LEADER CLINTON COUNTY
SAYING GOODBYE
Veteran Merle Green passes on Independence Day
It was a bittersweet Independence Day for the community of Lathrop, who learned of the passing of one of its great veterans, Merle Green, that day.
Parades, fireworks, contests, car shows and more draw Cameron residents out for its annual Freedom Festival || PAGE A12 b
Green, who was 103 years old, was a celebrated three-war veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He was born July 4, 1921— also Independence Day. His services were held Monday in Lathrop.
Eight Rural Storm Sirens Being Added This Week
Clinton County has seen its share of strong storms in 2024, but in the near future, rural residents will have an added layer of storm warnings.
Clinton County is installing eight storm sirens in the county’s most populated rural areas thanks to nearly $200,000 in grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Clinton County Emergency Management Director Blair Shock said the sirens are scheduled to be installed this week and should be operational by the end of the month.
The total cost of the project is $260,033. The FEMA program accounts for $194,400 of the costs, with the county contributing $65,633.
Shock said two of the sirens will be located south of Cameron to cover subdivisions on 69 Highway. Three will be in rural Holt—one at Lake Arrowhead, one east of I-35 on Haynesville Road and one northwest of Holt on 209th Street (near Old Barn Lane). One siren will be placed in Turney at the Lathrop Fire Protection District’s outpost, one will be placed west of Trimble near a large subdivision and one will go on 169 Highway north of Grayson.
The new sirens will be mounted on 50-foot poles and will produce 130 decibels at 100 feet, giving them an effective radius of more than a mile. They will also have battery backup and solar chargers, which Shock said will help ensure their reliability even when the electrical system is experienc-
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Merle enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1942 and flew more than 1,500 as an aircraft mechanic in WW2.
He reenlisted with the US Air Force in 1948 and was an aircraft technician in occupied Japan during the
Korean War. He served as a flight chief and hangar chief. He went on to serve at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa during the Vietnam War. He was medically retired in 1966, serving a total
of 21 years and retiring as a senior master sergeant. He went on to work for TWA until his retirement in 1984.
Merle was born and raised in Winston, Mo., before making his home with his family in Lathrop. He
From fireworks to parades, celebrations to gatherings, towns in Clinton County went all out for the Fourth of July celebration last week, as the festivities ran from Thursday, July 4, and into the weekend. (Above) The skies over Plattsburg light up with the aerial bombardments of the Hartzell gang on Friday night in Perkins Park. (Right) Kids in Lathrop take part in the annual bike parade. For more, see page A12.
GOWER DAYS
Gower Fire Department named 2024 Grand Marshal
Gower Days will be taking over downtown this weekend, and the annual festival will be honoring one of the community’s most important cornerstones.
The Gower Fire Protection District has been named the Grand Marshal of Saturday’s Gower Days parade; an honor reserved for those community members that have helped bolster the community.
“We truly are honored to be recognized,” said Gower Fire Chief Jon Roe. “We believe that this honor means our time and efforts to serve the citizens of our community have not been unnoticed. We have a great group of men and women who serve the community (not just the city limits), on a voluntary basis and choose to be there
to help their neighbors in a time of need. It is truly an honor to have the support of our entire community shown in this capacity.”
Countless times a year, the men and the women of the department are quick to serve residents in their scariest moments. To help in that endeavor, the department and its board of directors have taken major strides to supplement and enhance
their services. A new brush truck for grass and wildland fires was purchased in 2018 and the department bought a new pumper in 2020, replacing a piece of equipment that was more than 50 years old. They’ve utilized grant funding to upgrade and replace radio equipment, gear, tools and more.
Gower is also one of the few rural departments that has added a dive team,
which helps not only Gower but also the surrounding communities.
“In the last 20 years, five vehicles have been swept away by flood water inside our district,” said Chief Roe. “The last resulted in loss of life. We began a water rescue program and have utilized our training and equipment several times, including call outs for mutual aid from neighboring
departments and agencies needing assistance.”
All of these efforts have been beneficial to the pocketbooks of district residents, too. The district’s insurance rating has fallen from a seven all of the way down to a four, lowering home insurance costs.
The department is also a constant presence and supporter of the community
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spent his later years at the Cameron Veterans Home.
For more on Merle’s story, turn to page A6 to read The Leader’s 2021 story about Merle as he turned 100 years
ing issues.
The new sirens, along with those in the cities of Plattsburg, Lathrop and Trimble, will also be controlled by a new computerized activation system that will only activate sirens inside a tornado’s warning polygon.
“Outdoor warning sirens are a valuable tool in alerting the public to the danger of tornadic storms,” Shock said, “but over-activation may reduce the public’s perception of risk. For years, the National Weather Service has issued tornado warnings based on the path of storms, with warnings issued in the form of polygons that lie in the path of tornadic storms. Our goal is to only activate sirens for areas in the path of tornadic storms, reducing over-activation and the potential for reduced protection action in the public associated with overwarning the storms.
“Clinton County utilizes a standards-based approach to siren activation. Sirens are only activated for tornado-warned storms or where trained spotters
have verified a tornado exists. Sirens will activate until the danger has passed,” he said, adding that there is no “all-clear” or other alternative uses. Shock said the system receives warning information directly from the National Weather Service to automatically activate individual sirens within the warning area. The sirens will remain active until danger has passed and there won’t be an “allclear” tone afterward. The new sirens will also communicate with the system to provide real-time diagnostic information and let officials know if a siren needs to be repaired.
“While these sirens are a much-needed asset in terms of public alerting, they are only part of the picture,” Shock said. “Storm warning sirens are intended to warn people outside but are less effective at warning people indoors. Applications on our phones, broadcast media, and weather alert radios are all essential tools that help ensure that everyone is aware of threats posed by weather.”
Gower Sidewalk
When the community gathers downtown later this week for Gower Days, they’ll get a good look at the new and nearly-complete downtown sidewalk.
The Gower City Council met on Monday evening, July 8, and it was reported that work on the sidewalk on the north side of Railroad Avenue was all but finished, with the installation of the handrails being the last notable addition. Those are expected to be available this week.
Gower Mayor Ken Pike told The Leader that the city is looking to host a ribbon cutting ceremony in August to recognize the project and all of its contributors, including Clinton County Senate Bill 40, which provided funds. The building entrances for all of the sidewalks will be ADA accessible, and Mayor Pike was particularly proud that nearly everything for the project was sourced locally.
East Buchanan Superintendent Dr. John Newell attended Monday’s
meeting and spoke to the council about a possible use agreement that would allow the district to use the east side of Heritage Park for a football practice field. The district’s former field is now part of the construction for the new East Buchanan Middle School building just west of Heritage Park. City Attorney Joe Gagnon is working up an agreement proposal between the city and school.
The council also approved a small sewer rate increase on Monday. The rates will be going up five percent. The cost for the first 1,000 gallons used monthly will go from $18.54 to $19.47, while the cost of each 1,000 gallons thereafter will increase from $12.48 to $13.11.
Mayor Pike said that in crafting the budget for the new fiscal year, city leaders found that the finances for the sewer were tight, and the increase will allow them to stay ahead instead of falling behind. There was no increase to the city’s water rates.
and its efforts. That includes its support of the East Buchanan School District and its students and athletes.
“We want to be involved in as many community and school activities as we possibly can,” Chief Roe said. “The way we instill trust in our community and gain their support is to be seen, be visible, let people know that
we are here not only in their time of need, but that we are vested in our community. Hopefully we gain their confidence and trust through our presence.”
