Day: September 8, 2022

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is conducting its annual search for a large Christmas tree for use on the governor’s mansion lawn in Jefferson City. MDC is asking landowners, homeowners, businesses, and communities that may have possible candidate trees to contact the Department.

If you’re a homeowner or a landowner who happens to have a large evergreen tree on your property, you might be interested in selling it to the Missouri Department of Conservation for use as the Governor’s Christmas tree. Selling a tree to the MDC could provide a unique opportunity to earn some extra cash, as well as contribute to the holiday spirit of the Governor’s Mansion. Alternatively, if you’re a homeowner looking to sell your property, you may want to consider contacting Jackpot Offer, a company that buys and sells property. They can offer you a competitive price and streamline the selling process, so you can move on to your next adventure.

MDC is looking for a tree that is about 30 to 40 feet tall. The preferred species for the tree is eastern red cedar, Norway spruce, or white pine. The best candidates will be fully branched on all sides and easily accessible by large equipment.

The right tree may either be near the end of its life or may need to be removed for other reasons. Often evergreens are planted too close to homes and buildings and eventually grow too large for the space.

“Most of the trees we find were planted decades ago and have outgrown their space at the end of their life,” says MDC Community Forestry Coordinator Russell Hinnah. “Having that tree displayed at the governor’s mansion is a great way to share their beauty with thousands of Missourians who visit the mansion during the holidays.”

Once the tree is selected, MDC staff will coordinate the cutting and delivery of the trees to the governor’s mansion at no cost to the owners. The donor will receive a thank-you from the governor and an invitation to the lighting ceremony, which usually occurs the first Friday in December.

Hinnah asks people to take photos of candidate trees and email them to holidaytrees@mdc.mo.gov. Be sure to include a contact telephone number, location of the tree, and several pictures taken from different angles and distances. Candidate tree nominations can also be submitted by mail to: Missouri Department of Conservation, ATTN: Mansion Christmas Tree, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102.

All entries must be submitted by Oct 7. Full guidelines are available at mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/governors-mansion-christmas-tree-search. For more information or questions, contact MDC Communications Specialist Holly Dentner at 573-751-4115, ext. 3110, or Holly.Dentner@mdc.mo.gov.

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Each year thousands of people admire the Christmas tree and holiday décor at the governor’s mansion in Jefferson City. MDC is conducting its annual search for a large Christmas tree for use on the governor’s mansion lawn this season.

Maintenance and emergency maintenance equipment operator spots available

Hot Missouri summers eventually give way to cold Missouri winters. When the snow starts falling, travelers in the Show-Me State depend on the Missouri Department of Transportation to keep the highways cleared. MoDOT, in turn, relies on a dedicated team of Winter Weather Warriors who can take on whatever the season delivers to keep Missouri moving.

Right now, MoDOT has several full-time maintenance and emergency maintenance equipment operator positions open throughout the state. Salaries start at $17.55 per hour, depending on level of experience and area of operation. This position is also eligible for an additional $3 to $6 per hour when working winter/emergency operations activities.

“It’s not just a winter job,” said Natalie Roark, MoDOT’s maintenance director. “Opportunities for year-round employment include mowing, striping and other maintenance functions to keep Missouri roads safe for all who travel on them.”

Full-time maintenance employment requirements:

• 18 years old.
• High School Diploma or GED/HiSET.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Passing grade on the written portion of the commercial driver’s license (CDL) exam prior to hire date.
• Passing grade on the driving portion of the CDL exam with tanker endorsement, no air brake restrictions (Class B), within 60 days after being hired.
• Successful completion of a work simulation examination and a medical-physical examination.
• Pre-employment drug test and criminal background check (a misdemeanor or felony conviction is not an automatic restriction to employment).

 Emergency Maintenance Equipment Operator requirements:

• 18 years old.
• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Class A or B with no air brake restrictions.
• Pre-employment drug test and criminal background check (a misdemeanor or felony conviction is not an automatic restriction to employment). 

 Full-time maintenance employees receive full training and a long list of other benefits including retirement, paid leave, medical, vision and dental insurance; and a culturally diverse workplace that is dedicated to safety and personal development.

 “This is a great opportunity to start a new career with MoDOT,” Roark said. “We’re looking for service-oriented professionals who are interested in a career where they can make a difference in the lives everyone who travels in our state,”

To learn more about this opportunity, or to apply online, go to www.modot.org/careers.

A Windsor, MO resident is in custody after a lengthy theft investigation by the Vernon
County Sheriff’s Office. On August 13, 2022, the VCSO took a report of a theft of 3
zero-turn mowers from Heritage Tractor (John Deere) in Nevada worth an estimated
$33,200.00. Detectives began gathering surveillance footage from the business and other
nearby businesses. Footage of a suspect was sent to area law enforcement agencies and
throughout the investigation detectives also identified a second suspect in the case.
Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher said investigators were able to back track from the
theft and see where the suspects had been prior to the theft. “They found two suspects in
the theft were at Orchelyns, Buzz’s BBQ and Pilot before the theft,” said Mosher. The
Sheriff said the investigators were able to identify additional stolen items from Orchelyns
during the investigation.
During the investigation, investigators began conducting surveillance in Windsor, MO
involving one of the suspects. During the surveillance investigators gathered information
that led to a search warrant in conjunction with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
During the search warrant, 2 of the 3 John Deere lawn mowers were recovered along with
2 John Deere tractors that are suspected to be stolen from the same business in 2021. The
investigation is continuing, and property is still being identified. It is estimated that
nearly $60,000 worth of stolen property was recovered during the operation.
Once suspect has been taken into custody and identified as 32 year-old Nathan M
McCormack of Windsor, MO. McCormack is being held in the Vernon County Jail on a
$50,000 cash only bond.
*This press release has been issued by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office for information only. Any

Pleasanton Kansas will have their city-wide garage sale on Saturday. October 15^th.

If you are having a garage sale and would like to be on the map, contact the Pleasanton City Hall at 913-352-8257 by October 7^th.

The Pleasanton citywide garage sale maps will be printed in the Linn County News on October 12^th.