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 A home invasion
which occurred north of Holden has the Johnson County Sheriff’s
Department concerned, according to Johnson County Sheriff Chuck
Heiss.
The home invasion was one of several burglaries which occurred last week in western
Johnson County.
Heiss said the sheriff’s department thought two of the burglaries could
be related since they occurred about the same time on the night of February 24.
“The home invasion was the most troubling and causes particular concern
to us,” said Heiss. The elderly homeowner was at home during the
attack and was subdued by being wrapped in a blanket.
“The perpetrators instructed the homeowner to cooperate, which he did,
and that was the right thing to do,” added Heiss. The robbers pulled
the phone cord out of the wall and began burglarizing the home while the homeowner
was wrapped in the blanket, according to Heiss.
The homeowner reported having contact with three unknown white males earlier
in the day. The suspects are in their late teens or early twenties and
drove a dark or black-colored midsized passenger car. No license information
was available.
Sheriff Heiss urges anyone with information about the suspects to contact the
sheriff's department at 660-747-6411.
Heiss warns residents to be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. If
anyone sees unknown persons or a suspicious looking vehicle, call the sheriff's
department immediately, said Heiss. “Someone could be casing the
property with the intent of robbing the home.”
“We would much rather come out and check out the situation and find it’s
nothing, rather than not get a call and have another incident occur,” related
Heiss.
“A home invasion is particularly troubling for us because they can turn
very violent if they’re not handled correctly,” said Heiss.
The other burglaries occurred in homes where the homeowner was away at the time.
The homeowner who was wrapped in a blanket was not injured during the robbery.
By Dana Neubert
News Staff
State Representative
David Pearce R-121st District has announced he will file for a
third term to the Missouri House of Representatives. Pearce was
first elected in November 2002 and re-elected in November 2004.
Pearce, a Warrensburg native, is vice chair of the Job Creation
and Economic Development Committee and serves on Education
Appropriations,
Higher Education and Financial Services committees.
He provided legislation to create the Missouri Preparedness and
Enhancement Commission and serves as co-chair of the commission
and on its Education Task Force. He also serves on the Policy Development
Committee that creates policy and establishes party priorities.
"It’s been an honor to serve the people of the 121st District, and
I look forward to the opportunity to continue to represent their needs in Jefferson
City," Pearce said.
Pearce has filed several pieces of legislation this year, including
House Bill 1549 that allows an honorable discharge in lieu of birth
certificate for obtaining or renewing a driver’s license.
Since being elected, he has brought many state leaders to visit
the 121st district including Missouri Directory of Agriculture
Fred Ferrell and Director of Economic Development Greg Steinhoff.
He also conducted legislative tours at Whiteman Air Force Base
in Knob Noster.
"I try to reflect my district’s views in Jefferson City, but I also
think it’s important to bring state leaders to Johnson County to show
them the breadth and vitality of our legislative district," Pearce said. "I
think it’s important that these state leaders—both Democrats and
Republicans—see the important things this district has to offer."
Pearce is a member of the Holden and Warrensburg Chambers of Commerce,
Whiteman Air Force Base Community Council and Warrensburg Rotary
Club. He recently completed two years as Johnson County United
Way honorary drive chairman.
He has a weekly talk show on 1450 KOKO Radio at 8:30 a.m. on Fridays
to give an update on legislative issues and a behind-the-scenes
look at state government.
State To Close
Hwy. 58 Bridge March 15
The Missouri Department of Transportation will close the State Highway
58 bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad at Centerview beginning March 15.
The highway will be closed for approximately 60 days to repair sides, rebuild
shoulders, repair the bridge deck, replace guardrail and coldmill and resurface
the mainline pavement at Route 58.
Highway traffic will detour to US Highway 50, to State Highway 131, to
Highway 58. Local traffic will continue to have access to Centerview from
Route 58 spur south of the closure and from Route VV north of the closure.
MoDOT will also resurface Route 58 spur into Centerview as part of the project.
City Of Holden
Issues Burn Ban
In response to the dangerous nature of the current dry conditions,
the city of Holden has issued a burn ban, beginning today, Wednesday,
March 1.
According to Holden fire chief Mike Wakeman, no open burning will
be allowed in the city limits until further notice. That
includes trash, leaves or any other forms of open burning, the
chief stated.
Chief Wakeman also explained, “We’ll need to get significant
rainfall before we’ll be able to remove the ban.”
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Although
perhaps corny and outdated to some, “treating people
the way you would like to be treated” is a “way
of life” for Betty Paddack, office manager of Bobby
Hoffman’s State Farm Insurance Agency on East Highway
58 in Holden.