The Gower Fire Protection District will be honored during the opening ceremonies of the Gower Days festival on Friday, 5:30 p.m., in the park, and will be front
and center in Saturday’s parade at 10:30 a.m.
The department includes: Chief Jon Roe, Deputy Chief Doug Ottinger, Assistant Chief John Hesson, Assistant Chief Jess Roe, Captain Lee Hanks, Captain Jason Plfugradt, Lieutenant Shane Massing, firefighters Colin Archdekin, Brandon Patterson, David
169 Hwy. Horse Statue Found
Residents on the western side of Clinton County were quick to act earlier this week when the well-known horse statue at the intersection of 169 Highway and Z Highway north of Trimble went missing. Photos of the horse were shared numerous times on social media and the story even made it onto metro newscasts. The statue was found off a nearby rural highway and has been returned to the owners, who intend to fix the damage and return the statue to its perch.
Gower Days This
Festivities will actually kick off on Thursday, July 11, with the Little Mister and Miss Gower, Prince and Princess, and Queen Pageant. That will be at 6 p.m. at the Gower Christian Church AFC Building.
The next evening, the opening ceremonies will be at 5:30 p.m. in the park, which will include honoring this year’s grand marshals, the Gower Fire Protection District, and the crowning of the pageant winners. That night Snow Day Jam (6 p.m.) and The Penni Lawrence Band (8 p.m.) perform.
Saturday will be massive, with the baby show at 9 a.m., the parade at 10:30 a.m., the pedal tractor pull at 3 p.m., a pair of cornhole tournaments and more. The Missouri Rebels perform at 5:30 p.m. and Montage will take the stage at 8 p.m.
Sunday will include the car show (registration from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., awards at 3 p.m.), a gospel performance by Country Classics at 11 a.m., and a performance by Ben and Lauren Johnson at 1:30 p.m.
There will be games, rides, inflatables and tons of fun throughout the entire show. Be sure to visit Gower Days on Facebook to get a full schedule of the event.
Elifrits, Morgan Spencer, Natalie Schaeffer, cadets Colby Roe, Maverick Mumford, Corbin Allen, Matthew Hanks, divers Josh Hamner, Johnathan Ottinger, Brian Hunter, Johnathon Walsh, Blake Beahler, Roy Zimmer and Michael Thomas.
Clinton County Sheriff’s Dept.’s Weekly Calls for Service
Friday, June 28
10:34 a.m.: Medical call on S. 169 Highway in Gower.
11:59 a.m.: Domestic in progress on SE Meadow Lane in Holt.
12:07 p.m.: Smoke investigation on 169 Highway in Gower.
2:30 p.m.: Medical call on N. Main Street in Plattsburg.
2:45 p.m.: Trespassing in progress on NW 268th Street in Gower.
3:19 p.m.: Suspicious person in progress on S. First Street in Gower.
3:27 p.m.: Indecent exposure on Kennedy in Gower.
4:52 p.m.: Indecent exposure on I-35 in Clinton County.
5:32 p.m.: Medical call on N. Main Street in Plattsburg.
6:12 p.m.: Medical call on W. Clay Avenue in Plattsburg.
6:19 p.m.: Careless and imprudent driver in Turney.
7:18 p.m.: Trespassing in progress on Mark Street in Lathrop.
7:54 p.m.: Domestic in progress on Pine Street in Lathrop.
Saturday, June 29
4:41 a.m.: Vehicle crash on A Highway in Turney.
7:15 a.m.: Medical call on S. 169 Highway in Gower.
8:59 a.m.: Vehicle fire on 33
Highway in Clinton County.
9:12 a.m.: Domestic in progress on N. Eighth Street in Plattsburg.
10:03 a.m.: Stealing (not in progress) on 169 Highway in Trimble.
10:29 a.m.: Stealing (not in progress) on Kennedy in Gower.
10:34 a.m.: Careless and imprudent driver on I-35 in Clinton County.
10:58 a.m.: Careless and imprudent driver on I-35 in Clinton County.
11:23 a.m.: Medical call on I-35 in Clinton County.
11:39 a.m.: Vehicle crash at 116 Highway and 169 Highway in Clinton County.
1:59 p.m.: Trespassing in progress on SE PP Highway in Holt.
2:16 p.m.: Medical call on W. Maple Street in Plattsburg.
2:44 p.m.: Medical call on 116 Highway in Plattsburg.
6:13 p.m.: Medical call on Whitney in Gower.
6:35 p.m.: Careless and imprudent driver on F Highway in Clinton County.
7:03 p.m.: Disturbance in progress on SE Bittersweet Lane in Lathrop.
8:49 p.m.: Suspicious person in progress on Clinton Drive in Gower.
9:22 p.m.: Careless and im-
prudent driver on 116 Highway in Lathrop.
9:56 p.m.: Medical call on South Street in Lathrop.
Sunday, June 30
4:24 a.m.: Medical call on Center Street in Lathrop.
6:36 a.m.: Medical call on N. Main in Trimble.
10:10 a.m.: Harassment (not in progress) on Eighth Street in Plattsburg.
11:34 a.m.: Vehicle fire on I-35 in Lathrop.
12:01 p.m.: Trespassing in progress on SE Tri-County Line in Lawson.
1:45 p.m.: Vehicle crash at 69 Highway and PP Highway in Clinton County.
5:37 p.m.: Careless and imprudent driver on I-35 in Holt.
5:52 p.m.: Medical call on Pine Street in Lathrop.
7:04 p.m.: Medical call on 116 Highway in Plattsburg.
8:01 p.m.: Disturbance (not in progress) on Winner Avenue in Gower.
8:40 p.m.: Disturbance in progress on SE Arrowhead Drive in Lathrop.
8:54 p.m.: Medical call on Burris Road in Holt.
8:59 p.m.: Disturbance (not in progress) on Winner Avenue in Gower.
10:13 p.m.: Suspicious activity in progress at 69 High-
Lathrop Garden Club Yard of the Month
Lathrop Garden Club Yard of the Month. brett adkison | the leader
Learn about geology at Watkins Mill State Park
JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JULY 5, 2024 – Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic Site is so much more than just a place to camp, swim and tour a woolen mill. It has a deep history that actually goes back millions of years! On Saturday, July 20, at 2 p.m., join Marissa Schorr of the Missouri Geological Survey on an adventure back in time to explore the park’s “rocky” past. Discover how the rocks beneath our feet are clues to what the Earth was like over 300 million years ago; perform handson analyses of the rocks and fossils that can be found in the park, and experience what it’s like to be a field geologist. Grab your family, friends and pet rocks – this is one adventure you won’t want to miss!
This event will take place inside the historic site’s visitor center. It is free and open to the public, and registration is not required. Watkins Mill State Park is located at 26600 Park Road N in Lawson. For more information, call 816580-3387. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks. com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. See what Honeycutt Media can do for your
Give us a call (660) 359-2212 and ask about our advertising
way and 226th Street in Clinton County.
Monday, July 1
8:12 a.m.: Medical call on Concha Street in Lathrop.
9:24 a.m.: Medical call on Port Arthur in Trimble.
10:27 a.m.: Medical call on N. Main Street in Plattsburg. 11:44 a.m.: Stealing (not in progress) on Hamby in Plattsburg.
3:32 p.m.: Medical call on SE Highway V in Holt.
5:17 p.m.: Vehicle crash on 116 Highway in Clinton County.
7:15 p.m.: Medical call on SE Valleyview in Holt.
Tuesday, July 2
8:34 a.m.: Medical call on 169 Highway in Gower.
10:43 a.m.: Careless and imprudent driver on 116 Highway in Lathrop.
