Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Highway Patrol arrest abduction suspects

BOLIVAR, MO — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested two suspects in a child abduction on Tuesday evening, April 9, after a pursuit through Polk County.

The Springfield Police Department reported two-year-old Arukia Ganis missing from a retail business in Springfield at 2:52 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. She was believed to be in a black Ford F150 pickup truck with her biological parents, Frank Ganis and Arisha Caldwell.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol upgraded Arukia Ganis’ missing person status to an Amber Alert at around 4:45 p.m.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office received information from the Springfield Police Department that the suspects and the child were located south of Humansville in Polk County. Deputies responded to the area at around 5:30 p.m. and found the suspects in their vehicle.
The driver of the Ford pickup failed to stop, and the Polk County deputies initiated a pursuit.

The suspects traveled south through county roads and eventually began traveling northbound on Mo. 13. When they hit the Polk County and St. Clair County line, the suspects turned around and headed southbound on Mo. 13 while law enforcement continued to follow them.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office, with the help of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, were able to stop the truck in Polk County at around 5:40 p.m.

Law enforcement found Frank Ganis and Caldwell in the vehicle, along with the missing two year old. She was unharmed.

Both suspects were arrested and transported to the Greene County Jail. They will remain in custody pending charges from the Springfield Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
“We are so thankful we were able to find Arukia and return her to safety,

” Polk County Sheriff Danny Morrison said. “It was a positive outcome to a scary situation. We’re thankful for the exceptional help we received from both the Springfield Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. This was truly a team effort.”

El Dorado Springs names new high school wrestling coach

On behalf of the El Dorado Springs R-2 School District, it is a pleasure to introduce our new High School Wrestling Coach, Bill Gray. Bill is entering his second year as an educator in the El Dorado Springs School District and served last year as a Middle School Football Coach and as the assistant Wrestling Coach at the high school level.

Coach Gray brings in over 30 years of coaching experience that has covered college softball, high school and middle school football, and high school and middle school wrestling. He most recently served in a Head Wrestling Coaching position at Diamond High School from 2017-2022. During his time there, he coached 29 state qualifiers and six state placers.

Coach Gray is married to Jennifer Gray, who teaches high school math and they have two sons, Owen and Nathan. Owen will serve as a High School Assistant in football and wrestling, while continuing to teach Civics at El Dorado Springs High School. Nathan is currently in college and is an official for wrestling in Missouri and Kansas.

Coach Gray is excited to continue in building the program that has been established at Eldo and looks to help push further along in its path to greater excellence.

Congratulations and welcome to our new High School Wrestling Coach, Bill Gray!

MoDOT: Work Zone Awareness Week 2024

Work Zone Awareness Week 2024 Urges Drivers to “Work With Us”

As the busy road work season gets underway across Missouri, the Missouri Department of Transportation kicks off 2024 National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 15-19) with a media event in Springfield on Tuesday, April 16.

MoDOT will host a Work Zone Awareness Week Media Event at 10 am at MoDOT’s Southwest District Office, 3025 East Kearney, Springfield, 65803. Speakers will include MoDOT Southwest District Engineer Stacy Reese, MSHP Troop D Corporal Sam Carpenter and MoDOT Maintenance Supervisor Danny Bowling discussing their experiences on Missouri’s roadways.

Since 2000, 35 MoDOT employees have been killed in the line of duty, 16 of them taking place in work zones. With over $1.4 billion in road and bridge work this year, Missouri motorists can expect to encounter a significant amount of work zones and ongoing maintenance operations during their travels this year. MoDOT is urging motorists to “Work with Us” by making smart, safe driving choices behind the wheel to protect themselves and those they share the road with, including highway workers.

Using a cell phone while driving is now against the law in Missouri. The Siddens Bening hands free law, which took effect last August, prohibits drivers from physically holding or supporting a cell phone while driving; this includes sending or receiving texts and recording or watching videos. Drivers can face criminal charges for crashes that result in property damage, injury or death.

Obituary - Ramon "Bodie" Bodenhamer

Ramon “Bodie” Bodenhamer, 85 of Drexel, Missouri passed away Sunday, April 7, 2024 at Crown Care Nursing Home in Harrisonville, Missouri surrounded by family. A visitation will be held from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Saturday, April 13, 2024 at Mullinax Funeral Home, Drexel Chapel (816-657-4400). Memorial services will follow at 2:00 pm Saturday, also at the chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the Drexel Christian Church. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.

Bodie was born February 14, 1939 North of Drexel in Lisle, Missouri. The son of Ira and Dorothy Schultz Bodenhamer. He grew up in Drexel and enjoyed playing sports. He graduated from high school in 1957 and that fall he married his high school sweetheart, Joan Martino. To this union one son and two daughters were born.

Over the years Bodie worked at the Grain Elevator in Drexel, raised turkeys and hogs, along with Joan he ran Bodie’s Café, and later he went to work for Bendix.

Bodie and Joan took care of several foster children and adopted one, a son in 1979. Bodie enjoyed watching his kids play sports and was involved in the Boy Scouts. He loved the Lord and was involved in church for many years teaching, sharing, and having bible studies in the home.

Bodie was a loving husband, father, and grandpa and very much enjoyed taking his grandkids places.