Chosen as the recipient of the Holden Image’s March Outstanding Service
Award, Paddack says on her dealings with customers, “I try to treat people
with respect, integrity and honesty - the way I would like to be treated.”
The 16 and one-half year veteran with State Farm also tries to
help her customers understand insurance, which she says isn’t
always easy.
She was hired by then agency owner Ike Johnson in 1989 and
has worked for State Farm ever since.
“I’ve been here so long, our customers are like family, and I feel
that’s the way they should be treated,” Paddack continued. “I
really love working for State Farm. My boss is good to work for and my co-worker
Judy Flora is good to work with. She keeps me laughing all the time.”
Paddack’s duties consist of waiting on the customers, giving insurance
quotes, doing service-work such as policy coverage changes, and processing claims. She
also prepares bank deposits and balances the office checkbook.
She is a licensed insurance agent in all four areas including life, health, auto
and fire.
She says the best thing about her job is helping people and what she likes least
is the constant changes in the insurance industry.
Even though the changes are her least favorite part of working
at State Farm, she must be doing a good job of keeping up with
them, as her employer says that
one of the things he admires about her is her intelligence and the way she picks
up on changes so quickly.
“I try to empower people,” states Hoffman, who took over the agency
in 1997. “It’s easy with Betty, because she just takes care
of things. A lot of agents have problems with turnover, and I’ve
been very fortunate to keep her.”
Hoffman added, “She was here when I got here and she’s been very
important to my building a successful agency. Betty is very loyal to me
and her co-workers and her quality of work is excellent.”
Paddack, a 1972 graduate of Kingsville High School, came to State Farm in Holden
from the Medical Diagnostics Center in Independence, where she was a receptionist
and medical transcriptionist.
She is married to Gary Paddack of Holden and they have two children,
Dustin, 33, and Krista, 31. They also have five grandchildren,
Jacob, 14; Nathan, 13; Ryan, six; Brendan, four; and Alyssa, two.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
Holden resident
Lorenzo West was sentenced last week to life in prison for his
second-degree murder conviction in connection with the January
1, 2005 stabbing death of Jeffrey Coulter.
In addition, West, 23, was also handed down a 15-year sentence for the
connected armed criminal action conviction. The stabbing occurred during
a New Year’s party at a rural home near Chilhowee.
The sentence which took effect February 22 was ordered by 17th Judicial Circuit
Court Judge Joseph P. Dandurand.
In a report from The Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal, “West made a tearful
apology to Coulter’s family before Judge Dandurand imposed the sentence.”
The newspaper also reported that West’s defense attorney John Picerno had
asked Dandurand for leniency for West, but the judge said a lesser sentence would
have sent the wrong message to other would-be wrong-doers that, “If you
can make excuses, you deserve lesser punishment.”
Douglas Billings, 19, of Kingsville, who is the second man charged
with murder in connection with the January 1, 2005 slaying of Jeff
Coulter, was bound over for trial by order of Associate Circuit
Judge Stephen Angle.
The case came up for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday and Billings’ arraignment
is scheduled for March 6 at 10 a.m.. Billings is charged
with second degree murder and also charged with three counts of
second-degree assault for his alleged role in the serious injury
of two other men that night. The other men injured were Ben
Murphy and Thomas Strouse.
Billings remains free on a reduced bond of $100,000.
Youth
Leadership Awards Given
Students from Holden High School were recognized last Thursday
night by the Holden Optimist Club. Thirty-three students
received a youth appreciation certificate from the club based
on academics, sports, organizational achievement and activity
in the community.
Those students receiving certificates were Amanda Anderson, Sara
Lee Bryant, Jolie A. Carter, Crosby Coleman, Natalie Enneking, Bryan
E. Evans, Tanner C. Feeback, Mary Beth Fisher, Benjamin Graham, Julie
Guinn, Kenton Hartwell, Cristopher Harvey, Jessie D. Hood, Amy Humphries,
Daniel Jones, Brittany Lavely, Rebekah Marsh, Erin E. Montgomery,
Nicole O’Hora, Jordan Palin, Kayla Quick, Marilynn D. Snow,
Anthony (A.J.) Stevens, Brandon Swartz, Louise Tilson, Kevin Vance,
William Vance, Jessica Waldren, Johnny Watterson, Sloane Wellner,
Faith Wood, Joni Woods and Lacy J. Woods.
In the past few
days, there have been rumors stating that a Holden Middle School
student had contracted bacterial meningitis.
According to both health officials at the Holden R-III School District and the
Johnson County Community Health Service, that rumor is not true.
In a statement by the JCCHS, “there have been no confirmed cases of meningitis
reported in Johnson County.”
The middle school will be sending a letter to parents reiterating that message.
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