The Index from Hermitage, Missouri • 1

59 5 7197 ST HISTORICAL CORNER HITT AND LOWRi ST COLUMBIA mo 65201 kftfluf Conservation Pool X390 MSL Full Pool 8790 MSL Elevation Today 84094 MSI Discharge to River 1 000 cu ft sec or 750 gal sec Tunnel Outlet Temperature Lake Surface Temperature Water Conditions: Clear THURSDAY APRIL 17 1997 VOL 113 NO 4 IN TWO SECTIONS Serving Hickory County and the Lake Pomme de Terre Area" Fslablishdri IWK I 0 BOX 127 HERMITAGE MO 65668-0127 Dndax 50 PLUS TAX USPS 261500 Phone 417 745-6404 417 745-6244 Fax 417 745-2222 Second Darby murder suspect pleads guilty charged with the abduction and subsequent murder of Darby following an investigation that spanned four years Darby had called her son just minutes before the abduction When he arrived a few minutes later she was nowhere to be found Rush was convicted for his role in the killing of Darby and is currently serving a life sentence in prison In letters from prison to other prisoners Rush had provided grisly details of the murder Chaney was convicted of child abuse in January of this year by a jury in Morgan County Marvin Chaney a partner with lus hall-brother Jess Rush in the 1991 abduction rape and murder of Trudy Darby has avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty to the crime Chaney appeared in Callaway County Circuit Court last Tuesday morning where he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping Judge James A Franklin Jr pre-nded and sentenced the 34-year-old to imprisonment for life without possibility of parole plus 15 years on the kidnapping charge The Camden County Prosecutor said the sentence would guarantee that Chaney dies in prison Chaney the older brother in the murder claimed he was an alcoholic at the time and remembered nothing of the crimes On the night of January 19 1991 Chaney and Rush and probably two other men dragged former Hickory County resident Trudy Darby out of the Convenience Store east of Macks Creek where she worked Evidence indicated they threw her into the trunk of their car took her to a bam raped and shot her Her body was found two days later in the Little Niangua River in Hickory County Chaney and Rush were both occupied by vendors when the project is completed this year The old log buildings were located throughout the area dismantled by volunteers and then reassembled on the square Promoters hope the area will become a tourist attraction and tour bus stop Work is progressing on a major sidewalk project at the Pioneer Village on the Wheatland square Here John Wagner and George Duffin set forms in preparation for pouring concrete later this week Electrical lines sewer and water have been run to the buildings so they may be Area boards of education elect officers were sworn in with Moulder elected as president Danny Webster vice president David Williams treasurer and Helen Peavey sucre tary The hoard accepted a bid for a new school bus for next fall approved a contract with the Coca-Cola company for three years approved a long range planning committee and discussed the preliminary budget for next year Sarah Hicks submitted her resignation as she is moving from the area The board will meet April 21 at 7 pm Missy Hamby as requested Notarized requests were to be filed by the parents authorizing someone other than the parents to pick up their children Tim Brenner and Rick Kellison cast dissenting votes The board voted (hat for future senior trips all such parental requests be submitted prior to the regular March meeting when the final sen mr trip itinerary is presented for board approval The regular monthly meeting of the board was set for the fourth Wednesday night with the exception of November and December when it will be held on the third Wednesday night The Hermitage School Boanl met April 7 and swore in incumbents David Turpin and Lisa Roberts who were re-elected at the April I election Bonnie Carter was elected as board president Terry' Turner vice president Bob Acker secretary and Gary Simpson treasurer The Macks Creek School Bixed met April 4 and certified the April I election results Kathy Moulder Joseph Rooffener and Carl Mankey surplus agency Greg Hunt Janet Gordon and Lowell Pearson cast dissenting votes Board secretary Janice Poe requested that she not be considered for the position of secretary for the next term beginning July I A letter as received from I jura Guinn requesting that she be allowed to pick up her daughter Darla Guinn when the senior class trip cruise ship returns to port The boanl voted 5-2 to allow Mrs Guinn to pick up Darla Guinn mid Tamara Gosncll and Elaine Walker to pick up Shelby Walker and Dampier Ruth Ann Werts was elected as board president James Dampier vice president Debbie Nance treas urer and closed session secretary and Karen McCoy as secretary The board then held a closed session with no closed session action reported In an April 7 session of the Wheatland School Board Marilou Baldwin and Kallwcit were administered the oath of office