11:08 a.m.: Medical call on SE Pence Road in Cameron.
1:49 p.m.: Medical call on Pine Street in Lathrop.
2:11 p.m.: Vehicle crash on 33 Highway in Plattsburg.
3:32 p.m.: Vehicle crash on 178th Street in Holt.
4:10 p.m.: Medical call on NE 288th Street in Turney.
4:31 p.m.: Disturbance (not in progress) on N. Main Street in Plattsburg.
5:22 p.m.: Medical call on 33
Highway in Holt.
5:38 p.m.: Medical call on South Street in Lathrop.
6:24 p.m.: Medical call on A Highway in Turney.
7:23 p.m.: Medical call on N. Main Street in Plattsburg.
7:51 p.m.: Structure fire on NW Hales Road in Plattsburg.
8:55 p.m.: Medical call on Burris Road in Holt.
9:42 p.m.: Vehicle crash on 169 Highway in Clinton County.
9:53 p.m.: Suspicious person in progress on N. First Street in Gower.
Wednesday, July 3
7:33 a.m.: Vehicle crash on SE V Highway in Clinton County.
7:34 a.m.: Vehicle crash on NE Valann in Lathrop.
9:49 a.m.: Medical call on E. Concord in Plattsburg.
9:53 a.m.: Trespassing in progress on South Street in Lathrop.
1:35 p.m.: Vehicle crash on SE Haynesville Road in Holt.
5:36 p.m.: Medical call on W. Clay Avenue in Plattsburg.
6:37 p.m.: Disturbance in progress on NE 312th Street in Cameron.
9:05 p.m.: Medical call on SE PP Highway in Holt.
10:45 p.m.: Disturbance in progress on Pine Street in Lathrop.
10:54 p.m.: Medical call on Pine Street in Lathrop.
11:18 p.m.: Suspicious activity in progress on S. Mulberry Street in Plattsburg.
Thursday, July 4
12:14 a.m.: Suspicious activity in progress in Cameron.
12:22 a.m.: Medical call on Clinton Street in Lathrop. 12:36 a.m.: Careless and imprudent driver on I-35 in Clinton County.
2:40 a.m.: Careless and imprudent driver on I-35 in Clinton County.
8:40 a.m.: Medical call on 116 Highway in Plattsburg.
12:48 p.m.: Medical call on SE Deer Run in Lathrop.
1:05 p.m.: Medical call on SE Deer Run in Lathrop. 4:06 p.m.: Medical call on Old Cannonball Road in Holt.
10:40 p.m.: Careless and imprudent driver on I-35 in Holt.
10:41 p.m.: Vehicle crash on Burris Road in Clinton County.
10:51 p.m.: Disturbance in progress on SE Mohawk in Clinton County. 11:36 p.m.: Medical call on Colonial in Lathrop.
Plattsburg Community Courtyard to host Summer Block Party
The Community Courtyard in Plattsburg will be kicking off its SmallTown Summer Block Party this Friday for a round of late evening shopping. The event will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is free entry to the public. Shoppers will be encouraged to eat and shop downtown. There will be food trucks, a beer garden, music, ice cream, raffles, cornhole, a bounce house, kids tattoos and much more. The Courtyard will also be hosting trivia each Friday night at 7 p.m., from July 19 through August 9. Teams are between two and eight people so bring your buddies. There is a cost to play each evening with the funds supporting the Community Courtyard.
Merle, Squirrels and Sport-aholics
There won’t ever be another Merle Green. That was a certainty even before you crunch some numbers.
Less than one percent of the population lives to 100. Fewer than 100,000 World War II veterans are still alive in 2024, not to mention those who went on to serve in Korea and Vietnam. The chances of being born and passing on the same day of the year are one in 2,800. When you stack it up, they really broke the statistical mould with Merle, the three-war veteran who passed at 103 on Independence Day—also his birthday.
And even with all that, Merle may have been at his luckiest with his sweethearted wife, Millie, by his side the past 40 years, both having been previously widowed. That’s four decades to enjoy their families and each other, together.
For more on Merle, see our coverage elsewhere in this edition.
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A big story is developing out of Lathrop, and though it might not reach the intrigue of oversized residential fireworks in Plattsburg or Cameron’s city hall falling apart, it still has some juicy details. So much so, in fact, I’m making a rare exception and keeping my sources unnamed.
Evidently, one Lathrop resident has become so adverse to squirrels that they’ve started trapping and relocating these furry-tailed terrors. Now, that’s not too silly a story for us around here. There are stranger things than a resident trapping squirrels, taking them out on a quiet country road and letting them out into the woods.
Not so fast, my friend.
Apparently, this modern day fur trapper is letting the squirrels out in the yard of other Lathrop residents, which is a lot like bailing the water from your boat into your fish hold.
Won’t somebody think of these poor displaced squirrel families as they try to navigate new and strange lands? And please don’t let this story hit the internet; otherwise someone will concoct a conspiracy theory about the Democrats signing the squirrels up to vote in November.
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Brushing off a complaint I voiced last year, it was recently “Dead Week” for high school student-athletes in Missouri—a designated period of off time in the summer. Why would high school athletes need a dead week during summer break? Well, because sports have become an absolute monster.
During the school year, seasons have grown longer until fall runs over into winter, and then winter into spring. Multi-sport athletes on the boys side often go right from football into basketball into track or baseball. Game days run late and students have to figure out how to balance sports, dinner, family, homework and sleep before class resumes the next day. Christmas break has even fallen by the wayside, with numerous shoot-out basketball events, practices, etc.
And on top of that, the summers are now critical for staying competitive. From workouts to team camps and league play, some athletes are competing 12 months out of the year. Why? Because everyone is trying to keep up with each other.
Compounding the issue, the high-achieving student-athlete is often a leader in the classroom, too. So they’re also juggling participation in other extracurriculars, such as FFA, FCCLA, FBLA and others.
Kids nor coaches nor school districts are going to regulate these things on their own. School A isn’t going to take a break while School B is out there making sacrifices to get better on the field. Any change would need to come down from MSHSAA. Even then, that won’t stop studentathletes from playing 100 baseball or softball teams with their traveling clubs. To each their own. But while some kids could stand to be more involved, there are some who likely need to hear that they do far too much.
Kick the kids out, let them enjoy their friends and family, and catch a break. We all know what adulthood is like. The grind will be waiting for them after they graduate. Until then, let’em be kids.
OPINIONS
Edwards knows how to save the day
by steve tinnen leader publisher emeritus
You know you’re growin’ older when... You realize that America lost its true identity when more value was placed on suits and a signature rather than overalls and a handshake.
* * * *
When watching TV in my early years, there was a liveaction television series about Superman, the Man of Steel. During the intro to the series, the announcer claimed, “Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!”
Each time, Superman saved the day when trouble arrived.
In just the past few days, I was trying to figure out a way to describe the events Mike Edwards, a regional account executive for Ameren Missouri, faces when saving the day seems to follow him around.
Obviously, he’s not Superman, but oftentimes he’s able to put the right people in the right place to solve problems when customers lose their life-
changing, lifesaving electricity. It’s a job he has accomplished without seeking any praise for the past 24 years. It would take me counting on both hands and all my toes and then some to list the numerous times he has answered my calls and those of others when needed.
And yes, folks, he really does answer his phone, during and after hours.
Consider just the past few days right here in Plattsburg, USA. It’s the Fourth of July holiday and the City of Plattsburg has a power issue with the pump that provides sewer to a section of Plattsburg. Public Works director Justin Hartzell was desperate to get in touch with help on the holiday. His normal contact was not available. He called me and I called Mike Edwards, and he answered my call. He provided the emergency number for Ameren and contact was made and service was restored to the pump averting a huge problem. Imagine a portion of Plattsburg without sewer service on the Fourth of July. An-
other problem solved and a day saved in Plattsburg.
