 Reports from
Johnson County citizens of snowfall accumulations after the snow
storm moved out Friday morning ranged from 11 to 21 inches according
to Karen Eagleson, Johnson County Emergency Management director.
Whatever the official total, most will agree that one of the
largest snow storms in recent history laid a deep blanket of
snow over the Holden area as well as the rest of Johnson County.
It was difficult to get an accurate reading of the snowfall,
because of the windy conditions causing snow to drift, continued
Eagleson.
She also stated that her office received several instances of
power outages during the storm. It was nothing widespread,
the director explained. Most of the outages were scattered
and of the sporadic nature. Several were in the northwest
corner of the county in the area of where County Road AA and
County Road W intersect with U.S. 50 Highway.
Schools in Johnson County were closed due to the weather conditions
Friday. Both Crest Ridge and Holden schools were
closed Thursday as well, due to the ice that fell Wednesday night.
According to Western Johnson County commissioner Destry Hough,
county road crews began plowing and grading roadways at approximately
11 p.m. Thursday night.
We had seven plows and 11 graders in service on the roads with
rotating crews throughout the weekend, Hough explained. The
crews were working double shifts and they left to get some rest
and came back to take over a snow removal vehicle again.
Hough also stated that the crews finished up Monday.
Our crews did a great job, Hough continued. School bus
drivers on Monday morning told us the roads were in good shape. If
they say that, Id say our crews did a pretty darned good job.
The commissioner also expressed his thanks to the county residents
living on the snow-covered roads for their patience. We
really didnt have a lot of phone calls, he concluded.
Extensive snow-removal effort was also expended in the city of
Holden according to Larry Miller, Holden street commissioner. We
had crews starting around midnight Friday night and working through
the day Friday. We started up again Friday night at about
10 p.m. and worked until early Saturday morning.
As of Monday, Miller stated that crews were still plowing parking
lots and widening streets. The commissioner explained that
before it was over, nearly 100 manhours were used in clearing
the city streets. It was especially difficult this time
because of the massive amount of snow that fell all at once,
he explained. It was even harder because of the sheet of
ice underneath the snow, from the ice that fell the day before.
There were reports of carports and other buildings throughout
the area that collapsed due to the large amount of snow, including
a portion of the roof of Fergusons Greenhouse.
Eagleson explained that it was fairly common for greenhouses
and long, low buildings such as are used in turkey and chicken
farms to have roof failures during heavy snow storms. These
kind of structures, which have less support in their roofs than
other buildings are especially prone to collapsing under the
weight of heavy snows. During the storm, it happened throughout
the state.
In a related incident, the Missouri Department of Health and
Senior Services reported that they evacuated employees from three
buildings on Monday due to concerns of heavy snow on the roofs. The
buildings housed programs such as communicable disease control,
chronic disease prevention, environmental heath, information
technology and administrative offices. One of the offices
houses the departments vital records section, which issues birth
and death certificates.
Anyone who needs a copy of a birth or death certificate will
need to go to a local public health agency until we are back
in the buildings, explained Jane Drummond, department director.
Drummond noticed ceilings sagging in the buildings which were
built to handle 20 pounds per square foot on the roof. It
is estimated that the roofs had 25-28 pounds per square foot
due to the snow, Drummond continued. We decided to evacuate
employees quickly for safety reasons.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
The heavy
snow that fell Thursday night and Friday morning interfered with
local mail carrier schedules as many rural Holden residents received
their mail late or not at all on Friday and Saturday.
According to Susan Strate, a clerk at the Holden Post Office
who is serving in a postmaster capacity while Phil Bresette is
detailed elsewhere, the trouble started when the mail was
late getting to the post office from the Kansas City distribution
center Friday morning.
Some rural carriers had the problem of roads not yet plowed
that were drifted over with snow, Strate explained. On
other roads that were plowed, rural carriers were unable to get
to boxes because of the snow being piled so high in front
of the boxes by the snow plows. Typically, a rural carrier
has to plow out ruts with their vehicles to get to the boxes,
but if the snow is too deep and there is a danger of getting
stuck, the carrier has to curtail the mail for that box.
Its unfortunate, but each carrier has approximately 500 homes
to service and they simply dont have time to get stuck or damage
their vehicle.
