81st annual Hume Fair & Rodeo

 

Obituary - Tracy R. Witherspoon

Tracy R. Witherspoon, age 47, passed away on Sunday, July 7, 2024. A Celebration of Life will be held at 4:00 PM on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in the Conference Room at the Parkfield Inn in Clinton, Missouri. Fond memories and condolences can be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com.

Tracy Rashell Witherspoon was born on June 28, 1977 in Clinton, Oklahoma.

She is survived by her parents Dennis (Liz) Witherspoon, and Deloris Grindstaff, her grandmother Lucille Stewart, two children; Steven Michael Brown, and Anna Jolie Marts, her siblings; Dennis Ray (Denny) Witherspoon, Robert Lee (Bobby) Witherspoon and wife Calli Marie Witherspoon, Rodney Scott Witherspoon, Tammie Renea Schneiders and husband Christopher Scott Schneiders, Kendra Dawn Carpenter and Kerwin Michael Carpenter, along with 16 very loved nieces and nephews.

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

Clinton man arrested for possession of child pornography

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control announces the arrest of Aaron M. Mays, 40, of Clinton, Missouri. 

Mays was arrested on July 10, 2024, for possession of child pornography, following an investigation by the Special Victims Unit of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control. The Clinton (Missouri) Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations, Kansas City, assisted in the investigation.

In November of 2023, investigators were notified that digital files of suspected child pornography had been uploaded by a social media account, later found to be associated with Aaron M. Mays, of Clinton, Missouri. On July 10, 2024, investigators contacted Mays and during a consensual search of his cellular telephone, located digital files suspected of being child pornography. 

Mr. Mays was arrested and transported to the Henry County Jail, where he was held, pending the filing of formal charges. On July 11, 2024, the Henry County Prosecuting Attorney formally charged Mays with three (3) counts of possession of child pornography. Mays is currently being held in the Henry County Jail, with a $1,000,000.00 cash only bond.

The above charges are mere accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of these charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

The Division of Drug and Crime Control encourages internet users to promptly report to the Patrol or local law enforcement anyone who attempts to engage in unwanted, inappropriate, or sexualized communications with children.

Obituary - Joyce Irene Martin

Joyce Irene Martin, age 81, a former resident of Bronson, KS, died Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at Credo Assisted Living, Fort Scott, KS. She was born November 18, 1942, in Moran, KS, the daughter of Haskell Howell and Mildred Horner Howell. 

She married Charles Joseph Martin on February 14, 1960, at Community Baptist Church in Iola, KS. He preceded her in death on October 22, 2003. She and her husband and 5 children, Charles, Jr., Samuel, James, Rachel, and Nathanael served one term as missionaries in the Samoan Islands of the South Pacific. Joyce was a member of the Iola Baptist Church.

Survivors include 4 sons, Charles, Jr. and wife Michelle, Vista, CA, Samuel and wife Barbara, Festus, MO, James and wife Lori, Summerdale, AL, Nathanael and wife Dedra, Newton, KS; a daughter, Rachel O’Dell and husband Mark, Independence, MO; 11 grandchildren, Jennifer, Benjamin, Lynelle, Michael, Steffenie, Logan, Liam, and Caitlyn Martin, and Tyler, Sarah, and Justin O’Dell; 21 great grandchildren; and 3 siblings Ella Britt, Iola, KS, Hazel Bahner, Topeka, KS and Wayne Howell, Topeka, KS. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Pauline Mitchell, a brother, Allen Howell, and her parents.

Samuel Martin will conduct funeral services at 10:30 AM Friday, July 19th, at the Fairview Chapel in Mildred, KS. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:30 AM until 10:30 at the Fairview Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to World Missions Bearing Precious Seed and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.

Obituary - Edward "Ed" Schmidli

Edward "Ed" Schmidli, age 78, of Clinton, Missouri passed away on Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at St Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. 

The family will receive friends from 5:00-8:00 PM on Monday, July 15, 2024 at the Vansant-Mills Chapel in Clinton, Missouri. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at the First Baptist Church in Clinton, Missouri.

Burial to follow in the Finey Baptist Church Cemetery in Deepwater, Missouri. Memorial contributions can be made to the Bible Baptist Church or the Finey Baptist Church and may be left in care of the funeral home.

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

Unsolved homicide from 1985 has local ties

Recently the Lamar Police Department was contacted by the Newark CA police department in reference to an unsolved 1985 homicide.

The victim there has never been identified and recent DNA genealogy testing links the victim to the Lamar Missouri area. DNA identified the victim as a descendant of Marian Marie (Helms / Thorburn) Richardson, who was born in Lamar in 1932 and is now deceased. It is likely that the victim was placed for adoption as an infant, possibly in the late 1940’s.

The Lamar Police Department has been asked to share this information locally in hopes that someone may know something.

If anyone has any information about the adoption or the identity of the victim, please reach out to the Newark Police Department at 501-578-4956 or if you want to speak to someone locally feel free to contact the Lamar Police Department at 417-682-3546 and speak to Chief Joe Moore

Cass County Jail getting some updates

Earlier this week, Cass County Sheriff Jeff Weber and Captain Barbarick gave a tour of the new sallyport, booking room and booking cells at our jail.

All funding for this $6.1 million project comes from the American Rescue Plan Act. Commissioners approved a resolution to fund the project in August 2023. The jail now has six booking desks after over twenty years of having just two.

There are also 12 new cells in the booking block, which adds capacity. The entire booking area will also have negative air pressure to help stop the spread of communicable diseases.

Newkirk Novak Construction Partners has this project on time and under budget. Phase 2 of the jail buildout began earlier this week.

BCMH July Employee of the month

We are pleased to announce Lena Tialino has been named July Employee of the Month here at BCMH. Lena was hired to the Patient Accounts department in 2018 and quickly grew in her role to serve as financial counselor for patients for several years. 

In 2023, she accepted a position in the Human Resources department as Coordinator, where she is responsible for many tasks related to employee benefits, events, orientation, and more, as well as coordinating and overseeing the needs of our Auxiliary Volunteers.

Lena was nominated for this honor by another employee, who said, “Although she has a lot on her plate, she always does her best to work through it all. 

She goes out of her way for everybody and anybody. Cheerful, she takes on tasks with a smile and full attention. She is friendly with every department. She gives her work 110% with all her heart, plus some.”

Lena consistently displays a dedication to excellence in her role, and she deserves this recognition. Congratulations, Lena!