Monday, September 8, 2025
The Museum Minute: Carnage from Order No. 11
Herrman’s Historical Happenings week of September 10
1863 A Union officer writes his wife "It's sickening to see what I have seen. Bates Co is devastated. Oh God, all because of Order Number 11!"
1884 Mr. Bryant opens a business college in Sprague.
1922 The Adrian Methodist Church is dedicated.
1923 Butler schools open with 665 pupils enrolled.
1929 The Butler Chamber of Commerce Fair opens for 4 days. 6th annual.
1929 The Butler airport is dedicated (located at the south edge of town).
1930 Mrs. William Underbrink, who disappeared yesterday, is found clinging to a 2x4 in a deep well several miles from her home. She is rescued.
1945 Fire destroys the WeMott schoolhouse four miles East of Passaic. Teacher and students escape without injury.
1972 Dorsey Durfee, Rich Hill horseshoe pitching champ, places 2nd at the St. Joseph tourney, after winning first place yesterday in Lamar.
1982 An early morning explosion and fire rips through Mary's Restaurant, Business 71 and Pine st in Butler. The cause is unknown, according to Chief Jim Henry.
Bates County real estate transfers and marriage licenses
Ledesma, Samuel Elliott to Case, John Str 35-42-32 //Ne
Laning, Rick to Laning, Bradley A Str 25-39-32 //Se
Smith, Bobby W. to Davis, Briana M. Str 20-42-33 //Nw+
Rogers, Gregory M to Mclay Homes, LLC Str 23-40-31 //Sw
Whittier, Helen L. to Whittier, Helen Louise (Trustee) Str 10-40-32 //Ne
Corwood Homes to Weber, Gage Jefferson Lt 185 Adrian, Original Town Of+
Bettels Farms, LLC to Mulberry Cemetery Corp Str 10-40-33 //Nw
Bullock, Cynthia L to Duckworth, Lonny A Str 19-41-30 //Nw
Bullock, Cynthia L to Fuller, Dustin Str 19-41-30 //Nw
Dunlap, Ronald D to Kimball, Carl Str 5-39-30 //Nw
Melton, John Henry to Reeves, Cameron Str 33-42-31 //Ne
Hosler, Herbert to Melton, John Lt 20 Robin Dale Subd P4/60 #221
Kern, Steve to Hiller, Ryan W Lt 5 Bl 12 Gilbert Heights+
Bettels Farms, LLC to Wisdom, Michael W Str 9-40-33 //Se
Craig, Marion to Friend, Jessica Lt 1 Bl 103 Rich Hill, Original Town Of+
Dennis, Michelle L to Roberts, Cody Str 35-40-31 //Sw+
Bingham, Julia A to Bingham, Julia A Str 5-39-31 //Se
Mason, Kelsey to Mason, Myles Str 19-40-32 //Nw
Coy, Michael to Coy, Michael Str 31-40-31 //Sw
Babcock, Sean Michael to Fennewald, Ashley Jane Str 33-40-29 //Sw
Candelaria, Terri L (Trustee) to Shobe, Gerald Lt 4 Bl 182 Town Company's Second Addn+
Lefevre, Terry A (Trustee) to Poindexter, Mitchell O Str 30-42-32 //Nw
Marriage license
Pajula, Kevin Rae and Lawrence, Shyla Lynn
Landtroop, Caleb Eleazar and Whitaker, Mikayla Madison
Rich Hill schools offer statement regarding former employee
First, we can confirm that the individual in question is no longer employed by the district. The district is also aware that the former employee is being investigated by one or more outside agencies. However, the individual resigned from the district before the administration became aware of any allegations or the investigation, and no reason for the resignation was provided.
Based on the limited information available to the district, it appears that none of the conduct being investigated occurred at school or during school activities. Nevertheless, the district will provide its full cooperation during any investigation regarding the matter.
This is the full extent of the information that the school district can provide. Any additional information will have to come from the agency or agencies that are conducting the investigation. But we can assure you that the district is absolutely committed to providing a safe working and learning environment for our students and staff. We are a small, but dedicated school community – a school family. We will support each other with kindness and empathy as those most deeply affected by these events work through this difficult situation. Finally, we want to thank the entire community for the support it is showing to those who need it most, and to the school district and its mission to provide the best education possible for all of our students.
