Important from Bates County Collector/Treasurer Kacie Robey

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Thursday basketball scores

Boys 

Lincoln 59
Adrian 40

Butler 43
Archie 67

Osage 81
Clinton 55

Versailles 39
Cole Camp 37

Green Ridge 56
Chilhowee 22

Harrisonville 68
Knob Noster 48

Webb City 43
Nevada 39

Girls 

Butler 50
Archie 43

Green Ridge 67
Chilhowee 34

Eugene 54
Clinton 28

Versailles 39
Cole Camp 37

Bolivar 56
El Dorado Springs 40

Notre Dame de Sion 61
Harrisonville 43

Adrian 54
Holden 30

Pleasant Hill 27
Nevada 53

Bates County Elks make much needed donations

 

Your Bates County Elks doing what Elks do! $1250 donated to the Community Food Pantry of Butler.

Thank you to the Bates County Elks Lodge No. 2653, the most recent Gold Sponsor, for their support in bringing The Wall That Heals to Bates County!

The Wall That Heals: Your help is needed!

 We are blessed to live in such a great community. In just three short weeks we have raised $20,150. We have received donations from businesses, individuals, organizations, clubs, churches and elected officials.

Even though we have met our original goal, we will still be accepting monetary donations in any amount. Because, truthfully, we do not know exactly what our total expenses will be. In-kind donations will also be welcomed. We will have to pay a total of $12,000 to the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund to just bring The Wall That Heals to Bates County. We have already made the down payment of $6000. The Committee will also have to provide liability insurance. We will have expenses for utilities, t-shirts and food for volunteers, signs, banners and advertising just to name a few.

Any monetary donations that are not spent will be donated back to non-profits in our community that support Veterans.

Our next big hurdle will be gathering volunteers. We will need a total of 200 volunteers. Volunteers will be needed to set up and take down The Wall, give tours, greet visitors and work at the information tent as well as the mobile education center. We will need volunteer riders for the escort that will take place on April 28th. We will need parking attendants. The Committee is also looking for buglers who would be willing to play Taps each night at dusk. It would also be great if we had a photographer who would take pictures throughout the duration of the exhibit to document this historic event. The Wall will need to be staffed with volunteers 24 hours a day.

It will take 30 to 40 able bodied men and women to set-up The Wall. There are 146 panels with each one weighing between 80 pounds to 5 pounds. Every panel will be carried by hand and set in the aluminum frame. The mobile education center will need to be set up and there will also be an information booth to be set up. This will all take place starting at 8:00 a.m. on April 29th and will take between 6 to 8 hours to complete. Trent Nelson, Bates County Southern Commissioner, has offered to have a fish fry for the volunteers at lunch on set-up day. On April 29th at 6:00 p.m. there will be a mandatory training that volunteers will need to attend. We will also need the same amount of volunteers to dismantle the wall at 2:00 p.m. on May 3rd.

Our website should be live in the next few weeks. If you are interested in being a volunteer you will be able to go to the website and sign up for as many shifts as you would like. Shifts will be in 4 hour increments except for the set-up and take-down volunteers.

The Bates County The Wall That Heals Committee is very grateful for the donations and the support received so far. We are all very honored to bring the Wall That Heals to Bates County.

The Bates county The Wall That Heals Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584036959317

Rich Hill police request public assistance

 The department is asking for the public's assistance with helping to identify this person. One dog has already been picked up again. If you have any information please call the Bates County Sheriff's Office dispatch to get a hold of an officer.

Bates County Cattlemen banquet set for January 10, 2026

 

Snow to stay north

 

NARROW BAND OF SNOW wraps over the plains during the day on Saturday.

Kansas City has a 0% chance of any snow from this system.

If you live in northern & northeast Missouri, images 2 and 3 will help you know what to expect by Saturday night / Sunday morning.

3" on the high side in very NE Missouri only.

-Greg@660weather

Flock camera concerns top Adrian aldermen discussion this week

As it was recently announced that Flock license plate reader cameras have been installed at various locations around Adrian, privacy concerns were a hot topic during the regular meeting of the Adrian board of aldermen on Monday.

