Ridgeway News -- April 29, 2026

CITY NEWS:  Thank you to all those involved in fixing the Ridgeway water tower after it was discovered that there was a hole in the tank! After several days of low water pressure, the tank was fixed, though at this time we are still under a boil order. Thank you to city clerk Brooklyn for keeping us updated through the week as things progressed. It was definitely a baptism by fire for our new mayor, Todd Jennings and our new city workers!

Are you ready for some more Bingo? After taking a break for April, Bingo will return to the Ridgeway Community Room at 6:30 pm on Monday, May 4. There are always three winners per game and lots of prizes for all ages. Free-will donations are accepted for snacks and prizes and donations of snacks are deeply appreciated. Fun for the whole family! The event is sponsored by the Ridgeway Community Betterment Association.

If you love to scrapbook, RCBA would appreciate your help! The RCBA Scrapbookers have been taking a break for the past few months, but will meet again this Saturday, May 2 from 10 am to noon at Paula’s Sewing Corner at 408 Main Street. They have been working on a scrapbook of RCBA events and projects which is displayed at events that RCBA sponsors. If you would like to join the group, we would love to have you!

SCHOOL NEWS: Due to the situation with the water tower, the Spring Concert has been rescheduled to Friday, May 1 at 6 pm in the gym. The public is invited to attend and support the students. The Farmer / Community Appreciation dinner will be held after the concert.

The middle schoolers are MAP testing this week. Elementary school students will have their MAP testing next week and the high schoolers will take their end of course exams. Good luck to all the students as they approach the end of the school year!

Both junior high and varsity East Harrison track teams are at South Harrison in Bethany today (April 29) competing in the HDC track meet. The JV teams will compete tomorrow at Worth County and the varsity will be at South Harrison again. Good luck and GO BOBCATS!

Next week is the Ridgeway PTO Teacher Appreciation Week!

SOCIETY: Our condolences to the family and friends of Earl Bender who passed away last week.

Our condolences also to the family and friends of Bill Linthacum who also passed away last week.

Bob’s Place just announced that they will now be open on Thursdays again!

CLOSING: If you know of any events or plans around town that you would like to see shared with others, please send me the details by Sunday evening! Thank you for reading! Wave to your neighbors!

Upcoming Events

Apr 27 – Community Sewing Group, Ridgeway Baptist Church, 1pm – 4 pm

Apr 27 – Ridgeway Community Betterment Assn 4th of July meeting, 7 pm, TBA

May 1 – Spring Concert & Farmers’ Appreciation Dinner, 6 pm, Ridgeway School Gym

May 2 – RCBA Scrapbooking, 10 am to 12 pm, Paula’s Sewing Corner, 408 Main St,

May 4 – Bingo! 6:30 pm in the Ridgeway Community Room

May 11 – Ridgeway Community Betterment Assn meeting, 7 pm, Ridgeway Community Room

May 14 – Ridgeway R-V Preschool Graduation, 5:30 pm

May 18 – Board of Aldermen meeting, 6 pm, Ridgeway Community Room,

May 22 – Ridgeway R-V Last Day of School, Award Assembly, 8:30 am, 9 am, 9:30 am

June 26-27 – Citywide Garage Sales

July 4 – Ridgeway 4th of July Celebration

Ridgeway News Updates

To send in an item for the Ridgeway News or subscribe to the email list, send an email to RidgewayCBA@gmail.com. Emailed copies are sent out Friday mornings at 6 am.

You can find every Bit of History item as well as flyers for upcoming events on the RCBA website: ridgewaycba.blogspot.com

For the most current updates, follow RCBA on Facebook! Find it by searching for @RidgewayCBA.

Bit of History -- April 29, 2026

Beginning January 1956, the Ridgeway Lions Club sponsored the “Missouri-Iowa Talent Show”, a monthly event in the Ridgeway field house. It was held on the second Monday of every month for a year and the “four top acts to broadcast over KIOA, Des Moines.” The grand final winner would be featured on Channel 7, KWWL-TV in Waterloo, IA. (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Jan 4, 1956)

The winner of the January contest was four year-old Pamela Maxwell, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roe Maxwell. In addition to getting to be on the radio, she won a table top radio set. Riggs Smith took second place by playing a baritone solo and Sharon LaFollette took third with her vocal number. They each received a wrist watch. The article also noted that the first grand winner, Brenda LaFollette would be on television on March 10, 1956 on station KWWL. (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Jan 11, 1956)