What’s Up by LeRoy Cook
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Thunderstorms rolled through on Wednesday of last week, knocking a few limbs down near the airport, but no damage was seen on the field. The SkyDive Caravan 208B is too big to fit in any of our hangars, but rode out the gusts okay. One of Sky4’s Cessna 150 trainers was stuck in Harrisonville while buying fuel, surviving on tie-down ropes.
Transient traffic observed last week included a 1956 Cessna 172, a 1964 Mooney Mark 21 (out of Des Moines, IA) and a noisy Beech King Air B100 turboprop, picking up passengers. The rare B100 uses 700-hp Garrett engines that run at a constant rpm, even on the ground, using propeller pitch to control thrust. The Missouri Army National Guard provided some Black Hawk helicopter fly-bys.
Local acts of aviation were performed by BCS’s AirTractor AT502 skimming over farm fields, Sky4’s Cessna 150s were busy training student pilots and SkyDive KC lofted some loads of jumpers. Former jumpmaster Chris Hall got current in a Cessna 150, Roy Conley flew his Grumman Tr2, and I was taken to Joplin and Springfield by a C-150.
This coming weekend, starting Friday morning, the Jefferson City airport is closed down for the annual Columbia-Jeff City airshow, with no provisions for flying in and out of the Capital City. Use Columbia Regional as an alternate.
A too-hasty traffic pattern, mixed with an ill-advised straight-in long approach, resulted in a tragic accident at Fort Morgan, Colorado on August 31st. A Cessna Skyhawk skipped entering the landing pattern, opting to make a straight-in, while at the same time an Extra 300 made a tight base-leg and turn to final, landing atop the unseen high-winger. The two entangled airplanes crashed onto the runway, where the wreckage was soon consumed by fire; the Extra is made of fiberglass. Only one person was killed in the Extra 300, the other one surviving with injuries, and the two occupants of the Cessna came out okay. The lesson is, once again, fly a regular traffic pattern and keep watch for unexpected traffic.
Budget carrier Spirit Airlines took Chapter 11 bankruptcy last Friday, the second time this year; it entered Chapter 11 back in March but isn’t making it yet. The bright yellow Airbuses based in Florida may not be around much longer unless the court and creditors can work something out.
The much-ballyhooed “near midair” at Minot, ND on July 19th has turned out to be a non-event, after investigation. A Skywest Embraer regional airliner pulled up and went around after spotting a B-52 bomber, which had been cleared through the airspace by the tower so it could make a pass over the fairgrounds to the west at a public event. And a flight school’s Piper Cherokee was also just a mile away; it didn’t deviate.
Our previous weekly quiz was about term “vertical visibility” in an aviation weather report; no responses were received. It’s used when fog is so thick there’s no measurable ceiling height, so the machine records “VV100 ft.” For next week, tell us the Boeing B-52’s official name; hint—Fortress. You can send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com.
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Obituary - Sally Joanne Hatten
She was born on July 31, 1948, in Warrenton, Missouri, the daughter of Alvin Bert Gerdes and Mary Elizabeth (Wallace) Gerdes. A graduate of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Central Missouri State University, she lived nearly 50 years in Butler and worked as a music teacher in the Adrian, Metz, Rich Hill, and Miami (Missouri) schools before moving to Cleveland to be closer to family.
Sally loved music, singing, Broadway shows, and playing the piano. She also enjoyed cooking, reading, and learning. She valued community service and education and took particular joy in catering events and parties and serving in leadership roles at the Butler Public Library. In her later years, she became connected with the Cleveland Sight Center, where she found meaningful resources and community.
She is survived by her children: S. Alex Ruthmann and fiancée Carrie Lyu (Shanghai, China); Nick Ruthmann and wife Allison Girvin (Cleveland, Ohio); Beth (Hatten) Bornman and husband Donnie (Republic, Missouri); and Chris Hatten and wife Ali (San Antonio, Texas). Her grandchildren also survive her: Lilly, Charlotte, Shelby, Seraphim, Amelia, and Norah, along with extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Dr. Robert L. Hatten; her sister, Kay Caroline (Gerdes) Brown; her parents; and her beloved Great Pyrenees dogs.
A private memorial will be held among family. Friends, family, and former students are encouraged to visit her Facebook page to share remembrances, favorite songs, recipes, and memories: https://www.facebook.com/sally.hatten.9.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Butler Public Library (Butler, Missouri), Great Pyrenees Rescue Society, or the Future Vision Foundation (Cleveland, Ohio).
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