Issuu

Easter withdraws from race

He had ﬁled for a full fouryear as 1st District county commissioner as an independent candidate. Withdrawal assures Power will be elected to position.

PRESTON COLE

Princeton Post-Telegraph

PRINCETON, Mo. The race for Mercer County’s 1st District commissioner position in the Nov. 5 general election is now a one-man race.

Current 1st District Commissioner Cheston Easter took his name out of the running last Monday morning (Aug. 19).

“As of this morning (Aug. 19), I had signed paperwork to withdraw my ﬁling as an independent for 1st District commissioner, in support of Denny Power,” Easter said in an email

to the Post-Telegraph Power, a Princeton resident, won a three-person race for the Republican nomination for 1st District commissioner during the Aug. 6 primary election, defeating Jerod VanGenderen and Amy Cool. No Democrat filed for nomination in that party. Easter had filed as an independent candidate before the July 26 deadline to file and appear on the Nov. 5 ballot. His withdrawal guarantees Power of winning the four-year term on the Mercer County Commission that begins Jan. 1, 2025. Easter had served as 1st District commissioner since April 2022, following the death of Commissioner Shane Grooms. Gov. Mike Parson had appointed Easter to fill Grooms’ unex-

COURTESY OF THE SPARKS FAMILY Fern Sparks of Princeton celebrated her 102nd birthday with family and friends at her home on Saturday, Aug. 17 with cake and homemade ice cream. Family and friends in attendance included Tracy and Lorraine Bryan of Sturgeon, Mo.; Ted and Mary Fry of Tebbetts, Mo.; Dean and Betty Sparks of Tarkio, Mo.; Misty Stark of Princeton; Rhonda Thomas of Mokane, Mo.; Rene, Mason and Gabe Haeckel of Jefferson City, Mo.; Kerri, Halle and Henry Richards of Sturgeon, Mo.; Claire Battson and Lana Scott of Jefferson City, Mo.; and numerous friends and neighbors. Fern would like to thank everyone for their calls, cards, visits and ﬂowers.

pired term.

Rural Mercer resident Gary Porter won the Republican nomination to become the 2nd District’s nominee, also in a three-person race to replace Zach Martin on the commission. Porter also will have no opposition in the Nov. 5 general election.

New business opens in downtown Princeton

A new business, The Look, is now open in downtown Princeton. Owner Erin

the Princeton Chamber of Commerce’s ceremonial scissors last Monday (Aug.

ness is located in a downstairs ofﬁce space in the former US Bank building.

Princeton water/wastewater project continues

The

Fern Sparks celebrates 102nd birthday

PRESTON COLE/Princeton Post-Telegraph Princeton’s water/wastewater has reached downtown, with digging up streets on all four outside corners of the square. The project is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2025.

Knapp wielded

26).

busi-

HOW TO CONTACT US

Princeton Post-Telegraph

PO Box 286/704 West Main Princeton, MO 64673

Phone: 660-748-3266

Fax: 660-748-3267

Email: posttele@grm.net DEADLINES

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There are early deadlines for next week’s Princeton Post-Telegraph. Please see box on Page 1 for details.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR AD!

If an error is made in your ad, we will be happy to correct it. However, we are not responsible for errors that appear for more than one week.

ALL garage sales (and similar sales) MUST be paid for in advance, unless you have an account that is in good standing.

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

All real estate and/or houses, and all rental housing and/or property, advertised in the Princeton Post-Telegraph newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. We will not knowlingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

EDITOR’S NOTICE

The receipt of news, advertisements, letters to the editor, and/or press releases by the Princeton Post-Telegraph DOES NOT constitute an agreement to publish such news, advertisements, letters to the editor, and/or press releases. All news, advertisements, letters to the editor, and/or press releases will be published at the discretion of the editor. At all times, the editor reserves the right to edit, amend, and/ or delete any and all information at will, with or without explanation.

The limit of liability of the Princeton Post-Telegraph takes no responsibility for advertising, legal and/or non-legal, not published. The Princeton Post-Telegraph takes no responsibility for the non-publishing of news, letters to the editor, and/or press releases.

GUNS & AMMO

WOOD’S GUN SHOP

5 Miles South of Ravanna 660-748-5795

9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday 1-5-2023-ufn

Boyer Land Company LLC

Aaron Franklin, Sales Agent Princeton, MO 64673 660-748-6314 YOUR REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST! 1-5-2023ufn

NO HUNTING

NOTICE - Hunting and trespassing with dog and/or gun, trapping or ﬁshing on land owned or leased by the undersigned is strictly forbidden. You are hereby warned to keep off these properties. Trespassers will be prosecuted.