Bodie was preceded in death by his parents, loving wife Joan Bodenhamer, his sister Lois Cook, and brother Ronald Bodenhamer. He is survived by his children, Brad Bodenhamer (Patti), Mitzi Kimbrough (Kevin), Tina Crumby, and Butch Bodenhamer, grandchildren, Christopher Bodenhamer, Amber Bodenhamer, Brandon Bodenhamer (Amber Ann), Melissa Bodenhamer, Chad Kimbrough (Jessica), Monica Kimbrough, Justin Kimbrough, Cody Crumby (Beth Parks), Brittany Bodenhamer, Alexia Bodenhamer, Danielle Bodenhamer, and Jessie Bodenhamer, along with ten great-grandchildren.

Records are made to be broken

RECORD BREAKER... Last Friday, Harrisonville High School sophomore Paige Cribbs broke the HHS javelin record with a throw of 129' 2" at Pitt State. Way to go Paige!

 

Mild Weather Friday

Mild weather conditions for Friday afternoon. Winds become gusty Saturday afternoon, with storms forecast late Saturday evening.

Obituary - Mark Boyer

1st Celebration of life service for Mark Boyer of Butler, Missouri will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 13, 2024 at the Last Harvest Cowboy Church, 219 S. Main Street, Butler, Missouri 64730. 

A 2nd Celebration of life service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18, 2024 at Oak Grove Cemetery, 2700 W Clay Street, St. Charles, Missouri 633301. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri. Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

Mark Boyer (nickname Catfish King), age 64 of Butler, Missouri passed away on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. He was born on May 20, 1959 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Mark enjoyed sports, fishing, cooking and mowing He also enjoyed going to church and helping with church dinners.

Mark is survived by two sisters, Myra Doll (Chris) and Marsha Zotta (Greg); two brothers, Dan (Jan) and Matt (Mary); grandsons, granddaughters, nephews, nieces, great-nephews, great-nieces, cousins, stepsons, and a stepdaughter. Mark was preceded in death by his mother and stepfather, Reba and Richard Mead; his father, James Boyer Sr.; his brother, Jim Boyer; his grandmother, Martha Barton; and his wife of 12 years, Vicki Boyer

Obituary - Monika Ruth Efurd

Monika Ruth Efurd of Abilene, Kansas. Born May 24th, 1988, in Abilene Ks. to Patricia and Mark Efurd. Later divorced she survived by her Parents, Patricia Poage, Lane Ks and Mark Efurd, Marshall Tx. Daughter, Zoey Grace Costigan of the home, Brother Nicholas Efurd (Shelby Morgan), Belton Mo. Kevin Costigan, the love of her life. Grandmother Sue Efurd of Pittsburg TX. Grandfather Roy Brown of Abilene Ks. Great Grandfather Willis Wheatley of Apache Junction AZ. Uncles Charles Chapman (Kerri) of Clinton Mo., Kasey Chapman (Kelly Fitzsimmons) of East Lynn Mo, Chris Efurd (Karla) Abilene Ks.

Many many great Aunts and Uncles and cousins and so many “bonus” moms, dad's sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews as well as very many friends.

Preceded in death by Maternal Grandparents Katherine Chapman (Grandma Ruthie as she was affectionately known) of Garden City Mo and Oather Chapman of Buckner Mo. Paternal Grandparents (Mee-maw) Ingrid Brown of Abilene KS and Sonny Efurd of Pittsburg Tx.

She was given the nicknames Miki, Mouse and Sardine shortly after her birth and was baptized in Abilene as an infant. She spent all her life in the Abilene area. attended grade school at Rural Center elementary school. She attended middle school in Chapman KS where she met the love of her life Kevin and Graduated from Chapman high school in 2006. She took art courses throughout her high school career and was very proud of her artistic talents. She furthered her education with online courses at K- State.

Monika was such a unique and free-spirited person. She traveled through this life by her rules and terms making them up as she went. She was never one to conform to anything or follow a straight line. It was always her way, no ifs ands or buts, and was more stubborn than any mule.

She had many jobs over the years ranging from Bartending, working at a coffee shop, warranty administrator at a car dealership to one of her favorites of working at a bookstore

She has SOOO very many passions in Life. Her greatest joy and accomplishment was being a mother to Zoey. They were always spending time together trying new things, going out to eat or shopping at the mall. As a mom, she always inspired Zoey to dream and would tell her that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. She was supportive of all her sports, band and any other school project or club she was in. She loved music and taught herself to play the keyboard by ear. Her tastes in music were very broad. Everything from Reba, the 80’s hair bands and she especially loved Queen and Journey. She never met an animal that she wouldn't try pick up, love on and keep especially cats. Her 3 cats at home RiffRaff, Janet and Eddie were her other babies. She loved them fiercely and was always spoiling them. Monika was a beautiful “book Nerd” and wore that title proudly. She had a vast collection of books that were very special to her. she loved the hobbit, harry potter and books long those line along with books about astrology, Greek gods and the like. She and her brother loved Star Wars and were always trying to “Out Star Wars” each other with Knowledge, books and memorabilia. She loved the Raiders. Her mom is A KC Chiefs fan and they loved and laughed so much at their rivalry. During football season the house was all chiefs except for 1 Raiders flag while she was growing up. Zoey would go to Grammys house in a raiders shirt and come back in a Chiefs one. Her passion for Marvel movies was unrivaled. She was going to marry Captain America one day and could tell you every single fact and detail about him and all the Marvel series movies. she had a passion for her plants.

Her laugh and smile were infectious. She had the most beautiful large dark brown “Disney eyes”. She always had a hand to lend to anyone. She touched so many people in so many ways and inspired everyone. Monika was never afraid to try new things and had no fear. Her heart was as big as this world and would help anyone in need.

Cremation with a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.