Halloween Events Spooky-good fun this Thursday throughout Clinton County || PAGE A5
LEADER CLINTON COUNT Y
Thursday, October 31, 2024 | Plattsburg • Lathrop • Gower • Cameron |
FREE | “Covers Clinton County Like Dew”
CITY OF LATHROP
Major grant will bring more park upgrades
by brett adkison leader editor
Last year, Burns Memorial Park in downtown Lathrop was revitalized with the addition of a splash pad and new, all-abilities playground equipment. Thanks
to a new grant, the park will see another round of major improvements. The City of Lathrop has received a $235,000 grant from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. It is a 50/50 matching grant that
will be paired with other donations and funding. City funds won’t be used on the project. The grant and other donations will be used to add a bandstand at the park, along with new restrooms
and a new sports court on the south side of the park (including an accessibility sidewalk to the court). All of the additions will be ADA accessible. The Lathrop City Council met on Tuesday, October
15, during which the city opened bids for solid waste collection. The city received just one bid, coming from its current provider, Redgate Disposal, which includes a 7.8-percent increase over the current charges. The bid
will be considered at the council’s next meeting. The council also approved bid requests to be processed for an upcoming street improvement project. The project will focus on ||Continued on A3
VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS
For the first time in program history, the Plattsburg Lady Tigers are district volleyball champions, fending off a furious comeback attempt from Northland Christian on Monday to win the title in five sets (3-2). The Lady Tigers will hit the road this Thursday to face Rock Port in the first round of the Missouri Class 1 State Playoffs. (Above) The Lady Tigers celebrate a point in the district semifinals last week against Faith Christian Academy. For more, see inside this week’s issue of The Leader. brett adkison | the leader
The Lathrop Lady Mules volleyball won its first Class 2 district championship since 1989 on Monday with a victory over KIPP Legacy at LHS. Lathrop will host Adrian in the state playoffs on Wednesday night. See inside for more. (Above) Sadie Dunivent sets the ball Monday for Lathrop. brett adkison | the leader
EAST BUCHANAN SCHOOLS
THE BALLOT
Board approves $9.5 Little local buzz with million lease-purchase Tuesday’s big election The East Buchanan Board of Education held its monthly meeting Monday, October 21, in a rather straightforward manner. Topping off the agenda was an update on the new middle school building project, in which the board learned that the slab preparation, with roughed-in electrical and plumbing, had been completed and the first slab pour was scheduled for Friday, October 25. The vertical construction of the metal part of the building is slated
to begin in the next couple of weeks. Currently, the goal is to have the building form completed by Christmas. The board also approved $9.5 million in lease participation certificates to fund this next phase of the new building. In an academic area, the board approved the district’s participation in a literacy program that gives its students the opportunity to take Spanish courses in high school, and if they choose, they can take an assessment that can make them eligible to receive a certificate which
THE LEADER
INSIDE
by jim bonebrake leader reporter
Est. 1895
Winner of 100+ awards from the Missouri press assoc.
will be recognized by several Missouri colleges to give them foreign language credit at the college level. The board also viewed a video sponsored by a group in Missouri that promotes organ donation by those who choose to participate. Each building principal provided the board with their current building goals for the upcoming year. The next board of education meeting for the district will be held on Monday, November 18, at 7 p.m. in the high school library.
two Sections | 20 pages
Community.........A5 Community.........A3 Opinion..............A4 Sports................B1 Legals................C1
by brett adkison leader editor
While the 2024 General Election is creating buzz both throughout Missouri and the nation, the campaign has been relatively quiet for local politics, and with good reason—Clinton County’s biggest races were decided this past August. With the GOP in firm control of county offices, Democrats declined to file for a single local office, leaving six uncontested races on Tuesday’s ballot. Those races include sheriff,
New Look for East Buchanan A bulldog might be a common mascot, but East Buchanan now has its own unique logo || INSIDE
First District Commissioner, Second District Commissioner, assessor, coroner and public administrator. Three incumbent Republicans—Second District Commissioner Richard Riddell, Assessor Cindy Carter and Coroner Lee Hanks—ran unopposed for re-election. Deanna Utz, a Republican newcomer to Clinton County office, ran unopposed for public administrator. Two races were contested in the primaries in August, with Republican challenger Tyler Walock
unseating incumbent First District Commissioner Jay Bettis, and A.J. Carrel defeating Larry Fish, the incumbent Republican sheriff. At the state level, Clinton Countians will help decide one state house race. Incumbent Eighth District State Representative Josh Hurlbert (Rep.) is running for re-election and will see competition from Sandy Van Wagner (Dem.). The southern half of the county will vote in that race, including most of Gower, ||Continued on A3
Honeycutt Media 102 e. Maple St. Plattsburg, Mo., 64477 (UPS 435580000) 816.539.2111 email: leader@clintoncountyleader.com
VOL. 129, NO. 52