 Local Holden attorney Karl Timmerman and assistant Missouri attorney general Michael Bradley appeared before Judge Jacqueline Cook in the 17th Judicial Circuit Court in Warrensburg Monday morning to argue motions in the attorney general’s nepotism case against Holden mayor Mike Wakeman.
Timmerman has submitted a motion to dismiss the attorney general’s petition as well as a motion to issue a stay of enforcement if the verdict upholds the AG’s petition until an additional decision can be obtained from appeals court.
The Missouri attorney general Jay Nixon has petitioned in Quo Warranto the court to have Wakeman removed from the mayor’s office because he had appointed his brother-in-law Larry Miller to the position of fire chief after being sworn in as mayor in April 2006. Wakeman had previously held the chief’s position before being elected Holden’s chief executive officer with Miller as his assitant. Miller had also served as chief prior to Wakeman’s tenure.
Prior to petitioning the court, Nixon had sent a letter to Wakeman informing him that the appointment of Miller violated the state’s nepotism laws and that he needed to resign from his office. Wakeman complied with that request and gave his letter of resignation to the Holden City Council. At a later meeting of the city’s governing body, the council appointed Wakeman to fill his unexpired term until an elecltion could be held in April 2008.
The attorney general’s office maintains that the law says that since Wakeman was “ousted” from office he cannot fill the office again until the term has expired. Wakeman and Timmerman assert that the mayor was not “ousted” but that he voluntarily resigned.
“Forfeiture of office is not the same thing as being ousted,” claims Timmerman. “We also assert that Wakeman cured the situation of Miller’s appointment by immediately accepting the fire chief’s resignation and submitting his own.”
In an interview with Timmerman, after the court proceedings in which Judge Cook stated that she would render an opinion by the end of this week, the attorney called into question the attorney general’s priorities in pursuing this case even after Wakeman complied with his request.
“It seems to me that with all the problems this state has with crack houses and identify theft, our state’s limited resources could be better spent on prosecuting more important areas,” Timmerman stated. “I know all the hours I’ve spent on this case, I’m sure the AG’s office has spent a large amount as well. As I’ve said in the past, this case is akin to prosecuting somebody for pulling a tag off of a mattress.”
By Steve Sullins
Editor
With the beginning of a new year fast approaching, the Holden R-III School District and School Board have been diligently searching for a new district superintendent for the next school year.
During closed executive sessions held last Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, the board interviewed seven prospective superintendent applicants. The Missouri School Boards’ Association Superintendent Search Services which for Holden is led by consultant Dr. John Boise, had received 31 applicants. Using the district’s stated criteria, they reduced the field to the seven which the board interviewed.
According to Patty Raker, districty executive secretary, the plans were to vote on the candidates in closed executive session at the regular monthly meeting which was to be held Monday. Due to the weather, the meeting has been moved toThursday, December 13.
Justin Howerton surpassed the 1,000 point milestone of his high school basketball career on Tuesday December 4 on his home court as a Kingsville Tiger. This is a feat not met by many, but I know of even fewer that have met this milestone with as many obstacles to overcome as Justin.
Robert Frost wrote of a road less traveled. Some of us take that road less traveled because of choice, some because we have no choice, and some choose not to take it at all. To get to this amazing moment in his life, Justin has traveled down a road frequented by very few. Justin was sitting at 999 points coming into the game so it was a sure thing that he would surpass the 1,000 mark that night. During the moments leading up to the time when Justin would make that “sure thing” milestone basket, my mind ran rampant with memories of the events that had occurred going back to March 17, 2002. On that day in 2002, Justin was severely burned in an accident making nothing a sure thing, not even life itself.
Although I had always thought of myself as a strong person, nothing prepared me for what I saw when I entered the Intensive Care Burn Unit at Children’s Mercy Hospital to see Justin for the first time following the accident. I could see his swollen body that was covered by mounds and mounds of gauze, so severely burned that doctors had to keep the majority of his body suspended off the bed. Although he was sedated, I could see the pain in his body as he twitched uncontrollably. The mere site of Justin in that state nearly took me to my knees. I remember thinking, “I have to be strong for him and for his mom who stood beside me as weak-kneed as me”.
