Butler man injured in accident near Ballard

Shortly before 10 pm on August 14, first responders were called to the scene of a motorcycle accident on route BB at CR 9004 near Ballard to find a 53 year old male from Butler, Mo suffering from serious injuries after the bike left the roadway, ejecting the rider.

The rider was airlifted to Research Hospital in Kansas City for treatment. The Adrian Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Bates County Sheriff's Office and the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Due to a policy change, the MSHP no longer provides names of victims in publicly available accident reports. Hardcopy detailed reports are available from the MSHP at a cost of $6 with an unknown delivery time due to a severe backlog, according to the MSHP website.

Obituary - Diana Briggs

Diana Lynn Briggs, 63, of Peculiar, Missouri, passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, August 14, 2025. A Memorial Visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville, MO. The family suggests contributions to the Freeman, Missouri First Baptist Church.

Diana was born November 28, 1961 in Harrisonville, a daughter of Delbert Dewayne and Edna Mae (McBride) Roller. She lived in the LaTour, MO, area growing up and was a 1980 graduate of Holden, MO, High School. She was a member of the Rosehill Baptist Church in LaTour. Diana met John Briggs in Harrisonville, and after becoming good friends, they were united in marriage September 5, 1980 by Rev. Joe Brewster at the Freeman First Baptist Church. Together, they made a home in the Freeman, MO, area, where they raised 3 children, before settling in Peculiar, MO.

Diana was preceded in death by her father and a brother, Ron Roller. She is survived by her husband, John Briggs, Peculiar, MO; three daughters: Kimberly Blevins and husband, Steven, of Butler, MO; Jamie Chapman of Harrisonville, MO; and Stacy Roller of Buckner, MO; a son, John “John-John” Briggs and wife, Crystal, Harrisonville, MO; her mother, Edna Roller, of LaTour, MO; two brothers: Delbert “Tim” Roller and wife, Jerre, of Latour, MO; and Randy Roller and wife, Rita, of Blue Springs, MO; two sisters: Debbie Kircher and husband, Gary, of Harrisonville, MO; and Donna Kagarice and husband, Jack, of LaTour, MO; five grandchildren: Jordan, Jenna, Hailey, Jaylin, and Braydon; and two great-grandchildren, Jetsynn and Emberlyn

Thexton's each to serve 32 years following sentencing today

 Kenneth and Melody Thexton exit the Bates County Courthouse with attorneys Friedrich and Truesdale following sentencing Friday afternoon

Kenneth and Melody Thexton were ushered into the the Bates County Circuit Court this afternoon following a brief consult with attorneys Jonathan Truesdale and Scott Friedrich, then were greeted by an opening statement by Prosecutor Hugh C. Jenkins.

"In all my years of service have I ever seen such a case of cruelty and depravity" said Jenkins "This went on years and years and it all can't be blamed on drug use. There's a serious element here. And ends up being a life sentence for the children involved, they never get over it. And they (the defendants) never showed remorse."

Scott Friedrich, attorney for Kenneth Thexton took the floor and argued that "yes, drug use can certainly be a factor but mostly mental health issues related to abuse that Thexton was subjected to at a very young age" likely played a role in his mental well being. Friedrich went on to say that Thexton scored low on several mental evaluations and was not considered a threat to the public. He concluded his arguments by asking judge M. Brandon Baker to show leniency for those reasons.

Jonathan Truesdale followed by saying that his client, Melody Thexton did indeed show remorse and admitted bad behavior. He noted that Thexton was also a victim of child abuse and asked for leniency as well.

All three attorneys spoke before a courtroom full of guests, including over 20 members of the Guardians of the Children motorcycle club who looked on and listened intently as the victims impact statement was read aloud.

The young woman began "I've never known what loving parents would be like. But I'm not scared any more. Once I knew I was safe, I'd never go back again. This is sick and disgusting." The tearful statement included being forced at a young age to watch (her parents) perform sex acts and participate on multiple occasions throughout her young life. 

