Special Meeting Alert: Candidate Donnie Hovis to Discuss Key Issues with Stoddard County Officials

BLOOMFIELD — Stoddard County Commissioners have called a special meeting for 9 a.m. Thursday at the Bloomfield courthouse.

The meeting will be with Donnie Hovis, Democrat candidate for state representative District 151.

Hovis has presented the commission with several items he would like to discuss, including a recent ruling by a judge that Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner violated the Sunshine Law in response to a Freedom of Information Act request regarding body camera footage in the death of a dog.

In other business Monday, the commission spoke with the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence (SEMO-NASV) Development Director Alix Gasser.

Gasser expressed gratitude for the allocation by the county of $10,000 to help combat sexual violence. Glasser spoke at a previous commission meeting about being the only dual Child Advocacy Center and Rape Crisis Center in Southeast Missouri.

Staff members shared they see about 600 cases a year and 85-90% are children under the age of 18. It was learned 54 forensic interviews and exams were performed in Stoddard County last year.

The organization serves the following counties: Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Scott, and Stoddard.

Services are free to all ages. SEMO-NASV offers S.A.F.E Guide for Growing Up/Healthy Relationships for sixth through eighth graders and S.A.F.E. Guide to Dating/Surviving the Dating Game for ninth to 12th grades.