Tips to avoid holiday scams

Holiday shopping and travel can increase the risk of identity theft

Simple steps to protect your personal information:

• Monitor bank and credit card statements regularly

• Be cautious of unexpected emails, texts or delivery notices

• Shop only on secure websites and avoid public Wi-Fi for purchases

• Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication

• Limit what personal information you carry in your wallet

• Shred documents with sensitive information before discarding

Learn more ways to stay safe and what to do if identity theft occurs: https://brnw.ch/21wYnk4

Obituary - Mindy Lethcho-Kohler

Funeral services  for Mindy Lethcho-Kohler of Adrian, Missouri will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel (660-679-6555) in Butler, Missouri.  Visitation will be 5 - 7 p.m.  Tuesday, December 16 at the Schowengerdt Chapel.  Burial in Crescent Hill Cemetery, Adrian.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to support the family with funeral expenses.  Online condolences www.schowengerdtchapel.com.

Melanie “Mindy” Sue Lethcho-Kohler, age 57 of Adrian, Missouri, passed away on December 7, 2025.  She was born on May 3, 1968.  Mindy was the beloved daughter of William “Bill” and Sandra “Sandy” Lethcho.  She was a devoted mother to her children, Sean Bryan Lethcho-Kohler and Lanie Sue Kohler, who were the center of her life, along with her emotional support pup, Remi.

She wore her role as “Aunt Mim” with love, warmth and pride.  In the past year, Mindy experienced a meaningful reunion with her biological mother Karen and grandmother Patsy, a connection that brought her a sense of understanding and peace.  Mindy will be remembered for her love of family and friends, her caring heart and the lasting impact she had on those who knew her.  She will be deeply missed and forever remembered

Mindy is survived by her parents, Bill and Sandy Lethcho; her children, Sean and Lanie Kohler and their father, Bryan Kohler; her sister, Jennifer “Jill” Stewart and husband Craig; her nephew, James “Daniel” Stewart and wife Kendra and daughter Myra; niece, Julia “Nicole” Davis and husband Matt and daughters Ellie and Emerson; and niece, Jennifer “Kayla” Smith and husband Noah.  Mindy is preceded in death by her grandparents, Clay and Lucille Lethcho and Sam and Elsie Balsiger; and great-niece, Clara Stewart.

Slight chance of rain this week

 Rain chances Wednesday night / Thursday morning are 0% in eastern Kansas, up to around 25-30% in Western Missouri.

-Greg@660weather

The Museum Minute: Butler has 4 newspapers

Courtesy of the Bates County Museum 802 Elks Drive, Butler Mo 64730 (660) 679-0134

Herrman’s Historical Happenings week of December 17

1861 With the Federals occupying Johnstown, the Confederates head toward Butler, with one band marching toward Papinville.

1879 The Bates Co Times newspaper says Butler has 4 newspapers, 4 churches, 3 flour mills, and a woolen factory.

1895 Angry Butler citizens crowd into the city council meeting, complaining the electric lights are a sorry mess and demand better lights.

1898 The payday at the Rich Hill coal mines puts over $40,000 in circulation.

1932 See the new 1932 Chevrolet at Gilbert's show room in Butler (Corner Hardware location).

1989 Mr & Mrs Charles Hughes of Amsterdam receives word that the biography of their daughter, Marsha Huberty, will be published in the National Distinguished Service Record for her service to the field of speech, language and hearing. 

1999 The Clint & Sharon Schuman residence is deemed Butler's best decorated home for the Christmas season contest.

Recipe of the Week

 

Bates County real estate transfers and marriage licenses

Yates, Monty to Yates, Monty Str 6-41-30 //Nw

Rodriguez, Elizabeth to Snyder, Christopher M Lt 8 Bl 1 Atkison's Addn+

Kagarice, Robert Wayne to Kagarice, Robert W Trust 11-24-2025  Str 20-42-29+

Smith's Properties, LLC to Burnett, Larry III Lt 3 Bl 1 Hunn's, Polly A. Addn

Mcguire, Lyle Dean to Heiman, Andres Str 10-40-32 //Ne

Mclain Trust 11-7-2023Kauffman, Kolten L Lt 2 Timberline Farms

Marriage license

Reece, Holden Paul Robert and Sutton, Katherine Shelby

Rutland, Gary David and Plumb, Amanda Carleen

Diehl, Bryon Garrison and Diehl, Joy Elaine

Housh, Brayden Michael and Bell, Sydney Lynn

Bates County Court News

 Judge Julie Highley-Keutzer presiding

Fines do not include added court costs

City of Rich Hill v Dalen Marshall Lewis- no proof of insurance, fine $125.00

City of Butler v Lance Edward Sargent- nuisance violation, fine $68.50

St v Thao Phuongthi Nguyen- no working horn, fine $200.00

City of Butler v Samuel R. Gentry- nuisance violation, fine $68.50

City of Butler v Joseph Adam Phelan- vicious animal, fine $175.00

St v Jason Lee Lockwood- trafficking drugs, SES, 5 years probation

St v Cooper Vincent Boldrey- no working horn, fine $144.00

City of Butler v Angela Dawn Welliver- contributing to the delinquency of a minor, fine $125.00

