 Funeral
services will be held on Friday for Dustin Cleveland and Joshua
Lockard, two Holden High School students, following a one-vehicle
accident on Sunday evening on 50 Highway, just west of Warrensburg.
According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the accident occurred
when a 1999 Honda, driven by Dustin Cleveland, heading westbound,
travelled off the left side of the highway, through the median,
down an embankment before coming to rest against a rock wall in
a creek bed.
Officers said Cleveland, 16 and a passenger, Joshua Lockard,
19, were both pronounced dead at the scene by the Johnson County
coroner. Two other passengers in the vehicle, Skiler Cleveland,
the driver’s younger brother, and Derrick Binkley were both
lifeflighted to area hospitals.
According to friends of
the families, Cleveland’s injuries were the most serious
but they added his condition continues to improve. Cleveland is
a patient at Children’s Mercy Hospital while Binkley was
transported to Reserach Medical Center.
Funeral services for Dustin Cleveland are scheduled for Friday,
Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. at Ben Cast and Son-Wood Funeral Home in Holden
with visitation on Thursday evening, Jan. 12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
at the funeral home.
Funeral services for Lockard will be held Friday, Jan. 13 at 1
p.m. at the Webb-Freer Funeral Home in Blue Springs with visitation
on Thursday
evening, Jan, 12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Retail sales
in Holden rose nearly three-quarters of a million dollars from
this same time in 2004 according to Dennis Mason, new president
of the city’s Chamber of Commerce.
Mason brought the good news to the chambers’ attention at
their regular January monthly meeting held last Thursday at the
Harmony House Restaurant.
The president demonstrated the growth using a sales tax track which
showed that at the end of the third quarter, the city businesses
had collected $302,640 in retail sales taxes compared to $286,225
at the end of the third quarter of 2004.
The tax track graph,
which will be monitored every quarter at the chamber’s meeting,
demonstrates Holden sales tax for the past five years. It
shows a dramatic increase from 2000 to 2001, then a slight dip
after the September 11 tragedies into 2002. The
next year, from 2002-2003, was stagnant. Since that time,
the growth has been steady.
“I think it’s great,” exclaimed Jenny Sollars, owner of Holden
Package Store. “Since the lull after 9-11, I’ve seen a trend
upward. I think that it has a lot to do with the way Holden businesses
and the chamber of commerce have been more active in presenting what we have
to offer as a community.”
Scotty Walker, owner of Holden Variety and Radio Shack was not
suprised, as he stated that his own businesses had shown significant
growth in sales over the period.
In other chamber meeting news, Diane Klossen, of Heiman’s
True Value Hardware, was announced as the new chairman of the Community
Betterment committee, which will focus on the downtown area. The
committee’s first order of business will be to formulate
a plan to generate funding for projects which will benefit the
business district.
Wendy Wood, membership committee, reported that membership dues
continued to come in and that the committee would begin next week
knocking on doors with gentle reminders that they are due.
The fair board committee reminded everyone that they would have
a meeting tonight (Thursday) at 6:30 p.m. at O&M Enterprises.
Sandy Roberts reported that the kickoff for the history book is
this month. She said that sub-committees are working hard
and that pamphlets will be mailed out the January bank statements
from both the Bank of Holden and Farmers and commercial Banks.
In new business, Dwight Anstine spoke about getting more exposure
to Holden by advertising on a 14X48 foot billboard on US Highway
50. He stated that he had inquired about the cost and said
that it could be possible if five or six businesses went
together to advertise.
In closing comments, Mason stated that he wanted all members to
be thinking about the question, “What direction as a chamber
do we want to go?”
By Steve Sullins
Editor
|
|
Holden
R-III School District officials announced several extracurricular
cancellations following the accident Sunday that claimed the lives
of two local teens.
The Lady Eagles basketball team withdrew from the Pleasant Hill Invitational
Basketball Tournament which began Monday; the wrestling match against Christian
Academy was cancelled as was the freshman boy’s basketball game against
O’Hara.
Most athletic practices were also cancelled early in the week as well.
Dustin Cleveland was a starting forward on the varsity basketball team coached
by Dale Wescott.
“The reason I became a coach is the relationships you build with the kids.
Wins and losses will fade away over the years but your relationships with the
kids don’t. I will never forget Dustin - he was a hard worker who worked
hard for his starting spot and even harder to keep it. He became one of the leaders
on the team and his death is a devastating blow to our school and to our team,” said
Wescott.
R-III District Superintendent Scott Slava said the cancellations were in the
best interest of the students and the families involved.
“We felt that the impact this had on our students would not enable them
to perform to the best of their ability. We also wanted to show our respect to
the families for their loss and to give our students time to heal.”
When the new year dawned
on Holden, the history book committee of the Holden Chamber of Commerce was
already set and ready to begin the “stretch drive” to gather materials
to include in the Holden Sesquicentennial History Book.
The book is being published in an effort to preserve the rich heritage
of the Holden area in conjunction with the city’s 150th birthday
in 2008.
The committee is accepting stories and pictures of families, churches
and organizations in the Holden area to be included in the book
free of charge. Deadline for submissions is May 1, 2006.
In an effort to facilitate the submission of histories and photos,
the committee has arranged for both the Bank of Holden and Farmers
and Commercial Bank to include an instruction pamphlet on
what to include and how to submit articles for the book in their
January monthly bank statements.
The pamphlet will also include an order form that can be used to
purchase the book, sponsor a page, arrange for memorial or dedication
space or become a book booster.
In addition to the bank mailings, forms are available for pickup
at the Holden Library, Walker’s Variety, Holden Package and
online at www.cityofholden.com.
According to Jo Ann Nolan, committee promotional manager, the history
book will be of the highest quality. It will be eight and
one-half by 11 inches, hardbound and printed on 80 pound double-coated
paper for excellent reproduction of photographs. The book
can be purchased for a special “early bird” price
of $47.50.
Nolan also stated that sections in the book will include: Early
town history, current town information, early and current businesses,
schools, churches, organizations, military and families.
“The book will make and excellent gift,” she added. “Other
reasons to purchase the book are to have a genealogy record of your family,
historical record of Holden and an heirloom to pass down to family members.”
According to the instruction pamphlet, the committee would like
for the book to contain all the families in the Holden area.
The committee has also either made or borrowed “period costume” and
had their picture taken at the Steve Haller farm with his wagon
and mule team for the history book kickoff.
During the upcoming year, committee members will appear in their
costume for such events as the St. Patrick’s Day Parade,
Fall Fiesta parade and hopefully in a civil war reenactment.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
There will
be a chili/soup supper fundraiser for Kathy Lay of Holden. Kathy
is the granddaughter of Pat Talley, daughter of Kevin and Vicki
Knifong and Susan Lindsay of Windsor.
The event will be held on Saturday, January 21 at Benson Convention
Center, 1004 Price Lane, Clinton.
The chili/soup supper will begin at 5 p.m. with entertainment by
The Horton Band and guests at 7 p.m. The group plays bluegrass
and country/western music.
For information please contact Calhoun Fire Department, Dennis
Knifong at (660) 694-3309.
|