Holden and Kingsville churches are again sponsoring their annual Advent Walk on Sunday, November 30.
This event has been part of the area’s Christmas celebration for more than 30 years.
Participants have enjoyed the brisk walks to the different churches to share together the Christmas message and music. The walk begins at 2 p.m. at the Kingsville Baptist Church, moving on to the Holden churches.
Participating Holden churches are First United Methodist, Community of Christ, First Christian Church, New Life Fellowship, First Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church and St. Patrick’s.
The community is invited to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season and join in the Advent Walk.
Area residents are preparing for the Christmas season and upcoming community events are on tap to help one get into the spirit of the season.
Customer Appreciation Night will be held Friday, November 28, and will offer great family entertainment and a lot of bargains from local merchants.
Santa Claus will arrive downtown at 6 p.m. in a big, red fire truck to turn on the Christmas lights and be available for children to have their pictures taken with him.
Refreshments will also be available including a kettle corn vendor, hot chocolate and cookies.
The Holden High School choir will be singing Christmas carols throughout the evening adorned in late 1800s and 1900s period dress. Also performing will be Bobby and Amy Kent and Paige Plemons.
A special treat for children this year will be a barrel train which will run from 5:30-8 p.m. There will also be trolley rides that will depart from Tilden Quick Lube parking lot.
A number of door prizes will be awarded and businesses will stay open for extended hours for holiday shoppers.
Another exciting event taking place will be the Holiday Homes Tour, to be held Sunday, December 7 from 1-4 p.m. The tour will feature some of Holden’s older homes as it is the sesquicentennial event for December. The event is co-sponsored by the committee and the Chamber of Commerce. Seven homes will be on the tour and all adorned with festive decorations to celebrate the season.
Also during the hours of 1-4 p.m., one may stop in at the Hallar building in the small room to enjoy refreshments made and served by Laureate Delta Upsilon sorority of Holden.
You may visit any of the homes on the tour at any time during the hours of 1-4 p.m. Homes on the tour include the homes of Ed and Audra Martin, 603 S. Main; Mike and Darcy Roach, 503 S.Pine; Danny and Sharon Manford, 102 W. Fifth; Dan and Theresa Cast, 407 S. Main; Dexter and Andrea Snyder, 1401 S. Market; Bev Chaney, 604 S. Main; and Cindy Routh, 700 S. Main.
Event organizer Cindy Reynolds encourages everyone to come out and enjoy the festive homes on the tour and says this will become a holiday tradition for Holden if they have a good turn-out for the event.
Tickets may be purchased at the homes or in advance at F&C Bank, First Central Bank, Hallar Building (city hall), Heiman’s True Value and the Holden Image newspaper office.
Residents are encouraged to come out and enjoy both holiday events, get some good holiday bargains and make wonderful holiday memories with your family.
By Dana Raker
News Staff
Rusty Kephart, Donna Chaney and John Roberts were elected to serve on the HOPE Coalition board of directors at their annual meeting held Thursday, November 20.
Kephart, Chaney and Roberts will fill the vacancies left by retiring board members Butch Shore and Jeff Terry. Each will serve a four-year term. They were elected by the HOPE board members by secret ballot. They were selected from a field of nine interested parties.
Election of officers for the upcoming year will be held at the December meeting.
In Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) news, executive director Danny Crews told the board the third quarter report had been filed. “The second quarter report was filed again and the amended budget was finally accepted,” said Crews. He added, “We received an inquiry from a representative of County Distributing Company of Sedalia. They are evaluating various organizations for NAP credits. We need to continue to solicit and sell our NAP credits.”
In Community Service Center (CSC) news, it was reported the freezer used in the Clothes Closet for various food items quit working and they are in need of a new one. “We are asking the public if they have a good, clean, slightly used freezer they might consider donating to HOPE to give us a call at 732-4357,” said board member John Roberts. “We really are in need of another one.”
In planning news, the planning committee consisting of Crews, Donna LaHue, Bob Mickey, Roberts, Scotty Walker and Fred Christenson have plans to meet at 7 a.m. on December 5 to discuss the future plans of the HOPE and the need for a new facility for their service projects and programs which are available to the public who are in need.
In other financial news, Crews reported HOPE received a generous donation of $125 from someone in the community. A thank-you note was sent to show the groups’ appreciation for the donor’s generosity.
Crews reported to the board that the Tech Soup software application was approved and received. “Microsoft is claiming a fair market donation of $4,250 for their donated software. The software needs to be installed an/or upgraded now,” said Crews.
In Community Activity Center (CAC) news, Crews told board members the election went very smoothly at the CAC.
