The Big God Across the Ozarks Festival in 2009 caused the first-ever traffic jam in Wheaton. Event organizers are expecting to see another traffic jam Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 8-12 for this year's show. Ken Freeman of San Antonio will bring powerful, life changing messages to the crowds at Gizmo Event Center, located on Highway 86 in Wheaton. Freeman is an evangelist and published author. He has written two books, "Rescued by The Cross" and "Toilet Bowl Christianity." These books are available to be purchased online and they will be available for purchase at the festival. "The books are so good that it is hard to put them down when you start reading them," said John Bush, a representative of the Across Festivals. Services will begin at 7 p.m. each night. There is no admission charge and a love offering will be received. (more) |
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Missouri state lawmakers recently passed new legislation that will take effect this month. House Bill 1695, 1742 and 1674 is a measure that changes the laws regarding intoxication-related traffic offenses. The bill contains 12 provisions. • Establishes that a DWI court may grant limited driving privileges to a person who would be otherwise ineligible for the privilege. "This law establishes something like a drug court," said Scott Whitman, Granby chief of police. "It may require a course of instruction and some municipal judges will have to have some training." (more) |
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Quilt raffle to benefit fire department  | Sharon Stephenson fills out her raffle ticket last week. |
All proceeds from a quilt raffle at Granby CIty Hall will go to the Granby Fire Department to help fix the mold problem in its fire station. Over the summer Mildred Mahan made the green-and-white checkered quilt that's currently on display in the foyer at city hall. It's made from all recyclable materials, and fits a queen-size bed. Raffle tickets went on sale Aug. 25, and are $1 for one ticket or six tickets for $5. According to the gals at city hall, Mahan told them that she donated the quilt to the city because "she didn't want Granby to end up like Neosho," meaning low on funds and unable to provide some basic necessities to its residents. Mahan said she's currently making a quilt to donate to Granby Elementary, and she hopes the funds will be used to purchase needed items for the students that's not in the school's budget. — Midwest Times |
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Frank Ames of Granby has been busy recruiting teenage boys and girls to join Granby's newest community service organization, the Alpha Leo Club. Sponsored by the Granby Lions Club, Alpha Leo is a scaled-down version of the Lions Club aimed at youth ages 12-18. "We need 15 people signed up in order to complete our application and send it in to our corporate office," said Ames, who will serve as advisor and chairman of the Leo Club, "and we've already got six signed up, so we're almost there." Jennifer Burns and Lauretta Pitts are the other two Leo Club advisors. "We're hoping to change the name of the club to the East Newton Leo Club once our application is approved," Ames said. "We also plan to set up a Facebook page in the near future." (more) |
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The Seneca FFA Chapter is helping with the Farmers Feeding Neighbors hay auction on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Seneca Christian Church. "The kids were tickled to help us out," said Michelle Vanderpool, one of the event organizers. Bobcat of Springfield will bring a Bobcat to help load and unload the hay bales. "This is an expensive machine they are letting us use," Vanderpool said. "It will make the whole process a lot easier for us," Frontier Leasing has also offered to donate two semi-trailers to bring in hay or haul it out. "We're very glad that so many businesses are coming out to help us make this a big success," said Vanderpool. (more) |
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Diamond will hold its 18th Annual Gem City Days celebration beginning with the opening of craft and business vendors at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10. The Gem City Days Committee will also be selling hamburgers, hot dogs, potatoes and onions starting at 6 p.m. "The Diamond Improvement Group will be selling pies on Friday night only," said Vickie Wright, chairman of the entertainment committee. "Several of the ladies in town will bake pies to be sold, not auctioned." The Diamond Police Department will open the celebration at 6:30 p.m. with a recognition of community leaders. Duke Mason will entertain the crowd from 7-10 p.m. "Duke Mason is an area favorite," said Wright, chairman of the entertainment committee. "All ages seem to enjoy his music." (more) |
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 | first and second grade class — Adam Edgemon, Macy Bowman, Emalie Carrell, Brylee Bohannah, Dylan Bohannah, Brendon Coburn, Emily White, Jacob Hopper, Alison Clouse, Addison McCully, Faith Thwreatt, and Zacheus Martin. Helpers in the class were Anita Judd, Sheila Clouse, Andrea Carrall, Gabe Carrall, Brandon Wagner, and Lauretta Pitts. |
More than 90 children, leaders and adult volunteers made the “High Seas Expedition” VBS at Granby First Church of God a huge success July 25-29. “We had a great attendance this year and we’ve very pleased with how everything went,” said Karen Clark, VBS co-director along with her husband, Ed. “We had a boys against girls contest nightly to see who could bring the most money for our mission, and the boys won three nights, and the girls won two nights.” (more) |
