Adrian Chamber set for Small Business Saturday this weekend

 Here is the list of Adrian businesses that will be holding raffles this weekend for Small Business Saturday, May 3rd. Stop in, say Hi and Buy, put your name in the pot, and cross your fingers. We appreciate everyone supporting our local businesses!

Reminder from the Bates County Health Center

 We only have a few spots left. Call and get registered!

Major announcement coming tomorrow

Whew. We're worn out from working under a blanket of secrecy over the past few months and we're glad to say that our efforts are finally coming to fruition...

Tomorrow, Wednesday April 30th we will be making a major announcement regarding the News-Shopper and our news products overall. We believe these changes will better benefit our advertisers as well as our news consumers.

It's all about keeping up with the times and serving the community. Stand by!

When to Get Rid of Your Medicines—and the Best Way to Do It

Here are some tips for disposing of unneeded medications to keep everyone safer

Most people have a stash of old medications sitting in a drawer or cabinet, but keeping expired or unneeded medications can be risky. Some drugs lose their effectiveness over time, while others can become harmful. Keeping unneeded medicines also increases the chance of someone misusing them or taking them accidentally, which can lead to serious health risks.

Here’s what you need to know about getting rid of old medication to keep everyone safer.

When to Get Rid of Medicines

Expired or unneeded drugs can be dangerous, ineffective or lead to accidental misuse. It’s best to check your medicine cabinet regularly and get rid of anything that’s no longer safe to use. Get rid of a medicine when:

• It's past its expiration date. Medications can lose potency over time and some may even become harmful after they expire.
• Your doctor changes your prescription. Holding onto old prescriptions might seem harmless, but it increases the chance of taking the wrong medication later, which can cause health issues.
• The treatment is over. If you feel better and your doctor says you can stop taking a medicine, there's no reason to keep any extra medication that’s left.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are no longer needed. Unused cold medicine, pain relievers and other OTC drugs may not be safe to take after a certain time.

How to Dispose of Medicines Safely

Certain disposal methods help prevent misuse, protect others and keep harmful substances out of the environment. Here are some options for getting rid of unneeded medications:

• Drug take-back programs. The best way to get rid of old medicines is through take-back programs. Many pharmacies, hospitals and community organizations offer collection sites where you can safely drop off unwanted medications. This ensures they are disposed of properly and don’t end up in the wrong hands.
• Place in the trash. You can throw most medicines in the trash at home, but take extra precautions to do it safely. Before placing medicine in the trash, mix it with something unappealing, such as coffee grounds, cat litter or dirt, and place the mixture in a sealed bag or container. Immediately dispose of the trash – don’t leave it sitting around inside your house.
• Flushing medicines. Some medicines are especially dangerous if taken by someone other than the person prescribed. This includes certain pain medications and other high-risk drugs. Flushing medicine is one way to ensure it won’t be accessed by others who shouldn’t be taking it, but it should only be done when recommended as it can harm the environment.

Other Tips for Safe Medicine Use

Here are a few other things to keep in mind when it comes to safely managing medications:

• Store medicines properly. Keep medications in a cool, dry place, out of the reach of children and pets. Avoid storing medicine in bathrooms, where heat and moisture can affect them.
• Never share prescription medicines. Even if someone has similar symptoms, what works for you might not be safe for them. Always check with a doctor before taking any prescription drugs.
• Check medicines regularly. Every few months, go through your medicine cabinet and remove anything that is expired or no longer needed.

Reminder: City of Butler utility portal is available now

The new customer portal is available online at our website. Citizens can see hourly/daily and monthly usage. Sign up for alerts, notifications, email reminders and other options. You do not have to pay your bill online to sign up for the portal. If you already have an online account your current online id will work. You can access the new portal by going to the following.

https://butlermo.municipalonlinepayments.com/butlermo/

Obituary - Rosalie Bernice Herman

Funeral services for Rosalie Bernice Herman of Butler, Missouri will be 10 a.m. Friday, May 2, 2025 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler.  No visitation.  Burial in Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler.  Contributions to Butler Senior Center or Butler Public Library.  Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

Rosalie Bernice Herman, age 92 of Butler, Missouri died Monday, April 28, 2025 at Bates County Memorial Hospital in Butler.  She was born September 11, 1932 to Milton and Gertie Bernice Rosbrugh Shepard in Johnson City, Missouri.