Crews then gave an update on maintenance to the board which included roof leaks at the CSC, painting of CSC and CAC office and concession, CAC electrical work, gymnasium floor finish, banisters for CAC balcony stairs and furnace issues with the rental property.
In the CAC activity director’s report, director Jen Loos gave an update on basketball leagues stating the numbers were down from last year and she had done some checking with other communities and found them down also. She said she believed it was due to the poor economy. She added the league will end December 11 and the CAC made approximately $250.
She gave an update on the sewing classes underway at the CAC stating there are three classes being taught by Donna LaHue and they are making a quilt to be raffled off at the quilt show which will be held April 24-26, 2009. Prior quilts which have been raffled have brought in $1,800 and $800, respectively, she added.
In fair news, Loos told the board the Chamber of Commerce paid HOPE an additional $200 for the use of the CAC building during the rain at the fair this year. “If it wasn’t for the CAC, they would have had to cancel many events,” said Loos. “They were very thankful for the use of the building.”
In other maintenance news, Loos said there are currently 18 light bulbs burnt out in the CAC. The board discussed replacing them and/or replacing all lights with a more economic style of lighting. They will continue to investigate the matter and have contacted some electricians on the matter.
In other sports news, Loos said volleyball open gym will start December 7 and will be every Sunday throughout December, January and February. There will also be basketball practices on Sundays.
Loos told board members a gentleman had contacted them about the use of the CSC for a batting cage for a youth baseball team in Holden. He wanted to check into the facility further as lighting may well be an issue.
In other maintenance news, Loos said board member Fred Christenson helped her paint the walls in the CAC office, donated the paint and materials for baseboards in the CAC office and it looks very good.
The regular meeting closed to reopen December 18 at 6:45 a.m. at the CSC.
By Dana Raker
News Staff
An inspection by Missouri Gas Energy at City Hall has spurred the city to replace both the gas range in the kitchen and seek for replacement of the furnace and air conditioning system for the Haller Building.
Holden mayor Mike Wakeman told members of the City Council in their regular meeting last Tuesday that the gas range was red-tagged for copper tubing and has already been replaced by two smaller electric ranges. He added that the furnace system, although not red-tagged, would also need to be replaced because it is emitting low levels of carbon monoxide.
“The system has been repaired and ‘band-aided’ for a lot of years,” Wakeman told the council. “Several years ago we looked at the possibility of a new unit, but couldn’t afford to change at the time. Now, we don’t have any choice.”
The council gave the mayor permission to seek bids to replace the system. They also agreed to find out how much the old commercial gas range would bring for scrap metal and use that figure as a minimum and try to see the stove.
In other council business, the mayor nominated Bill Vance to fill a vacant seat on the Merit Board. The council gave unanimous approval of the nomination.
Holden police officer Scott Brandt, who is also the Holden schools resource officer, asked the council to delay the ordinance to post signs making 19th Street between Market and Lexington a school zone until he could submit a grant proposal to get funds to purchase speed limit signs with flashing lights. The council approved his request and he stated that the grant will open in January with results known in late spring or early summer.
He explained to the council that in the last 10 years, 300 citations have been issued in school zone areas and only 10 of those have been after 5 p.m. He also said that he felt it was important that the school zone limits apply during after-school events.
In another school-related matter, Mayor Wakeman suggested that the city request the school to see if there were grants available to purchase storm sirens to b e placed near the elementary at 19th and Market. The school had requested the city accomplish that action, but the mayor said they didn’t have the approximately $14,000 to buy the siren. He said that if a grant could be procured maybe the city and school could split the matching funds.
In the resolutions and ordinances section of the meeting, the council passed a bill that would bring the city’s flood plain management plan within federal regulations; and also agreed to give the mayor the power to enter into an agreement with Olsson & Associates for engineering services for sidewalk construction in the Safe Routes To School Grant that the R-III district recently procured.
The full services would cost nearly $67,000 but Mayor Wakeman said he signed a contract, he would have to discuss with Olsson & Associates if there were enough money in the grant to fund the 10,000 linear feet of sidewalk called for in the grant.
In a final resolution, the council agreed to transfer the city’s television cable franchise from Rapid Communications to Almega, who recently purchased Rapid.
After discussion, the council agreed to reduce the tax lien of $2,200 to $1,500 on the property at Seventh and Buffalo Streets after a local resident who wants to purchase the property petitioned the city. The lien is comprised of mostly fees in connection with code violations.
In final items, councilman Butch Shore reported that the Board of Public Works will be having a public hearing December 1 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall to discuss the possibility of changing the fee structure of new water meter placements.