On Saturday, July 6, the mural artist Daniel Bartle, who is painting the Jefferson Highway Mural on the wall of Tinnen Town Hall, reached out to me regarding the power lines entering the building. He wanted to let me know that the protection provided on the power lines was greatly appreciated. A few weeks earlier, Daniel had questioned if all the lines had been protected. When I called Mike, he had a local
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
lineman, Tyler Daniel, come by to double check to make sure everything was in order.
“I greatly appreciate their attention to detail,” said Bartle. “If you pass along any message, please send them a big thank you from me.” Potential danger averted and another day saved.
A big thank you was issued back in 2006-2007, when The Leader’s editor and music lover, the late Ron Johnson, organized the “Bring on the
Debate Books, But Don’t Bully Teachers
The publisher of this newspaper got his wish. After he asked readers to join his crusade against “filth” in schools, writers of letters to the editor have taken up his cause, borrowing his language and bemoaning the deterioration of civilization because of library books.
To recap: the Cameron R-I Board of Education has restricted access to certain books with sexual content in its school library collection. According to a newspaper account, a group of citizens at a recent board meeting castigated the board for not limiting access to more books. One speaker called for a “purge” of the library by parents. On the other side, a Cameron teacher
reminded the audience that under school policy, parents already can restrict their children’s access to library books. Two other teachers were concerned that the book restrictions were ideologically based and did not consider the negative effects such restrictions could have on vulnerable students, especially LBGTQ students.
The teachers’ comments were a bridge too far for the newspaper’s publisher. He wrote: “There is apparently an agenda among certain staff to degrade the moral barometer of our children by allowing indoctrination in the worst kind of sexual deviation and violence imaginable.” Subsequent letters to the editor
picked up the theme. Wrote one: “These educators pushing this garbage, they need to be held responsible.” Another letter invited people to troll (harass?) outspoken teachers: “I encourage readers to consult the public record so they know the teacher[s] who thinks so low of them…Parents should keep their kids away from their influence by all rational means possible.”
Library books have long been a flashpoint in our nation’s ceaseless culture wars. What is offensive to some is educational to others. What is a First Amendment right to some is depravity to others. I understand that. What bothers me most about the uproar in Cameron is
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
the demonization of teachers. I’ve met a lot of public school teachers. Politically some lean right, some lean left. Some are religious, some are not. What I’ve never met is a public school teacher whose agenda is political indoctrination. These folks didn’t get into this most necessary of professions for ideological reasons. They certainly didn’t get into it to get rich. They became public school teachers because educating children is a noble cause. It prepares children for the best and the worst of our complicated world. Argue about books if you must. But stop bullying teachers.
Reader Speaks Out Against Abortion
Fellow Americans,
Abortion is the forceful termination of a pregnancy. In other words, it is the deliberate killing of an unborn baby. It is murder, and murder is wrong any way you look at it. First and foremost, God says murder is wrong in the Fifth Commandment. Some people wrongly believe they know better than God what’s best for humanity. They make excuses to justify murdering unborn babies such as “for the health of the mother” and “in cases of rape or incest.” They also try to desensitize the public by playing word games. For example, women who have
conceived were once considered to “be with child.” Now they are called “pregnant” with no mention of a baby!
The unborn baby is also ignored by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court protects the rights of the mother to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but completely ignores the unborn baby’s rights to the same! We know an unborn baby is a human being at the moment of conception, according to the science. Aren’t we supposed to trust the science? Our framers intended for the born and unborn to have the same rights, just as they intended for men and women to
THE CLINTON COUNTY LEADER
Jamey & D’Anna Honeycutt
have the same rights. Just because the court says something is legal, doesn’t make it moral. For example, the court once considered slavery to be legal, yet we all know it was clearly immoral.
I have been waiting a long time for one of our many Christian pastors to publish an article like this in our local newspapers. I decided to do it myself since the pastors refuse. Abortion is murder, regardless how it occurs. Whether the killing is by pill, injection, or suction, an innocent life is deliberately ended. I know some of you may think I’m uncaring or chauvinistic, but there is a
very safe and effective way for women to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. It’s called abstinence!
This November, we will have another opportunity to vote on the abortion issue. Democrats support abortion and Republicans oppose it. Abortion is not a states’ rights issue, either. It’s a national issue which is supposed to be protected by the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Please vote wisely and pray for an end to abortion. May God bless you and the United States of America!
Dan Landi Kidder, Mo.
b
Jim Patrico Plattsburg, Mo.
Ameren Missouri’s Mike Edwards
Jona Harrington
Jona Vonne Fosher Harrington, 75, of St. Joseph, Mo., passed away Sunday, June 30, 2024. She was born October 13, 1948, in St. Joseph, Mo., to William Leo “Bill” and Emma Lea (Hesenflow) Fosher.
Jona grew up in Grayson, graduating from Gower High School in 1966. She attended Northwest Missouri State University and graduated from Missouri Western College in 1970 with a B.A. in English. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Management from the University of Redlands in Redlands, California, in 1982. Jona was an English teacher at Plattsburg High School for six years. She and Jerry owned Encinitas Stationers, an office supply store, in California for 15 years. She also worked as a realtor for Coldwell Banker. She was a member of Soroptimist In-
ternational. She was united in marriage to Edward Jerry Harrington (Jr.) on April 20, 1973. After their marriage they made their home in St. Joseph for several years before moving to Indianapolis in 1976, Philadelphia in 1977, and California in 1979. They returned to St. Joseph three years ago.
Jona is survived by her husband, Jerry, of the home; sister, Dara Lea Fosher; sister-in-law, Janell Sonnenmoser (Mark); brother-inlaw, Ben Harrington (Terry); several nieces and nephews, as well as grand nieces and nephews.
Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory is handling arrangements. In keeping with Jona’s wishes, there will be no funeral service.
Memorial donations may be made to Friends of the Animal Shelter of St. Joseph, Inc.
Merle Kenneth Green, 103, a resident of the Cameron Veterans Home in Cameron and former longtime resident of Lathrop, Mo., passed away Thursday evening, July 4, 2024, at North Kansas City Hospital in North Kansas City, M0.
Merle was born on July 4, 1921, the son of Oscar Lee and Elizabeth Cynthia (Knapple) Green in Winston, Mo. He grew up in Winston and was a 1940 graduate of Winston High School. He was baptized early in life and joined the First Christian Church of Lathrop.