"They should be euthanized" she added before concluding her 5 minute or so affirmation which when completed, left the courtroom eerily silent.

Judge Baker then took a few moments before announcing the sentence which will result in a total of 32 years in the Missouri DOC for each of the Thexton's as follows:

Count 1 - 20 years
Count 2 - 12 years 
Count 3 - 12 years
Count 4 - 7 years
Count 5 - 7 years
Count 6 - 7 years
Count 7 - 7 years

Counts 2 through 7 are to run concurrent to each other but consecutive with Count 1 for a total of 32 years total. Also a time credit was issued for days already served.

Naked ladies gather at Rich Hill Catholic park, passersby take notice

 

Amaryllis belladonna, better known as the naked lady lily, has been making its late Summer appearance all round the area including Rich Hill Catholic park as seen here. 

And yes, the late season bloomers can certainly be a head turner as they bring contrast to the landscape.

MDC offers free webinar for managing deer

 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the National Deer Association (NDA) invite landowners, land managers, and others interested in managing deer on their properties to join them online for a free webinar on open-land management practices to enhance white-tailed deer habitat on their properties.

This live Zoom webinar on “Wildflowers and Whitetails” will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m. It will begin with a presentation by the MDC private lands deer biologist followed by MDC and NDA staff answering participants’ questions.  

Save this link for the free Zoom webinar on “Wildflowers and Whitetails” and click on it on Aug. 26 at 6 p.m.: short.mdc.mo.gov/4tY 

LONG LINK: us06web.zoom.us/j/87901384930?pwd=cQpnUMDuLWGWscUS4AL4D0OArDG5uI.1#success 

For those who have not previously used Zoom on their selected device, click the link ahead of time and follow the prompts to install the free Zoom software.

This webinar is the third presentation within MDC’s and NDA’s free 2025 Missouri Deer Management Webinar Series via Zoom. The final upcoming webinar within the series will be Utilizing Prescribed Fire for Deer Management and will be held on Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. 

Watch the previous webinar on Forests, Woodlands, and Whitetails at youtube.com/watch?v=3lsLhavOJac. 

Learn more about deer management at mdc.mo.gov/your-property/improve-your-property/wildlife-management/deer-management

BCMH welcomes new paramedic

Congratulations to Cody Moore – BCMH’s Newest Paramedic!

Cody Moore has officially earned his EMT-P certification — or in everyday terms, he’s now a Paramedic! He’s pictured here with his family at his July 17 graduation ceremony from the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District’s Paramedic program.
Today marks Cody’s first shift as a paramedic-in-orientation. For the rest of the month, he’ll be paired with another paramedic to complete his orientation hours before joining our ambulance crews as the lead provider with an EMT partner.
At BCMH, each ambulance is staffed with a two-person crew — one Paramedic and one EMT-B — to respond to emergency calls across Bates County. Like many rural hospitals, we face a highly competitive job market for trained paramedics. In 2025, BCMH invested in our own by awarding scholarships to four of our EMTs to attend paramedic school; two funded by a grant. Cody, who joined BCMH in May 2024 as a full-time EMT-B, is the first of these scholarship recipients to graduate.
We’re proud of Cody’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to serving our community in this critical role. Please join us in congratulating him on this achievement!
Did you know? Paramedic school typically takes 1–2 years to complete, with hundreds of classroom hours plus hands-on clinical and field experience.

Heat sets in until midweek

Friedrich Law set to defend Butler man accused of groping incident

Information released today indicates that Corey Snead 48, accused of a groping incident at a Butler bar earlier this year, will be represented in proceedings by Friedrich Law of Butler Mo.

Snead faces a charge of Sexual Abuse, 2nd Degree- Misdemeanor A as filed in the Bates County Circuit Court yesterday. 

As of today there are no further entries on the court docket however, a motion for discovery request is expected to made by Friedrich in the near future.