following the certification of their election April 1 Greg Hunt was elected board president Lowell Pearson vice president and no one elected as secretary Before considering the election results the board voted 4-3 to keep a service truck purchased from a Area school boards have met in '-pecial sessions as required by state statutes to reorganize following the April I elections The Skyline School Board met April 4 and administered the oath of office to incumbents Kevin Ethridge and Myles Yates who were re-elected The board elected Nathan War- stadt as president Melvin Green as vice president Jerry Bybee as sccre- tary mil Myles Yales as treasurer In other action the board employed Shelia Glaring as special education teacher for the next school year In an April 3 session the Weaubleau School board approved the results of the April I election and administered the oath of office to Danny Shoemaker and James Commissioners sell car consider roads make new county plat books but advised the company that no funds (Continued to Page 3A) lad heen recognized as such for several years hut not indicated as such on the maps met with Pattv Koehler ami finalized a grant application for funds to support the homeless considered a proposal from a plat book printing company to The sale of a county sheriffs patrol car to the city of Weaubleau and several county mail issues were handled by the county commission ers in recent sessions After a request hv the Weaubleau City Council the commissioners voted to sell a 1991 Chevrolet pa trol car and appurtenant equipment to Weaubleau for $557130 Weaubleau Mayor Susie Mathiesen presented a check to the county in that amount for the vehicle In olher matters the commissioners: approved three requests from GTE for permits to hury cables on county road rights-of-way with a stipulation that the cables lie buried 24 inches deep with representatives of the four county schools to discuss the current county reassessment program ordered by the state considered a request for finan cial assistance from the Cross Tim hers American Legion Post ire I notified the post of the commissioners' support of the project hut inability to provide financial assis lance because of legal prohibitions reviewed proposed legislation pending in the Missouri House ol Representatives and Senate: a hid of $523 73 from Ozark Telephone and Electron its to move communications cables in the circuit clerk and recorder ol ficcs authorized the installation ol a 'top sign on the easthound lane of County Road 25 at the intersection of CR 21 ami CR 24 near Weaubleau authorized the assessor lo extend County Road 2 IX on his maps to show the road going all the way lo the rivei as a county road since Nuckolls completes skill training Robert Nuckolls Jr of Weaubleau has completed a training program on heatingair conditioningrefrigeration (HVACl mechanics at Vattcrott College in Springfield Nuckolls acquired skills in installation maintenance and service procedures for heating and air conditioning systems and in methods of servicing domestic and commercial refrigeration units Stephens on duty in Japan Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Stephens a 19X5 graduate of Hermitage High School recently reported for duty with 3rd Supply Battalion 3rd Force Service Support Group Okinawa Japan He joined the Navy in September 19X5 Class of '57 plans reunion The Wheatland graduating class of 1957 is planning a 40-year reunion at the Wheatland High School alumni banquet May 3 1997 All 1957 WHS graduates and others in that class are invited to join the reunion at 5 for visiting and the banquet R-4 to discuss grade policy A committee of students teachers and parents from the Hermitage School met April to discuss the possibility of a weighted grade policy for the district Positive and negative aspects of such a program were examined and the group decided to have an open meeting on the topic Hie meeting will be in the multipurpose room at 6 30 on Monday Apnl 21 After this meeting the committee will decide upon a course of action R-1 athletic banquet to be May 8 I he Hickory County I athletic department and the Skyline Booster Club will host a spring athletic banquet May at 6 30 pm The organizations will recognize the efforts ol students who partici paled in girfi and boys basketball and boys baseball along with the cheerleaders and drill team members Atter acontributive dinner letters and awards will be presented by the coaches ash family is asked to bring a dessert and salad or veg ctahlc dish as meal dishes drinks and table service will be provided pairs and service to its fleet of vehicles along with buses from the Hermitage School District Maintenance service for the Hermitage buses will be provided on a per hour basis This large metal building is now in use at the Wheatland School as a bus maintenance facility It is large enough to house four buses inside plus four more under each side covering The school district plans lo provide mechanical re.