Merle was united in marriage to Frances Mary Funnell on May 24, 1953, and to this union four children were born. Fran passed away in 1982. Merle married Mildred Bullock on August 11, 1984, and Merle gained three sons. Merle served in the United States Army Air Corps,
Merle Kenneth Green
later becoming the United States Air Force. During his over 20 years of service, he served in three conflicts, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. At the time of his retirement from the Armed Forces, he was a Senior Master Sergeant. Following his military career, he went to work for TWA as an aircraft mechanic. Merle was an active member of the Lathrop American Legion Post 467. He was also a member of the Lathrop Antique Car, Tractor and Engine Association and the TWA Senior Club. Merle loved hunting, fishing and spending time
outdoors with family. Even at the age of 89, he was climbing trees to get into a deer stand. Merle particularly enjoyed fishing at Truman and Smithville Lakes. He liked a good joke and loved to laugh; he enjoyed life. Merle’s family has fond memories of watching him laugh. He loved working on things and he could fix anything. Merle will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
Merle was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Frances Mary Green; and brothers, Noble Green, Lyle Green, and Karl Green. He is survived by his wife, Millie, of Cameron, Mo.; seven children, Kevin Green (Pam) of Branson, Mo.; Craig Green (Roxanne) of St. Joseph, Mo.; Shawna Wallace (Richard) of Weston, Mo.; David Green (Judy) of Winter Garden, Fla.; David Bullock (Lori) of Eagan, Minn.;, Brian Bullock (Jill) of Overland
Park, Kan.; and Ron Bullock (Tami) of Lathrop, Mo.; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Other extended family members also survive. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the First Christian Church of Lathrop or the Lathrop American Legion Post 467 in care of the funeral home. A service celebration of Merle’s life was held at noon Monday, July 8, 2024, at the First Christian Church in Lathrop. The family received friends beginning at 10 a.m. Monday at the church. Burial with Full Military honors followed at Lathrop Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to the care and direction of Stith Funeral Home in Lathrop, (816) 740-4658. Online guestbook at www.stithfamilyfunerals.com
Set Apart and Sent: Encouragement to Seek His Will and Path
By Terry Beasley
Pastor of First Baptist Church in Cameron
As Chapter 13 of the book of Acts opens, Barnabas and Saul are soon to be deployed on the first missionary journey from the church in Antioch. Easily missed in the reading of the text are the preparations that are happening in the background. I am not speaking of passports, visas, and the packing of luggage. Notice that a group of prophets and teachers (identified in verse 1) are “…ministering to the Lord and fasting…” As they sought the Lord, the Holy Spirit gave clear instruction, “Set apart for Me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
(Acts 13:2)
Fortunately, the early church was not satisfied with staying in the comfort and safety of their own town of Antioch. Instead, they sought further direction from the Lord, as He told them previously, “…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
(Acts 1:8) Here, in Antioch, a large assembly of Christfollowers had gathered and for the first time this group
of believers would be referred to as the “church.” This church was not complacent. They were ready to send and to be sent!
In response to the Spirit’s call upon Barnabas and Saul, the prophets and teachers of the Antioch church did three things. First, they fasted. To fast is to abstain as a religious exercise from food and drink. Both in the first century church and today, there is a precedent of fasting for the purpose of more clearly discerning the will of God. The second action of the leaders of the Antioch church was to pray. Often, fasting would be ac-
companied by specific times of prayer as the individual sought the Lord’s direction.
When Pastor J.C. Ryle was asked for the reason that some believers are so much brighter and holier than others, he responded: “I believe the difference, in nineteen cases out of twenty, arises from different habits about private prayer. I believe that those who are not eminently (markedly) holy pray little, and those who are eminently holy pray much.” The third action seen in verse three was the laying on of hands. This was a formal sign of appointment to the service of the Lord, in this case through
missions. It was significant because it represented a link or association between the parties involved, those sending and those being sent.
After fasting, prayer, and laying on of hands, the leaders of the church in Antioch sent Barnabas and Saul away. They released them from their responsibilities in Antioch so that their focus and energy could be spent on a new work. It would be safe to assume that once Barnabas and Saul were out of sight, they were not out of mind. I am confident that their brothers and sisters in Christ continued to pray for them, their safety, their provision, and the fruit of their labor.
As Christ-followers, we are all called to “go.” As the leaders in the church of Antioch fasted and prayed, I encourage you to do the same. Seek His will and the path that He prepared as you are sent into this world to shine brightly!
This position splits time between the wastewater treatment plant in Plattsburg and the water treatment plant in nearby Trimble, Missouri. This is a technical, hands-on position, (no suit and tie required)
County Sheriff’s Office Larry Fish, Sheriff
Looking Back at Merle Green’s Life and Service
Editor’s Note: This story first ran in the July 1, 2021, edition of The Clinton County Leader. Merle passed away last Thursday, July 4—his birthday—at the age of 103.
In August of 1945, Merle Green stood on his family’s Winston, Mo., farm, a pitchfork in hand, as they began their annual harvest. The workers implored the 24-year-old sergeant to slow down because of the heat, but he hadn’t noticed – he was on 30 days rest leave, and after serving in the South Pacific, Northwest Missouri didn’t seem as hot as it once had.
Merle’s mother came from the house with her hands over her head:
The war is over! The war is over!
Throughout the world, people found themselves celebrating the end of the war in the Pacific, and finally, the last chapter of World War II. But here in Missouri, so far from the action, Merle felt another emotion.
“After the day was over and we had nothing to do, I got to the house and I had an awful feeling of being lonesome,” Merle says on the porch of his Lathrop home, nearly 76 years later. “All the friends I had and the hardships we went through. I just walked around the house and felt so lonesome. I couldn’t be with my friends and celebrate what we had accomplished.”
After serving in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, Merle Green and his family will be celebrating his 100th birthday on Sunday, July 4 – Independence Day.
“One of his granddaughters, when she was little, she thought it was neat that we always had a big party on the Fourth of July for
Being lonesome isn’t a problem Merle suffers from today, not with his wife, Millie, by his side, along with their expansive family and numerous friends and neighbors. And as this week goes on and the nation celebrates its independence, Merle will have plenty of people to keep him company.
grandpa,” Millie said. “But she didn’t realize that the Fourth of July was the nation’s anniversary, too. She thought it was really neat they had fireworks and everything for grandpa’s birthday.”
Merle thanks God for his health and appreciates the time that it has afforded him. Both previously widowed, Merle and Millie married in 1984 and combined their families. At the time, they hoped for 10 good years together before they slowed down.
That was nearly four decades ago.
“You can’t survive by yourself,” said Merle, a lesson he learned flying during World War II. “You have to have help. I appreciate my family. They’ve been a lot of support to me. I want to tell the world that war is hell. But, if you’re in it, you’ve got to pick up and go. You have to have that determination and strength and love of country.”
Merle enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in the summer of 1942. After training, he was sent to the 64th Troop Carrier Squadron as an aircraft mechanic. Over
the course of World War II, he flew for 1,500 hours, including time over the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. He flew over the North Pole on three occasions.
“It’s no big deal as long as the plane keeps running,” he joked. He recalls one flight trip in the South Pacific when he and his crew-mates were testing out a new pilot. He was smart, but a bit of a hot shot. When the pilot declined to go around an ominous storm, Merle asked his crew pilot if he was going to let the rookie take such a
big chance. The veteran responded it was best that the rookie learn a lesson about going around storms.
They immediately hit a down draft and the plane fell from the sky. Merle shifted the plane down a gear as the two pilots pulled as hard as they could on the sticks. Suddenly, the plane was going upward with the same intensity.
They had flown into a typhoon.
When they got to the center, Merle recalls how the sun was bright and the rain stopped and they could see the sea roiling below them. “But you have to go back through it to get out,” Merle said.
They successfully navigated through the back half of the typhoon and landed safely, but not before exceeding the G force limits of the C-47 airplane. Upon inspection of the plane, they found why the crew had problems gaining altitude – one of the cables to the plane’s elevators had broken. It’s one of countless memories that Merle recalls to this day. Once, while working on the flight line in New Guinea, a little boy came out of the jungle without clothes, the back of his right leg suffering from a deep gash. Soldiers were ordered to stay back from the natives because of the different diseases either side was unaccustomed to, but that didn’t keep Merle and his mates from dropping their tools and running to the boy. Merle borrowed a Jeep from an officer and they rushed the boy to a medical officer.