Ridgeway News -- April 22, 2026

 CITY NEWS:  The Ridgeway Community Betterment Association met last Monday and began making plans for the upcoming 4th of July celebration.  As our nation is celebrating 250 years this year, they want to do some fun things to celebrate.  They are working on ideas to hold old-time games in the park in the afternoon after the post-parade dinner such as three-legged and wheelbarrow races, tug-of-war and horseshoes.  They are also thinking up new ideas for the parade.  They will be looking for volunteers to help with the parade and organize the games.  If you would like to help, they are holding an extra meeting on Monday, April 27 at 7 pm.  The location will be announced later.  Contact a member of the board for more information.

Are you ready for some more Bingo? After taking a break for April, Bingo will return to the Ridgeway Community Room at 6:30 pm on Monday, May 4. There are always three winners per game and lots of prizes for all ages. Free-will donations are accepted for snacks and prizes and donations of snacks are deeply appreciated. Fun for the whole family!

SCHOOL NEWS:  Due to the situation with the water tower, the Spring Concert has been rescheduled to Friday, May 1 at 6 pm in the gym. The public is invited to attend and support the students. The Farmer / Community Appreciation dinner will be held after the concert. 

Next week begins MAP and end of course testing for the Ridgeway Owls.  Good luck to all!

The track teams will be busy next week.  Both junior high and varsity track teams will be at South Harrison competing in the HDC track meet on Wednesday, April 29.  Then the junior high track teams will go to Worth County for competition on Thursday, April 30 and the Varsity teams will return to South Harrison.  Good luck and Go BOBCATS!

SOCIETY: The community sewing group will meet next Monday, April 27 from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Ridgeway Baptist Church.  All are encouraged to attend and help the members work on items for both local and overseas service projects.  You do not need a sewing machine or experience to join, just a willing heart and hands.

Upcoming Events

Apr 27 – Community Sewing Group, Ridgeway Baptist Church, 1pm – 4 pm

Apr 27 – Ridgeway Community Betterment Assn 4th of July meeting, 7 pm, TBA

May 1 – Spring Concert & Farmers’ Appreciation Dinner, 6 pm, Ridgeway School Gym

May 4 – Bingo! 6:30 pm in the Ridgeway Community Room

May 11 – Ridgeway Community Betterment Assn meeting, 7 pm, Ridgeway Community Room

May 14 – Ridgeway R-V Preschool Graduation, 5:30 pm

May 18 – Board of Aldermen meeting, 6 pm, Ridgeway Community Room,

May 22 – Ridgeway R-V Last Day of School, Award Assembly, 8:30 am, 9 am, 9:30 am

June 26-27 – Citywide Garage Sales

July 4 – Ridgeway 4th of July Celebration

Ridgeway News Updates

To send in an item for the Ridgeway News or subscribe to the email list, send an email to RidgewayCBA@gmail.com. Emailed copies are sent out Friday mornings at 6 am.

You can find every Bit of History item as well as flyers for upcoming events on the RCBA website: ridgewaycba.blogspot.com

For the most current updates, follow RCBA on Facebook! Find it by searching for @RidgewayCBA.

Bit of History -- April 22, 2026

In the April 27, 1911 edition of the Ridgeway Journal, the editors proudly announced that the Journal was celebrating its 20^th anniversary of publication. “For twenty long years the Journal has worked faithfully in the newspaper vineyard to advertise Ridgeway and make it the business place and well known town that it now is;”

The Journal was founded in April 1891 by C.M. and Frank Jaqua. “They published the paper together for a few years when C. M., purchased his brothers interest.“ C. M. Jaqua published the paper alone until 1906 when he sold it to Frank Dougtherty and moved to Warrensburg to take over the paper in that town. The paper changed hands several times in the next few years and in 1911, it was owned and operated by F. M. Spragg and Son. “The present owners have found publishing the Journal to be a pleasant and interesting as well as a satisfactorily remunerative work, and have tried to make each issue interesting and welcome by its many readers.”

The Ridgeway Journal remained in publication over 50 years. It continued to operate under various editors until December 1941 when publication ceased after a valiant attempt to keep it going after the death of its owner/editor Celebe C. Cline.

