Stephen L. Abney, president and CEO of First Central Bank in Warrensburg, MO, an affiliate of Central Bancompany, announced Monday that the bank has entered into an agreement to purchase the Bank of Holden of Holden, MO.
Michael L. Terry, president and CEO of the Bank of Holden, said, “We are pleased to be joining the Central Bancompany family and teaming up with First Central Bank to create the largest bank in Johnson County with combined assets of over $215 million.”
The Bank of Holden was founded in 1872 and has more than $101 million in assets.  The bank has a total of five branches; two in Warrensburg and three in Holden.  Terry said, “This affiliation will enable our bank to offer even more cutting edge products and services, utilizing the latest in technology.”
First Central Bank has locations in Warrensburg, Higginsville and Odessa, with total assets of $114 million.  When asked if the merger will adversely affect the banks’ commitments to their respective communities and customer service, Abney stated emphatically, “Our combined banks will continue their longstanding commitments to their local community service and local decision making.”  In addition he said, “The affiliation will enable the bank to offer larger loans through participations with the other banks.”
An application seeking formal approval of the merger by federal regulators will be filed as soon as possible.  Abney said it is likely that the merger will be consummated in the third quarter of this year.
Central Bancompany is an $8.4 billion holding company based in Jefferson City, MO.



Strate’s Drive Inn was the setting for the April  meeting of the Holden Chamber of Commerce held last Thursday.
Saying, “We need to keep the Senior Center alive,” Dorothy Doutt and Linda Watson presented information on the upcoming Miles for Meals Walkathon to benefit the senior’s meals program.
The Walkathon, scheduled for May 3 is in its 15th year, according to Doutt and is the main support of the Senior Center meals program. Doutt said she wanted chamber members to get behind the program, display Walkathon information at their businesses, and hopefully volunteer for the program. She emphasized that currently she was looking for supporters to form teams to help organize the event. She said it wasn’t necessary to walk although anyone could who wanted to.
Approximately 650 elementary and intermediate school  students will be helping by walking.  The students will be walking on the Holden High School track with the help of Coach Morrison.
In other actions, a spokesman for the membership committee said they are making a list of how many members still need membership plaques.
Dennis Mason, reporting for the community betterment committee, said that all affected landowners for sign placement have been contacted and the majority is confirmed in agreement to allow placement of Holden welcome signs on their property. Mason said the signs are ready to be made.
The banner sign that is displayed at local functions needs to be updated with current member’s names added. The banner will display the current names of the top three level members.
There was concern by some members of the chamber that all paying members names were not displayed on the banner, but according to Mason, “The size of the print is problematic.  On the banner, they can only recognize the top three member levels.
Reporting on the Whiteman luncheon and tour, Andrew Wakeman, representing the education committee, said the trip to Whiteman was an enjoyable experience for all.
He said that right now, the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) students are organizing a yearly field trip. He said they will also get involved in the Miles for Meals Walkathon.
Mason, speaking for the economic development committee said they have asked the FBLA to participate in the comprehensive plan. The committee will meet April 21 at 6 p.m. at O&M Enterprises.
Alpert said the Farmers’ Market will open on the first weekend in June. More market news can be found at www.holdenmarket.com.
Pat Zvacek said the sesquicentennial committee will hold a Red Bud Tree Festival on Saturday April 19. This will be an event meant to complement Earth Day activities and will be a highlighted event for the sesquicentennial ongoing activities.
The members discussed the sesquicentennial reenactment plans. Jack Phelps will be charged with feeding the reenactors, along with other groups such as the Knights of Columbus and the Ministerial Alliance.
Chamber after hours will be held Monday, hosted by Francis Brillhart at Brillhart Music.


A blood drive will be held Thursday, April 24 from 2-7 p.m. at the Community Activity Center in Holden.  The CAC is located at 100 S. Market Street.