Doctors said they would do their best and I trusted they would just as I made it day by day knowing that Justin would give it his best as he always had in the past. As the days and weeks rolled by, Justin was plagued with setbacks brought on by infections. Doctors were optimistic that he would pull through if he could continue to fight the infections, but gave us little hope that he would be able to walk normally again let alone ever play sports again which was his real love.
Because of the infections, visitors were often restricted, but fortunately I was one of the privileged few that got to spend some of those long anxious days with him talking about the good times, including those yet to come. Because his friends couldn’t visit him during these times, they sent pictures and cards which helped Justin get through those long days. This was an extremely rough time for my son Brian as he and Justin had been best friends since the day they met each other in first grade. I thought about the long sleepless nights I spent sitting up with Brian during some of Justin’s weakest times because we were both so afraid of losing him. I remember the first time that Brian asked me if Justin was going to die. All I could say to Brian was, “not if we can help it.” We prayed many nights together hoping for Justin to heal. Justin and Brian remain best friends to this day and I have often heard them refer to each other as brothers. If only everyone was lucky enough to find a lifetime friend as these two found in each other.
I thought about the long car rides back and forth to the hospital with Kierston, Little Aaron, Brian, and Jamie. I cherish those miles to this day as we spent the time talking to get through those tough times together. We shared many secrets and even confessed some of our biggest fears during those rides home from the hospital. We all respected the fact that our own weaknesses should be kept secret and they have remained safe all of these years out of respect for each other. It was the love of these kids and many others that kept Justin going when the obstacles were too big for him to overcome on his own.
I thought back to the time when Justin finally started getting stronger and thinking that the worst was over. However, this is when the time came for the doctors to start the painful skin graph procedures. Doctors harvested what little healthy skin Justin had left to repair the damaged skin and although they warned us that it would be a slow agonizing process, neither Justin nor we were quite prepared for what lie ahead. Infections followed along with the skin grafts and I remember the relentless pain and itching he endured. I remember the nurses teaching me how to scratch him carefully to give him relief without causing any further damage. Justin always welcomed a good scratch-session. It all brought new meaning to, “you scratch my back ad I will scratch yours”.
Although the skin transplants were going quite well, Justin took a turn for the worst. The day had come when Justin thought about giving up, something that was understandable, but not acceptable. Justin was tired of lying in that bed day after day in pain and I could see he was ready to quit. Justin refused to eat and when I asked him why, he looked at me with those big brown eyes and told me he wanted to die. I can’t explain what I felt at that particular moment, but I do not wish to ever have that feeling again. I reminded Justin of something I always told him and his teammates on the baseball teams I coached. When you’re down in the bottom of the last inning with two outs, you don’t quit until the last out is called, you just work that much harder. Justin looked back at me with his big brown eyes and although he struggled to smile, he gave me that look that said he was going to stay in the game and work hard. There were a lot of promises made in that hospital room that day, but the most important promise was the one I asked Justin to make to himself. Justin promised himself that he would fight to the finish and give it his best. I made a promise that I would stand by him no matter what happened.
After our moments of promise-sharing and a lot of heartfelt tears, Justin agreed to eat some chicken noodle soup so we ordered some up from the kitchen. When that so called chicken noodle soup arrived, I have to say it was not identifiable. Justin looked at me with his funny grin (that I hadn’t seen since the accident) and he told me, I will stay in the game, but if you think I am going to eat that, you can forget it. For the first time in days we laughed until we cried. I pleaded with the nurses to allow him to have food from outside the hospital and they told us that he could have anything he wanted if he would eat it and it would help him feel better. The food of choice was Taco Bell. Although I can’t remember the exact type of burrito and soft taco combo he craved on a daily basis at the time, I do know that the Taco Bell I frequented must have thought I had an addiction. It got to the point they had my order ready before I even pulled into the drive thru. Amazingly enough, Taco Bell remains one of his favorites to this day.
