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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2021
TRENTON
R-T REPUBLICAN-TIMES 75¢
©W.B. Rogers Printing Co., Inc.
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 157th Year - No. 47
12 PAGES
republican-times.com
Cafe Is Back Open For Business
Spickard Board OKs Plan
Special Needs Students’ Venture Back On Track
The Spickard Board of Aldermen met Wednesday, Feb. 10, approving a resolution for a hazard mitigation plan. According to information provided by Board Secretary Amy Chapman, the board met with Jackie Soptic of the Green Hills Regional Planning to discuss the Grundy County Hazard Mitigation Plan. Action was then taken to approve a resolution for the multi-jurisdictional plan. In other business, the board agreed to hire Willis Brothers to replace guide rails with new upper brackets for the pump station. The estimate cost is $4,250. Water loss for the month was reported at 1.89 percent. The board schedule a special meeting for Thursday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m.
BY RONDA LICKTEIG
T
here’s no doubt that the COVID19 pandemic affected the lives of high school students. Sports, dances, band and choir concerts and spring vocational contests were all cancelled last spring and some of those events remain on hold or are being held in an altered form this year. For special needs students at Trenton High School, the cancellation of classes in March 2020 took away something very important to them – the Black and Gold Café. The good news is that the new year has brought the re-opening of the studentrun business venture.
BRIEFS
Utility Committee Meeting
Submitted Photo
The Black and Gold Cafe is back up and running at Trenton High School, with students operating the venture. Above, student Bayleigh Dixson serves a treat to Trenton Middle School Principal Daniel Gott.
The Black and Gold Café is operated by special needs students at THS, with the help of their instructors, Brenda Thorne and Abbye Michael. It began in 2018 with a couple of Keurig coffee makers - one of them donated. Students make coffee and smoothies and later,
muffins and breakfast burritos were added to the menu. As it has expanded over the years, the café now not only serves the buildings in the Trenton R9 School District, but has taken orders from Pleasant View R6 School, Bright Futures and small businesses such as
American Family Insurance and yes, the Trenton Republican-Times. The benefits to their customers are obvious, but the benefits to the students go far beyond just raising money for a trip at the end of the year. [See CAFE, Page 4]
I REMEMBER TRENTON
More Memories From 1937 Ice Storm Doctor Was Delayed By Ice, But Arrived Just In Time To Save Woman’s Life
Editor’s Note: This story was submitted by Mary Foland Holt, who was inspired to write after reading Rick Neff’s story concerning her cousin, the late Max Oyler (June 18, 1918-Jan. 31, 2020) and the ice storm of 1937. Mrs. Holt’s story also focuses on the winter of 1937.
My story begins where Max Oyler’s left off. Max was my cousin and I loved him very much. He spoke of the ice of the winter of 1937. That was the winter that my twin brother, Terry and I were born. The ice was so thick that my older brother, Duane, ice skated over fences to get to school. My family lived east of Tindall, on what is now Route O. My dad had cattle down the hill from the house and had to pull himself back up the hill after feeding the cows. My mother went into labor when Dad was down the hill. She began to yell for Daddy. Their dog heard her and began running around the house, barking. Dad
heard the dog and pulled himself up with his rope. After going in to see about Mom, he had to walk quite a way to the nearest neighbor who had a phone. He called Dr. Cullers at his office in Trenton. He said he would come as soon as he could get there. Just as Dr. Cullers started out of his office, Max’s sister, Frances, came in with a badly cut hand. He went back to stitch it up. Then he started out to my folks again. There was a very big hill, about a mile from our house and Dr. Cullers had a lot of trouble getting up the hill because of the ice. Meanwhile, my poor mother delivered [See ICE STORM, Page 4]
The Trenton Utility Committee will hold a meeting at 6 o’clock tonight (Tuesday, Feb. 16) at city hall. The public will not be allowed to physically attend the meeting, but it can be watched via zoom at the following link – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89307756549 Items on the agenda include department reports, a director’s update and a review of monthly financial reports.
Galt Water Rate Hike Approved
The Galt Board of Aldermen met Feb. 10, approving an increase in customer water rates. According to information provided by City Clerk Ashley Bonnett, the increase was necessary due to an increase in rates charged by Public Water District No. 1, which is the city’s water provider. The new rates, which are $1 higher on each rate tier, will be effective with the March 1 billing. The new rates are $17 for the first 1,000 gallons (the base rate); $10.76 per thousand gallons on the next 2,000; $8.45 per thousand gallons on the next 2,000; and $7.78 per thousand gallons on the remaining gallons. The next regular meeting of the board of aldermen is scheduled for Wednesday, March 10 at 6 p.m.