No tresspassing for any reason on land that we own or lease. John & Linda Baughman. 9-28-23-52tp

No hunting, ﬁshing or trespassing on property owned, leased or rented by Joe and Victoria Ryan. 4-27-23-52tp

Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on Highland Farms land owned and operated by Dixie Berger, Joe Berger & Steve Berger. 5-16-24-52tp

Absolutely NO TRESPASSING, including but not limited to hunting, ﬁshing, hiking, mushroom hunting and drones on land owned and/ or rented by FRJ Family Farms, LLC. 3-23-23-52tp

Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on land owned by Barbara & LeRoy Hider 10-10-23-52tp

NO HUNTING OR TRESPASSING on any land owned by LAKE MARIE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION. 7-28-23-52tp

No hunting or trespassing of any kind, including but not limited to use of dogs or drones, on land owned by Diane Houk and Jenny Bomgardner. 9-28-23-52tp

Absolutely NO TRESPASSING, including but not limited to hunting, ﬁshing, hiking, mushroom and drones on land owned and/or rented by KRW5 Trust (Keith or RaeLynn Weaver) 10-5-23-52tb

STORAGE UNITS

For Rent - Storage unit. Elm Street Storage, Princeton. 660-748-3619. 8-1-ufnb

CORRECTIONS

& CLARIFICATIONS

The Princeton PostTelegraph strives for accuracy and fairness in all of its news stories and photo captions. If you feel we have made an error, please contact us at 660748-3266 or posttele@ grm.net (email) to request a correction. If it is found we are in error, we will be happy to publish a correction or clariﬁcation.

Mercer school board sets tax rate, adjusts teachers’ salaries

New levy is just over two cents higher than before. Action taken to get teachers’ pay to $40,000 PRESTON COLE

Princeton Post-Telegraph

MERCER, Mo Members of the North Mercer County R-3 Board of Education set the 2024-25 property tax rate during the annual tax rate hearing, held at the start of the board’s monthly meeting on Aug. 12.

The six board members present at the time accepted Suprintendent Wade Hall’s recommendation to set the levy at $5.2115 on the $100 of assessed valuation. That’s a slight increase - 2.21 cents - over the 2023-24 tax rate of $5.1894. It’s also slightly less than the district’s tax rate ceiling of $5.25.

The Mercer district’s assessed valuation went up almost $169,000, to $19,845,572.

Board secretary/treasurer Kailer Stevenson was not present for the tax rate hearing, but he arrived in time for a scheduled board training session led by Emily Omohundro of EdCounsel.

Consent agenda approved

The board approved the consent agenda which consisted of paying bills, ﬁnance reports, the boys/girls basketball report, the transportation report, and evaluations of the food service, ﬁnance, summer school, and facilities and grounds program.

Board member Makella Hagan abstained from voting because one of the bills was from her employer, Conrad & Higgins LLC. The company performs the district’s annual ﬁnancial audit.

Hall told the board the district has received the 21st Century grant, which will pay $2,000 toward

I-Ready. CSIP update

Hall said Cycle 2 of the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) process will start during the 2024-25 school year. The district will get guidance on how scoring will work, and the cycle will focus on implementation and monitoring on the CSIP. He’d like the board to pick two or three priority goals the district should focus on, and improving math scores should be one of those goals.

New business

• The board approved the Annual Secretary of the Board Report, which is an end-of-year ﬁnancial report. The fund balance was 54.59% at the end of the year.

• The district’s local special education compliance form was approved. This is an annual exercise for the district to adopt the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Model Compliance Plan.

• The board received a list of teachers who will be paid to increase their salaries to the state minimum salary of $40,000 under the state’s teacher baseline grant. Those teachers are Sherri Barker, Melissa Eakes, Larissa Elvins, Joanne Fisher, Amy Hall, Lindsay Landis, Dan Martin, Laura Mason, Brady McElvain, Heather Michaelis, Heather Moorman, Kasen Purdun, Danessa Stout and Jaxson Waterbury.

• 2024-25 handbooks for students and staff were approved. Hall had gone over changes during the July meeting. Cell phone lockers have been installed and will be under video surveillance at all times.

• Hall told the board the cost for adult lunches has to be increased

by 50 cents. The board approved the increase, which raised the price to $3.95.

• The board approved a new policy for board members. Members and candidates for board positions no longer have to ﬁle with the Missouri Ethics Commission unless they meet certain criteria.

• The Sept. 9 meeting may be moved to a different date. Mercer has a home softball game scheduled at 6 p.m., which is the same time board meetings start. The board consensus is to change the meeting date if two or more members can’t attend that night.

Regardless, the meeting will be held in the agriculture education building.

• Principal Amy Huse noted teachers have been attending meetings before the start of classes, which was Aug. 20.

• Hall reported that projects are ﬁnished, and maintenance staff was working on last-minute items. A new boiler has arrived but hadn’t been installed yet.

