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There are a number of Lions members who have approached area individuals and businessmen trying to establish a club for the Memphis community., and they plan to continue speaking with area business leaders and individuals today, then they will return to the area next Thursday, May 5th, and host a follow up meeting for individuals at Keith’s Cafe in Memphis on Monday May 7th at 7:00 p.m..

New Missouri District 26 Governor Lisa Alexander was one of our guests on Coffee Break yesterday (Wednesday) morning from the Creve Coeur area near St. Louis.  Also travelling with the group is Hal Griffin, new Lions Club Development Consultant for Lion’s Clubs International in Abilene Texas.

Nearly everyone knows about Lion’s Club’s efforts in our area over the years.  What started out as an all-male members organization, now includes women as well.  Lion’s Clubs International has been known for their donations of glasses to adults and children who need them, as well as organizing a Missouri Lion’s High School All-Star football game and any number of other projects.

Griffin says one of the advantages to having a Lion’s Club in an area is when it comes to dealing with disasters, after a disaster, any community with a Lion’s Club will automatically receive ten thousand dollars in an emergency, for disaster use.

There was a Lions group in Memphis years ago, and anyone wanting to help organize a Memphis Lions Club chapter may contact Lisa Alexander at 314-258-1069, or Hal Griffin at 325-677-7770.  That’s 314-258-1069, or 325 677-7770.  Memberships cost a one time fee of thirty dollars.  There must be at least 20 members for a Lion’s Club to be established.  The group says they have already signed a number of people up, but again, there must be at least twenty people in order for a Lion’s Club to be officially chartered.

Among the lucky few were Vernon Southards of Moberly, who took home $174,000.00 as a Show-Me Cash winner.  Amanda Bainter of Quincy was a $50,000.00 Scratchers winner.  Former Memphis resident Nerenda Butler-Langley of La Plata and Brian Hilderman of Livonia split $30,000.00 as Scratchers winners.  Langley is the daughter of Ron and Deb Fischer, formerly of Memphis, now from Kirksville, and Bobby Butler, formerly of Kahoka.  Langley is also the niece of KMEM News and Programming Director Rick Fischer.

Andrew Miller of Hillsboro was a four thousand dollar Scratchers winner.  Diana and James Wheeler of Brookfield were one thousand dollar Scratchers winners, as was Angela Justice of Edina.  Other one thousand dollar Scratchers winners included Jackie Hooper, Sr.; Samuel Mickels; James Powell; Robert Stewart; and Virgie Wamsley of Hannibal.  Gregory Miller and Clifton Brunk of Kahoka each won one thousand dollars in the Scratchers game, as did Gregory Case of Keokuk and Kirksville residents Evelyn Koenig and Chad Stearman of Kirksville and Christopher Rowsley of LaGrange.  Macon resident Toni Davis won one thousand dollars in the Scratcher’s contest, along with Nancy Brady of Moberly, Elizabeth Glaspie of Novinger; James Shelton of Quincy;  and Bradley Willey of Shelbyville.

There are many activities going on this weekend in the area.  One of the many activities will be a Hunter Safety Education course at the Luray school tonight (Friday March 16th) and tomorrow.  The course is free, open to the public, and required for anyone who wants to hunt who was born on or before January 1, 1967.  Children must be at least 11 years of age at the beginning of the class to attend..  You may pre-register online by going to MDC.MO.GOV and click on Hunter Education, then on Find a Hunter Ed Class.  You also need your Social Security number, and people are welcome to bring their own food and drink.  Hours are from 6:00 to 10:00 Friday night and 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. tomorrow.   Students must attend both days of classes to be certified.  Parental attendance is not required, but is strongly encouraged.

There are also many activities scheduled for tomorrow at the Shrine of St. Patrick in St. Patrick, Missouri in southeastern Clark County.  Pictorial cancellations may be sent through March 30th to Postmaster, St. Patrick, MO, 63466 USA, and there is no charge for the cancellation. 

Envelopes, Post cards and Shrine Souvenirs will be available all day in the Shrine basement, with coffee and donuts served from 9-11:30 a.m. tomorrow in the shrine basement.  Colleen McNally-Harris of Youngstown, Ohio will present a free concert at 11:00 a.m.with an encore performance at 2:45 p.m..  A special storyteller will entertain at noon, and a Roast beef and Ham Dinner will be presented in the Shrine Basement from 11:30 to 2:30 p.m. with Father Paul Hartley andMass at the Shrine at 4:00 p.m. Saturday..  You may visit the Shrine of St. Patrick website at saintpatrickshrine.com.

The Missouri Lottery recently awarded over 8.6 Million dollars in lottery winnings in the last few weeks, and at least one lady from our area really hit it big when Chanel Miller of Hannibal took home $100,000.00. Cynthia Kelley of Ottumwa took home three thousand dollars in the Scratchers game. Catherine Courtney of Canton won two thousand dollars. Terry Genovese of Bowling Green one thousand and nineteen dollars. One thousand dollar Scratcher’s winners included Jo Cannon of Bowling Green, Riy Clark, Misty DeWitt, Randall Kreebaum, Karen Long, Crystal Orr, Penny Person, Teresa Powell and Charles Spegall of Hannibal all won one thousand dollars in the Scratchers game, along with Brian Lile, Toni Matticks, and Danielle Russell of Kirksville. Other one thousand dollar scratchers winners included Arthur Eyeman, Blanche Harris, Billy Lea, and Sara Nute of Macon.

