LEADER CLINTON COUNT Y
Thurs., May 18, 2023 |
Plattsburg, Lathrop and Gower, Mo.
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LATHROP SCHOOLS
Bowers hired as next LES Principal by brett adkison leader editor
The Lathrop R-II School District has found its next elementary principal. The Lathrop R-II Board of Education approved the hiring of Stephanie Bowers as the next
COVID
Pandemic comes to a close after three years
Lathrop Elementary School principal on Wednesday, May 10. She’ll begin with the 2023-2024 school year, replacing the outgoing Chauncey Rardon, who recently announced he’ll be taking a principal’s position in Kearney. Rardon has been the LES principal since
2003. Bowers, the wife of LHS Principal Robert Bowers, has been teaching second grade at Lathrop since 2021. She said she’s thrilled and honored to be the next principal at LES. ||Continued on A2
CROSSING THE STAGE
INSIDE One Section | 12 pages
Three more to resign at LR-2 Lathrop schools continue to see high teacher turnover, school board approves new food services provider. || PAGE A6
Title time in Clinton County All three local baseball teams will play for district championship, while track athletes punch tickets to state. || PAGE A7
by brett adkison leader editor
Though COVID-19’s official designation as a public health emergency has drawn to an end this month, the virus is expected to play a small-but-continual part in American life for some time to come. COVID was especially difficult in Clinton County, which spent much of the pandemic (beginning in the winter months of 2020) as the deadliest county per capita in Missouri. Ultimately, Clinton County is closing out the pandemic era having suffered 120 deaths and 5,699 confirmed cases for a population of approximately 21,000 people. New cases are likely to continue, but Clinton County Health Director Blair Shock said that those counts are tough to quantify now, as the availability of at-home testing increased as the pandemic progressed. Shock said that, as health department officials transition away from emergency response and back to regular operations, there are some key points that people should
Sheriff ’s Report Get a comprehensive look at what went on in law enforcement the previous week throughout Clinton County. || PAGE A3
Plattsburg High School said goodbye to its seniors on Sunday, May 14, with its annual graduation ceremonies at PHS. Lathrop and East Buchanan will both hold their graduations this Sunday, May 21. Be sure to check out The Leader’s annual commemorative graduation section covering all three schools on Thursday, June 1. (Above, left to right) Plattsburg graduates Jazelle Bingham, Caidyn Bentz, Jenna Baumli and Gracie Arnold. (Left) 2023 Plattsburg Valedictorian Wyatt Moran receives his diploma. brett adkison | the leader
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Community........A3 Opinion..............A4 Legals..............A10 Sports...............A7
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COMMUNITY
The inspirational Cory Wohlford passes at 60 by steve tinnen leader publisher
A multitude of teammates, competitors, players past and present, friends and family gathered at Grace Community Church in Smithville on Tuesday to show their respect for Coach Cory Wohlford, who passed away on Wednesday, May 10, at his new town home in Smithville.
The identical twin son of the late Jon and Rebecca Wohlford of Trimble, Cory left a distinguished mark on the playing field as a youth and later as an assistant coach for 35 years for the Smithville Warriors. As remarkable as his achievements were on the playing field for Plattsburg High School and William Jewell College, it was the impact that he had
on the players he coached from his wheelchair that was recalled at this funeral service on Tuesday, May 16. During the funeral service, his twin brother Chris spoke of them discussing some very important decisions that needed to be made. Cory was facing the end of his life, and plans for the funeral needed to be arranged. Chris recalled how
they needed to determine where to hold the services, since the Paradise Methodist Church would not be big enough. “I told him his church in Paradise would not hold the crowd. ‘You are a pretty big deal,’” Chris said as he wiped away his tears. A ‘pretty big deal’ was an understatement, as hundreds attend-
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VOL. 128, NO. 29