Councilman Jim Nipko also remined the council and mayor that the state of Missouri has passed a new law that goes into effect in January requiring city’s to make sure businesses don’t owe taxes to the state before issuing a new business license. City Clerk Sheila Spies said that she would research the matter and make sure the city complied.
By Steve Sullins
Editor
The 2008-2009 edition of the Holden High School boys’ varsity basketball is loaded with height, experience and depth, but a hamstring injury to starting senior point guard Trevor Yancey could spell trouble for the Eagles early in the season.
“At the present time, we are not sure how long Trevor will be out of the lineup, but if it had to happen, we’re glad it happened early in the season and not in the middle,” explained head HHS basketball coach Dale Wescott. “We’re going to have to play other players into the position while he’s gone because that’s the position which starts it all happening.”
Wescott stated that when healthy, Yancey has the chance to be the best pure point guard that he’s ever coached. “He’s our top outside shooter and a very hard worker,” the coach said. “He’s in the gym every morning before school shooting.”
The coach will rely on a cadre of six other seniors to lead this year’s Eagles including three starters from last season.
Topping that list will be 2007-2008 Show-Me West All-Conference performer Bryce Evans who the coach says came on really strong in the second half of last season. The 6’ 5” guard/forward can actually play any position on the court and may have to be pressed into point guard duties until Yancey returns. “I look for Bryce to be one of my top scorers and rebounders this year,” the coach added. “When he’s playing at the guard position he’ll cause the other team some serious match-up problems. He’s been working very hard on his shooting away from the basket and he’s doing well.”
Another returning starter from last year’s squad who went 17-7 and was defeated by two points in the district semifinal by Pembroke Hill is two-guard/small forward Zak Anstine. According to Coach Wescott, Anstine was the second best three-point shooter by percentage last year. He shot right at 40 percent from behind the arc. “He’s a great defensive player,” the coach added, “and with his length he is also a tough matchup. Zak came very close to making all-conference last season.”
The final starter from last year’s team is 6’2” forward/center Deron Binkley, who is a standout on the football field as well, brings a lot of physicality to the team. “Deron does a ton of little things that help us win. He’s a coach’s dream. He’s a great rebounder and one of our best shooters with the left hand,” Coach Wescott praised.
Other seniors in the mix for starting positions include:
Crosby Coleman - The 6’ 6” forward/center played really well this summer, according to Coach Wescott. “He was one of our best players at Reeds Spring this summer. Crosby shot very well and is very athletic. His height is great in the paint and he should be one of our top rebounders.” The coach also said Coleman is really good at shooting from 12-feet in.
David Lerda - Another Eagle who also excelled on the gridiron, Coach Wescott says that Lerda is a hard-nosed kid and a coach’s dream as well. “He’s always working hard and is always at the place he’s supposed to be,” the coach added. “He’s also developing a very good perimeter game.”
A.J. Langston - “A.J. is going to surprise a lot of people this season,” the coach stated. “He’s playing really well early and could play at the two or three position. He might also have to play some point guard if injuries continue to dictate.”
Langston has a good outside shot and has a smooth drive to the hoop.
Underclassmen looking for varsity minutes include:
Danny Tanksley - The 6’ 4” sophomore forward adds a lot of depth to the front line. According to the coach, he’s one of the team’s best offensive players shooting from 15 feet in. With seven seniors graduating this year, Tanksley will need to step up and develop to play a much larger role next year.
Josh O’Hora - A junior, the 6’ 2” swing guard should add depth to the perimeter.
Jared Anstine - Another sophomore, adds more depth to the guard position and is a very active defensive player.
Jacob Borgen - Another tall tree, the junior stands 6’ 4” and gives good quality depth down low.
Season Overview
Speaking on playing in the Missouri River Valley East Conference, Coach Wescott is looking forward to the competition. “We’re going to be playing some teams that we’ve never played before and should be good for the kids. There will be a lot of parity in the conference with several teams including us that should be fighting for a conference crown. Look for Higginsville, Knob Noster and Richmond also to have quality teams.”
The coach feels that the conference winner could easily have two or three losses. “I think in order to win the MRVC East, we’ll have to win our home games and prevail at least half of the time on the road.”
He also said that the new district the Eagles will be competing in should be pretty tough. Teams such as Hogan Prep, Lee’s Summit Community Christian and Barstow should be very competitive.
The season will begin for the Eagles Monday, with a home game against the Clinton Cardinals beginning at 6 p.m.
By Steve Sullins
Editor