Justin finally came home in May 2002, but it was not easy for this boy that had once been very active to sit back and watch. I left him on the baseball roster that summer and our team was proudly named “Justin’s Warriors”. I remember the compression suits and non- flexible plastic face mask in 100 degree heat that he endured, but Justin was at almost every game so he could support his team. Justin begged to get on that field with his team throughout the season. He wanted to play so badly, but doctors warned us that he could not take a hit on any of the areas they had repaired. During the last game of the season, after much pleading and with consent of his mom, I apprehensively put him in centerfield and told him not to move no matter what. Justin had always pitched and played infield so this was something new to him, but he just wanted to be on that field with his team and I figured the chance of a ball going to centerfield that night was slim to none. As fate would have it, two hits went to centerfield and Justin caught both of them (without injury) and he developed a love for the centerfield position. I was so excited about that because centerfield had always been my position when I played little league. He is one of the best centerfielders you could ever ask for on a team.
Following that summer, there were more surgeries and pain for Justin. There were drainage tubes and endless bandages, things that no kid should ever have to endure, but Justin fought on, keeping that promise he made to himself. When the summer ended and school started up again, it was time for basketball season. Justin was still supposed to limit his physical activity so he would stand in the gym for hours shooting three- pointers and free throws. To this day, I truly believe that it was this dedication and determination that made him such a sure shot.
As Justin made his milestone basket to surpass 1,000 points everyone stood, waved signs, and exploded with pride at his achievement. I could feel the love and respect from his fans. It is hard to put into words how I felt at that very moment, I am so proud of everything that Justin has accomplished against the odds and I am so thankful for all that he taught me and many others about the road less traveled. Justin is living proof that obstacles are there to make you stronger and that detours aren’t an option.
Congratulations Justin, but most of all thanks. Thanks for giving us all the hope that even if we find ourselves on that road less traveled and it is not by choice, we know that the roadblocks can be overcome. I am so proud of your accomplishments and for continuing down that road less traveled even though we both know that there were times when you wanted to turn around at the roadblocks. Thanks for going around, over, and under those roadblocks to get where you needed to be and for allowing us to take that journey with you. Thanks for teaching the rest of us about determination and self worth, you are an inspiration to us all. But most of all, thanks for being Justin….the brave, caring, handsome, brown-eyed boy with the ornery grin that kept his promise to believe in himself and stay in the game, always giving it his best shot.
By Tammy Aldridge
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F&C Bank, a member of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), which represents 5,000 community banks nationwide, said today that community banks remain a stable source of mortgage and small business loans even as the national mortgage market is being buffeted by talk of a credit crunch.
“Despite talk of a credit crunch, the truth is community banks are open for business,” said Bob Mickey. “Community banking is a relationship-oriented business. F&C Bank is here for our community to not only help families get a mortgage loan, but help them get a mortgage loan they can afford for the long-term. We won’t put a family in a home they can’t afford to keep.”
“Wall Street may be suffering but Main Street’s community banks are in solid shape and open for business,” said Camden Fine, ICBA president and CEO. “Community banks are the foundation of our nation’s diversified financial system. A credit crunch like we’re seeing now is exactly why the nation needs the community banking industry - to ensure that credit remains consistently and widely available in good times and bad. Today, consumers and communities can continue to rely on community banks for their financial needs.”
Fine added that the community banking business is weathering this latest crisis in the mortgage market because community banks are well run, highly capitalized and among the most highly regulated financial institutions in the country.
Notably, community banks provide a stable and reliable source of mortgage money, whether they sell mortgage loans into the secondary market or hold them on their own books. ICBA reports that nearly 90 percent of mortgages made through community banks that do business with ICBA Mortgage, an ICBA subsidiary, are owner-occupied homes. They also have a delinquency rate that is below the national rate for one-to-four-unit residential properties, an indication of the conservative financial principles community banks hold.
