Monthly Archives: June 2021

Pittsburg official explains firework guidelines for the upcoming holiday

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PITTSBURG, Ks.–Many four staters may be excited for fourth of July celebrations to make a comeback, but while using items like fireworks, residents should be informed on what they can and can’t do, while keeping themselves and others safe.

In Pittsburg, those wanting to light fireworks can do so on nights fireworks are being sold. which started on June twenty-seventh, until July fifth at midnight.

“They can shoot them off from 7 am till 10 pm, on the nights that the firework stands are open for sale. and things like that. the time is extended for the fourth but only for the fourth,” said Travis Bowman with the Pittsburg Police Department.

According to Bowman, after July 5th at midnight, firework use is prohibited until the next fourth.

And firework sellers want you to know that there are options when it comes to keeping you and everyone else safe.

“We sell a safety fuse, if you’re lighting off big fireworks, you can string those together and get a distance before you light it. that’ll allow distance from fireworks so you don’t have to hurry up and scramble to get out of the way,” said Trevor Robinson, with Bellino Fireworks in Pittsburg.

Pittsburg Police also recommend keeping water nearby.

“Make sure that they’re doused in water make sure they’re put out. It’s not uncommon to have a water source or a bucket of water available so if you have fountains or something that emits a lot of sparks and whatnot,” said Bowman.

The police department adds that after replying to numerous firework complaints each season, the importance of the public knowing what is and isn’t allowed is even greater.

For Joplin residents looking to celebrate the fourth, fireworks can be sold within the city starting July 1st through the 4th and can only be set off on those days from noon-11:00pm.

 

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Shangri-La resort gearing up for special grand opening Friday

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MONKEY ISLAND, Okla. – The Shangri-La Resort on Monkey Island in Oklahoma is preparing to hold a grand opening on a new, $12 million facility on Friday. Part of that facility, includes a memorial to the U.S.S. Oklahoma.

The Shangri-La Resort is welcoming a very special addition to its grounds. Communications Director Mike Williams says “The anchor is a replica of the exact anchor on the ship, weighs 20,000 pounds, just the chain weighs 2,000 pounds, and that was the inspiration for the name ‘The Anchor’ for the activity park.”

It’s part of a multi-million dollar project for a new venue at Shangri-La, as Williams mentioned, named ‘The Anchor.’ it features a number of new amenities for guests and members including a $1 million arcade. But the most important part of this addition, is the U.S.S. Oklahoma. “The U.S.S. Oklahoma’s a very special deal for us, 429 sailors and marines when that was capsized at Pearl Harbor in 1941 and we have the names and numbers of all 429 casualties as part of this memorial here.”

Shangri-La member Bill Schenke says he’s pleased with the new venue on site, and proud of the new addition out front. “It just shows the character of the people that are up here and it’s an honor to be able to stand in front of this and read the names on the plaques and really understand, that, we remember.”

Williams is looking forward to the official grand opening and dedication, which is scheduled for this Friday at 1:00pm and will feature a number of local dignitaries including Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell. “The U.S.S. Oklahoma Memorial is a tribute to our state, a tribute to our history, a tribute to our military men and women and those who have sacrificed all to protect the freedoms that we have, so yea, it’s a great honor for us to be able to have this memorial here and be able to share it with visitors from throughout the United States and around the world.”

Williams says there are only two other U.S.S. Oklahoma memorials in the country, one in Pearl Harbor, the other is in Oklahoma City.

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Missouri shoppers will pay more for online shopping under new law

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed into law legislation that will require online retailers to collect sales taxes on purchases made by Missouri residents.

That means, that Missourians who shop online will pay the state sales tax of 4.2%.

Missouri is the last state with a sales tax to approve such a requirement.

The legislation requires online marketplace facilitators and out-of-state retailers with at least $100,000 of annual sales in Missouri to collect state and local taxes.

The law goes into effect in 2023.

 

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Former Crowder standout Ashby makes MLB debut

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NEOSHO, Mo. – It was only a matter of time that Aaron Ashby, the former Crowder College standout pitcher, would make his Major League Baseball debut, and on Wednesday, he got the call.

“Getting to watch him today was really surreal, honestly,” Crowder head coach, Travis Lallemand, says.

Ashby graduated from Crowder in 2018, and just three years later, is starting on the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers.