Every four minutes an individual within the communities served by the Community Blood Center needs a blood transfusion.  Because the demand for blood never lets up, each day the Community Blood Center must collect 580 pints of blood.
To make an appointment to give blood on April 24, one can go online to www.esavealifenow.org and use sponsor code holdencomm.  One may also contact Kathy Denney at 816-850-6820.
Sixty percent of the United States population is eligible to donate blood yet only six percent actually do.  An individual can donate blood every 56 days.  One donation can help as many as two patients.  The Community Blood Center serves 75 hospitals in 70 counties within Missouri and Kansas.
“Every day, thousands of people need blood donations and this year alone over four million Americans will need a transfusion to survive illness or injury,” said  Dr. Jay Menitove, executive director and medical director of the Community Blood Center.  “When you consider that red blood cells have a shelf life of only 42 days and that platelets have a shelf life of five days, blood is a precious commodity that must be constantly replenished.”
Requirements for a blood donor are few - one must be at least 16 years of age, weigh 115 pounds and be in good health.  Individuals are asked to bring photo identification such as a driver’s license.  The Community Blood Center staff performs various health checks on all donors including temperature, blood pressure and hemoglobin. All donors also receive cholesterol results, which are mailed to the individual’s home four to six weeks after their donation.
Community Blood Center is a member of America’s Blood Centers, a national network of independent blood centers that provide half of the nation’s blood supply; and is a member of the American Association of Blood Banks.
It is through the commitment of volunteer donors that the Community Blood Center is able to maintain its heritage of service to the community.  Save a life, right here, right now.


Holden High School counselor Jerry Crouse was recently named Secondary School Counselor of the Year for Central District by the Central Missouri School Counselor Association.  Crouse was recognized for his outstanding counseling services with a commemorative plaque at the association’s recognition breakfast, held March 26, in Warrensburg.
In her nomination letter to the organization, high school principal Rebecca Gudde commended Crouse for his willingness to go “above and beyond the call of duty as a student advocate and for his eagerness to help our students and the administration.  He is very deserving of recognition as outstanding counselor of the year.”
Crouse’s personal attributes also contributed to his selection.  One  high school student recommending him for counselor of the year commented that “Mr. Crouse has an innate ability to communicate with the high school students.  He cares about each and every one of them.  He is a very busy man, but he finds time for everyone and because of that he shows how passionate he is about his work.”
In his vital role as school counselor, Crouse helps all students in the areas of academic achievement, personal and social development, and career development, ensuring the students become productive, well-adjusted adults in their post-secondary educational opportunities and careers.  He is responsible for coordinating student enrollment, updating the  high school course descriptions, assisting students with college and career planning, serving as facilitator for the student advisory program, and serving as liaison to the vocational-tech career center.  In addition, Crouse serves as a member of the comprehensive school improvement plan (CSIP) committee and the principal’s advisory committee.
Crouse lives in the Warrensburg area with his wife Becky Baile Crouse and children, Jacob, a junior at Warrensburg High School, Christy, a seventh grader at Warrensburg Middle School, and Stephen, a freshman in college.
Growing up, Crouse’s parents were missionaries and so he traveled a lot and lived in a many different areas.  He and his wife then spent 10 and one-half years living in Virginia before moving to the Dominican Republic for several years.  They moved to the Warrensburg area in 2002 and settled on 20 acres of the family farm.  His wife’s parents are long-time farmers in the Warrensburg community, Jim and Wilma Baile.
In his spare time Crouse enjoys athletics, running, (he runs the 5K at the fall fiesta), gardening and enjoys music of all kinds.  He and Becky are bivocational pastors at the Warrensburg Church of the Brethren.
He says of the award, “It is a great honor to receive this award.”



Zak Anstine stroked a sacrifice fly to center field and Aaron Johnson beat the relay home to score the winning run as the Holden High School baseball team defeated Warrensburg, 12-11, in the opening round of the Smith-Cotton Skip Schultz Invitational Baseball Tournament.
