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Johnson shooting ruled
suicide
After receiving
complete autopsy reports, local authorities have ruled the shooting
death of Dr. Vic Johnson, Polo veterinarian, a suicide.
Sheriff Jerry
Galloway, County Coroner Dana Brown and Prosecutor Brady Kopek
conferred on the autopsy report before deciding that Dr. Johnson
shot himself. “There was nothing to indicate a homicide,” said
Sheriff Galloway.
He said that
despite hundreds of comments on a website pointing a finger at Dr.
Johnson’s wife, authorities have to look at facts, not opinion.
The sheriff
indicated that ballistics and evidence reports on the gun used in
the shooting would probably not be completed and back to him for
months.
Hobbs in county
custody, waives preliminary
Robert C. Hobbs, 48, Hamilton,
was returned last week to Caldwell County and appeared in Circuit
Court before Judge Jason Kanoy last Thursday morning and waived
formal arraignment on first degree murder, armed criminal action and
forgery charges.
Hobbs is charged with the Feb.
16 shooting death of his father, George H. Hobbs, at the Hobbs home
in rural Caldwell County. The murder was discovered on Feb. 19 when
a sheriff’s deputy went to the home for a well being check requested
by a social worker for the nursing home Hobbs’ elderly mother
resides in. Hobbs had not made his regular visits to his mother that
week. The body was found on the floor of a bedroom at the home and a
physician at Heartland Regional ruled the death a homicide.[Read
More]
Three file for 43rd
Circuit position
Three area
attorneys have officially filed for the 43rd Circuit Judicial seat
vacated late last month by Judge Warren L. McElwain. Tom Chapman, a
Chillicothe attorney, was the first to file in Jefferson City on
March 1 when filing opened following McElwain’s official retirement
on Feb. 28 at midnight. He was followed by Hamilton attorney and
former associate judge Daniel Chadwick on March 1. The latest filing
was March 8 by Joe Gagnon, a Lathrop attorney.
Chapman is a
Republican, while Chadwick and Gagnon are Democrats. The latter are
hoping for a judicial appointment by Governor Jay Nixon, also a
Democrat, to fill out McElwain’s term for the rest of the year. Both
have appeared before county Democrat committees seeking their
recommendations.
The 43rd Circuit
includes two divisions. McElwains slot was considered Division I and
former Judge Steve Griffin’s position was a Division II slot, which
was filled by gubernatorial appointment early last year by R. Brent
Elliott, who is seeking election to the position.
Meeting Monday to
discuss road closings
The Caldwell
County Commission is urging anyone interested in the effects of road
closings this spring to attend a meeting next Monday, March 15, at
1:30 p.m. at the Nazarene Church Fellowship Hall in Kingston.
Several road
closures are scheduled by the Missouri Department of Transportation
this year for bridge replacements. One of those closings will
involve the bridge over U. S. Route 36 in Hamilton, calling for a
complete deck replacement.
Refreshments
will be provided at the meeting.
Polo senior prom royalty
The Polo FBLA-sponsored
senior prom was held recently and participants saw the “crowning” of
a prom king and queen. John Sanders donned his Mexican hat crown as
king and Linda Trammel reigned as queen. (Photo by Polo yearbook
staff)
Recent Stories
Bobcat
Courtwarming
The Braymer Bobcats Courtwarming was held last Friday night despite
the weather, hosting 2 games against the Hardin Bulldogs. The JV
boys and Varsity boys teams both prevailed with a victory. The
crowning was held at halftime of the boys game. The Courtwarming
Royalty crowned this year was Prince, freshman Jesse Utt, Princess,
sophomore Melanie Dinwiddie, Queen, senior Courtney Taylor, and
King, senior Dylan Adkison. Congratulations for being chosen as this
years winning Royalty.
Breckenridge royalty
John Adams and Jackie Hayes were
announced as Breckenridge 2010 Courtwarming King and Queen
Mirabile Township
residents dig into gravel records, find discrepancies
By Anne Tezon
Mirabile Township has been the
subject of some intense scrutiny the past several months. Monday
afternoon that scrutiny reached an even higher level as a private
investigator hired by Clarkson Construction, owners of Everett
Quarries in Kingston, showed up at the courthouse asking questions
of the county commission and the county clerk.
The scrutiny started several
months ago with some local residents who were disgruntled over the
continuing poor condition of their gravel roads. Duane Burnett and
Keith Wilcox launched their own personal investigation into the
issue and say they became suspicious when Mirabile Township Trustee
Bill Hascall refused to meet with them to discuss road conditions.