“You know you could get court marshaled for this?!” the medic asked, but he grabbed his medicine and utensils and tended to the boy. He cleaned out the boy’s wound with alcoholsoaked swabs. Merle noted that the boy never cried. The medic packed and wrapped the leg, then lamented to Merle that the boy had maybe two or three days before he would die.
(Above) Merle Green at Guadalcanal in 1943. (Above Right) Lathrop’s Merle Green with his wife, Millie, ahead of his 100th birthday in 2001. (Right) On Merle’s 100th birthday, well wishers paraded down his street in Lathrop, with he and Millie out front to watch.
Summer” music festival. In the second year, he expanded the festival to a two-day event with groups performing at one of the shelter houses on Friday. The power was inaccessible, so another call to Mr. Edwards brought four or five of the power trucks down to fix the problem.
Again, this was on a Friday afternoon, and he was able to get that kind of a response. Power restored, another day saved.
The next year, we decided to move the stage up closer to the main shelter house. Again, Mike arranged for the power to be placed closer to the shelter house.
Another successful music festival, another day saved.
One might think that with all these successes it would affect how he approaches his job. No, it only bolsters him to do more. When he arrives at local chamber meetings or city council meetings, they get a welcoming smile and a quick handshake.
He says that the company sees the value that he and the seven other account executives provide and supports them at all levels. He tells his co-workers that his
job is much like a quarterback. And we know how important a quarterback is to a team’s success (e.g.: Patrick Mahomes II).
Edwards explained his role: “I bring it up at our meetings that we are the quarterback of the team. We don’t run the ball, but we hand it off to the right people to get the job done.”
And he’s been successfully handing it off to the right people for the past 24 years and counting.
* * * *
Trivia question: What amendment ended prohibition? A.11th; B. 18th; C. 21st; D. 14th (find answer nearby).
* * * * Some grins from the happy Hawaiian, Jim Nicholson, Honolulu, Hawaii...
- Dad, are we pyromaniacs? Yes, we arson.
- What do you call a pig with laryngitis? Disgruntled.
- A commander walks into a bar and orders everyone around.
- Never buy flowers for a monk. Only you can prevent florist friars.
- How much did the pirate pay to get his ears pierced?
A buccaneer. - Prison is just one word to you, but for some people, it’s a whole sentence. I’m trying to organize a hide and seek tournament, but good players are really hard to find. (Trivia answer: Amendment 21. “Repeal of Prohibition” Amendment 21 to the Constitution was ratified on December 5, 1933. It repealed the previous Eighteenth Amendment which had established a nationwide ban on the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol).
* * * *
Food for thought: “It’s better to have died a small child than to be a politician who gets caught in a scandal during a slow news month.”
Lewis McDonald Grizzard Jr. (October 20, 1946 – March 20, 1994) was an American writer and humorist, known for his Southern demeanor and commentary on the American South. Although he spent his early career as a newspaper sportswriter and editor, becoming the sports editor of the Atlanta Journal at age 23, he is much better known for his humorous newspaper columns in the Atlanta JournalConstitution.
Plattsburg Senior Center Menu for the Month of July
Thursday, July 11
Chicken tenders, buttered beets, potato salad, applesauce, wheat bread.
Friday, July 12
Taco salad, refried beans, diced tomatoes, apricots, wheat bread.
Monday, July 15
Spaghetti with meat sauce, peas, lettuce salad, pineapple, garlic bread.
Tuesday, July 16
Fish fillet, carrots, coleslaw, applesauce, wheat bread.
Wednesday, July 17
Hot roast beef sandwich, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, peaches, July birthday cake.
Thursday, July 18
Chef’s salad with meats, vegetables, cheese and egg; tomato salad, apricots, crackers.
Friday, July 19
Sloppy joe on bun, potato wedges, creamed peas, mixed fruit.
Monday, July 22
Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, pears, wheat bread.
Tuesday, July 23
Chicken and rice, corn, cauliflower, mandarin oranges, wheat bread.
Wednesday, July 24
Baked potato bar with meats and cheeses, broccoli, banana pudding, wheat bread.
Thursday, July 25
Salmon loaf, coleslaw, spinach, peaches, cornbread.
Friday, July 26
Hamburger stroganoff, carrots, lettuce salad, pine-
apple, wheat bread.
Monday, July 29
Hamburger on a bun, baked beans, coleslaw, peaches, relishes.
Tuesday, July 30
Ham salad on lettuce, copper penny salad, pickled beets, lime gelatin with cottage cheese and pineapple, wheat bread.
Wednesday, July 31
Swiss steak, cauliflower, green beans, assorted fruit, wheat bread.
Thursday, August 1
Chicken tetrazzini, broccoli, creamed peas, pears, wheat bread.
Merle
Green, Continued from Page A6
“Take him back to the jungle and don’t do this again,” the medic told him. And they followed orders. A week went by. Then two weeks. Three weeks. Here came the boy from the jungle, his wound still wrapped. His leg lagged behind him, but he had survived. They took him back to the medic, who redressed the wound and sent them on their way.
Merle and the crew didn’t see the boy again, but three weeks later, three native women came out of the jungle balancing baskets of fruits on their heads. It was a show of appreciation for saving the boy’s life.
So many memories. He and his crew once drank and danced the night away with a group of nurses during a stop over in Australia, then exchanged knowing glances over their breakfast plates that morning in the diner. A little shot of life in a marathon war.
When he was shipped
home, Merle – an avid reader – came across a book and escaped one night to the ship’s bathrooms, reading by the only light allowed. The bow of the ship “shuttered and rose, shuttered and rose,” Merle said. He threw on his life vest and ran to the deck, knowing they must have hit an underwater mine. But they had actually run aground –on a reef.
It took three days for them to work the ship free. They were taking on water but luckily had enough pumps to keep limping along at three knots – just over three miles an hour.
More than perhaps anything, Merle leaned on his faith during World War II.
“Whenever we lost a member, our commander called us together,” he said.
“We had a service and a prayer. Today, you don’t get that.”
After World War II, he reenlisted with the US Air
Force in 1948. He was an aircraft technician in occupied Japan prior to the Korean War, during which he served as a flight chief and hangar chief. He returned stateside in 1953 and served for the next decade. In 1963, he was transferred to Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa as an NCOIC of field maintenance on F-105 aircraft, serving during the Vietnam War until he medically retired in 1966.
He had served the country for 21 years, retiring as a senior master sergeant.
Upon returning from overseas, Merle and his family settled in Lathrop. He went to work for TWA until his retirement in 1984. He and Millie married later that year and spent a lot of time traveling, including memorable trips to Greece, Rome, the Vatican, and more. Their lives together have been full of faith and family.
whether it’s at school, on the
Once again, debris has been left at Mt. Washington Cemetery without consideration for those who manage the upkeep of the cemetery or the souls who are at rest there. Anyone who might have information about the incident or those who perpetrated it are urged to contact the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department at (816) 539-2156.
MoDOT Roadwork in Northwest Missouri this week
St. Joseph, Mo. – The following is a list of general highway maintenance and construction work the Missouri Department of Transportation has planned in the Northwest Missouri region for the week of July 8-14. There also may be moving operations throughout the region, in addition to the work mentioned below. Inclement weather may cause schedule changes in some of the planned work. Check the MoDOT Traveler Information Map at http://traveler. modot.org, or download the app for updated information.
MoDOT asks drivers to work with us by buckling up, putting your phone down, slowing down and moving over in work zones.
Andrew County Route F – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from County Road 257 to County Road 252, July 9, 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Atchison County Route 111 – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project at the Pike Creek Drainage Ditch north of Corning, through August 2024. (Contractor: North Central Bridge, LLC) https://www. modot.org/missouri-route111-missouri-route-46-androute-yy-bridge-replacement-atchison-and-gentry.