A 33- year old Donnelson, Iowa man enjoyed just over a half an hour of freedom when he briefly escaped custody before being picked up at the Catfish Place restaurant near Arbela.

The story began when Joshua J. LaBrasca was apprehended by the Missouri State Highway Patrol yesterday morning and charged with a third offense of driving while intoxicated.  The story gets more interesting from there…

The Missouri State Highway Patrol brought LaBrasca in for processing at the Scotland County Sheriff’s Department, and according to Chief Deputy Bryon Whitney, as LaBrasca was being processed at 11:50 a.m., LaBrasca reached for his cell phone, then escaped from the dispatch center by fleeing on foot.

LaBrasca was located at the Catfish Place Restaurant at around 12:24 p.m..  It seems upon his arrival in the Catfish Place parking lot, LaBrasca came upon a Memphis Police Department officer, who was sitting on the car LaBrasca was trying to pick up to get away.

LaBrasca was then taken into custody by the Memphis Police Department and charged with the Class D felony of Driving While Intoxicated-Third Offense, being a persistent offender, and escape from custody while under arrest for a felony offense, a Class D felony.  Other charges are also pending.

Bond for LaBrasca was set at fifty thousand dollars cash only, with a court date of February 22nd at 1:00 p.m….

The Memphis City Council held their regular monthly meeting this past Thursday evening at Memphis City Hall.

Some of the main topics discussed at the meeting included the June 8th Relay for Life.

In unfinished business the council approved the wastewater management agreement with All States Consultants regarding the City Lagoon.  The preliminary engineering report detailed what needs to be done to improve the city’s wastewater management.

The council also reviewed the statement of qualifications for engineering at the airport, and approved to continue with the current company’s services.

The council also opened truck bids to purchase a new vehicle for the water department, with the council directing water superintendent Stacy Alexander to purchase a new truck with the possibility of replacing two older ones, provided the vehicle meets certain requirements.

A work session/study group meeting for the council has been set for February 16th at 6:30 p.m. to discuss a number of issues that need to be followed up on.

The next regular city council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 1st at 6:30 at Memphis City Hall.   Regular Memphis City Council meetings are always open to the public.

Recently officials interested in a highway 63 expansion project in the Bloomfield area attended a transportation day with the Iowa Legislature in hopes of promoting the highway’s expansion to four lanes. The group talked with legislators regarding the need for a gas tax increase for road repairs and upgrades, but were informed that right now, there is no money available from the Iowa Department of Transportation to fund a four laning of highway 63 in the Bloomfield area.

The National Weather Service reports snow is continuing to apread over our area, with mostly light snow falling.  Periods of snow are expected over the next hour, followed by diminishing snow.  There will be bursts of heavier snow, reducing visibility at times to less than a mile.  As temperatures fall to the freezing mark or lower, accumulating snow may produce slick roads.  Snowfall especially in Iowa could amount to as much as an inch. 

Roads, bridges and overpasses may be slick and hazardous due to the accumulating snow.  Be extra cautious on bridges, overpasses, and in flat, open areas exposed to the elements, as those areas could prove to be slick over the next few hours.

Anyone interested in promoting Northeast Missouri is invited to attend a special event in February in Jefferson City.  The event has been dubbed “Fall In Love With Northeast Missouri”.  The theme of the event was suggested by First District State Representative Craig Redmon.  Redmon is promoting the event by contacting legislators expected to be in attendance.

The event will be held in the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City Monday February 13th.

Macon County Economic Development Director Denise Bennett is coordinating the event.  Bennett was the featured speaker at yesterday’s Scotland County Rotary meeting, where Bennett talked about the event and what her office can do for anyone interested in bringing small businesses to their community….

“Fall In Love With Northeast Missouri” is an event patterned after “Greater Northwest Missouri Days” in Jefferson City. 

14 communities will be showcased at the event, and representatives from those communities will have the chance to showcase what their communities offer to Missouri legislators, and discuss legislative priorities as they relate to economic development in our area.

Booth space is full at the event, which will showcase a number of businesses from counties including Scotland, Schuyler, Clark, Adair, Knox, Lewis, Macon, Marion, Randolph, Chariton, Ralls, Monroe and Montgomery counties.

Registration for the event is $25.00, with registrations due by February 1st by contacting Denise Bennett, Macon County Economic Development Director at 660-385-5627, or by e-mail at maconed@cvalley.net.

Both vehicles involved in the accident were southbound on highway 63 just south of Ottumwa.

The Iowa State Highway Patrol reports 30-year old David Monohon of Bloomfield lost control of the vehicle he was driving, on an icy surface.   The vehicle went out of control, crossed into the median, and was struck by a southbound semi driven by 60 year old Calvin Masters of Ottumwa.

The vehicle Monohon was driving landed in a ditch.  The semi driven by Masters ended up on its side.

Monohon was taken to Ottumwa Regional Hospital for treatment of what were termed non-incapacitating injuires.

The accident occurred around 7:05 Sunday morning.  Officials handling traffic at the scene were on scene for approximately 12 hours directing traffic, unloading the semi,  and getting it out of the ditch.  The semi had reportedly been carrying a load of dog and cat food.