Butler FFA Poultry Team competing in state contest today

Help us wish the Butler FFA Poultry team good luck as they compete at state contest today! From left to right Kole Tarvin, Dara Ramage, Natalee Kennedy, Anna Cope

2024 Drexel High School Prom Royalty Crowned

We would like to congratulate the Drexel High School 2024 Prom king and queen: Raul Vazquez and Hailey Hunziker! Way to go!

Way to go Deputy Clenin

Last month, Henry County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Clenin attended the Missouri Sheriff’s Associations' training course for Field Training Officers, hosted by the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office.

Course topics included principles of learning, professional ethics, situational leadership, counseling troubled employees, daily observation reports, standardized evaluation guidelines and training liability, to list a few.

This is a comprehensive course geared to enhanced the training experience for both, new Field Training Officers, as well as law enforcement officers in training at new agencies.

Congratulations Deputy Clenin!

Search warrant served in Cedar County

An investigation by Cedar County Deputy Thomas Miles has resulted in the service of a search warrant at a residence south of Stockton on 4/16/2024.

Several baggies of suspected meth were seized, along with related paraphernalia. Kenneth Crook was arrested and is in Cedar County jail with pending felony charges.

The warrant was served by the Sheriff and Cedar County Deputies with assistance from St. Clair County Deputies and their narcotics canine. I want to thank St. Clair County Sheriff Lee Hilty for sending his Deputies and canine. Great job by all involved.

This is another example of the proactive work done by your Sheriff's Office to help keep Cedar County safe. It should be remembered that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

- Cedar County Sheriff James McCrary

Disclaimer: Arrest records are public information. Any indication of an arrest does not mean the individual identified has been convicted of a crime. All persons arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Obituary - Kathleen "Kathy" (Kanemori) Baker

Kathleen “Kathy” Anne (Kanemori) Baker, 76, of Independence, MO (Formally of Harrisonville, MO) was born on July 25, 1947, in Philadelphia, PA to William A. & Bernadette (Whitcomb) Havel. She departed this life on Monday, April 15, 2024, at Centerpoint Medical Center in Independence, MO surrounded by her family.

Kathy graduated in 1966 from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly, NJ. After graduating high school Kathy worked as a bookkeeper for Sleeper Publications, a newspaper organization in Mount Holly, NJ. Then in 1968, she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and served during Vietnam before she was Honorably discharged as a Lance Corporal in 1969 when she married and started a family.

On February 28, 1969, Kathy was united to marriage to Yutaka Edward “Ed” Kanemori in San Diego, CA. Kathy & Ed met while both were serving in the USMC. In 1972, they moved to Harrisonville, MO when Ed transferred to the Marine Corps Finance Center in Kansas City, MO to finish out his military career. After moving to Harrisonville, Kathy worked as a waitress/hostess at various restaurants in Harrisonville and later went back to school and became a Certified Nursing Assistant working at Golden Years Nursing Home. She remained in Harrisonville until Ed’s Passing in 1990.

Kathy married Donald (Don) Baker on September 4, 1992. They later divorced in 1998.

Kathy was preceded in death by an infant twin brother, her parents, husband Ed, one infant grandson, one infant great granddaughter, and a son-in-law.

Kathy is survived by her daughters, Barbara Waltz of Raymore, MO, Mary Fisher of Archie, MO, Kelly (Pat) Kittilstad of Raymore, MO, and Colleen (Rodney) Harding of Olathe, KS; 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Also surviving are two sisters, Christine (Lou) Auriemma, Medford, NJ and Geri (Terry) Hill, Flowood, MS and a brother, Bill (Carol) Havel, Richmond, TX.Cremation with a Memorial Graveside Service and Military Honors will be held at a later date.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Harrisonville Honor Guard, Harrisonville, Missouri and may be sent in care to Dickey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 432, Harrisonville, Missouri.

Clinton man sentenced to 16 years in MDOC

The Henry County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announces that on April 17th, Airic Norman Brauer, 21, Clinton, Missouri was sentenced to serve a total of 16 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for his convictions in a 2022 shooting in Clinton, Missouri.

In July of 2022, an incident occurred at Artesian Park in Clinton. Two young men, Mason Roskop and Mitchell Andrew Raines, were shot by the defendant and died of multiple gunshot wounds. 

The defendant was charged for the death of Mitchell Andrew Raines and pled not guilty. A jury trial was conducted on the week of January 8, 2024 and the jury heard evidence from the parties for four days. After deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of guilty for voluntary manslaughter, a class B felony with a maximum of fifteen years, and armed criminal action, an unclassified felony with a maximum of fifteen years.

On April 17th, 2024, a sentencing hearing was held. After hearing argument from both sides and statements from the Raines and Roskop families as well as the defendant himself, the court sentenced Brauer to ten years for voluntary manslaughter, and six years for armed criminal action. 

The sentences shall run consecutively to one another, for a total of sixteen years. Brauer must serve three years by law for the count of armed criminal action before being eligible for parole for the six-year sentence.

Remembering Retired Clinton Fire Lieutenant Steve Parks

We are sad to acknowledge the death of Retired Clinton Fire Lieutenant, Steve Parks. Lieutenant Parks began his career with the CFD in 1980 and retired on December 30, 2005 after 26 years of service to the citizens of Clinton.

Lieutenant Parks played a vital role in the implementation of our departments fire prevention program. For many years, Lieutenant Parks would travel to the local schools and deliver fire prevention programs to school age children. He thoroughly enjoyed his time spent with the children and always had a way to make things fun. From puppet shows, to theatrical props, Lieutenant Parks made sure that the children received the information in a way that they would understand.

Lieutenant Parks was a mountain of a man, passionate about the fire service and proud to be a fireman even after retirement. His faith in Jesus Christ was evident and he was not afraid to talk about it. His passionate prayers over each fireman, active or retired, during our holiday dinners demonstrated his love for his savior and fellow brothers in the fire service. His frequent visits to the fire station to share a new joke or drop off some pecans will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to this wife, Debbie, and Lieutenant Parks' family as they go through this season of grief.

 
Visitation services will be today, Thursday, April 19, 2024, from 6-8:00pm at Vansant-Mills Funeral Home. Funeral service will be tomorrow, Friday, April 19, 2024 at 1:00pm. Fire and Military service honors will be presented during the funeral with a fire truck led funeral procession following.

City of Harrisonville Electric Crews working hard after storms

We want to give a quick shout out to the City of Harrisonville Electric Crews for their quick responses during Tuesday’s severe storms.

Crews responded to 2 major incidents and a handful of other much smaller issues during the storms.

Our two major incidents included a power pole that was blown over by heavy winds, and. A large tree limb that fell and landed on a power line.

Crews were able to quickly complete repairs in both areas, with only 1 customer ever losing power.

We are grateful for the ongoing efforts of our Electric staff to improve our electric system and for their quick responses in times of crisis. Great job team!