Route C – Shoulder work from U.S. Route 59 to Route O, July 8-12. Route C – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Route M to Route W, July 9, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Buchanan County
Cook Road Bridge –CLOSED for a bridge rehabilitation project over Interstate 29 in St. Joseph through October 2024. (Contractor: Clarkson Construction Company) https:// www.modot.org/interstate29-bridge-rehabilitationbuchanan.
Route FF – Pothole patching from Route O to U.S. Route 169, July 8. Route Y – Pothole patching from Route 116 to Route DD, July 10. Route V – Pothole patching from the Platte County line to Route 116, July 11.
Caldwell County Route 13 – CLOSED from Route P to Far West Drive for a resurfacing project from the south city limits of Hamilton to just north of Route HH in Kingston through early September 2024 (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.) https://www. modot.org/13-pavementresurfacing-caldwell-anddaviess.
Route 13 – Pavement repairs from Mill Creek Drive in Hamilton to Route P, through mid-July. (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.).
Carroll County Routes CC, OO, PP, EE –Pothole patching, July 8-12.
Chariton County Route D – CLOSED until further notice at the Shoal Creek Bridge due to deck deterioration. This bridge is currently scheduled for the December 2025 contractor letting through the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Route WW – CLOSED at
the Old Channel Chariton River Bridge for a bridge rehabilitation project through August (Capital-Horner &Shifrin). *1
Route F – CLOSED at the Palmer Creek Bridge west of Keytesville for a bridge rehabilitation project through September (Capital-Horner &Shifrin). *1
Route JJ – CLOSED beginning July 8 at the Slater Branch Bridge for a bridge rehabilitation project through October (CapitalHorner &Shifrin). *1
Route D – CLOSED beginning July 11 at the West Fork of Bee Creek Bridge for a bridge rehabilitation project, through October (Capital-Horner &Shifrin).
*1
Route 5 – Pavement improvement project under the Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge west of Salisbury through July 12. (Contractor: Capital Paving and Construction, LLC).
Route C – CLOSED for a culvert replacement from Marquette Avenue to Route 11, July 9-10, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Clinton County
Route H – CLOSED for a bridge replacement project from NE Estep Road to U.S. Route 69 through November 2024. (Contractor: Phillips Hardy, Inc.) https:// www.modot.org/route-hbridge-replacement-clinton. I-35 – Concrete replacement northbound between mile markers 43.8 and 47, July 8-12. A 12-foot width restriction will be in place.
Daviess County Route 13 – Culvert repair,
two miles north of Jameson, July 8.
Route PP – Pothole patching from Drake Avenue to Route Z, July 8-12.
DeKalb County
Route H – CLOSED for a resurfacing project, July 1-12, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
(Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.).*2
Route E – CLOSED for a resurfacing project, July 1019, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.).*2
Linn County
Route M - Resurfacing project, July 5-8. The road will be narrowed to one lane and a 10-foot width restriction will be in place (Contractor: Magruder Paving, LLC). *2 Route C – Resurfacing project, July 6-13. The road will be narrowed to one lane and a 10-foot width restriction will be in place (Contractor: Magruder Paving, LLC). *2
U.S. Route 36 – Bridge maintenance at the bridge over Higgins Ditch, July 8-11, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Livingston County Route D – CLOSED at the Rattlesnake Creek Bridge
for a bridge rehabilitation project through mid-August. (Capital-Horner &Shifrin)*1
U.S. Route 36 – Pavement improvement project under the U.S. Route 65 bridge and the Canadian Pacific Railroad bridge in Chillicothe through mid-August. One lane may be closed in either direction around-theclock with a 10-foot width restriction in place (Contractor: Magruder Paving, LLC).
Mercer County
U.S. Route 136 – Resurfacing project from the Harrison/Mercer County line to Route C near Princeton through September. The road will be narrowed to one lane and a 12-foot width restriction will be in place (Contractor: Norris Asphalt Paving Co.).
Nodaway County
U.S. Route 71 – Resurfacing project northbound from Route B south of Bolckow to Route M (White Cloud Bottom), July 8-12. (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.).
Route C – Bridge inspection at the Nodaway River Bridge, July 8-11.
U.S. Route 136 - CLOSED for a culvert replacement from 290 Street to Route P, July 8-9, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
U.S. Route 136 - CLOSED for a culvert replacement from 320 Street to Route T, July 10-11, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Route NN – CLOSED for bridge inspection from Panther Road to Orion Road, July 10, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Putnam County Route 5 – Resurfacing project from the Iowa state line to U.S. Route 136 in Unionville, through mid-July. The road will be narrowed to one lane and a 12-foot width restriction will be in place (Contractor: Norris Asphalt Paving Co.). Route 149 – Chip seal from the Iowa state line to the Adair County line, July 8-12.
Worth County
U.S. Route 169 – Resurfacing and slide repair project from the Iowa State line to just north of Route 46 through early July 2024. (Contractor: Herzog Contracting Corp.).
UNIVERSITY OF MO. EXTENSION
Gardens will thank you
very ‘mulch’ during summer heat
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mulches benefit gardens throughout the year, but they are particularly helpful during the heat of summer, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
Maintain 2-4 inches of an organic mulch to keep the soil cool. This promotes root growth and curbs soil moisture loss. Mulch also prevents the germination of weeds by blocking sunlight, said Trinklein. Finally, organic mulches improve soil structure as they decompose and add nutrients to the soil.
Choose the right kind of material for mulch from the many that are available, said Trinklein. Examples include dried grass clippings, shredded leaves, pine needles and ground softwood tree bark.
Some gardeners follow recent trends to recycle and use ground-up shipping pallets as a source of mulch. Shipping pallets are constructed from less valuable hardwoods such as cottonwood or sycamore. “Wood chip mulches tend to break down more rapidly than softwood mulches such as pine bark or shredded cypress,” said Trinklein.
For best results, Trinklein recommends pine bark or shredded cypress over hardwood mulches, especially for annual flowerbeds. Dried grass clippings also work well, but be cautious if herbicides were applied to the lawn, said Trinklein. Missouri has a sizable
hardwood products industry that produces bark as a byproduct. Hardwood bark is also available as a mulching material, most often in bulk. It, too, tends to break down rapidly.
Soil microbes consume nitrogen as they break down organic mulches. This results in soil microbes robbing garden plants of nitrogen as they feed on organic matter, said Trinklein. Lack of nitrogen usually results in lighter green leaf color of garden plants, weak or slow growth and even yellowing and loss of lower leaves.
Gardeners most frequently experience nitrogen deficiency problems when they plant into existing mulched areas. During planting, mulch may fall into the planting holes, which adds organic matter to decompose. Soil microbes then tie up more nitrogen.
To counter this, spread a fertilizer high in nitrogen on the soil surface before applying mulch. For mulch that already has been applied, add more nitrogen fertilizer during the growing season as the mulch decomposes.
Sour mulch has become a problem in recent years, Trinklein said. “Basically, sour mulch is mulch that has decomposed improperly,” he said. “The result is a foul-smelling mulch that often gives rise to compounds toxic to plants. Symptoms such as leaf scorch, defolia-
tion or death of the plant can result from sour mulch.”
While sour mulch is not common, the tendency of hardwood mulches to break down more rapidly makes them more likely to become sour than softwood mulches. Good mulch should have the aroma of freshly cut wood or good garden soil. Sour mulches smell of ammonia, sulfur, vinegar or, perhaps, silage.