City of Butler v Wesley Alan Reed- no proof of insurance, fine $100.00

City of Butler v Jonathon Thomas Baker- pedestrian violation, fine $68.50

City of Butler v Penny K. Sullins- expired plates, fine $100.00

City of Butler v Juanita M. White- fail to stay on right half of roadway, fine $150.00

City of Rich Hill v Aadin Drake Humble- expired plates, fine $50.50

City of Butler v Rebecca L. Hughes- contributing to the delinquency of a minor, fine $93.50

City of Butler v Joseph Alan Phelan- vicious animal, fine $225.00

City of Butler v Jonathon Thomas Baker- disorderly conduct, fine $93.50

St v Zachary Taylor Harsha- no working horn, fine $200.00

St v Daniel Louis Minehardt- no working horn, fine $200.00

St v Kristen Marie Worden- stopped in prohibited area, fine $200.00

St v Mariah H. Basinger- speeding, fine $120.50

St v Anna Elizabeth Riffel- no working horn, fine $144.00

City of Rich Hill v  Zachary Fields- fail to stop at stop sign, fine $150.00

City of Rich Hill v Jennifer S. Zuber- displayed plates of another vehicle, fine $125.00

City of Rich Hill v Jennifer S. Zuber- fail to register vehicle, fine $125.00

City of Rich Hill v Cooper Reed Fox- fail to stop at stop sign, fine $60.50

St v Nevada Roos- no working horn, fine $200.00

St v Madison Marie Gunter- no working license plate lamp, fine $50.50

What’s Up by LeRoy Cook

Space Station Unsupported

Airplanes don’t like to left sitting. Even when not flying, there seems to be deterioration taking place. We’ve had tires go flat, batteries refuse to take a charge, and fuel levels mysterious drop, all without movement. A planned flight last Tuesday had to be scrubbed because the plane’s right brake wouldn’t work. And the 50-mph winds Wednesday blocked that morning’s flying. Thursday, while flyable, was spent fixing mechanical glitches.

There was some transient traffic coming through last week; a Cessna Skyhawk trainer made approaches and a 172 from Central MO University at Warrensburg landed. An Army Reserve Chinook twin-rotor helicopter came by and there was the usual B-2 Stealth bomber activity. Locally, Roy Conley had his Grumman Tr2 up and Les Gordon’s Cessna 310R departed.

In out-of-this-world news, the International Space Station is being threatened by a lack of Russian launch capability, following a Soyuz rocket’s departure on Thursday, when damage to the launch pad occurred, rendering it unusable. Although SpaceX and maybe Boeing can fly to the ISS, NASA depends on the Russian supply ships and Soyuz capsules to keep the bulk of cargo and personnel transfers moving. The old space platform, built by U.S. Space Shuttle flights in the 1990s, is scheduled to be deomissioned in 2030.

Back on Planet Earth, it was recently learned that the Federal Aviation Administration is considering eliminating Designated Engineering Representatives, or DARs, the self-employed individuals that historically work as go-betweens for inventors and small companies to get FAA approval to make products (not just aircraft.) The FAA doesn’t actually oversee development of new aviation gadgets, like improved replacement parts, it depends on DARs to look them over and submit them as okay to approve. The FAA now wants to work only with Organizational Designated Representatives in big companies like Boeing. If that route is taken, there will be no more innovation by little firms.

Last January’s horrible mid-air collision at Washington, DC between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a landing PSA regional airliner from Wichita may not have been preventable even if the Army copter had been using ADS-B equipment required for civilian planes. Lack of ADS-B by the military was often cited as causing the crash. As the NTSB pointed out last week, traffic alerting is normally inhibited when jets are close to the ground, because nuisance alerts are distracting. Sometimes technology isn’t enough. 

It was announced last week that ICE has bought some old Boeing 737’s to create its own fleet of deportation airplanes, rather than charter the flights sending captured illegal aliens back home. In an unrelated news release, we see that NASA has begun testing unmanned Cessna Caravans for the Air Force, to haul cargo and do other missions without pilots on board. Perhaps the two projects will meet up someday...

Our weekly brain-teaser wanted to know why the Boeing B-17 bomber initiated the use of operating checklists, back in the 1930’s. It was because a government test pilot mistakenly took off with the controls lock engaged, with bad results. For next week: Does a compass in an airplane sitting in St. Louis point to True North, yes or no? You can send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com.