“Two years of full professional baseball and he’s already a big leaguer,” Lallemand says. “There’s not too many people that take that path. That’s the really special part and it takes a special person to be able to navigate that quickly. It is not just performance based. That’s the proud moment for me, how quickly he did that.”

As a sophomore in 2018, Ashby lead the country in strikeouts and was recognized as an all-American.

“It was February game and I think he punched out like 15 or 16 that night,” Lallemand says. “It was early in the year. That was when you knew his stuff was real.”

There’s many stories of impressive outings just like that.

“In that 2018 year, he was absolutely unhittable. It was a situation where he had 150-something strikeouts on the season.”

Today, in his debut, Ashby struggled to settle in. He pitched two-thirds of an inning with four earned runs.

“Hopefully, he gets another opportunity soon to go out and kind of rectify the results,” Lallemand says. “He handled himself well and I’m very proud of him for not just losing it and going awry in that situation. He was around the zone and had good stuff.”

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Newton County works to improve COVID-19 vaccination rate

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NEWTON COUNTY, Mo. – Melissa Hunter is a Newton county, Missouri resident who takes care of her mom and initially didn’t get vaccinated against the Coronavirus. But the recent spike in cases in her county has her reconsidering COVID-19 vaccines.

“Mom and I are seriously considering it because of the uptick around here. Like I said, we do not want to get sick,” said Melissa.

The head of the Newton County Health Department would like to see more county residents adopt that attitude, especially with the county’s vaccination rate.

“Yeah, it’s disappointing that we’re at a low rate, and one of the lowest rates in the nation if you look at it,” said Newton County Health Administrator Larry Bergner.

Bergner says that just 20% of the county has had at least one shot of the vaccine, and that low rate is why Newton County has gone from 8 active COVID-19 cases in early May to 140 active cases as of June 30th.

“I think a lot of anxiety still persists on whether the vaccine is safe and effective, and I think it’s been proven that the vaccine is safe. It is effective,” said Bergner.

The Newton County Health Department team is doing their part to slowly but surely push the Newton County vaccination rate up, while also combatting misinformation.

Bergner says 19 county residents who have been vaccinated have still caught COVID-19, but their cases actually prove how effective the vaccine is.

“Out of those 19, none of them were hospitalized except one, and that one had severe underlying health conditions that attributed to his hospitalization more so than the COVID. So out of the 19, we could really say that none of them were hospitalized which means that the vaccine played an important role at keeping them at much lower symptoms,” said Bergner.

As for Melissa, she’s concerned about her county’s vaccination rate and hopes her unvaccinated Newton County friends, neighbors, and community members will give COVID-19 vaccines another look like she and her mom are doing.

“I would like to see the rate go up. It concerns me with everybody getting out and about for 4th of July celebrations. I do not want to see people get sick. I do not want to see people die,” said Melissa.

The Newton County Health Department will be providing COVID-19 vaccinations at the Newton County fair on July 8th from 8:30 in the morning to 3:30 in the afternoon.

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Lyle Maxine (McGinnis) Rice

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Lyle Maxine Rice, 99, of Pittsburg, KS, passed away on June 28, 2021, at ComfortCare Homes in Pittsburg, KS.

Lyle was born on September 30, 1921, to Thomas and Florence (Miller) McGinnis in Lafontaine, KS. She married Jonathan Walter Rice on November 17, 1942, in Independence, KS, He preceded her in death on February 2, 1999.

Lyle was a Homemaker and enjoyed cooking, fishing, and spending time with her family.

She is survived by one son, Thomas H. Rice (DeEllen) of Cottonwood Falls, KS; granddaughters Michelle Litterini (Lawrence), Vicki Rice, Aimee Gordon (Lance) and Tara O’Connor (Michael); and 7 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son, Walter Dale Rice,

A Graveside Service will be on Tuesday, July 6th, 2021 at 11:30 AM at the Crocker Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 6th, 2021 from 10:00 am – 11:00 am at Brenner Mortuary in Pittsburg, KS. Memorial donations can be made to ComfortCare Homes and/or Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice. The service will be live streamed on our website (brennermortuary.com) through Lyle’s obituary page. The family will also be honoring her son Walter Dale Rice at the service who passed away on May 12, 2020. Arrangements are under the direction of the Brenner Mortuary, 114 E. 4th St., Pittsburg, KS.

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Velma Louise Goodrum

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Velma Louise Goodrum, age 95, of Lamar, passed away Monday, June 28, 2021 at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri following a short illness.

