Obituary - Joseph "Joe" Mitchell Shaffer

Joseph "Joe" Mitchell Shaffer, aged 80, of Harrisonville, Missouri, will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Joe peacefully departed from this world on October 17, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. Services are pending arrangements and a complete obituary will be posted when it is available, courtesy Atkinson Funeral Home.


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The Museum Minute: No shortage of butcher shops

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

Herrman’s Historical Happenings week of October 21

1879 The Panascope at Evans Hall is worth seeing. The show changes twice a week, Butler.

1880 The first load of coal shipped by rail leaves Rich Hill on the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

1880 The first issue of the Rich Hill Mining Review newspaper is published by Thomas Irish with 5,000 copies printed.

1882 According to the Bates Co Record newspaper, Butler now has 6 butcher shops.

1884 John T. Leabo, convicted of the murder of his wife on August 22nd, is sentenced to be hung. He appeals, with a hearing set for January 12, 1885.

1938 In an REA meeting held in Butler, approved is 18 miles of electric line around Spruce, and another 5 miles of line to Passaic and vicinity.

1998 In the final seconds of the football game, Rich Hill's Tyler Moreland kicks a 26 year field goal to defeat Adrian 10-9. It was the first victory over the Blackhawks since 1972.

1998 Beverly Sullins and Phyllis Stewart speak at the St. Clair Historical Society in Osceola about the history of Papinville.

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Bates County real estate transfers and marriage licenses

4k Plus Properties to Hettinger Land & Cattle Str 9-42-33 //Nw

Johnson, Brenda to Nitsche, Ryan Lt 3 Bl 42 Town Company's First Addn+

Wolz, Gary N to Wolz, Gary & Jerry Andersen Trust 10-05-2026 Str 26-42-29 //Sw

Dennett, Gerry G (Trustee) to Wiedenmann, Jerry Str 12-42-33 //Nw+

Baldwin, Thomas to Baldwin, Thomas Glenn (Trustee) Lt 7 Bl 86 Town Company's First Addn+

Westover, Arthur Ivan Trust 06-11-1991 Amended 09-25-2020 to Nelson, Tiffany Str 5-40-32

Westover, Arthur Ivan Trust 06-11-1991 Amended 09-25-2020 to Nelson, Tiffany Str 32-41-32 //Sw

Keiser, Forrest D. & Betty S. Trust 09-17-2002 to Keiser, Michael D Str 26-39-32

Keiser, Forrest D. & Betty S. Trust 09-17-2002 to Jacks, Becky D Str 26-39-32 //Nw+

Westover, Arthur Ivan Trust 06-11-1991 to Burns, Tina Str 16-40-32 //Nw

Westover, Arthur Ivan Trust 06-11-1991 to Burns, Tina Str 31-41-32

Marriage license

Hansen, Paul Andrew and Heider, Stacy J

Mellenbruch, Lucas William and Miller, Chelsey Joy

Berger, Trevor Quinn and Frey, Aunastasia Louann

Burkeen, Justin Tyler and Bruck, Victoria Jo

Carpenter, Nathan Williamand Svehla, Kaylee Rayne

Portzen, Adam Steven and Bowden, Shelby Lynne

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Court News

St v Catherine Stover- speeding, fine $80.50

St v Brecken Schmidt- speeding, fine $120.50

St v Felix Benitez-Gutierrez- speeding, fine $120.50

St v Tyler Byerly- speeding, fine $80.50

City of Appleton City v Ameenah Green- speeding, fine $60.50

City of Butler v James Guenther- fail to stop at stop sign, fine $60.50

City of Butler v Kevin Boyles- fail to register vehicle, fine $50.50

City of Butler v Jeff Palmer- expired plates, fine $50.50

City of Butler v Sara Juarez- posses drug paraphernalia, 4 days jail

City of Butler v Prem Kamma- fail to stop at stop sign, fine $60.50

City of Butler v Mellissa Porter- expired plates, fine $50.50

City of Butler v James Hart- fail to stop at stop sign, fine $60.50

City of Rich Hill v Robert Gillispie- defective equipment, fine $225.00

City of Rich Hill v James Rapp- fail to register vehicle, fine $50.50

City of Butler v Phineas Goertz- defective equipment, fine $50.50

City of Butler v Chloe Bennett- expired plates, fine $50.50

City of Butler v David Williams Jr- parking violation, fine $15.50

City of Rich Hill v Brittany Velez- fail to register vehicle, fine $50.50

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What’s Up by LeRoy Cook

Stay Down When Under Bridges

Frosty mornings over the weekend only reinforced the changing seasons, as the days shorten and we prepare for Daylight Saving Time to end at Halloween. Flying continued apace during the fine fall weather. 

Airport visitors this week included a turboprop Cessna Conquest 1 executive twin, a Cirrus SR22 and a Piper Archer trainer. Local airplanes out were Jay McClintock’s Piper Tomahawk, Jeremie Platt’s Grumman Tiger and BCS’ AirTractor agplane, spreading cover crop seed. 

Watch out for falling airplane parts. The few just-built French Elixir composite-construction light sport trainers have all been grounded, since a fatal crash in France occurred after a wing flap fell off a demonstrator plane last month. We’ll have to see what the French authorities come up with in their investigation. Also, on Wednesday, a Cessna 210 Centurion crashed in Louisiana, shortly after takeoff, because the engine departed the airplane. The pilot was able to put the 210 down in a field, escaping major injury, while the engine fell onto a road about 300 feet away. The NTSB will be challenged to determine the cause of that one. 