He said the technonogy transition to QNS has had its “ups and downs,” and that the weight room had been fogged for ﬂeas.

Hall reported that this year the district will undergo a federal program review. A representative of a school bus company will be checking the district’s bus ﬂeet.

• After a closed session, the board employed Ashton Johnson and Kinlee Boothe as paraprofessionals.

Editor’s Note: Information for this report was taken from unapproved meeting minutes provided by district bookkeeper Jennifer Lynn Wilson.

No hunting or trespassing on any land owned by Bill and Peggy Heck. 5-30-52tb

No hunting, trespassing or ﬁshing on property owned, leased or rented by Shirley or Joe Don Pollard. 4-19-24-52tp

Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on Choate property at any time. 3-28-24-52tp

Absolutely no hunting with guns or dogs, ﬁshing, or trespassing on land owned by Berndt Farm and Berndt Twin Lake Inc. 11-10-23-52tpP

No hunting or trespassing on Cox family property - Andy and Donna Cox, and Robert and Tina Cox. 12-3-22-104tpP

No trespassing on property owned by Shandra Morin 4-11-24-52tp

Postal Service must be held accountable

SAM GRAVES

Special to the Post-Telegraph TARKIO, Mo. Americans hold dear the sacred right to vote. We should exercise that right every time we have the chance, expecting our vote to count.

Missourians seeking to vote absentee can request a ballot by mail, provided they meet the criteria and provide proper identification. Now, I’m a firm believer in voting in person on Election Day. However, there are folks who simply can’t do that, whether they are disabled, serving our country, or ill. They should be able to vote, confident that their ballot will arrive to the county clerk on time.

One problem - the mail showed up late. Some county clerks in northeast Missouri were shocked to discover absentee ballots arriving in the mail after the election was over. The ballots were mailed with plenty of time to get there. Yet, the US Postal Service couldn’t get them where they needed to go on time, and they didn’t count. It’s absolutely infuriating.

There are reportedly measures in place to ensure that election mail gets where it needs to be on time. Yet, that didn’t seem to work in this case.

It isn’t surprising though. as it’s not just election mail that’s getting lost or delayed; it’s our prescription medication, our bills, and our time-sensitive business documents. Most everybody seems to have a horror story right now, both in north Missouri and around the country.

I’ve sounded the alarm with USPS, calling for them to get their act together. This problem isn’t the fault of local letter carriers; it lands squarely at upper management’s feet and their failure to operate processing centers effectively. If we’re going to have to send every darn piece of mail to these centralized centers just for it to get sent

COMMENTARY

right back to the town it originated from, somebody needs to ensure it actually makes it back to our communities on time.

I’m not giving up on this ﬁght.

I’ve introduced the Pony Up Act to hold the Postal Service accountable for late deliveries. They've recently completed an audit that shows they have serious issues that need to be ﬁxed in the Kansas City area. I’m going to make sure they do the same at the St. Louis-area facility that services northeast Missouri. We can't let them off the hook.

I’m so sick of the Postal Service’s excuses. It’s always something, and people still aren’t getting their mail. The services that the Postal Service provides are vital and needed. We’ve got to ensure they do their job and do it right, so folks get their mail on time, whether it’s a bill, prescription medication, or a ballot.

Sam Graves is north Missouri’s 6th District representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Editor’s note - Here’s our example about the Postal Service: Last Friday (Aug. 23), we received our Aug. 21 edition of the Leon (Iowa) Journal-Reporter. No complaint there. Here’s the complaint: On Aug. 21, we received our Aug. 7 edition of the Journal-Reporter. It’s 33.8 miles from Leon to Princeton, via paved roads; it took the USPS 14 days to get a newspaper 33.8 miles.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment for religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Beware of politicians who promise lower prices via government action

PAUL HAMBY

Special to the Post-Telegraph MAYSVILLE, Mo. Beware of politicians promising lower prices through government intervention.

Three thousand, eight hundred sixteen years ago, King Hammurabi of Babylon implemented one of the ﬁrst government edicts for price controls. Known as “Hammurabi’s Code” the written laws had the opposite effect of the stated goals.

Merchants ﬂed Babylon because they could not operate proﬁtably.

Government mandated price controls always have the unintended consequences of distorting the market - ultimately creating less goods available to the consumer.

In 1970, Cambridge, Mass., imposed harsh rent controls on residential properties. After years of suppressed investment and frustration, the citizens of Massachusetts banned rent controls in a referendum. The failure of these policies became obvious after they were abolished. Within a few years, investments in housing units doubled. (Isabelle Morales, atr.org) Over the past 4,000 years there have been many examples of governments implementing price controls. Not just liberals and dictators. Republicans are guilty too.