Ridgeway News -- April 15, 2026

CITY NEWS: Congratulations to Ridgeway’s new mayor, Todd Jennings! Joe Kerns and Bridget Kampman will continue in their roles as members of the Board of Aldermen. All three were sworn into office last Tuesday.  Congratulations also to Miles McGovney, Zeb Cook and Jessie Fortner who were elected to the Ridgeway R-V school board.  The city Use Tax issue did not pass.  

Are you ready for some more Bingo? After taking a break for April, Bingo will return to the Ridgeway Community Room at 6:30 pm on Monday, May 4. There are always three winners per game and lots of prizes for all ages. Free-will donations are accepted for snacks and prizes and donations of snacks are deeply appreciated. Fun for the whole family!

SCHOOL NEWS: The Owl will dance the night away this Saturday at this year’s Prom. The theme this year is “Kickin’ up Country”. Promenade will begin at 6 pm and the public is invited to attend.

The Varsity Track teams will compete at Trenton at the Gary Ferguson Relays on Thursday and the junior high will go to Stanberry to complete. On Monday, both varsity and junior high track teams will compete in the Jim King Relays at Princeton. Next Tuesday, the varsity teams will be at Worth County and the junior high will be in Trenton to complete.

The varsity Scholar Bowl teams will go to the District meet on Saturday at Stanberry.

The Spring Concert will be held on Thursday, April 23 at 6 pm in the gym. The public is invited to attend and support the students.

Good luck to all the East Harrison scholars and athletes!

SOCIETY: Local authors Shelley Tanner and Rosie Oliver will be at the Bethany Library on Saturday, June 6 from 9 am to 11:30 am to sign copies of their books. Shelley lives here in Ridgeway and has published four books and is working on another. She will have some available for sale also during the signing.

CLOSING: If you know of any events or plans around town that you would like to see shared with others, please send me the details by Sunday evening! Thank you for reading! Wave to your neighbors!

Upcoming Events

Apr 18 – Ridgeway RV Promenade 6 pm, Ridgeway school gym. Public is invited.

Apr 23 – Spring Concert & Farmers’ Appreciation Dinner, 6 pm, Ridgeway School Gym

Apr 27 – Community Sewing Group, Ridgeway Baptist Church, 1pm – 4 pm

May 4 – Bingo! 6:30 pm in the Ridgeway Community Room

May 11 – Ridgeway Community Betterment Assn meeting, 7 pm, Ridgeway Community Room

May 18 – Board of Aldermen meeting, 6 pm, Ridgeway Community Room,

May 21 – Ridgeway R-V Preschool Graduation, 5:30 pm

May 22 – Ridgeway R-V Last Day of School, Award Assembly, 8:30 am, 9 am, 9:30 am

June 26-27 – Citywide Garage Sales

July 4 – Ridgeway 4^th of July Celebration

Ridgeway News Updates

To send in an item for the Ridgeway News or subscribe to the email list, send an email to RidgewayCBA@gmail.com. Emailed copies are sent out Friday mornings at 6 am.

You can find every Bit of History item as well as flyers for upcoming events on the RCBA website: ridgewaycba.blogspot.com

For the most current updates, follow RCBA on Facebook! Find it by searching for @RidgewayCBA.

Bit of History -- April 15, 2026

 The Scott Grocery opened in 1948 and in 1956, moved to its final location on the corner of Pine and Main Streets. Originally owned by his parents, Dean and Edith Scott, Berl and Christine Scott operated the store until Berl retired in 1990. In 1996, a replica of the old store was constructed as part of the Farm Land U. S. A. exhibit in the Agricultural Hall of Fame. The exhibit was designed and named by Harold Adkins, a “Mt. Moriah native who served for 12 years as executive director of the Agricultural Hall of Fame.”

Berl helped to set up the Scott General Store at the exhibit. “’I have some ideas how I would like it to look’, said Scott.” He donated several things from his store and a commercial ice box from the old Ridgeway Farmer’s Store and an old antique butcher block from the Farmer’s Store in Mt. Moriah. (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Dec 27, 1995)

I looked at the Agricultural Hall of Fame website and while there are no pictures of the store on their website, there is a short video which lists Scott’s Grocery as part of Farm Land U.S.A. The Hall of Fame reopens to visitors on April 25. If you have seen the exhibits in recent years, or plan to go down there, please let us all know if Scott’s Grocery is still there.