The game was held at Legion Field in Warrensburg due to earlier rainouts in the Sedalia-based tournament.
That thrilling victory had followed an earlier win in the week in Show-Me West Conference action with the Eagles defeating St. Mary’s, 7-4 to push their league record to 2-1.  In the final two games of the tournament held Saturday in Sedalia, the Eagles lost a tough nine-inning affair to Rock Bridge, 11-10; and were edged by Smith-Cotton, 6-5. 
The Warrensburg game, which might help to avenge a tough loss to the Tigers in last year’s district tournament, didn’t start off well for the Eagles as they found themselves on the short end of a 7-0 score going into the  bottom of the second inning.  But the “never-say-die” Eagles drove across seven of their own after two outs to know the game at seven.
Two inning later, Holden scored two more to take a 9-7 lead.  They held the advantage until the top of the sixth inning, when the Tigers scored three to take a 10-9 lead.  Warrensburg pushed across an insurance run in the top of the seventh to give them an 11-9 lead heading to the Eagles’ last at-bat.
In the bottom of the seventh, Holden scored three and claimed the victory, 12-11.
Claiming the victory on the mound was reliever Justin McIntyre who won his second game of the season.  Anstine started the game, but was relieved after four innings by McIntyre.
On the offensive side, the Eagles cracked out 13 hits in the game with McIntyre leading the way with three.  Michael Garten, A.J. Langston, Johnson and James Hood each garnered two hits, while Ryan Spilman and Logan Evans had one apiece.
Recaps of the other games include:
Eagles 7 St. Mary’s 4
Holden put up five runs in the fourth inning to finally overtake the Trojans who had jumped to a 3-0 lead after three innings.  The runs gave them a 6-3 lead as they cruised to a 7-4 conference win.
Langston opened the contest on the mound, but the victory went to Logan Evans who pitched the middle two innings and gave up only one run on two hits.  He struck out five in the process.  Anstine picked up a save going the final two innings not allowing a hit and striking out three.
The Eagles could only manage six hits in the game with Hood collecting two.  Spilman, Langston, Johnson and Anstine managed one apiece.
Rock Bridge 11    Eagles 10
A five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning sent the game into extra innings with the Bruins capturing the victory in nine innings.  All five runs in the seventh came after two outs and the rally was capped by a mammoth three-run home run over the left center field wall by catcher Hood.
The Eagles took a 3-0 lead after two innings and held it until the top of the fourth when Rock Bridge put up three of their own.  Holden responded with two in the bottom of the fourth and led 5-3 until the top of the sixth when the Bruins posted six runs to take a 9-5 lead.  They added one in the top of the seventh to increase their advantage to five before Holden tied it again in the bottom of the inning.  They scored their winning run in the top of the ninth off of a throwing error to first on a potential double play.  The Eagles could not push across any runs in the bottom of the ninth.
McIntyre, Taylor McConville and Garten split duties on the mound with Garten picking up the loss.  Besides the three runs Hood drove in, Anstine had two RBI and Spilman, Langston and Logan Evans each collected an RBI apiece.
Smith-Cotton 6
Eagles 5
Once again, errors were the story of the game as Holden committed four miscues on their way to a one-run loss to the boys from Sedalia.
Garten went all the way on the mound giving up only four earned runs on nine hits.  He struck out seven.  Leading in the offensive categories were third baseman David Lerda who went two for three with one RBI and one run scored and Langston who drove in two.  Lerda also smashed a triple in the game.  Also driving in runs were Spilman and Anstine.
The Eagles are participating in the Holden Invitational Baseball Tournament this week at Eagle Field.  The field includes Knob Noster, Versailles, Carrolton, Higginsville, Lee’s Summit Community Christian, Odessa and Renaissance Academy.  Monday night, the boys are scheduled to travel to Clinton for a game beginning at 4:30 p.m.