On Aug. 15, 1971, President Richard Nixon told Americans: “I am today ordering a freeze on all prices and wages throughout the United States.” After a 90-day freeze, increases would have to be approved by a “Pay Board” and a “Price

MERCER COUNTY 4-DAY WEATHER

National Weather Service - Pleasant Hill/Kansas City, Mo.

Time of forecast: 7 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26

Thursday, Aug. 29: Mostly sunny, 40% rain chance; 91/64

Friday, Aug. 30: Mostly sunny, cooler; 82/58

Saturday, Aug. 31: Sunny; 82/58

Sunday, Sept. 1: Mostly sunny; 80

Forecasts reﬂect daytime high and overnight low temperatures. Weather forecasts change often. Check local radio, weather radio, or the NWS website (www.weather.gov) for the most recent updates.

PRINCETON POST-TELEGRAPH MISSION

STATEMENT (What we try to do every week)

“Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it because in the process WE WILL CATCH EXCELLENCE.”

Coach Vince Lombardi

LIBERTY THOUGTS

Commission,” with an eye toward eventually lifting controls - conveniently, after the 1972 election.

Economist Milton Friedman correctly predicted the outcome of Nixon’s policies: ‘It ended in utter failure and put in place the conditions that led to runaway inﬂation.” Gasoline shortages and lines at the gas pumps became common. Ranchers stopped shipping their cattle to the market, farmers drowned their chickens, and supermarket shelves were empty because the supply chain was disrupted by government intervention.

The economic troubles during the Ford and Carter administrations were a direct result of Nixon’s abandonment of free market principles.

In 2008, President George W. Bush told us “sometimes you have to abandon free-market principles to save the free-market system.” The 2008 economic crash was largely caused by the Bush administration's bad economic policies. One such policy distorted the housing market by forcing banks to make risky loans. In 2024, we are still paying the price for those bad policies.

Economist F A Hayek: “Those who set price controls on food, rent and goods, don’t have all of the knowledge necessary to make the decisions that they make yet they proceed on the pretense that the information that they do have is all that is needed.”

Hayek continues; “The recognition of the insuperable limits

to his knowledge ought indeed to teach the student of society a lesson of humility which should guard him against becoming an accomplice in men’s fatal striving to control society – a striving which makes him not only a tyrant over his fellows, but which may well make him the destroyer of a civilization which no brain has designed but which has grown from the free efforts of millions of individuals.”

“Indeed, there is not a single episode where price controls have worked to stop inflation or cure shortages. Instead of curbing inflation, price controls add other complications to the inflation disease, such as black markets and shortages that reflect the waste and misallocation of resources caused by the price controls themselves,” David Meiselman wrote in the foreword to the book Forty Centuries of Wage and Price Controls

Beware the politician promising a better day when they push price controls or promise policies to “stop price gouging” no matter if they represent Red Team R or Blue Team D.

OBITUARIES

Hunter Gregory Independence, Mo.

Hunter Nelson Gregory, 12, of Independence, Mo., passed away Saturday, August 17, 2024 at an Independence hospital.

He was born April 16, 2012 in Blue Springs, Mo., the son of Zachary Nelson Gregory and Lisa Rae Maupin.

Hunter attended Bridger Middle School in Independence as a sixth grader.

He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Tom and Jeanne Davis and Ron and Diane Gregory.

Survivors include his parents, Zachary Gregory and Lisa Maupin and brother, Caden Ray Maupin of Independence; grandparents, Nelson Ross and Beth Gregory of Princeton, Mo., Stephanie and Edward Wayda of Smithﬁeld, Va., and JoAnn and Philip Johnson of Princeton.

Hunter’s funeral service was held Saturday, August 24 at Roberson Funeral Home in Princeton. Inurnment will be at a later date in Salem Cemetery at Mill Grove, Mo. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.

Jim Collier

Mercer, Mo.

James “Jim” Dale Collier, 77, of Mercer, Mo., passed away Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at his home after a 5½-year battle with cancer and is now at peace.

He was born October 12, 1946 in Trenton, Missouri the son of Harry Dale and Telitha Glendoris “Pink” (Ragan) Collier.

James attended and graduated from Mercer High School in 1964. After graduating from high school, he traveled to Davenport, Iowa for employment at a glass factory until 1966. In August 1966, Jim volunteered for the U.S. Army draft, where he served in Vietnam and was honorably discharged on August 2, 1968. After being discharged, he attended Trenton Junior College for agricultural vo-tech.

On August 31, 1969, he married Frances Charlene Lentz. Together, they purchased a home west of Mercer, Missouri where they lived for 55 years until his death. During this time, they raised two daughters, Terri Lynn and Tiffany Michelle.

Throughout his lifetime, he worked in construction and farming while ending his career in the hog industry. He was an avid ﬁsherman, ad-

venturous hunter, skilled poacher, game warden eluder, anytime hand ﬁsherman, ruthless card player and a ﬁrearm advocate, just to name a few of his unorthodox qualities. In his latter years of life, the hell raising, cigarette smoking and whiskey drinking way of life slowed down, while his love for card playing and gambling continued.