It’s deja vu again; a broken fiber-optic cable disrupted air traffic control at Raleigh-Durham North Carolina last week, causing airline departures to back up for hours. As you may recall, an AmTrac crew dug into a pair of cables at Philadelphia last month, throwing air traffic into chaos for a day or two. No information, no air traffic control.

In other national aviation news, it appears that the huge WW-II blimp hangar at Tillamook Bay, Oregon is not going to be torn down after all; the Port Authority sold the storm-damaged structure to the Vintage Aviation Museum for $1 and OVC so 200 feet of the roof can be repaired. The historic white-elephant building is 1000 feet long and 300 feet wide, with a ceiling 175 feet tall, built when the Naval Air Station at Tillamook stored submarine patrol lighter-than-air blimps between flights.

Also in Oregon, a bit of furor took place last week when the pilot of a Kodiak seaplane took off from the Willamatte River in downtown Portland, which is perfectly legal from watercraft and aircraft standpoints. However, he flew under a bridge after breaking water and before gaining altitude, and that makes it a gray area from a careless-and-reckless standpoint. If he’d stayed on the water just a little longer nothing could be said of passing under the bridge, but instead he appeared to be caught between a wet and a hard place. Under Federal Aviation Reg 91.12, the FAA has broad discretion to take action against his certificate.

Owners of Boze A20 noise-canceling headsets, which cost $1000 or more 16 years ago, can no longer get them repaired. The company says parts are no longer available for the earlier headsets, which had a five-year warranty and could be fixed flat-rate for $300 afterward. About all you can do now when they quit working is trade up to the new A30 at a discount.

The weekly brain-teaser from last week wanted to know the name of the Bates County pilot who made the first flight of the Cessna Citation business jet. Reader Jay Payne knew Milt Sills of Amoret personally, who went on to become Cessna Aircraft’s vice president of engineering. For next time, what was the first airliner with reverse thrust to slow down after landing? You can send your answers to kochhaus1@gmail.com.

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Recipe of the Week

Creamy Pork Stew

2 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup apple cider or apple juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

¼ cup chicken broth, plus more as needed

4 sage leaves

2 sprigs thyme

2 small sprigs fresh rosemary

1 dried bay leaf

1 cup sliced carrots

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 pinch cayenne pepper

½ cup green peas, fresh or frozen

¼ cup matchstick-cut apple strips, for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, for garnish

  Season pork chunks generously with salt and pepper; toss to distribute seasonings evenly.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown pork in batches so meat isn’t crowded, about 7 minutes per batch. Transfer pork to a plate.

Place onions into the same pot; cook and stir until translucent and the edges brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in apple cider and apple cider vinegar.

  Increase the heat to high and stir in mustard and horseradish. Transfer browned pork pieces back to the pot, along with any accumulated juices. Pour in cream and 1/4 cup chicken broth; add more chicken broth to cover if needed. Add sage, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf; season with a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.

  Add carrots, celery, and cayenne pepper; season with more black pepper. Leave uncovered and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Add peas and simmer for 10 minutes. (Optional: for a thicker sauce, raise heat and simmer until sauce is reduced, 5 to 8 minutes.)

  Garnish individual servings with apple strips and chives.

                   Per serving: 760 calories, 61g fat, 20g carbs, 33g protein

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A SONIC Boom for Classrooms!

Umstattd Sonic Group Announces Opportunity for Local Public School Educators to Attend the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia

Applications Now Open – Deadline November 6, 2026

October 19, 2026 – Umstattd Sonic Group (USG) is excited to announce an opportunity for local public school educators to experience an unforgettable professional development opportunity at the nationally recognized Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, April 15–16, 2027.

Through its “Limeades for Learning” initiative, Umstattd Sonic Group is sponsoring educators from public schools in communities surrounding its 33 SONIC Drive-In locations, investing in the teachers who make a difference in students' lives every day.

The Ron Clark Academy is known for its innovative teaching methods, high-energy learning environment, and commitment to inspiring educators to bring creativity, enthusiasm, and engagement into their classrooms. During this two-day experience, participating educators will have the opportunity to observe innovative teaching practices, gain valuable instructional strategies, and connect with other passionate educators.

“At Umstattd Sonic Group, we believe that investing in teachers is one of the most meaningful ways we can invest in our communities. Our hope is that educators return from this experience inspired, energized, and equipped with fresh ideas that will make a lasting impact on their students.”

Applications Are NOW OPEN!

Public school educators in communities near participating Umstattd Sonic Group SONIC Drive-In locations are encouraged to apply for this exciting opportunity.

 Watch the RCA Experience Highlight Reel 
 Apply for the USG-Sponsored Experience 
 Application Deadline: November 6, 2026 

Interested educators can find additional information about the Ron Clark Academy, the sponsorship opportunity, and how to apply in the accompanying “A SONIC Boom for Classrooms” flyer.

Don't miss this opportunity to bring a little SONIC excitement back to your classroom!

About Umstattd Sonic Group

Umstattd Sonic Group operates 33 SONIC Drive-In locations and is committed to supporting the communities it serves. Through educational partnerships, school initiatives, and community outreach, USG strives to make a positive difference in the lives of local students, teachers, and families.

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Structure fire near Adrian

Fire crews from Adrian and Butler are in route to a structure and vehicle fire at 7487 NE CR 10793. 

Use caution if traveling in the area, more information to be released as it becomes available.


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