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Welcome to the first issue of the Midwest Times. I hope you enjoy it and the many that will follow. The Times is a weekly newspaper that will publish each Thursday. My wife, Rhonda, and I founded the Neosho Post in 1998 and operated it until 2001, when we sold it to Liberty Group Publishing, then owners of the Neosho Daily News. For the next few years we focused on our photography studios and other publications — Youth Sports News and The Light Magazine — but we missed the weekly newspaper business, so in June 2009 we purchased the Seneca News-Dispatch. We really enjoy the newspaper business, especially when we have the opportunity to provide our readers positive, uplifting stories. (more) |
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I'm sure in your life you have met people who were influential in shaping and developing the way you live your life. Whether it was someone in your childhood or someone you may not even know personally, we all tend to want to aspire to "be" like someone. We have all witnessed things that have shaped us. I have had several people like this in my life and have been blessed by positive influences from people who took their time and energy to teach me something or help me when they didn't have to. I have, unfortunately, had my share of negative influences also and just like most people I struggle daily with keeping my attitude, emotions, and actions in check! Sometimes those negative influences can serve you well as an example of how not to be. I have many of those in my arsenal of parenting weapons with my kids! (more) |
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The reverse 911 system for Newton County is finally up and running. Land-line phone numbers will automatically be captured by the system. However, according to 911 officials, if a family uses mobile phones as their only telephone, they can go online at www.nc-cdc.org and sign up for emergency messages to be sent to their cell phones. "The system is up and running right now," said Vickie Bayless, Newton County Emergency Dispatch director. "The system is a community notification tool for emergency responders to alert residents with time crucial messages." (more) |
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The Neosho Area Coalition, a partner of the Alliance of Southwest Missouri, will hold a new member luncheon on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at Teen Challenge, located at 18527 E. Highway 86 (just east of Talley Tire) in Neosho. "We are hoping to get new members so we will give you a great lunch and lots of information on what the Coalition does," said Melissa Schneider, Safe Teens Coordinator for the Alliance. Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting. (more) |
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The Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) will conduct a 12-hour traffic count at the intersection of Cherokee Avenue and Delaware Street in Seneca sometime after the Labor Day weekend. The count will be done by hand. Two technicians from MODot will sit at the intersection in two, six-hour shifts to count the vehicle and pedestrian traffic. "Correction factors allow for difference in the days and the time of the year," said Lori Marble, public relations officer with MODOT in Joplin. (more) |
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Golden Rule Computer has relocated to 1204 Cherokee Ave. in downtown Seneca. Mike and Valerie Roark's computer business opened early this year at 1318 Cherokee Ave. "Nothing has changed," said Mike. "Just the location." The Roarks are renting the building from Raleigh Ritter. "We have a lot more room here and we like that we are right next to the creek," said Mike. "It was kind of mess the first Monday that we were opened here, but the next day we were swamped." (more) |
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Emma Hogan, a fourth grade student at Seneca Elementary School, donated 10 inches of her thick, red hair to the "Locks of Love" program on Thursday, Aug. 12. Drina Malone of Sisters II Hair Designers had the honor of cutting Hogan's hair. Hogan also donated her locks two years ago. "I think some girls might need wigs and they can use my hair to make them," said Hogan. "Locks of Love" is an organization that collects hair from generous individuals and uses the locks to make wigs for women who have lost their hair while undergoing chemotherapy in treatment of cancer. (more) |
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MODOT to rehab 2 area bridges in 2011 Two of the bridges in the Seneca area will be undergoing some rehabilitation and maintenance work during the summer of 2011. Bridge #K0991 was built in 1941. It is 85 feet long and 23 feet wide. This bridge is located about one mile south of Highway 60 on Highway 43. It bridges the Boiling Springs Branch. Construction is set to begin July 9, 2011. Bridge #N0856 over the Mason Spring Branch was built in 1962. It is 82 feet long and 20 feet wide. The bridge is located on Highway DD, two miles east of Hwy 43. The construction start date is set for Aug. 10, 2011. "None of the bridges are unsafe now," said Sean Matlock, district coordinator for the Safe and Sound Bridges program for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT). "Most of them are at condition three, which means they needed to be rehabbed or maintained." If a bridge gets down to a level one or two condition, it has to be rebuilt. A level nine goes to a brand new bridge. "We want to get everything up to at least a level three bridge," said Matlock. — Seneca News-Dispatch |
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Representatives of the Lost Creek Watershed District hosted an informational event Tuesday, Aug. 10, at the site of a floodwater-retarding structure outside Racine. This dam, known as B-2, is in the final stages of rehabilitation. This rehabilitation will bring the dam up to compliance with the state dam safety laws. "This dam was rehabilitated so that it will not break," said Bob Clay, a member of the state's dam safety board. Kurt Yust and Chad Granger are the land owners where the B-2 dam is located. "Kurt and Chad had a hand in planning the dam," said James Lankford, Lost Creek Watershed Board trustee. "They deserve a lot of credit." (more) |