On the ﬂip side, his love for his community showed in his dedication to the various boards he served on, including the Mercer County Rural Water Board, the Park and Recreation Board, Marion Township and multiple cemetery boards. He was also a member of Ragan-Hickman American Legion Post 477 in Mercer and Princeton VFW Post 7159.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Dale and Telitha Glendoris, along with a brother-in-law, Dale Clapham.

Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Charlene of Mercer; daughters, Terri (David) Nigh and Tiffany (Jason “Ace”) Siemer of Princeton; four grandchildren, Andrew (Casey) Lovewell, Columbia, Mo., Shaylee Henley (Taylor Rhoades) of Corydon, Iowa, Bre Siemer (Austin Last) of Clay Center, Kan., and Blaze Siemer of Mercer; seven great-grandchil-

dren, Blakely, Collins and Hunter Lovewell of Columbia, Rage West and Laken Rhoades of Corydon, and Jedson SiemerSharp, Kallum SiemerLast of Clay Center; two sisters, Jean Clapham of Princeton and Jeanette Collier (Russ England) of Topeka, Kan; a niece, Glenda Thompson (Darryl); nephews, John, Christopher and Brenden Armstrong; along with numerous extended family members.

His funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 31 at Mercer Assembly of God Church. Inurnment with military rites will follow at Middlepoint Cemetery, Mercer. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Friday at the church. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.

SCHOOL FOOD

All menus subject to change. PRINCETON

Breakfast is available to all students. It is served with a choice of 1% white milk or skim chocolate milk. Cereal is available as an option every day except where noted. Fruit and juice are available every day. Nutri-grain bars

are available on select days. Monday, Sept. 2: no school.

Tuesday, Sept. 3: pancakes, sausage patty.

Wednesday, Sept. 4: breakfast pizza.

Thursday, Sept. 5: scrambled eggs, toast. Friday, Sept. 6: biscuits, sausage gravy. Lunch is served with the choice of 1% fat-free white milk or fat-free chocolate milk. Students in grades K-5 have the choice of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or the menu entree. Students in grades 6-12 have the option of a chef salad or the entree every day unless noted. All bakery items are whole wheat or whole grain. Fruit is served with lunch.

Monday, Sept. 2: no school.

Tuesday, Sept. 3: mandarin orange chicken or grilled chicken patty, egg roll, brown rice.

Wednesday, Sept. 4: parmesan chicken or pork patty, macaroni and cheese, green beans, fruit salad.

Thursday, Sept. 5: pot roast or hamburger patty, mashed potatoes, brown gravy, buttered carrots, roll.

Friday, Sept. 6: chicken nuggets or toasted ravioli, tater tots, but-

tered peas, dessert.

MERCER Breakfast is served with orange juice and white or chocolate milk. Cereal is an optional entree.

Mondays: egg entree. Tuesdays: cereal, toast. Wednesdays: breakfast roll. Thursdays: sausage, pancakes. Fridays: biscuits, gravy.

Lunch is served with milk. A salad bar and fruits and vegetables are available every day, except where noted. Students in grades PK-6 will have the choice of option A or a chef salad. Students in grades 7-12 will have the choice of either option or a chef salad.

Monday, Sept. 2: no school.

Tuesday, Sept. 3: a) chicken and noodles; b) chicken huggets; mashed potatoes, green beans, roll.

Wednesday, Sept. 4: a) hot dog; b) deli sandwich; steamed broccoil, chips.

Thursday, Sept. 5: a) ﬁsh ﬁlet; b) soft taco; macaroni and cheese.

Friday, Sept. 6: a) nacho supreme; b) chicken sandwich, fries; refried beans.

Three board members re-elected during GRM Networks meeting

Special to the Post-Telegraph PRINCETON, Mo. The 2024 Annual Meeting of the stockholders of Grand River Mutual Telephone Corporation d/b/a GRM Networks was held at last Wednesday (Aug. 21) at the GRM Networks corporate ofﬁce in Princeton, Mo.

Directors with terms expiring were John McCloud of Spickard, Mo.; Allan Mulnix of Bethany, Mo.; and Kyle Kelso of Garden Grove, Iowa. All were re-elected for threeyear terms.

Thirty-seven people attended the meeting at the ofﬁce and 1,719 were represented by proxy. Proposed bylaw changes were approved.