Township Meeting Held
The Grundy County Commission held its annual meeting with township officials on Friday night at the Community Action Partnership of North Missouri. According to information provided by Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray, newly-elected Second District Commissioner Brad Chumbley was introduced to the group and several items were discussed, including the upcoming ballot issue concerning brush removal from the county right of way, road repair and maintenance documentation. The group was also briefed on Sunshine Law requirements, a NRCS Streambank Stabilization project and was given a brief overview of state legislation concerning local government and infrastructure. Rules for Missouri townships and a packet containing Missouri State statutes were distributed to the representatives. Township officials were told that requests for rock size and quantities will be utilized for acquiring aggregate bids from various quarries and they were urged to notify the commission of any culvert needs as early as possible so that the culverts ca be acquired in a timely manner.
Mask Mandate Extended R-5 Board Approves Four-Day Week Public Health Order Will Run For An Additional 60 Days
Grundy County Health Officer Elizabeth Gibson has announced a 60-day extension to the public health order requiring masks to be worn in public places. The extension was announced Friday and extends one that was put into place on Dec. 11. Under the order, all persons age 10 and older are required to wear a clean face covering or mask any time they are, or will be, in contact with other people who are not household members. All public facilities and businesses that are open to the public shall post a sign at all entrances that face coverings or masks are required to be worn inside the facility or business. “We are at a critical juncture: the numbers are improving and the vaccine is now available,” explained Ms.
Gibson in a news release. “But it is too soon to relax our vigilance. We must continue our precautions so we keep making forward progress. Mask usage has been proven to slow the spread of COVID-19. We are grateful to our local businesses, employers, churches and other organizations for taking steps to protect their patrons, workers and members, and doing all they can to make Grundy County a safer place to live, work and visit.” The full text of the health order can be found at the Grundy County Health Department website at www.grundycountyhealth.org. Ms. Gibson listed other strategies for reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, including: staying home if you are ill, even if your symptoms feel mild; practicing social distancing and avoiding group gatherings; washing your hands often; cleaning and disinfecting frequentlytouched surfaces; and seeking vaccination at the earliest opportunity. Grundy County is currently in Category 3: Serious Risk, according to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s Public Health Warning issued on Nov. 19, 2020.
Laredo And Newtown-Harris Also Hold Meetings
The Grundy R-5, Laredo R-7 and Newtown-Harris boards of education held meetings recently, with the Grundy R-5 board taking action on a four-day school week and the Laredo and Newtown-Harris boards extending administrator contracts. Grundy R-5 There will be some major changes in the Grundy R-5 School District for the 2021-22 school year, with the district going to a four-day week and adding preschool to the elementary building. According to information provided by Superintendent Phil Fox, the board voted to go to a four-day week schedule beginning with the 2021-22 school year. The action came after High School Principal Matt Rayl presented a report on the parent survey
that had been taken concerning the idea. The school calendar and class schedule will be reviewed at the March meeting. The board also approved a preschool program to be implemented at the elementary building beginning next fall. The administration was directed to prepare a schedule and information on the subject for presentation to the board at the March meeting. Two personnel items were discussed, the retirement of Dixon Munday as high school English instructor, effective at the end of the year, and the resignation of Sara Rayl as third grade teacher, also effective at the end of the year. A report was given on the recent release of ESSER funding from the federal government, with the district slated to receive $236,509. The board discussed ways the funding can be used to have the maximum impact on district programs. Board members reviewed and discussed the cooperative sports agreement that is in place with the Newtown-Harris School District and directed the administration to contact
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
SECTIONAL BOUND...
Trenton has a slight chance of snow today with an overnight low of 0. Wednesday has a 20 percent chance of snow and a high of 21 while Thursday’s high will be 19. Trenton’s high Thursday was 13 and Friday’s high was 6 with .2 of an inch of snow. Saturday’s high was 7 with .9 of an inch of snow and Sunday’s high was 0 with a low of 6 and .5 of an inch more of snow. The high Sunday at the Government Weather Station near Spickard was -2 with a low of -10.
Hunter McAtee, Brice Gibler and Caleb Johnson each picked up individual district titles Saturday in Marceline. That trio, along with five other Trenton wrestlers advanced to sectionals at the event. SPORTS, PAGE 2
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STILL COLD
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the N-H administration to discuss the continuation of the agreement with the same provisions as this year. The administration was also directed to have a committee of staff members investigate employee health insurance plans and report back at the next meeting. A senior trip for this year was approved, with the provision that it could be cancelled depending on COVID concerns. In other business, the board heard principal reports and a transportation report, being informed that the Missouri State Highway Patrol bus inspection will be held March 3 at the MoDOT building near Trenton. The board discussed the possibility of constructing a bus barn. It was agreed to seek bids for mowing at the elementary and high school. The next regular meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 11 in the high school business room. Laredo R-7 The Laredo R-7 Board of Education held a meeting Thursday, Feb. 11, voting to extend the contract of the school administrator. [See BOARDS, Page 4]
WHAT’S INSIDE
SPORTS ..........................PAGE 2 ACROSS MISSOURI .....PAGE 3 & 6 CALENDARS ..................PAGE 5 THANK A FARMER........PAGE 7 TAX GUIDE ....................PAGE 8 COMICS ..........................PAGE 9 CROSSWORDS ..............PAGE 10 CLASSIFIEDS.................PAGE 11 AREA .............................PAGE 12