Alderman Matt Sears began the discussion with concerns that data would be available outside law enforcement or abused in some way, adding 'big brother' type of surveillance due to hacking or the sale of said data to other entities.

It was noted that if a person isn't doing anything wrong, they shouldn't have to worry, right? Yes, technically. However, like most anything in the digital age, it can be abused as we have seen in other arenas which naturally might cause worry for some, as stated.

City Administrator Ryan Wescote quickly pointed out the system is very secure; data is only kept for 30 days before being 'wiped' and would only be shared if the city wants to share it- his sentiments were echoed by several members of law enforcement present including Sheriff Chad Anderson, officer Brian Bearce and Adrian police chief Chis Dillon.

Wescote reinforced his stance on the Flock cameras by saying they only read and record license plate numbers; then and only then, would police look at the footage and run the license plate to see if that vehicle/owner have any open violations. Which, by the way recently indicated the presence of several registered sex offenders as well as leading to an arrest regarding a stolen vehicle in Adrian.

It was also noted that the cameras storing license plate information is no different than if a police officer actually sees it, or if an individual witness reports a vehicle and license number to authorities- according to those present, 'probable cause' for a violation, whether directly by police or after the fact due to camera footage, remains the same.

Alderman Bridges cited concerns that he and some other aldermen weren't aware the city was getting cameras until after they were installed. Wescote apologized for any miscommunication but said it was an operational decision to simplify and enhance police operations.

Wescote went on to say that Flock cameras were instrumental in catching suspects in Michigan who were wanted in connection to an ATM robbery in Adrian some time back and that the cameras have proven to be "the best investigative tool ever invented". Sheriff Anderson also said that for some time, the Sheriff's Office has been using the same technology mounted on their patrol units and it has led to many arrests without impeding on the rights of the public.

In short, following the 45 minute or so discussion, it appeared all questions and concerns regarding the cameras had been answered to the satisfaction of the aldermen.

Another hot topic was financial help requested by the Adrian school, as in a previous aldermen session the board was asked by the school if the city would consider chipping in money needed to relocate a sewer main required for the project as a mistake was made in the engineering/planning stages. In short, that $47,000 mistake among others, has left the school at a deficit in completing the project as originally planned.

The question came as the city had already 'earmarked' (not budgeted) $20,000 for relining  the existing sewer main (*see explanation at bottom of page) ; so if the main is going to be moved, the question was posed "would the city instead put that money toward helping the school offset their cost" which was met by opposition primarily by Alderman Jeremy Bridges, along with Administrator Wescote. 

Both Bridges and Wescote concur that the school and the city have their own budgets funded by taxes for operation of each and while the city wishes to help the school as much as possible, the city shouldn't be 'on the hook' for a mistake made in engineering on a school project. And when it comes to supporting the school, it was pointed out that the city already makes contributions to the school including the waiving of fees for use use of ball fields at the city park, among others.

As no conclusion was reached, the discussion has been tabled pending a meeting with school Superintendent Don Lile to talk over further; the outcome of which likely will be revealed in the January aldermen meeting.

The city of Adrian is facing the ever increasing rise in health insurance costs and to keep the same coverage as last year, it would cost about 22% more, necessitating a look at policy changes. Following a thorough review of options, it was decided to go with a plan that only brought a 9% increase with a trade off being a higher deductible that the city will help cover for employees.

Northern Commissioner John Gray and Butler business owner Marsha Youngblood spoke with the alderman seeking volunteer support for The Wall That Heals, a Vietnam War memorial set to come to Bates County April 30, 2026. Bringing the memorial to Bates county will be a major undertaking and the aldermen pledged the city's support in any way possible.

Remember, the Adrian board of aldermen meet on the second Tuesday, 7 pm at city hall and the public is highly encouraged to attend.

*The sewer line in question is fully operational and does not currently need repair. There is concern that sometime in the next few years it might need to be re-lined, thus discussions have been held about planning/allocating the $20,000 that would be required when/if the time comes. Due to a misunderstanding on our reporter's behalf, we mistakenly stated that it was a budgeted item when in fact it was not as it is unknown if the re-lining will have to be done or not. We apologize for any confusion.