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BREAKING: No bond for Butler man accused of sex acts with child

Tommy Thomas, 67, of Butler MO is currently being held in the Bates County Jail on eight charges related to alleged deviate sex acts with a minor female child under the age of 12 in September of 2025.

The charges as follows:

1. Sodomy Or Attempted Sodomy - 1st Degree - Victim Is Less Than 12 Years Old { Felony Unclassified RSMo: 566.060 }

2. Sodomy Or Attempted Sodomy - 1st Degree - Victim Is Less Than 12 Years Old { Felony Unclassified RSMo: 566.060 }

3. Sodomy Or Attempted Sodomy - 1st Degree - Victim Is Less Than 12 Years Old { Felony Unclassified RSMo: 566.060 }

4. Sodomy Or Attempted Sodomy - 1st Degree - Victim Is Less Than 12 Years Old { Felony Unclassified RSMo: 566.060 }

5. Endangering Welfare of Child Creating Substantial Risk-1st Degree - 1st Offense - Sexual Contact { Felony D RSMo: 568.045 }

6. Endangering Welfare of Child Creating Substantial Risk-1st Degree - 1st Offense - Sexual Contact { Felony D RSMo: 568.045 }

7. Endangering Welfare of Child Creating Substantial Risk-1st Degree - 1st Offense - Sexual Contact { Felony D RSMo: 568.045 }

8. Endangering Welfare of Child Creating Substantial Risk-1st Degree - 1st Offense - Sexual Contact { Felony D RSMo: 568.045 }

Thomas is currently in custody in the Bates County Jail with a no bond condition. 

A full conviction will result in lifetime imprisonment with no parole.

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More rain inbound this morning

8:45 am Seen here, rain is inbound and likely to last a few hours before giving way to partly sunny skies later this afternoon. High today will be around 75, providing a nice break from storms that passed through last night.


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Mound City's Colton Byram now ranked inside PRCA Top 10

Colton Byram is in the middle of one of the strongest seasons of his career.

Now ranked inside the PRCA Top 10, Colton is chasing his first trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with momentum, toughness, and years of work behind him.

Read the full Tough Draw Tuesday story at http://toughdraw.com/.../tough-draw-tuesday-colton-byram....

Courtesy Tough Draw

Photo by Lindsay Hughes

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8 Tips to Manage Migraines Without Medication

Here are some lifestyle habits that may help you prevent migraines or ease symptoms.

If you’ve ever had a migraine, you know it can stop you in your tracks. It’s not the kind of headache you can just push through with a cup of coffee or a short break. Migraines can build slowly or hit out of nowhere, resulting in pounding pain that makes it hard to think, work or even sit in a bright room. You might feel nauseous, dizzy or extra sensitive to light and sound. Some people even notice warning signs before the pain starts, like seeing flashing lights or feeling tingling in their hands or face.

Migraines are more common than many people realize, and they can affect many aspects of daily life. While medication can help, it’s not the only option. In fact, many people find that small changes to their routine can make migraines less frequent or less intense.

Here are some simple, medication-free ways to help keep migraines under control:

1. Know your triggers. Migraines are often linked to triggers like stress, certain foods (such as aged cheese, processed meat, chocolate or artificial sweeteners), lack of sleep or weather changes. Keeping a simple journal can help you spot patterns. Once you know your triggers, you can work to avoid them.
2. Manage stress in healthy ways. Stress is one of the most common migraine triggers. Activities like deep breathing, meditation, gentle yoga or taking a quiet walk can help calm your mind and body.
3. Stay hydrated. Dehydration is a common cause of headaches and migraines. Make it a habit to drink water throughout the day, especially in warm weather or after exercise.
4. Don’t skip meals. Going too long without eating can cause blood sugar to drop, which may trigger a migraine. Eating balanced meals and healthy snacks regularly can help keep your blood sugar steadier.
5. Stick to a regular sleep schedule. Too little sleep or even too much sleep can bring on a migraine. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends.
6. Use cold or warm compresses. Placing a cold pack on your forehead or neck may help numb pain. Some people also find relief using a warm compress to relax tense muscles.
7. Limit screen time and bright lights. Long hours on screens and bright lights can make migraines worse. Try lowering screen brightness, taking breaks and using blue light filters when possible.
8. Get regular physical activity. Gentle, regular exercise like walking, swimming or cycling can help reduce how often you get migraines. Just be careful not to overdo it, since intense exercise can sometimes trigger symptoms.

