NWS confirms EF-1 Tornado in Vernon County

A National Weather Service survey concluded that an EF-1 tornado occurred 3 miles ENE of Stotesbury in Vernon County, MO. The path length was 3.4 miles with a width of 95 yards. 

Maximum wind speeds of 95 mph destroyed two outbuildings and caused a number of trees to be either uprooted or have large limbs snapped.

Butler High School Band & Choir students participated at State Solo & Ensemble

We would like to congratulate the Butler High School Band & Choir students who participated at State Solo & Ensemble this weekend! 

Students can receive a gold, silver, or bronze rating with gold being the highest. Here are the results:

Gold Rating -
Zion Plotner Flute Solo
SAB Trio - Madison Kennedy, Skilyn Roberts, Zion Plotner

Silver Rating -
Skilyn Roberts Vocal Solo
Zion Plotner Vocal Solo
Peyton Hudson Bari Sax
Abby Catron Piano

SSA Sextet 1 - Makenzie Algiere, Lola Blaser, Windsday Grissom, Kensley Schowengerdt, Morgan Stump, Bethany Swarnes
SSA Sextet 2 - Mollie Eslinger, Summer Lewis, Bonnie Roberts, Skilyn Roberts, Chastity Turney

Bronze Rating -
SATB Double Quartet - Olivia Blaser, Ayden Broege, Zedrick Hamersley, Summer Lewis, Zion Plotner, Bethany Swarnes, Lillian Teaney, Dylan Triebel

Severe weather possible late Tuesday

A quiet day expected for today. A chance for severe storms returns tomorrow evening into tomorrow night. Main threats with these storms will be for damaging winds and large hail. Additional rainfall may aggravate ongoing river flooding or cause additional flooding.

Cass County Sheriff's Office Leads Operation Guardian

Cass County Sheriff’s Office Leads Operation Guardian

On Friday, April 26th, the Cass County Sheriff's Office led Operation Guardian. During this operation, Local, State and Federal Law Enforcement set out to check on 31 registered sex offenders residing in Cass County who are under the supervision of Missouri Probation & Parole or U.S. Federal Probation.

Operation Guardian resulted in two arrests, one pending new felony charge, one misdemeanor warrant arrest, multiple state probation violations and one federal violation.

One of these apprehensions was the felony arrest of 49-year-old Robert Depue of Garden City, Mo. for 10 counts of Child Pornography. Depue sits in the Cass County Jail on a no bond warrant. “Through the diligent efforts of our dedicated law enforcement teams, we have successfully apprehended individuals who posed a serious threat to the well-being of our citizens.

I commend the collaboration exhibited by the numerous agencies in bringing these subjects to justice. Our community can rest assured that we will continue to prioritize the protection of our residents and the swift apprehension of those who seek to harm them," Sheriff Jeff Weber. Missouri Probation and Parole, Missouri Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the United States Secret Service - Kansas City Cyber Fraud Task Force, Cass County Prosecutor’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sex Offender Unit, U.S. Marshals and Missouri State Technical Assistance K9 Team made this operation a success.

The operation checked offenders in Archie, Belton, Drexel, Freeman, Garden City, Harrisonville, Peculiar, Pleasant Hill and Raymore. If you have any information about a non-compliant sex offender please call the Cass County Sheriff's Office at (816) 380-5200.

From the desk of Bates County Coroner Greg Mullinax

Today (4/29/2024) just after 10am I was called to the Show-Me Rest RV Park in Passaic. Park personnel had located a 62 year-old male known to reside at the park deceased in his RV.

As next of kin has been appropriately notified, the deceased is identified as Randy Dopps. 

An autopsy examination has been scheduled at this time and a death investigation is underway; however, there is no immediate indication of foul play.

Most respectfully,
Greg D. Mullinax
Bates County Coroner

Flip through this week's News-Shopper!

 Follow this link to flip through the pages https://online.fliphtml5.com/xgttb/aach/

Raymore man injured in Vernon County crash

On Sunday April 28th around 8:50 p.m. the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Vernon County along with Vernon County Sheriff's Office responded to a one vehicle accident on Missouri 54 Highway around 1 miles west of Deerfield.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the accident occurred when the eastbound 2017 Ford Expedition driven by 71 year old Richard N. Bryant of Raymore, Missouri hydroplaned into the ditch on water that was over the roadway.

Mr. Bryant sustained minor injuries and he was transported by ambulance to Nevada Regional Medical Center for treatment.

View crash report below:

https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=240208439

Warsaw man killed in Benton County Crash

A Warsaw man died in a one-vehicle accident that occurred Saturday night in Benton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says that a southbound 2005 Ford F-250, driven by 52-year-old Craig A. Ralston of Matteson, Illinois, was on Missouri 7, west of the Dam Access Road around 7:50 p.m., when the truck traveled off the right side of the roadway. 

The driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to overturn. The truck then traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned.

The passenger in the Ford, 64-year-old Walter R. Spooner of Warsaw, was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:45 p.m., by Benton County Coroner Weston Miller. The body was taken to Reser Funeral home in Warsaw.

Ralston suffered serious injuries and was transported to Golden Valley Memorial Hospital by Warsaw-Lincoln Ambulance.

View crash report below:
https://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/HP68/AccidentDetailsAction?ACC_RPT_NUM=240206867