In his first tournament in his first year of high school, HHS freshman wrestler Billy Fannin was chosen the WCMOsports.com Athlete of the Week for his accomplishment in the Grain Valley Blue/White Class held December 1 at Grain Valley High School.
At that meet, Fannin pinned his way to a first-place finish in the 112-pound weight class. His first-place was the only one for the Eagle grapplers at the tourney.
Although this is Fannin’s first meet as a high-schooler, the young wrestler has extensive experience wrestling for the Holden Youth Wrestling Club.
WCMOsports.com covers activities in several conferences in central Missouri.
The attendance was sparse at the December 6 morning Chamber of Commerce meeting at Strate’s Drive-Inn, but President Dennis Mason made his point.
He said, “I have been told we have been excluding businesses because some feel our membership dues is too high. We have spent two years (working on membership levels) and we do not exclude anybody. We have worked very hard to do what we know is right. It is disappointing when somebody tells me we are excluding businesses. We feel the $175 associate level is affordable. The money is being spent the best we know how for all the businesses. That is what supports the other activities. Two years ago I kept hearing we needed to do more. The committee struggled with this. I feel they justify what they are charging, without those levels we would lose our membership. We try to make sure everybody benefits from our activities.”
Membership level details and application forms are available on line at www.holdenchamber.com. Details also may be obtained by calling 816-732-6844.
The financial report was not available for the meeting but President Mason thought the account balance was around $7,700.
In the Whiteman report, Bill Dryer said the squadron's Christmas party will be held December 14 and asked if the Chamber would donate $100 to the party expenses. The members approved the request.
The economic development committee is currently working on community welcome signs for placement at four points of entrance to the city. The verbage will be “The Chamber of Commerce welcomes you to Holden. Home of the Eagles.” Mason commented that no permission has yet been obtained for placement of the signs from property owners. That must be secured before the signs are placed. Organizations’ insignias will be attached to the bottom of the sign. The chamber does not plan to charge the organizations but any donations will be helpful.
Mason said he would like to see the signs placed on an elevated area where they will be noticed. He said they need to have the signs in place for the sesquicentennial and at this point they need to get beyond talking about it.
The history book committee is discussing a possible supplement to the Holden History book after the sesquicentennial. The supplement will include corrections and additions to the current book plus additions from the sesquicentennial year’s celebrations. The first monthly activity planned will be the HHS drama club’s demonstration and fashion shows. There is a Valentine’s Day event planned for February 9. Mason said, “I think it’s going to be an exciting year next year.”
Mason also said, “If anyone wants to be president, raise your hand now.” No one responded.
The chamber banquet will be scheduled for January 28 with the deadline for ticket requests set at January 21. The planned speaker will be Will Bowen of Lee’s Summit.
The next Chamber of Commerce meeting will be January 3 at 7 a.m. at Strate’s Drive Inn.
By Terri Vinck
News Staff
OBITUARIES
JAMES LEE JAMISON
James Lee Jamison, 75, Holden, MO, passed away Friday, December 7, 2007 at the Veterans Hospital Medical Center in Kansas City, MO.
Jim was born on September 20, 1932 in Little Blue, Missouri the son of Omar A. Jamison and Iona (Gladden) Jamison. He graduated from Kingsville High School in 1952. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War where he was a paratrooper, Green Beret and a member of Special Forces 19.
Jim resided in North Carolina from 1960 to 1977, where he was a shrimp boater. He moved to Holden in 1977 and became employed with R.B. Rice in Lee’s Summit. In 1986, he went to work at Stahl Specialty Company in Kingsville, where he remained until retiring in 1997.
Jim married Shirley Ann (Charlton) Fields on March 23, 2000 in Holden. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was also an active member of Crossroads Baptist Church in Kingsville.
Survivors include his wife Shirley; two daughters, Ruthie Price and her husband Mike of Belhaven, North Carolina, and Lean Grant of Franklin, Virginia; two sons, James Allen Jamison and his wife Susan of Washington, North Carolina, and Jerome Leslie Jamison of Belhaven, North Carolina; three step-daughters, Sandra Kay Bowman and her husband Rick of Coal Camp, Lisa Lynn Green of Knob Noster, and Linda Marie Hood and her husband Robert of Lowry City; a step-son, Bert Edward Fields and his wife Brenda of Leeton; 10 grandchildren; 8 step-grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Peggy Jamison of Kansas; and, also, two nieces and two nephews.