The Board of Directors

Pictured above from left to right are Kyle Kelso of Garden Grove, Iowa; Allan Mulnix of Bethany, Mo.; and John McCloud of Spickard, Mo. They were re-elected to the GRM Networks Board of Directors at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the stockholders of Grand River Mutual Telephone Corporation d/b/a GRM Networks. The meeting was held at last Wednesday (Aug. 21) at the GRM Networks corporate ofﬁce in Princeton.

elected ofﬁcers at their regular board meeting held immediately following the Annual Meeting. Elected were president Gregg Davis of Chula, Mo.; vice president Mark Yungeberg of Princeton; secretary Bruce George of Allerton, Iowa; assis-

Mercer enrollment on opening day declines

Total enrollment, including preschool, is 23 fewer kids than at start of 2023-24; 133 in grades K-12 PRESTON COLE

Princeton Post-Telegraph

MERCER, Mo.

First-day enrollment in the North Mercer County R-3 School District was 133 students in grades K-12 when the 2024-25 school year began last Tuesday (Aug. 20). There were also nine children enrolled in the preschool program, bringing the total student count to 142, 23 fewer than at the start of the 2023-24 academic year.

K-12 enrollment for the last day of the 2023-24 term was not available, making a comparison impossible.

Mercer’s biggest classes are sixth grade and the sophomore class, each with 15 students enrolled. The smallest class was seventh grade, which has six students. There are 74 elementary (grades K-6) students enrolled, and 59 at the junior/senior high school level - 16 in grades 7-8, 43 in grades 9-12. Class sizes: Kindgarten, 8; ﬁrst grade, 11; second grade, 8; third grade, 9; fourth grade, 12; ﬁfth grade, 11; sixth grade, 15; seventh grade, 6; eighth grade, 10; freshmen, 7; sophomores, 15; juniors, 7; seniors, 14.

LAND TRANSFERS

Monday, Aug. 19

• Linda Newman to Gary Lee Bass.

• Dannie Gilchrist to Eric Rasmussen.

• Kaitlyn Boozell to Mike Homedale.

Wednesday, Aug. 21

• El Sargent Associates to SCRH Properties LLC.

• SCRH Properties LLC to Diane R. Cutler, trustee, et al.

ADVERTISE

in the Princeton Post-Telegraph

tant secretary Ray Meyer of Conception Junction, Mo.; McCloud, treasur-

er; and Mulnix, assistant treasurer.

R-5 sees slight increase in enrollment on opening day

Princeton had six more students enrolled on ﬁrst day than on same day of 2023-24 term

PRESTON COLE

Princeton Post-Telegraph

PRINCETON, Mo. The Princeton R-5 School District started the 202425 academic year last Tuesday (Aug. 20) with slightly more students enrolled than at the end of the previous term.

First-day enrollment for grades K-12 was 314 students, six more than were enrolled at the end of the 2023-24 academic year (308). The previous term began with an enrollment of 337.

Enrollment was pretty even in Princeton’s two classroom buildings, with 155 in grades K-6 in the elementary building and

159 in grades 7-12 in the junior/senior high school building: 46 in junior high (grades 7-8) and 113 in high school (grades 9-12).

Class sizes in the elementary building range from 27 in kindergarten down to 14 in fifth grade. Class sizes: Kindergarten, 27; first grade, 24; second grade, 25; third grade, 20; fourth grade, 23; fifth grade, 14; sixth grade, 22. At the junior/senior high school, class sizes range from 32 in the sophomore class to 22 in eighth grade. Class sizes: seventh grade, 24; eighth grade, 22; freshmen, 28; sophomores, 32; juniors, 25; seniors, 28.

COURTESY GRM NETWORKS

Princeton R-5 is recipient of $50K educational grant

Money will be used to help staff become fully certiﬁed teachers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. The Princeton R-5 School District has announced it has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Patterson Family Foundation through the Rural School District Educator Development 2024 grant program. This funding will provide crucial support for paraprofessionals, substitutes, and other district employees seeking education, training, and licensing to become fully certiﬁed teachers.

The Rural School District Educator Development 2024 grant is designed to assist rural school districts in developing their educational

SERVICES

Bernard Vogel

Princeton, Mo.

A memorial graveside service and inurnment for the late Bernard William Vogel of Mercer, Mo., will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30 at Middle Point Cemetery of rural Mercer.

The service will be held under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home of Princeton, Mo. Mr. Vogel’s body was cremated under the direction of the funeral home.

Mr. Vogel died at his home at Mercer on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024.

Memorials to Middle Point Cemetery may be mailed to Roberson Funeral Home, PO Box 316, Princeton, MO 64673.

Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.

workforce by offering funding assistance for professional development and certiﬁcation. This initiative is particularly signiﬁcant in helping rural districts address teacher shortages by enabling local district employees to achieve full teaching credentials.

The grant funds will be utilized to assist current staff members working toward additional certifications and new employees pursuing initial certification. “This investment in our district’s educators is expected to have a lasting impact on the quality of education for our students, ensuring they are taught by highly qualified professionals who are rooted in the community,” Superintendent Jerry Girdner said in a statement formally announcing the grant.

