News, News, News?   There's a lot of it, but I'll just address the part that concerns The Osage Valley Vigilantes.  After eleven years we finally had a spat big enough to split the group.  Those who have lead the club for eleven years did not wish to relinquish leadership to new leaders and new ideas.  When they realized the ones wanting change would carry the officer elections in November the President refused to call the meeting.  The V.P. called the meeting. In accordance with Robert's Rules of Order any member could call the meeting. The members present voted to rescind the President.  New officers for 2010 were subsequently elected.  The former president, who was also the webmaster, put an announcement on the website that the Osage Valley Vigilantes had disbanded and that Vigilantes were in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. Not true.  Furthermore anyone being approached by someone purporting to represent the Osage Valley Vigilantes should report them to the IRS.  The former president said there was a loophole in the bylaws that permitted him to disband the club.  Not true.  The IRS did not know anything about this action.  The club had never been registered with the state.  It is now. We are also in good standing with the IRS.

    So, in a nutshell, The Osage Valley Vigilantes is alive and well. We were all very close friends for many years, but  a wound from a friend hurts a little more and takes more to heal. We have parted ways.  They can now do what they want and we'll do what we want.  We have a new web site, theosagevalleyvigilantes.com.   There is some spite on the internet.  Our former webmaster is having general searches for the Osage Valley Vigilantes directed to his new group's new website and claiming the accomplishments of The Osage Valley Vigilantes for his new group that just started up.  Nuff said on that subject.

    More news, Saturday night, February 20, 2010, at the courthouse in the refurbished historical courtroom some of The Osage Valley Vigilantes will appear in "It's The Orphan Train!" by Denise Snoderly Grow and directed by Norm Gyer.  It's for the Cass County Historical Society.  We have a few other folks appearing with us, but they're all very talented and the director is excellent.  There are plans to repeat the performance sometime in the future and Montrose has asked we do it for them at their festival. (We are also dangling a line for those other folks to join the Vigilantes.  We'll see.)