Instead, he invited them to attend the next township board meeting.
The two have been attending
every meeting since then and have filed Sunshine Law requests with
the county clerk’s office in Kingston for records detailing
purchases of gravel and reimbursements for FEMA disaster relief
projects following the floods of 2007.
The question that Wilcox and
Burnett want answered is “Where’s the gravel?” In their detailed
search of county and township records, they’ve uncovered several
inconsistencies and omissions, some of which they fear may represent
fraud, especially where federal disaster relief funds are concerned.[Read
More]
Filing begins for
county offices
On the first day
of filing for elective county offices Tuesday, six individuals,
mostly incumbents, filed to retain their Caldwell County positions.
Dale Hartley and Bud Motsinger both filed for the presiding county
commission slot currently held by Hartley, while Julie Hill,
Recorder of Deeds, Carrie Miller, circuit clerk, Jason Kanoy,
associate circuit court judge and Beverly Bryant, county clerk, all
filed to seek re-election.
March 30 is the
deadline to file for county office, including township committee
positions.
Bank Northwest to
prosecute former employee
Bank Northwest
has announced Friday that in connection with an internal review of
records it has discovered that a former employee of the bank was
engaged in unauthorized transactions during the course of employment
at the bank. The unauthorized activity resulted in a loss of bank
funds the exact amount of which cannot be disclosed at this time.
However, none of the bank’s customers have suffered any loss and the
amount of the loss has not in any way affected the safety and
soundness of the bank. Bank Northwest remains strongly capitalized
in comparison to its peers with total capital in excess of
$7,300,000 million dollars. The bank will vigorously seek criminal
prosecution of the employee involved and has reported the details to
law enforcement and regulatory authorities.
Arrest made in
radiator shop robbery
On Feb. 7 at
9:07 a.m. the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to
Glenn’s Radiator Shop located at 7400 N.W. Sale Barn Road, Cameron.
Upon arrival the owner was contacted and it was determined that
someone had entered the office area of the business and removed the
safe from that location along with other items.
Through
investigation, an arrest was made of a Steven A. Taylor, 28, who was
charged with burglary II, theft and stealing with $100,000 dollar
cash only bond along with a California parole violation warrant no
bond. He is currently in custody at the Caldwell County Detention
Center. This case is currently under investigation by the Caldwell
County Sheriff’s Office.
Lady
Cats end season abruptly
According to an official
statement from Braymer C-4 School Principal Mitch Barnes, the
Braymer Lady Cats basketball season has been cancelled for
disciplinary reasons.
Reportedly some of the girls
didn’t want to run and walked out during a practice session.
Courtwarming has been
rescheduled for this Friday night at half-time during the varsity
boys game with Hardin. The JV boys will have a full game against the
Hardin Bulldogs.
The girls game next Tuesday
will be played with Hardin playing the Meadville girls at Braymer.
The Braymer varsity boys will meet the Meadville boys in regular
play.
Braymer water rates
main topic at council meeting
Monday night’s
main topic of discussion at the Braymer City Council meeting was the
low rates of the city’s water bills. Councilman Hardee Ritchey read
a report from USDA, which suggested the rates be raised $5 a month
per household.
Water supervisor
Phil Clevenger informed the councilmen that Braymer has the lowest
water rates in the county with only two rate increases since the
70s, the last being in 2004. The councilmen discussed having a
public meeting to educate Braymer residents about the water rates.
It was said the residents need to remember their water bills include
water, sewer and trash, so the water part of the bill is usually
only around $25. Ritchey also said, “It’s no time to raise rates,
but it’s going to have to be done.” The councilmen asked Clevenger
to work up figures from other towns and present them at the next
meeting. Mallory stated that at this time there are $6,000 worth of
delinquent water bills.
Councilman Mike
Copple represented “Stretch” Owen in regard to a renter’s water
bill. He felt he shouldn’t have to babysit his renters. One of his
renters left the water running (not dripping) so the pipes wouldn’t
freeze. The council voted that the homeowner was responsible for the
remaining bill after the renter’s deposit took care of the majority
of the bill.[Read
More]
Brelsford case
continued to April 5
Marie Kay
Brelsford, former county deputy clerk, appeared in Caldwell County
Circuit Court last Thursday with her attorney, Roger Potter, who
filed a motion for release of $13,500 in an appearance bond. Judge
Warren McElwain granted the release and also agreed to a request to
continue the case to April 5 at 9:00 a.m.
[Read More]
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