Rosalie is survived by one stepson, Wilbur Herman and wife Patricia of Butler, Missouri; one grandson, Landon Herman of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; one sister, Elsie Fay Peterson and husband Jerry of Warsaw, Missouri; and numerous nephews and nieces.  Rosalie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, W. August Herman on January 20, 2016; and two brothers, Milton Elmore Shepard and Lloyd Ellsworth Shepard

City of Harrisonville receives Silver Shovel award

We are excited to announce that the City of Harrisonville has been awarded a 2024 Silver Shovel Award from Spire Gas

This award recognizes organizations who take proactive steps to avoid damage to any gas lines throughout their community during the entire year. This is the 3rd year in a row that Harrisonville has received the award!

Each and every week, our Public Works staff work near underground utility lines, repairing and installing water mains, sewer mains, storm water systems, electrical services, sidewalks, etc, to maintain a safe and reliable community for our residents to call home.

“These municipalities (Harrisonville) made the decision to put safety first for each and every dig,” said Alan Meyer, Spire Damage Prevention Manager.

Accepting the award on the City's behalf were members of our Streets Department, including Supervisor JC Johnson and maintenance workers Dakota Mclelland, Ashlie Graves and Lyle Schow.

We join Spire in thanking our staff for prioritizing the safety of our community as they complete their work day in and day out.

Bates County Officially Receives Missouri Blue Shield Designation

Butler – Today, Bates County officially received Missouri Blue Shield designation from the Missouri Department of Public Safety. This prestigious honor recognizes Missouri communities that demonstrate a steadfast commitment to enhancing public safety and supporting law enforcement.

The Missouri Blue Shield Program, created by Governor Kehoe in January 2025 through Executive Order 25-03, recognizes local governments that make significant efforts to reduce crime, foster law enforcement collaboration, and build strong community partnerships for public safety.

“Public safety is the foundation of a thriving community and state. It affects everything from families feeling secure to businesses having the confidence to invest and grow,” said Governor Kehoe. “We designed the Missouri Blue Shield Program to recognize communities that go above and beyond in creating a place where people want to live, work, and build their futures. A Missouri Blue Shield designation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of local governments across Missouri who are leading the way in making public safety a priority.”

“The Department of Public Safety is proud to work alongside communities like Bates County, that have shown exceptional dedication to enhancing public safety,” said Mark James, Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS). “This program is about fostering collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. Our goal is to support these efforts, providing resources and guidance to help communities build sustainable, long-term solutions for crime reduction and public safety.”

“We are excited to work with the County Commission to move forward with this designation and to further put the Safety of the Citizens of Bates County first. We look forward to working with the Governor’s Office and the Department of Public Safety along with other First Responders in the County.” Says Sheriff Anderson. “Working together with the Commission we will be successful in building a radio system so that all first responders in the county have radios and the ability for interoperable communications between each agency within the county. The second portion of this project is to update the aging 911 system to ensure its accuracy so that first responders are able to find the caller and the location of the incident, while getting as much information for those responders as physically capable.”

Eligibility and Program Details

Communities are eligible for a Missouri Blue Shield designation based on their dedication to reducing crime, making substantial investments in public safety, and developing strong collaboration with law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders. Each participating community’s commitment will be reviewed annually to ensure continued alignment with the program’s goals.

Participation Incentives

Communities that earn a Missouri Blue Shield designation will receive grant funding for law enforcement training and equipment as part of Governor Kehoe’s Recommended Budget for the State Fiscal Year 2026. Communities will also be featured on Governor Kehoe’s social media pages as well as the DPS website to highlight their participation in the program.

About Bates County

Bates County earned a Missouri Blue Shield designation due to its exceptional commitment to public safety. Through partnerships with our community groups, community policing efforts and financial investments by the Commission, the Bates County community has demonstrated a strong and ongoing commitment to protecting its residents. This designation affirms Bates County’s effort to create a safer, more secure environment for all who live and work here.

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