“The Princeton R-V School District is grate-

ful for the grant funds from the Patterson Family Foundation, which will play a pivotal role in our ongoing efforts to build a stronger, more capable educational workforce,” Girdner added. “We look forward to seeing the positive outcomes this grant will bring to our students, staff, and community.”

About the Patterson Family Foundation

The Patterson Family Foundation, based in Kansas City, Missouri, is a family-led foundation that extends the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson. The Foundation’s mission, “Working together to help rural communities thrive,” is carried forward through strategic grantmaking and other collaborative initiatives that serve rural counties across Kansas and western Missouri. Learn more at pattersonfamilyfoundation.org.

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COMMISSION

MERCER COUNTY COMMISSION

Report taken from minutes of meetings of the Mercer County Commission. All votes are unanimous unless otherwise noted. Monday, Aug. 19

• Future commissioners Gary Porter and Denny Power were in attendance.

• Minutes of the Aug. 5 meeting were approved. This includes the open session and a closed session.

• Time sheets and the Aug. 15 payroll were approved.

• Sheriff Jeff Spencer spoke to commissioners.

• Bills were approved and paid.

• Commissioners Jerry Allen and Cheston Easter voted to appoint Jim Clark as Marion Township trustee upon the resignation of Jim Collier. Commissioner Zachary Martin abstained.

• Allen signed Progress Invoice #14 for BRO-B065 (42) Bridge #01300281 (Badger Street) in the amount of $312,008.19 for construction purposes; Progress Invoice #15 for BRO-B065 (42) Bridge #01300281 (Badger Street) in the amount of $9,924.64; Progress Invoice #8 for Bridge #25300041 BRO-B065

(41) in the amount of $4,905.91; Progress Invoice #6 for Bridge #07900221 BRO-R065 (001) in the amount of $2,446.28; and Progress Invoice #6 for Bridge #18700021 BRO-R065 (002) in the amount of $2,716.07.

• Commissioners received the balance of delinquent taxes dated July 31 from Collector/ Treasurer Susan Moore, veriﬁed by County Clerk Judy Hamilton. They also received the balance of protested taxes from Hamilton.

• A bid opening was held on a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado crew cab pickup. Two bids were received: $20,733 from Shawn Powell and $10,000 from Tracy Kilen. Commissioners voted to approve Powell’s bid.

• Commissioners and Hamilton signed a certiﬁed copy of order authorizing Moore to pay the following:

* $41.80 to the Princeton Post-Telegraph for advertising and $48 to Grundy Electric Cooperative Inc. for utilities (money taken from Lindley Township Fund #43);

* $24.93 to Cardmem-

ber Services for election expenses (money taken from LEA Fund #41);

* $2,920 to postmaster (money taken from Treasurer’s Maintenance Fund #24; * $46.40 to Stratton Hats for uniform expenses (money taken from Sheriff’s Revolving Fund #35); and

* $390 to Willis Girdner for training expenses (money taken from Sheriff’s Training Fund #5).

• The county received the July sales and use tax reports from the Missouri Department of Revenue for the county’s use on Aug. 7.

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

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Cainsville R-1 shows slight enrollment drop

New principal/AD, counselor, two teachers added to staff

PRESTON COLE

Princeton Post-Telegraph

CAINSVILLE, Mo. The Cainsville R-1 School District reported a total enrollment of 82 students last Wednesday (Aug. 21), the ﬁrst day of the 2024-25 academic year.

That total, which includes 14 students in preschool, is two students fewer than were enrolled on the ﬁrst day of the 2023-24 school year. Enrollment on last year’s ﬁnal day was not available.

Enrollment for grades K-12 was 68, ranging in size fron one student in seventh grade to nine in the junior class. There are 35 students in grades K-6, seven in grades 7-8, and

Magna lingua

27 in grades 9-12. Class sizes:

Kindergarten, 2; ﬁrst grade, 7; second grade, 4; third grade, 7; fourth grade, 4; ﬁfth grade, 6; sixth grade, 5; seventh grade, 1, eighth grade, 5; freshmen, 5; sophomores, 5; juniors, 9; seniors, 8. New staff members

Cainsville R-1 has four new staff members this year. They are Mike Tipton, K-12 principal and athletics director; Lisa Prichard, counselor; Nesa Otto, grades 4-5; and Dennis Eastin, grades 6-12 ELA.

Tipton said the school hosted an A+ night and open house last Tuesday evening (Aug. 20), and said both were well attended.

Texas attorney Brittany Lacayo’s tongue has earned her a page in the Guinness Book of World Record’s. It’s 3.11-inches-wide, exactly the same size as the average length of a woman’s tongue, according to the Guinness judges. A fellow by the name of Brian Thompson holds the male record. His 3.49-inch tongue is not that much wider than Brittany’s lingua.

