The Museum Minute: What's the (fowl) odor?

Courtesy of the Bates County Museum 802 Elks Drive, Butler Mo 64730 (660) 679-0134

Herrman’s Historical Happenings week of April 2

1908 The Adrian Mayor asks citizens to refrain from throwing dead fowl and other decaying substances in the alleys because it is causing a foul odor and it's against the law.

1911 A severe rainstorm hits Bates Co, washing out bridges, culverts, roads, and eroding all plowed ground. Lightning kills livestock in Charlotte, Elkhart, Homer, Summit and Mount Pleasant townships.

1911 Capt. Flavius J. Tygard dies, he was instrumental in getting electric lights for Butler, making it first town West of the Mississippi river to have electricity.

1945 John G. Underwood and S.W. Booth have purchased the Culver Funeral Company  and will now be known as the Underwood-Culver Funeral Service on North Main st,Butler.

1948 George H. Christopher, Elkhart township farmer, announces he will seek the Democratic nomination for 6th District Congressman.

1978 Quick action by the Butler fire department avert disaster when a blaze breaks out at Franklin's Store, northwest corner of Main and Chestnut streets. A firebug was later caught setting fires at the rear of the Mattingly store, just down the street.

2001 "Georges Ice Cream Shoppe" opens on North Main street. Owned by George Vowels and operated by Laura Vowels with Julie (Vowels) Bitner.

What's Up by LeRoy Cook

 

Heads Will Roll

Traffic was light around the Butler Airport last week, even though flying weather was intermittently favorable, when the gusty winds abated. Over the past months, since the fuel system was shut down, we’ve seen a decline in transient traffic. Obviously, not having fuel available makes a difference.

The Bellanca 7KBA Citabria that had been taking refuge here for a couple of weeks finally got to depart, just before the airport was closed last Monday. Repairs were made to the fuel injection throttle body so it could get back to Lee’s Summit. Other planes coming and going were a Piper Warrior and a Cessna Skyhawk, and a Piper Arrow also visited. Local movements included Jeremie Platt’s Grumman Tiger, Roy Conley’s Grumman Tr2 and a few Cessna 150 training sorties. 

In national news, a California county has been slapped down by the FAA for refusing to allow leaded 100-octane fuel to be sold at its two airports. Since 2022, Santa Clara County has required operators to stock only 94-octane unleaded gas or STC’d G100UL unleaded, which some plane owners can’t or won’t use. That violates the grant agreements stipulated when the county took federal trust fund money to maintain its airports, one of which is a ban on exclusivity of services provided.

The Alaska pilot who got stuck in thin ice on a Kenai Peninsula lake last week, leaving him and his two passengers stranded overnight, has been stuck in more ways than just out on a lake. It turns out that he held only a student pilot’s license, so he can’t legally carry anyone with him. Rules don’t count for much in Alaska, where flying is as common a driving a pickup. About all the FAA can do is revoke his student ticket and perhaps levy a fine.

Also last week, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota got upset on Friday when she learned that a Minneapolis-bound airliner departing Washington D.C.’s National airport “narrowly missed” an Air Force T-38 that was passing by on its way to Arlington Cemetery for a fly-over tribute. Actually, while surprising, the system worked as it’s supposed to; airliners are required to carry alerting and resolution gear that warns pilots when a plane gets too close, and that’s why nobody got hurt this time. But, steps will be taken...

And then there was the red-faced (and probably former) United Airlines pilot who made his Shanghai-bound Boeing 787 turn around two hours after departing Los Angeles, because he realized he had forgotten to take his passport with him. Better to face consequences at LAX than in Communist China, he figured, but the passengers had to be inconvenienced, arriving six hours late.

Our weekly challenge from last week wanted to know what airline advertised its low “peanut fares” by passing out free packs of the nuts to its passengers. That would have been Southwest, back in the days before allergy hysteria. For next time, as Butler airport gets a runway lighting upgrade, in what year was the system being replaced installed? You can send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com

Subject runs, brief altercation and arrest by Vernon county deputies

   Saturday afternoon deputies attempted to make a traffic stop on an individual. Upon making the traffic stop the subject began to flee in a white car. Deputies were able to pursue the individual. After getting the car to stop, the subject and the deputies had a brief altercation. The subject was arrested and placed on a 24-hour investigative hold. Charges are being sent over to the Vernon county prosecuting attorney.

Two of the deputies involved in the pursuit received minor injuries due to the altercation. The subject also received minor injuries as well in which he refused medical treatment.

The subject involved is presumed Innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.

Courtesy Vernon County Sheriff's Office

Harrisonville students place in top five at video production festival

 

Congratulations to Harrisonville High School video production class, WCN, who placed top five at the Emagine Festival hosted by Olathe Northwest with this year’s Shop with a Cop promotional video in the short film category. With over 30 schools participating in the festival, this is an incredible achievement for our Wildcats!

Courtesy Harrisonville Schools

Miami Eagles Plate 24 Runs to Defeat Rich Hill Tigers

 On Friday, March 28th, the Rich Hill Tigers would continued their travels as they would make the trip to Miami to take on the Lady Eagles in the diamond. The Lady Eagles of Miami had their bats on fire for the contest, as they would tally a whopping 24 runs in the game.

The Rich Hill Lady Tigers were also able to plate double digit runs in the match-up, however the 24 runs by the talented Eagles group would prove to be too much for the Lady Tigers to overcome, and Miami would come out on top, improving their season record to 1-1.

The Eagles travel to Osceola on Wednesday to take on the Lady Indians. photo by Ashley Isaacson

By Cody Morris, Tailgate TV

Butler Lions Club Radio Auction this week

Have fun and help a GREAT local cause! The annual Butler Lions Club radio auction begins this evening and runs through Thursday, nightly 5 to 8 pm. Tune your radio to 92.1 FM and be ready to dial 660-679-3135 to bid on your bargains!

Thanks in advance for your support, all money raised stays local! 

Obituary - Joann L. Mitchell

Joann L. Mitchell, 83, of Cleveland, Missouri, passed away Friday, March 28, 2025, at Louisburg Healthcare and Rehab Center, Louisburg, KS. Cremation with a family gathering at a later date. A complete obituary will be posted when it becomes available.

Courtesy Atkinson Funeral Home

Local Benefit Tournament Raises Money for Huff Family

Courtesy Cody Morris, Tailgate TV 

Earlier this month a Bates County Family suffered a devastating house fire, our community has continued to rally around the Huff family and attempted to blanket them in love over the past month while they face this tragic time. 

A group of local folks organized a Slow-pitch Softball Benefit Tournament to raise money for this family. This tournament raised right at $5,000, ALL of which was donated directly to the Huff family. 

The tournament was organized by Hunter Green, Alex Swatosh, Cody Morris, Derek Dunn, and Shawn Mayfield. Butler Sonic served as a sponsor for the tournament, donating funds for tournament expenses, and the Elks Lodge served food for donations that all went back to the Huff Family as well. 

The tournament saw 9 teams enter! The team led by Shawn Mayfield (Balls Deep) was victorious at the end of the day, while McGhee Septic came in 2nd.