Mid America Live

MU Extension offers tips for cattle grazing and Summer weather conditions

Recent rainfall across Missouri doesn't eliminate the risk of drought this summer. Planning your forage strategy now can help ensure your operation stays resilient through dry conditions.

Diversifying with warm-season grasses and legumes can mitigate weather-related shortages, cut fertilizer costs and lessen reliance on expensive feeds.

Get details on understanding soil dynamics, selecting the right warm-season grasses and more: https://brnw.ch/21wSln1

Northern Commissioner John Gray shares thoughts regarding solar projects in Bates County

Below are comments related to the commission meeting notes from this week that may be viewed here https://batescountynewswire.blogspot.com/2025/05/weekly-report-from-bates-county.html

I know there are many questions on the solar project, this is my response to the solar project.

1. I am not in favor of any government entity telling a land owner what he can or can not do, I also don't want a hog lot or feed lot next door, the commissioner's will work for what is best for Bates County.

2. I am in favor of solar just not 100%. I know in the next few years we will see a great increase in energy demands solar may be a good way to help with demands.

3. When it comes to this solar project I will only make an informed decision, what's best for Bates County.

I have talked to one landowner and will talk to more, I have been in close contact with Clear Way solar and Nextera solar.

I look forward to visiting finished projects and projects in progress, as well as learning the benefit of chapter 100 bonds and their benefit in our county possibly for this project and others in the future.

I hope this will give a clear understanding of where I stand on this solar project.

Thanks Northern Commissioner John Gray

Weekly report from the Bates County Commission

April 21, 2025 The Bates County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley, Northern Commissioner John Gray and Southern Commissioner Trent Nelson present.

Rain 4 courthouse roof 0. Since the replacement of the roof on the courthouse the roof continues to leak. Courthouse maintenance Gary Ratliff is working on chasing this down and getting a repair. The leaks are coming from the Catwalk outer edge this time.

The commission received a request for the Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission membership. With MoDOT bridge repairs, emergency planning and economic development assisted through Kaysinger, it was decided to be beneficial to the County.

John made the motion to continue with the Kaysinger Basin Membership. Trent seconded the motion. All vote yes. Motion passed. No opposition.

Resolution 2025-002 Kaysinger Basin Membership signed.

County Clerk Jami Page brought in a court summons she received naming the county. The Commissioners, County Clerk and 4 Bates County Sheriff Office Jailers are all named. A former Inmate is alleging his Civil Rights were violated. The County's insurance has assigned a Lawyer.

The Commission received an email on the Opioid Settlement. Another company had been named in the settlement Janssen, and they required the claimants to file an agreement with them directly before any monies were to be awarded. How or when this information was given out is not known. According to Jim several counties missed out on these payments. The Commission signed and returned the agreement. The county received another payment. We should have $82,786.80. Judge Highley is still working on a board to help determine how to use these funds. There are certain criteria to adhere to.

April 23, 2025 The Bates County Commission met with Presiding Commissioner Jim Wheatley, Northern Commissioner John Gray and Southern Commissioner Trent Nelson present.

Pivot Tech did not call in for their scheduled appointment.

Jerret Reno and Russ Whisenand came in for their scheduled appointment. They are still working on the process and gathering information from other counties regarding indigent cremations. A few of the other Coroners have their own funeral homes as well where they absorb a lot of those responsibilities and costs out of the county’s budget. They had some conservations on vaults versus mausoleums. The Mausoleums seem to be a better choice. Jerret will look into the costs and burials with Oak Hill. Having a way to identify them as well is needed.

Jerret and Russ recently attended the County Coroners Conference. Collectively the Coroners consider the standards for the coroners subpar and are looking to improve the standards. There is a mandatory 24 hours of training required yearly. If this training, is not completed the Coroner will not be able to sign death certificates. The Association is going to start enforcing this. Jerret was elected the Troop A Director of the Association. There is legislation in the senate to level the salaries for the Coroners equally. Jim asked if they were taking the Coroners out of the Salary Commission as they did the Prosecutors and Sheriffs? Jerret replied he did not know. Russ received some information on grants available for equipment and things. He has experience with writing grants. They are thinking of writing one for a pill identifier. Jerret spoke on the duties the Coroner completes in the community and where improvements are needed. Jerret will get back with the Commission once he has all the information together.

John asked Russ about the Ambulance being hired out at the DGD Racing, LLC Racetrack in Ballard. The manager out there, Nick Faleh hires an ambulance to be there during events as an immediate response, should one be needed. They pay $175 an hour. They have donated money and equipment to the community in several ways and there has been talk of them possibly donating to the ambulance department specifically. The owner of the Racetrack David Dehamers has spoken to John on the issue of the Racetrack and the 80% tax increase he received. He spoke to the Commission and Assessor at the Board of Equalization. They had an agreement that the Assessor did not follow through on.

