wife of thirty-six years, Virginia "Ginger" Sue (Schalue) Johnson, at Cedar Grove Christian Church in Johnson County, Missouri, on July 11, 1987.

Reflecting on his 79 years, I believe "Darn Good" was more than just an opening joke. His journey began with his early years dedicated to hard work on the Johnson farms near Latour, MO. After graduating from Harrisonville High School in 1962 and completing two years at CMSU, his playful and teasing nature cointinued to evolve. Even throughout his career, there are countless hilarious and infamous stories about DG's hard work and playfulness at the old Kansas City Stockyards and book binderys. He dedicated two decades to Anchor Labs; later, transforming into Model Farm Service, an animal supply store where he started in the early 1960s, before transitioning to Interstate Book Bindery and Harmony Printing, where he eventually retired in 2009.

Friends were many, and DG was most widely revered for his BBQ. DG and best friend Craig Kidwell formed the team that later became the Boys of BBQ and Patty where they competed, and oftentimes won, contest all across the midwest, including the annual American Royal BBQ contest for more than 30 years. DG loved his friends and community, displaying his faith through his church at Cedar Grove, where he served as a deacon for many years. He showed his compassion and love for others through, the Kansas City-based, Kookers Kare BBQ charity that his teammates founded and grew along with other BBQ teams and friends from the Kansas City BBQ society.

When DG wasn't tending to a smoker full of meat, you'd catch him tinkering with his old tractor, indulging in the restoration of classic hotrods, pursuing woodworking, or simply out mowing. Yet, his most cherished moments unfolded in the backyard, alongside his wife and family, watching the kids and his granddaughter play and grow. Especially on the 4th of July, he had a knack for surprising everyone with the loudest firecracker, often tossed when you least expected it. And, of course, there was always BBQ at every family gathering.

DG is survived by his wife, Ginger Johnson of Holden, MO, two daughters, Deborah Johnson of Harrisonville and Susan Hagerman of Lee's Summit, one son, Luke Johnson (Janelle) of Warsaw, and one granddaughter, Katie Hagerman of Lee's Summit. One brother, Charles "Hunky" Johnson (Nita) of Garden City, and his dog Buddy.

DG is preceded in death by his parents, George G. Johnson and Hazel "Louise" Johnson, sister Marie (Johnson) Kimberlin and her husband Tom Kimberlin, and nephew, Casey Johnson.

In remembrance of DG, we can almost see him shake his head and hear him saying, "Good Grief" if he saw us making a fuss today. Until the day we reunite, let us carry forward his joking spirit with the words he often shared: "Talk at ya later" and "Glad you got to see me." May his wit and warmth continue to echo in our hearts as we cherish the memories of a life well-lived.

Contributions may be made to Show-Me Christian Youth Home, contributions may be mailed to Dickey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 432, Harrisonville, Missouri. https://showmehelpingkids.com/give/

Cremation with a Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date and will be posted once that information becomes available.

Way to go Bennett!

We would like to congratulate Bennett Myrtle 5 years old from Ballard who won the 6U 40lbs State Wrestling Championship. 

Bennett is the son of Cody and Aerial Myrtle.