Managing migraines without medication often comes down to being in tune with your body and building healthy daily habits. What works for one person may not work for another, so it may take some trial and error to see what works best for you. If your migraines are severe or getting worse, however, it’s best to talk with a healthcare provider to rule out other causes and explore treatment options.

Copyright 2026 © Baldwin Publishing, Inc.  Health eCooks® Heart Healthy Recipes® is a registered trademark of Baldwin Publishing, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein without the express approval of Baldwin Publishing, Inc. is strictly prohibited.

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A special thank-you from Drexel swimming pool management

The Drexel Area Swimming Pool would like to thank their generous donors for their gracious donation to the Pool. Their gracious donation helped us in updating the bathhouse/concession building. Hawthorn Bank gave a most generous donation of $5,500.00. Zach McMahan with Mac-Wilson Plumbing donated all the plumbing parts that were needing to updated in the bathrooms/concession. Brian and Kody Kaufman provided the labor to install those plumbing parts. Wise Choice Solutions Scott Murrey and Katie Stewart for picking up and hanging the new bathhouse doors. Labor and time was donated by these wonderful people: Mayor Aubrey Deal and wife Linda, Chief Bill Downey II and wife Kim, Alderman Jonathan McCubbin, Dwight McCubbin, Cumpton Concrete Brian, Cory, Austin Cumpton, and Travis Hughes, Forced Air Heating and Cooling Cory Deckert, Lifeguards Montanna Mears and Aydyn Alexander, Shelbi Evans, Mark and Sheila Harris and Lee Dreher. They helped with cleaning the pool, repairing/painting the lifeguard stands, and repaint inside and outside of the bathhouse/concession building. If it wasn’t for all these wonderful people we wouldn’t be able to do all these updates. We are still looking for ways to upgrade the original pool so please keep an eye out for upcoming fundraisers to help us fulfill our dreams.

Courtesy City of Drexel


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Cause of air crash topic of much speculation

Just before noon on June 14, 2026 a Pacific Aerospace 750XL aircraft carrying 11 parachutists and one pilot crashed shortly after takeoff at Butler Memorial Airport claiming all lives on board, as family and friends helplessly looked on

Witnesses say the aircraft reached only 100 feet or so after takeoff, then made a left turn to possibly attempt landing on north Orange street (Business I-49), according to Dennis Jacobs, airport manager.

Moments later the aircraft appeared to stall and nosedive into the ground, which was also witnessed by Bailey Reed who was driving southbound parallel to the airplane.

"They didn't have time to jump" she said, answering a commonly asked question regarding a situation like this.

The aircraft had made nine successful flights in the days before the crash, including two earlier in the day on June 14, according to FlightAware, an online aircraft tracking company, leaving many to wonder what was different about this particular flight.

At the center of controversy is the 'dreaded low altitude turn' or 'impossible turn', something pilots are taught to avoid, knowing that such maneuvers without adequate engine power can result in  altitude loss and doing it too close too the ground can have disastrous results. 

The better option, if there is an issue during climb out, is to immediately put the nose down and look for a place to land. But then again, the pilot-in-command is just that- they make decisions based on the best information and training they have available.

Others are questioning whether the aircraft had engine trouble or if there was an issue with weight and balance, among other things.

It is entirely too soon to tell. 

The case is now in the hands of the NTSB and a preliminary report is expected in about 30 days, with the final report taking 12 to 18 months to complete.

In the meantime, families and friends of loved ones are left with the task of making final arrangements. 

The NTSB has moved wreckage to an undisclosed location for further forensic analysis.

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Bates county under severe thunderstorm warning until 7 pm

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning to be in effect until 7 pm.


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