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Nine members of the Seneca Indians 2009 football team made their first appearance in Crawford County District Court in Girard, Kan., on Tuesday, Aug. 10. Charges had been filed against Jacoby Hymer and Rodney Kohler on July 16, and those charges have been dropped. "We had a meeting of the victims and their parents at the end of July," said Reina Probert, deputy county attorney for Crawford County. "We determined there was not enough evidence against Hymer and Kohler to continue charges against them. "There was not enough evidence to prove guilt for them beyond a reasonable doubt." (more) |
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Foreclosures are increasing all over the country, and Seneca is no exception to that fact. During the Aug. 9 meeting of the Seneca City Council, city leaders discussed several houses in Seneca that are in disrepair and the grass is overgrown due to the home being in foreclosure. "We are at the limit of what we can do this year," said Doyle Shields, director of city's public works department. "I hate to have to put anymore on my crew." If the city crews go in and clean the property, the bill would be sent to the Newton County Collecter and be added to the tax amount on the owner's property. "Some yards are out of control," said Shields. "More than ever banks, are foreclosing on houses. (more) |
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The 2010 primary election is over and Newton County will have several new faces representing its residents in Jefferson City and at the county level. There are 38,601 registered voters in Newton County, and 11,455 voters turned out on Tuesday, Aug. 3, to cast their votes. That means that 29.58 percent of the voters went to the polls. "It's interesting," said Bill Lant, state representative-elect for the 131st District. "Bill Reiboldt, Charlie Davis, Bill White, and myself will be some of the most conservative legislators in this area. "We are one of the most conservative contingents in the state of Missouri." (more) |
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Girl Scouts set recruitment drive in Seneca Seneca does not have a Girl Scout troop, so a recruitment event will be held Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Seneca Library. Any girls from kindergarten through third grade are invited to join Girl Scouts. A registration fee of $15 is required to join. If there is a girl in this age group that wants to join but does not have the $15, financial assistance is available up to $12. This should be a nice event for the girls and their parents. "We are planning a tea for the girls at this recruitment event," said Sara Ruth, Girl Scouts of America community/membership development specialist for this area. "We hope to generate a lot of interest in Girls Scouts for Seneca." For more information, Ruth can be reached at (417) 862-4120. Her email address is sruth@girlscoutsmoheartland.org. — Seneca News-Dispatch |
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Don and Brenda Burlseson have purchased Mr. Pepper's Family Restaurant at 1111 Cherokee in Seneca. The name of the restaurant will be changed to Country Cupboard. "We will serve food like Grandma used to make," Brenda said, "food like we used to eat when we were kids." The menu will remain the same as it was with Mr. Pepper's except the restaurant will not be serving Korean food. The Burlesons have redecorated the restaurant using a country theme. Roosters, baskets, eggs and Americana decorate the walls. Brenda had the shelves that will hold the collectibles built especially for the new restaurant. (more) |
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The Fourth Annual Farmers Feeding Neighbors hay auction is just around the corner. The big event is planned for the first Saturday after Labor Day, which will be Sept. 11. Dinner will begin at 4 p.m. and the hay auction will start at 6 p.m. The auction will again be held at Seneca Christian Church. "They are very gracious to let us use all of their facilities," said Michelle Vanderpool, one of the organizers of the event. "We appreciate them so very much." (more) |
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Branco Construction Company will begin moving its equipment to the new wastewater treatment facility site in Seneca this week. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) was in Seneca recently with the final paperwork on the loan and grant that the city has obtained in order to build the new plant. The City of Seneca will set up a construction account at Community Bank and Trust when the grant and loan money comes to the city. (more) |
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 | Abernathy has been putting in a lot of overtime getting his new location ready for the big move this weekend. |
Hometown Hardware will have a new home in August. Denny Abernathy has purchased the old Taylor Lumber Company building located at 404 Cherokee Avenue in Seneca. "I plan to be open at our new store during the first week of August," said Abernathy. "I would like to be down here this weekend (the weekend of Aug. 31)." The new location includes the main office, a large steel building in the back of the office, the lumber storage buildings, and the old truss company site. (more) |
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The Seneca R-7 School District has been approved by the Alliance of Southwest Missouri, the State of Missouri, and the United States Department of Agriculture to receive a grant that will allow the district to give Seneca families food each week for the remaining five weeks. "The food is available to families in the district who are struggling financially in these tough economic times," said Jana Hayes, director of food services for the Seneca school district. The summer food program is sponsored by the school district. It is designed to help families keep food on the table when school is not in session. The school district is not out any money to sponsor the food program. (more) |
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