Joe Macklin with Senator Josh Hawley’s office came in on his scheduled meeting. He states the budget resolution is the biggest thing being worked on right now. Josh is opposed to any budget cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. He would like to see tax breaks for working citizens making under $80,000.00. Joe asked about Bates County. John asked how Josh liked working with Andrew Bailey. He stated that they have a good working relationship. Senator Hawley was Andrew Baileys law professor. Jim asked about the AG bill. Joe responded that he could get his contact information to give to the person that works on that. The bill needs updated information. Jim spoke on Workforce Development. How they had to step into the unemployment lack of centers for people to find jobs. They originally were set up to help the people gain skills needed for jobs not find jobs. More funding is needed and places for people to find jobs. John asked Joe to tell Josh that we appreciate him and the job he is doing. The Commission extended invitations to Josh or any of congress to come visit. County Clerk Jami Page asked about Voter ID. Joe didn’t have any information on that subject but asked if there was a concern. Jami went on to say that in Missouri a person can register to vote with any photo ID yet when time to vote they are to have a Missouri State ID. This causes some confusion and frustration with voters. Also, the License bureaus do voter registrations, and we must trust that they are vetting them as legal citizens. The conversation touched on the Real ID deadline and how this is becoming a requirement in several places. Joe asked about Solar. John stated that he is not for it and doesn’t see that it will benefit Bates County. Jim states that the electricity will be going off to KC or other places, so he is not for it either. The Solar companies are betting on the La Cygne Plant closing in the future. John said that if it wasn’t for the government subsidizing the solar industry’s growth they wouldn’t be here. There are still problems with the taxing portion of the solar farms since the PILTs are being overlooked for Chapter 100 Bonds. The conversation touched on windmills; our county doesn’t have the right set of parameters for them, so they haven’t come back. Jim suggested to Joe all the Associations and Organization meetings the senator should sit in on from time to time. Joe took his leave with many thanks and appreciation for his and Senator Hawley’s work efforts.

The late scheduled meeting for Gayle Beachner was cancelled as the issue was resolved.

Work in progress

Policy Regarding Indigent Cremations given 8/25/2023 updates current

Rattlesnake Hill Roads 11/06/2023 updates current

Policy Regarding Computer, E-Mail, Devices and Social Media given 2/14/2024

Telephone Contracts 3/11/2024 updates current

Opioid Settlement Resolution 10/2/2024 (Judge Highley)

EEZ Board 3/26/2025

Monthly report from the Rich Hill Fire Department

RHFD responded to 32 calls for service in the month of April.

Obituary - Arlin Joe Unruh

Funeral services for Arlin Joe Unruh of Peculiar, Missouri, will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri. Visitation prior to services 1 - 2 p.m. at the Schowengerdt Chapel. Burial in Bethany Mennonite Cemetery, Rich Hill, Missouri. Contributions to Midwest Transplant Network. Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

Arlin Joe Unruh, age 61 of Peculiar, Missouri died Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at Select Specialty Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. He was born December 24, 1963 to Ivan Dean and Virgie JoAnn Nightingale Unruh in Newton, Kansas.

Arlin is survived by his wife, Margie; one daughter, Nichole Toews of Siloam Spring, Arkansas; two stepdaughters, Kyndal Turney and husband Jesse of Lee’s Summit, Missouri and Brenna Giangreco and husband Charles of Raytown, Missouri; one stepson, Kyle Mullis and wife Sara of Odessa, Missouri; eight grandchildren, Hollister, Cruz, Evie, Olivia, Kennedy, Emma, James and Adalyn; his mother, JoAnn Unruh of Butler, Missouri; one sister, Barbara Koehn and husband Devern of Rich Hill, Missouri; and one brother, Wayne Unruh and wife Patricia of Transylvania, Louisiana. Arlin was preceded in death by his father, Ivan Dean Unruh on January 13, 2007.

City of Harrisonville announces new power outage reporting system

BIG NEWS: We are excited to introduce a new power outage reporting system that provides real-time updates and a map of current power outages.

The system is called Hometown Grid, and here’s how you can use it:

Text "Outage" to 833-976-3341

Call 833-976-3341 to report an outage

Check out the live outage map at https://www.hometowngrid.com/harrisonville

Hometown Grid makes reporting outages easier and more accessible for all members of the Harrisonville community, whether you prefer texting, calling or viewing outages on a map that features real-time updates.

For more details about the system, visit https://harrisonville.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1581