DIVISION II CIRCUIT COURT

Judge Matt Krohn

NOTES: Persons listed in this report are Missouri residents unless otherwise noted. Addresses shown are those of the defendants on the day their cases were heard. Defendants in criminal cases were represented by counsel unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, Aug. 20

• State vs. John Loran Hollingsworth, Mercer: Hollingsworth appeared without counsel on a Class D misdemeanor charge of driving while revoked or suspended (ﬁrst offense). He was advised of his right to counsel, which

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

he waived. He was arraigned and entered a plea of guilty. He was ordered to pay a $200 ﬁne, $94.50 in court costs and $300 to the county law enforcement restitution fund, and was to pay on the day he appeared in court. An appearance was scheduled for Sept. 3 at 9 a.m. to check payment.

• State vs. Tara Gayle James, Kansas City: James did not appear on a Class C misdemeanor charge of exceeded posted speed limit by 11-15 mph. At the state’s request, cause continued to Sept. 3 at 9 a.m. The court clerk sent James a letter informing her of the new court date.

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CAINSVILLE

MELANIE CHANEY

Jordann Doty of Maryville Mo., won reserve grand champion market lamb at the Missouri State Fair. She is the daughter of Philip and Randa Doty, granddaughter of David and Teresa Doty and great-granddaughter of Carolyn Ross of Cainsville. Jordann is a member of the Northeast Blue Jays 4-H club. her lamb weighed 161 pounds.

Fall Fun Day at the Cozy Cabin in Cainsville will be Saturday, Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.The business is owned by Ron and Sherri Barton.

Softball jamboree at Pattonsburg Thursday, Aug. 29. High school softball at Mercer Sept. 3 at 5:30 p.m. Home Softball at Cainsville Sept. 5 at 6 p.m.

Approximately 29 Cainsville graduates, including their spouses, attended a get together

at the home of Jared and Kim Rardon on Aug. 24. Good times, amazing memories and catching up with friends was enjoyed by all. Plans for another get together next year are in the works.

Herman, Melanie and Damien Chaney attended the wedding of Ricky Chaney and Sabrina Day in Melbourne, Mo., on Aug. 24.

Kenny and Barb McLain, Miranda Miles, Corben and Maudy Hutton, Bill and Becca Deskins, and Herman and Melanie Chaney met Tim and Amanda Zerbe in Trenton for supper to celebrate Amanda's birthday on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

CWF of the Christian Church hosted their annual picnic lunch Thursday, Aug. 15. The guest speaker was Bruce Williams of Bethany. He spoke about the church’s past and present in and around the Cainsville area. Guests were Rachel Wooden, Jo Johnson and Bruce Wil-

liams of Bethany, and Lester Mattinson, Gary Crouse, Larry Polley and Ed Meinecke from Cainsville.

Rich and Helen Frisbie visited and had supper with Carrie Levis and Jim Bob Cook at Nine Eagles on Saturday night.

Lila McLain attended a picnic lunch Saturday, Aug. 24 at the home of Kay and Randall Thomas in honor of Randall's 70th birthday which was Aug. 26. Those in attendance were Walker and Emily Thomas, Kansas City Mo., and Nathan, Sierra, Kaylynn, Mckinley, Berkeley and Tristan Wolf of Maysville Mo.

Sympathy to the family and friends of Hunter Gregory, who recently passed away. He was the great grandson of Phil and JoAnn Johnson.

Sympathy to the family and friends of David Carpenter, who recently

passed away.

As usual I will need news for next week’s papers. I know I’m not the only one who is doing stuff or knows about stuff going on, so let’s hear it people!! Thanks a million!

MERCER CO. HEALTH DEPT.

305 West Main, Princeton 660-748-3630 SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE

Blood pressure clinics Friday, Sept. 6, 11 a.m., Mercer County Senior Center, Princeton; Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2 p.m., Oakwood Terrace, Princeton.

WIC services Thursday, Sept. 12 and 26, at ofﬁce, by appointment.

After hours immunization clinic Wednesday, Sept. 11, 4-5 p.m.

Open lab Friday, Sept. 20, 8-10 a.m., by appointment.

Other items

• Car seat event: Friday, Sept. 20, 1-4 p.m.

• Safe Kids Northwest Missouri Coalition meeting: Thursday, Sept. 26, 1 p.m.

• Child Passenger Safety Week is Sept. 15-21. This annual campaign focuses on keeping children safe while traveling, including the proper use of car seats, boosters, and seat belts. Stop by the ofﬁce to make sure

your child’s car seat is right for them, and that it’s installed correctly. • Fall Prevention Awareness Week is Sept. 23-27. The department will be sharing information on reducing the risk of falls. From home safety to physical activity and exercise, there are many ways to help older adults live without fear of falling.

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