Jim was preceded in death by both parents; and two brothers, John and Jerome.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at Williams Funeral Chapel in Holden. There will be a prayer service at 7 p.m. with Reverend Dave Driskell of Crossroads Baptist Church officiating. Cremation will follow the services.
Online condolences may be left at www.williamsfuneralchapel.net.
ROBERT M. “BOB” LYCAN
Robert M. “Bob” Lycan, 71 of Deepwater, Missouri passed away Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at the Western Missouri Medical Center in Warrensburg.
Bob was born March 1, 1936 in Holden, Missouri, the son of Jay Lycan and Viola Ann (Grove) Lycan.
He married Connie L. (Whittenburg) on December 21, 1957 in Holden.
He was a Marine veteran. Bob worked for Bendix in Kansas City for 31 years, retiring as a millright. He later owned and operated his own welding business at Truman Lake for nine years.
Survivors include his wife, Connie; two brothers and their wives, Don and Harriet Lycan of Pleasant Hill and Jim and Carol Lycan of Lee’s Summit.
He was preceded in death by both parents and three brothers, Fred, Maurice and Mike.
Following cremation, per Bob’s wishes, there will be no services.
Online condolences may be left at www.williamsfuneralchapel.net.
JEFFREY JAMES SWANSON
Jeffrey James Swanson, 45, Holden, MO, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, December 8, 2007 at Western Missouri Medical Center, Warrensburg.
Jeff was born May 11, 1962 in Estherville, Iowa, the son of James E. Swanson and Marlys A. (Hipple) Swanson. He graduated from high school in Lakefield, Minnesota and attended college in Marshall, Minnesota.
He served in the United States Navy from the fall of 1981 to 1983. Shortly after his discharge, he earned an associate’s degree from the Denver Institute of Technology. Jeff worked at Davis Typewriter in Worthington, Minnesota from 1986 to 1988. In 1988, he re-enlisted in the Navy.
Jeff married Tracy Ann (Christian) on November 27, 1993 in Lakefield, Minnesota. In 1997, following his discharge from active duty, the couple moved to the Holden area. He was employed with Videojet in Wood Dale, Illinois for the past nine years. He was an avid golfer and he also enjoyed woodworking, but his greatest joy was spending time with his daughter “Skippy”. Jeff was a member of the First Baptist Church in Warrensburg.
Survivors include his wife Tracy; a daughter, Christin, age six, of the home; his parents, James and Marlys Swanson of Lakefield, Minnesota; three sisters, Darcy Murphy and her husband, Mark of Round Lake, Minnesota, Gail Prochaske and her husband Mike of Lakefield, Minnesota and Nicole Kruse and her husband Darrin of Spirit Lake, Iowa; mother-in-law, Linda Christian of Holden; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Tim and Gerilynn Hoover of Holden, Eddie and Susan Barnett of Kingsville, Mary Christian of Holden and Jerry and Cinnamon Christian, Jr., also of Holden; 20 nieces; one great-nephew; and one great-niece.
Jeff was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Jerry Christian, earlier this year; maternal and paternal grandparents and an infant sister.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 13, 2007 at Williams Funeral Chapel in Holden with Reverend Robert Ingle of the First Baptist Church in Warrensburg officiating. Military rites will be provided by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #5844 and American Legion Post #90.
Visitation will be Thursday at Williams Funeral Chapel, one hour prior to service.
Pallbearers will be Darrin Kruse, Mike Prochaska, Mark Murphy, Jerry Christian, Jr., Tim Hoover and Eddie Barnett.
Interment will follow the services at Holden Cemetery.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Jeff Swanson Memorial Fund in care of Bank of Holden.
Online condolences may be left at www.williamsfuneralchapel.net. |