Strate continued, I urge each boxholder to make sure its clear
in front of their box, so the carrier can pull in and pull out
to deliver their mail without causing a safety hazard to the
carrier or their vehicle. It is the boxholders responsibility.
Carrying mail in the city presents different kinds of hazards. It
takes a lot of physical effort to walk mail routes all day long
in the deep snow, Strate continued. Residents need to understand
they will get their mail at varying times because of auxiliary
assistance and other factors. Also, if the city carrier
feels walking to a mail box presents a safety hazard, they
are told to curtail that box as well. The Post Office is
very serious about not having carriers injured in the line of
duty. Once again, its the boxholders responsibility to
keep the pathway to the box free of hazards such as ice and snow.
In other cases, boxes are frozen shut. Carriers are instructed
to make every effort to open them, but they cant deliver
the mail if they are unable to get the box open.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
Annual Christmas
Store Dec. 8, 9
The 20th Annual Christmas Store will be held December 8 and 9 at the First United
Methodist Church in Holden.
Co-sponsored by the First United Methodist Church, the Holden Optimist Club and
the Holden Octagon Club, the Christmas Store is supported by donations of funds
and merchandise from a variety of area churches, schools, organizations and individuals.
According to Terry Callahan, co-chairperson for the event, the Christmas Store
helps make Christmas a more pleasant time for needy families in the community,
providing gifts for adults and children at a nominal fee as well as food for
a holiday meal.
In years past, the community has generously supported the Christmas Store event
and we are hoping that support will continue once again this year, said Callahan.
The number of families served by the Christmas Store continues to grow each year,
says Callahan, with more than 90 families estimated to attend this year.
Anyone wishing to make contributions of food, gifts, clothing or cash donations
may contact the First United Methodist Church at 816-732-4718. The store is especially
in need of canned fruit and canned meat items.
Any remaining food items from the Christmas Store will be donated to the Holden
Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry.
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Holden R-III
School District superintendent Scott Slava had very little time
to celebrate the schools bond issue passage
at the polls November 7, as the work has already begun on making the
high school renovations a reality.
Scarcely a week had gone by after the election that Slava and Sam
A. Winn & Associates Architects P.C. representative Wade Lininger
were in programming meetings discussing design development and
construction drawing schedules.
During the month of November, the two have been fine-tuning the
planned renovations, taking into account what each classroom will
house as well as many other factors.
This is very exciting, exclaimed Slava. Working with the
architect and seeing how it is going to shape up I can see that
its really going to happen.
One of the first steps will be the architect presenting to
the school board at their meeting Monday night design development
plans for their approval. After approval, the architect will
draw up very detailed and specific plans so that the school can
send specifications to contractors for bidding on February 13,
2007.
Contractors will have 30 days which to submit bids, while actual
construction is anticipated to start in late March 2007. Completion
of construction is projected for June 1, 2008.
Of course, these are preliminary estimates, explained the superintendent. There
are a lot of variables to consider. We will be completing
construction of areas that wont affect the day-to-day running of
the school during the school year, while renovations of existing
areas will have to be accomplished during the spring and summer
months when school is not in session.
Slava also explained that construction crews would be working on
all four sides of the school at once. He stated that much
of the new construction would be accomplished when school was going
on, with the connecting of old and new areas happening when school
was not in session.
The superintendent also stressed that he wanted to involve teachers
and staff members in the areas that would affect them.
However the timeline actually works out for the new construction
and renovations of Holden High School, its going to be a very busy
year and a half for the district.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
Air Force
Reservists normally volunteer one weekend a month, two weeks
a year, to fulfill their military commitment.
However, there are some who earn the opportunity to work full-time
for the Reserves as an active reserve technician.
Senior Airman Kenneth Kephart, 442nd Maintenance Squadron, is one
of many ARTs who has earned a full-time position as a survival
equipment journeyman.
Airmen in the survival equipment career field are responsible for
inspecting and packing the ACES-II recovery parachute used in the
A-10. They also repair flight clothing, and produce the protective
covers for the aircrafts critical parts.
Filling an ART position depends a lot on timing, said Senior Master
Sgt. James Fritzen, Reserve recruiter. Qualifications are
heavily looked at, but a lot depends on being at the right place
at the right time. Becoming a full-time reservist is pretty
difficult, said Airman First Class Lincoln Trunnell, 442nd MXS.