Velma was born October 2, 1925, near Gridley, Kansas, fourth of the ten children born to E.M. and Sophia (Sauder) Elrod. E.M. was an evangelist and the Elrod family had lived in various communities in Kansas, California, and Missouri. Velma graduated from Miller High School in 1943. While working in the office of Barton County Electric, she met and fell in love with Dan Goodrum, a young lineman back from the war. They married on November 3, 1946, making their home and raising their three children in Lamar. Dan and Velma had celebrated 67 years together at the time of his death in 2014. Velma was also preceded in death by her parents; her step-mother, Dorothy Elrod; three brothers, Harvey, Glen, and Howard Elrod; and two sisters, Erma Misemer and Vera Elrod.

In addition to her role as a devoted wife and mother, Velma was an efficient and meticulous office manager, working for Reavley Dental, State Farm Insurance, Norris Grain, and Three Brothers Supply where she was named Rotary Employee of the Year in 1986. After retiring from Three Brothers in 1990, Velma shared her time and talent as a volunteer, serving as president of Barton County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary for 14 years. She was honored as BCMH Auxiliary Volunteer of the year in 2009, elected in 2010 to the BCMH Hall of Fame, was named Phi Kappa RBO Woman of the Year in 2010, and Lamar United Methodist Church Woman of the Year in 2012.

Survivors include a son, Jim (Carol) Goodrum, Asheville, North Carolina; two daughters, Susie (George) Koerble, Fair Grove, Missouri and Brenda (Mike) Willet, Branson, Missouri; four sisters, Helen Bailey, Carthage, Missouri, Betty Runion, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Ruth Ann (Russell) Human, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Rachel Elrod, Aurora, Colorado; seven grandchildren, Galen (Natasha) Goodrum, James Goodrum, Andrea (Trevor) Bray, Megan (Christopher) Hampton, Wendy Inman, Brian (Edna) Koerble, and Jennifer (Mark) Yount; and 11 great-grandchildren; and a large extended family. Velma was looking forward to welcoming her 12th great-grandchild this December and her first great-great-grandbaby this July.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday at Daniel Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 3rd, at Daniel Funeral Home with burial in Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Nathan’s Place in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be shared at www.dfhlamar.com

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Jon Jay Carr

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Jon Jay Carr, age 77, of Lamar, Missouri passed away June 27, 2021, at Freeman Hospital in Joplin, Missouri.

Jon was born April 6, 1944 in Joplin, MO to Herbert Harold Carr and Helen Irene (Selvey) Carr. Jon graduated from Carthage High School in the class of 1962. On May 24, 1986, Jon married Sheila Jo Helms in Joplin, MO.

While in junior high, Jon ran a milk route with his dad and brothers. After graduation, he attended Mizzou for three years and joined the Army National Guard for 6 years, meanwhile working at Nabisco in Carthage. Jon farmed with his family raising vegetables, crops and cattle until he started at Moorman’s Feed, taking over his father’s route selling feed from 1979 – 2008. Jon and his son Ryan raised cattle together near Webb City until his passing. Jon was an avid sports fan attending many MSSU basketball games. Jon traveled the country with family and friends visiting 46 states, Mexico and Canada while enjoying great camping adventures and mission trips. Jon will be remembered for recording and narrating every vacation from behind his camera. Jon never met a stranger and was a friend to everyone he met.

Survivors include his wife of 35 years Sheila, five children; Ryan (Ashley) Carr, Webb City, MO, Kristin (Samantha) Carr, Joplin, MO, Greg Carr, Oronogo, MO, Jeff (Jennie) Carr, Joplin, MO and Amy (Joel) Beck, Webb City, MO. 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, two brothers; Bob Carr, Joplin, MO and Scott (Lexa) Carr, Kansas City, MO, along with nieces, nephews and many cousins.

Preceding Jon in death were his parents, one brother; Jim Carr, one nephew; Peter Carr and one sister-in-law; Marti Carr along with many aunts and uncles.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 2, 2021 at Daniel Funeral Home with burial to follow in Lake Cemetery in Lamar, MO.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, Thursday, July 1, 2021 at the funeral home.

Contributions are suggested and made payable to Gideons International in care of Daniel Funeral Home.

Condolences may be shared at www.dfhlamar.com

COPYRIGHT 2021 BY KOAM NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.