Bates County Sheriff's Office to help with Henry county investigation

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office has requested the Bates County Sheriff’s Office conduct a full and independent investigation into matters involving potential misconduct within the City of Windsor.
Because the Henry County Sheriff’s Office currently provides municipal police services to the City of Windsor under contract, Sheriff Aaron Brown made the decision to request an outside agency to lead the investigation in order to remove any question of bias, conflict, or influence.

“Transparency and public trust are cornerstones of our service,” said Sheriff Brown. “By requesting assistance from the Bates County Sheriff’s Office, we ensure this review is handled with complete independence and professionalism. Bates County is a strong partner in public safety and is well-equipped to conduct a thorough, impartial investigation.”

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the swift and responsible actions taken by the Windsor City Counsel and will continue to fully support the process.

As this remains an active investigation, both the City of Windsor and the Henry County Sheriff’s Office will refer all inquiries to the Bates County Sheriff’s Office.

Windy today, rain incoming

Obituary - Wanda Lee Fleischer

Wanda Lee Fleischer, 86, of Butler, Missouri, passed away November 2, 2025. She was born October 22, 1939 in Rich Hill, Missouri to Merle Charles and Lorene Alice (Steuck) Kline.

Wanda attended Happy Hill School and later graduated from Rich Hill High School in 1957. Wanda married her sweetheart, Roy Paul Fleischer, on May 25, 1958. They enjoyed 62 years of married life and were blessed with three children, Rick, Kelly, and Traci. After some time living in Grandview, Missouri, the family settled in Butler, Missouri, where they worked and farmed together for many years. Wanda had a strong work ethic and held several jobs over the years, but could always be found alongside Roy helping on the farm. Wanda was a faithful member of the Zion Lutheran Church in Prairie City, Missouri.

Family was very important to Wanda, and her favorite title was “Nanny.” She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She never missed one of her grandkids' ball games, dance recitals, or fair events.

Wanda was preceded in death by her parents, Merle and Lorene; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Paul and Lillie Fleischer; son, Rick Fleischer; grandson, Bradley Hunt; great-grandson, Eli Fleischer; sisters, Genavie (Melvin) Ruehling and Kathy (Dale) Seider; in-laws, Irene (Leo) Rapp and Everard Fleischer.

Wanda is survived by daughter Kelly and husband Fred Hunt, daughter Traci and husband Roger Tippie, and daughter-in-law Robin Fleischer; 7 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren, Todd (Mary) Hunt, Caroline and Lydia; Brooke (Kash) Dubray, Hunter, Drake, and Lila; Josh (Megan Silver) Fleischer, Presley, Jacklyn, Lexi Mae, and Silas; Keith (Amanda) Fleischer, Riley and Sawyer; Hailey (Brian) Gillis, Cooper, Sadie, and Cade; Brodi (Jose) Mendez, Maysi, Bryan, Isabell, Alex, and Tilli; Kiley (Luke) Tourtillott, Bowen, Logan, and Noah; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral Service will be held at 10 am, Thursday, November 6th at Zion Lutheran Church in Prairie City, Missouri.  Visitation will be from 6 pm - 7 pm, Wednesday, November 5th at the Heuser Funeral Home in Rich Hill, Missouri

A simulation: Bombing at Butler city hall

 

What started as a normal evening ended in tragedy with several arrests following an 'explosion' at Butler city hall around 7 pm last night- all part of a training exercise involving the Butler police department, Butler fire department and a handful of crisis actors who played their roles to perfection

As the city council session was ready to begin, one member was still downstairs and met a horrible fate- at that moment, an unknown individual tossed a bomb in a window resulting in fatal injuries.

The photos below show how the rest of the scenario played out:

Council members and others in the building were moved to a safe location as the police investigation began

As police worked to identify the perpetrator, several variables came into play including some bystanders who did not abide their orders by not cooperating with the investigation- which resulted in an arrest seen below

In the meantime, firefighters gained entry to city hall to locate the 'victim' and check for other hazards

As the victim was brought outside, lifesaving measures began. Unfortunately, efforts were in vain as the person met their fate seen below

Meanwhile, police continued working to find the person responsible for the bombing; there were some intense moments

In short order, the primary suspect was taken into custody following an extensive foot chase

Once the suspect was in custody and the building cleared, first responders met with those present to help assure the situation was over and the area was declared safe.

This exercise was the brainchild of the Butler fire department spearheaded by Brenda Cecil, who said that the goal is to better prepare everyone in our ever-changing world where these types of situations play out, which could include a close knit community such as Butler.

She went on to say that the evening was "a success" in terms of efficiency and cooperation between the police and fire departments; mostly likely more such training sessions will be forthcoming.

And a hearty thank-you goes to everyone involved.

Training exercise to be held in Butler this evening

DON'T PANIC! There will be a training exercise held on the north side of the Butler square this evening beginning at 7 pm that will involve the Butler fire department and first responders. 

The public is invited to come and watch.

Cooler nights bring increased deer related accidents

JEFFERSON CITY – October and November are peak months for deer to be on the move, and the Missouri Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to be prepared and not drive distracted.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri consistently ranks 10th to 15th in the country in deer-vehicle collisions each year. In 2024, there were 2,952 crashes with deer, with four deaths and 420 injuries reported.

Deer are most active at dawn and dusk, and do unpredictable things, such as stopping in the middle of the road when crossing. A deer that is calmly standing on the side of the road may suddenly leap into traffic.

MoDOT offers the following safety tips for avoiding collisions with deer:

• Always wear your seat belt. It’s easy: Buckle Up Phone Down.
• Control your speed, stay alert and avoid distractions.
• Don’t swerve to avoid hitting a deer. Swerving can cause motorists to lose control and travel off the road or into oncoming traffic.
• Deer rarely travel alone. Slow down and keep an eye out for more deer. If a deer crosses the road in front of you, there is a good chance another deer will be following it.
• Don’t follow too closely. Remember: the driver in front of you might have to stop suddenly to avoid hitting a deer.

MoDOT maintenance crews address any animal or debris that poses a safety hazard, meaning the item is in the driving lanes. Individuals can report an animal carcass in the roadway to MoDOT by calling 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or by visiting www.modot.org/report-road-concern.  

Notice from the city of Archie

The City Water Department will be performing a repair on the water line at the corner of Chestnut Street and Main Street, on Tuesday, November 4th, beginning at 8:30AM. The water service on S. Main Street and the Whispering Oaks Subdivision will be shut off during the repair.

The water department will work to have the water service in those areas back on as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Rich Hill police department monthly report

Our numbers for October

Calls for service: 208

Animal calls: 12

Suspicious Activity: 4

Traffic Stops: 20

Disturbances: 2

Building Checks: 31

Code Enforcement: 22

Speak to Officer: 29

Agency Assist: 6

Fire Calls: 2

Reports Taken: 4

Citations Written: 22