When there is an opening, anyone can apply as long as they are
qualified, and as long as they are willing to relocate.
Airman Kephart definitely knows what he is doing, Airman Trunnell
said. Airman Kephart has the professionalism and job knowledge
to complete the mission, he added.
I joined the Reserves for all the education benefits and job training
skills, Airman Kephart said, adding that he chose the Reserves
over active duty so he could stay close to his family and friends.
A Reservist for four years, Airman Kephart said he was in the right
place at the right time when he was chosen to fill an ART vacancy. Plus
I consider myself hardworking, motivated and dedicated to my job. And
I think my supervisors took all those factors into consideration
when trying to fill the vacancy.
When asked about possibly transferring, Airman Kephart responded
that he may consider another unit if the right opportunity comes
along.
Airman Kephart plans to continue his career, complete his education,
and retire from the Air Force Reserves.
By Staff Sgt. Jason Barebo
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
Editors Note: This is reprinted from The Spirit
newspaper of Whiteman AFB, MO. Kenneth Kephart is a graduate
of Holden High School.
Holden students
recently got the opportunity to meet a soldier from Iraq whom they
had been sending care packages to for the past year and one-half.
Students in the Day Plus Program, which provides day care before
and after school, sent four care packages to soldiers in Iraq as
part of a character training project, according to Day Plus director
Catherine Evans.
Students brought items from home each week and we added to that. Some
items in the care packages included Girl Scout cookies, snacks,
bandaids, ice packs, trail mix, granola bars, paper towels, deodorant,
toothpaste, toothbrushes, beef jerky and big bags of candy, said
Evans. We received pictures back from the troops showing
them with the packages and also them sharing the candy with Iraqi
children they met on the roadside.
Staff Sgt. Mareko Petelo visited the students on November 27 to
personally thank them for the care packages, cards and letters
his unit received.
Petelo presented a flag to the students which had been flown at
Ground Zero and also at Balad, Iraq. He also gave them a
certificate/plaque. Evans hopes to make a shadow box with
the precious items and possibly start an awards wall at the school.
Petelo was born and raised in Samoa, Hawaii and comes from a large
family. Mareko went to high school in Hawaii and graduated
from there. He became active duty while in Hawaii, attended
CMSU and is now working toward his graduate degree. He has
lived in Warrensburg since 1999. He serves with the Missouri
National Guard and was with batallion B Co. 110th EN BN company.
Staff Sgt. Petelo and some of the men from his troop have been
asked to train troops in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma who will be going to
Iraq. This will allow him to share experiences on foreign
soil and tell them what experiences to expect. Also, while
in Iraq, Petelo was asked to speak at some of the schools with
an interpreter.
This project was important for the children of Day Plus, says Evans. Its
important for the children to have empathy and caring for others,
even those outside of our community. We offer hands-on learning
experiences, and really get students involved. We take the
children outside the classroom and offer character training as
well.
Day Plus has been in existence for 5 years in the Holden School
District and Evans has been director there for four years. They
offer care for children ages five through 12, before and after
school, on some snow days, on early-out days, and full days when
school is out. During the summer they offer full day care
for children. They exist on parental fees, according to Evans. Anyone
interested in Day Plus may contact Evans at the elementary school.
Evans said she was pleased with the Iraq project because it allows
students a holistic view of their surroundings, teaches sharing
outside of their boundaries, and gives them a picture of the world
outside of their community. It was so important for Staff
Sgt. Petelo to come and let the children see where their packages
were going, she added.
Evans also would like to thank all of those who support the Day
Plus program and make it possible for them to provide quality services
to their children. She also thanks Superintendent Scott Slava
and Principal Mark Hedger for their support.
By Dana Neubert
News Staff
Police Department
Plans Kops For Kids
The Holden Police Department will be sponsoring Kops For Kids this year
on Sunday, Dec. 17.
Families who have children ages infant to 12 may apply at the Holden Police Department
or city hall. If you have questions, please call the department at 850-4154 or
city hall, 732-4811.
Paper Requests
Church Information
Is your church holding special holiday services, programs or cantatas
for the Christmas season?
Let the public know by contacting Dana at the Holden Image, 732-5552,
fax at 732-4696 or e-mail at holdenimage@earthlink.net.
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