Bit of History -- April 8, 2026

Do you remember the day the old Ridgeway water tower “Tin Man” came down? The old tower was built in 1923 during Ridgeway first city-wide water and sewer project. It stood for over 80 years and was referred to as “Tin Man” most likely due to its pointed cap and round bottom. In October 2004, however, a new water tower with an “ellipsoidal” shape was constructed to replace the Tin Man as it was “no longer feasible to maintain and did not meet OSHA regulatory requirements for worker safety" and “was of riveted construction with lead-based paint”. The water was switched over to the new tower in December and in February, 2005, the old tower was taken down.

To bring it down, the Steelsmith Tank Company “cut the tank in half” and removed the bolts from the tower’s leg braces. “The technique, known as ‘Rocking the Tower’, ensures the tank folds up when it hits the ground.” “As the tank hit the ground, chunks of ice emerged from inside and scattered around the humbled remains.” (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Feb 16, 2005 pp 1, 4)

The Ridgeway students chose the black and gold colors for the new water tower to celebrate their school colors. (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Oct 13, 2004, p 17)

Bit of History -- April 1, 2026

In Ridgeway’s early days, dressing up for Easter was an event in itself. It was a time to show off your Easter finery and especially your new hat. But in 1909, the weather made wearing those new hats a bit difficult. “While the day was one of comparably clear sunshine and not an extra chilly one, a regular Kansas wind made it very disagreeable one to be out of doors.” On Saturday, the weather was fair, but “On Saturday afternoon, the barometer, which had been pointing to fair weather, took a sudden turn and chased itself rapidly back to the point which reads ‘stormy’ in good big letters.”

Sunday started with the wind: “the storm commenced on Sunday morning in the shape of a gale of wind which kept it up throughout the day until after midnight”. At midnight, it started to rain heavily with intervals of snow and sleet. This continued until around noon on Monday when “the clouds broke away and sunshine prevailed once more.” (Ridgeway News, Apr 15, 1909).

Bit of History -- March 25, 2026

 An article in the April 14, 1910 edition of the Ridgeway Journal proudly announced that “Ridgeway can boast of six automobiles, all of the best makes, three Fords and three Velies.” The latest car to be owned by a Ridgeway resident was a Velie touring car, purchased through the Bridges & Bartlett agency here in town. It was bought by Rev. W. H. Hobbs, pastor of the Christian church and “was brought home from St. Joseph” and cost “something over $2000”.

To bring it to Ridgeway, the drivers started at 2 am, but stopped in every town along the way to show off the car. “The machine is a large black forty-horse touring car and is the best machine in the county.”

I found an ad for a Velie sold by the Stanley & Ranger agency in St. Joseph in 1909. The cost for a completely equipped touring car was $1750, which is a little less than $60,000 in today’s money. (St. Joseph Gazette, Sept 9, 1909.) I didn’t find any automobile ads for local dealers, however, I did find a Bridges & Bartlett ad for a Velie wrought iron buggy.

Bit of History -- March 18, 2026

Sometimes to get an idea for this section, I flip through the Ridgeway: Then and Now centennial book.  On page 3 of the book is a picture of several men working on clearing a train wreck. The caption reads:  “Wreck on the Railroad north of Ridgeway in 1903 or 1904.”  I searched for quite a while to find the story on this (there is nothing more mentioned in the book) and I don’t think I found the right article, but I did find this little item about a wreck near Blythedale in the Feb 15, 1906 edition of the Bethany Republican.  The incident also rated an article in the Feb 15 edition of the Ridgeway Journal.   

While the northbound freight train was running between Ridgeway and Blythedale in February 1903 “at the usual rate of speed”, one of the oil cars exploded without warning, “throwing blazing oil over the entire train.”  The next tank car caught fire as well, “as did two cars of merchandise, an empty box car and the way car, all of which were quickly consumed.”  Four men were injured in the wreck with “painful, but not serious burns and bruises. The explosion was so sudden and unexpected that it was with great difficulty that they escaped with their lives.”  The cause of the explosion was not found at the time of the article.  

“A large crowd from Blythedale and surrounding country were attracted to the scene of the wreck, which was quite an expensive one to the railroad company.”

The engine, tender and the next car were not derailed during the accident but there were several small fires that had to be extinguished before they were pulled away to safety.  The engine pictured in the centennial box appears to be off the tracks, so I don’t think this accident is depicted there.