“The benefits of mulching greatly outweigh the concern of plant damage from sour mulch,” Trinklein said. “However, be aware of the problem and check mulches before applying,”
Once mulch is established, it may not be necessary to add new mulch every year. This is especially true in areas where it initially is applied more thickly, such as around trees and shrubs. However, a thin layer of additional new mulch often improves the appearance of the landscape. A depth of new mulch equal to the amount of decomposition that has occurred during the past season is adequate in most cases.
In an age of environmental awareness, mulches help to make gardening more sustainable, said Trinklein. Their ability to conserve water, retard weed growth and eventually add nutrients to the soil make their use a logical way to reduce the inputs needed to grow an attractive garden.
THE LEADER
Proudly serving Clinton County, Missouri, for more than 125 years
tivities of daily living. Now accepting Medicaid. For more information contact Cassandra Brewer at 660-359-5647.
For Sale
Agriculture
For Sale: One grass fed beef. Sold by hanging weight. Call 66o645-2269
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See Consumer Oil & Supply for your One Stop Shop for Muck and Lacrosse boots and gloves. Consumer Oil & Supply 614 Harris Ave. 359-2258
Buying standing walnut, oak & cottonwood timber. Cash or on shares. Call Mike at 816-248-3091
Gravel, sand, top soil, mulch, river rock, boulders-
Turney Mini Quarry 816-2482523.
For Sale: One grass fed beef. Sold by hanging weight. Call 66o645-2269
PAYING
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For Rent House for rent: No pets. No Smoking. One bedroom, One bath. One story, with basement. Close to the country club. Carpeted, extremely clean. Call 660359-3800
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Garden Headquarters! Garden seeds, assorted garden tools, best prices in town. Trenton Hardware, 901 Main, Trenton. 660-3593660.
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Shelly's Pet Care, 660-684-6864, 103 S. Locust St., Jamesport, MO 64648. Professional, Personal-
ized Grooming. Appointments available Monday - Saturday. 35 Years of Experience! Serving the Green Hills Area since 1996! dtf
Help Wanted Sunnyview Nursing Home has job openings available for the following positions: RN, LPN, CNA, Dietary and Level I Medication Aide. Please fill out a job application at 1311 East 28th Street, Trenton, MO 64683. E.O.E.
Help Wanted: Home Visitor, Caldwell County Head Start.
This position is responsible for planning homebased learning experiences that focus on promoting high-quality early learning in the home. Full-Time with the following benefits: 4-day work week Dental/Health /Life insurance Retirement LifeFlight Sick Leave Paid tuition to NCMC
This position is responsible for the supervision of center staff and volunteers. As well as planning, monitoring, and managing the facility ™s daily program, social services, and family engagement activities. Visit http://www.gree nhillsheadstart.or g for job description and application or call 660-359-2214. E.O.I. North Central Missouri College is seeking a Stu-
dent Support Services Assistant Director. This is a full-time position with benefits included. Interested applicants should visit www.ncmissouri.edu/jobs for more information and how to apply or call 660-3576203. NCMC is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer
Notices
THE PEOPLE’S CO-OP 1736 East 9th St. 359-3313. Premium Diesel, Gas, 10% Ethanol – CENEX. 83 years of service & experience. MR. TIRE – Dean, Hankook, Cooper tires
Replacement Parts; Accessories; Chemicals; Tool & equipment. www.tlautosupply.com
Services *SEAMLESS GUTTERING* We are ready to replace your old gutters with new seamless aluminum gutters! MOORE’S CONSTRUCTION & WOODWORK, INC. 359-5477. 52 Years Experience. WANTED!! Used & Abused Cars &
PUBLIC HEARING
James Parker of Lathrop, MO has applied to the Clinton County Planning and Zoning Commission for a Major Subdivision (4 Lots) of a 20.13 acre lot parcel into 4 lots measuring 5.0 +/-, 5.0 +/-, 5.06 +/-, and 5.06 +/- acres each. Rezone of all 4 lots to R-1 (Single Family Residential). Property is located on the North side of SE 207 th St., East side of SE Sellers Ln, West of SE Perren Rd, Holt, MO. Section 27; Township 54N; Range 31W. The Public Hearing will be held Thursday, August 1, 2024, at 7:00 pm in the Community Room in the basement of the Clinton County Courthouse. All interested parties should attend.
Clinton County Planning and Zoning
Tricia “P.J.” Knight - Administrator
(7/11, 7/18/24)
Clinton County Request for Engineering Firm Services
PLATTSBURG
The Clinton County Commission is requesting the services of a consulting engineering firm to perform the described professional services for the BRO-R025(001) project bridge on SW 200 th over Dicks Creek. If your firm would like to be considered for these consulting services, you may express your interest by responding to the appropriate office, which is indicated on the attachments. Limit your letter of interest to no more than 5 pages. This letter should include any information which might help us in the selection process, such as the persons or team you would assign to each project, the backgrounds of those individuals, and other projects your company has recently completed or are now active. It is required that your firm’s Statement of Qualification (RSMo 8.285 through 8.291) be submitted with your firm’s Letter of Interest, or be on file with the Clinton County Commission. DBE firms must be listed in the MRCC DBE Directory located on MoDOT’s website at www.modot.gov, in order to be counted as participation towards an established DBE Goal. We encourage DBE firms to submit letters of interest as prime consultants for any project they feel can be managed by their firm.
It is required that your firm be prequalified with MoDOT and listed in MoDOT’s Approved Consultant Prequalification List, or your firm will be considered non-responsive.
For more information, email the Clinton County Clerk’s Office at David.woody@clintoncomo.gov or call 816-539-3713.
We request all letters be received by 4 pm, July 19 (07/19/2024) at the office of the Clinton County Clerk, 207 North Main Street, Plattsburg, MO 64477.
(7/4, 7/11/24)
Fireworks Displays in Lathrop, Plattsburg
The
tradition of shooting off Fourth of July fireworks displays in Plattsburg had to wait
beginning
tradition began with the patriarch, the late Jim
sons Justin and Jeremy continue to
surrounding hills full of fireworks enthusiasts.
The 2024 Rocketeers (left to right): Jeremy Hartzell, Billy Jenkins, Hayden Webster, Michael Shoemaker, Jacob Brock, Tori Brock, Todd Webster, Taylor Hartzell, Kami Hartzell, Jacelyn Hartzell, Justin Hartzell, Will Lile, Brayde Adam, Hannah Sloan, Drystin Dotson.
The Lathrop Fire Department once again fired off the town’s fireworks display on the Fourth of July at the Lathrop Antique Showgrounds.
The Lathrop Fire Department fireworks crew. Front Row (left to right): Joe Spear, Kaden Spear, David Eads, Pam Sheek and Mike Sheek. Second Row: Gary Woodring, Don Vining, Mike Beasley and Deena Johnson. Back Row: James Martin, Briggs Martin, Braxton Elliot, Zack Coldren and Darius Towne.
Kids in Lathrop took part in the annual bike parade on Independence Day morning.
Fun at the 2024 Cameron Freedom Festival
The community of Cameron had plenty of fun and action last week, ringing in the Fourth of July with the annual Freedom Festival. (Above) Participants in the Freedom Festival Baby Show. (Right) Kymber Jo Masson wins the 19-24 month girls division of the baby show. (Below) Jayce Young ready for fireworks action! (Top and Bottom Left) The 2024 Festival Car Show. (Left) Fireworks ignite the skies above Cameron for the annual display. (Bottom) Participants get ready for the Glow Run.
photo courtesy of kiley young
photo courtesy of sonia campbell photo courtesy of ron tolen