Stories from Thursday, October 18, 2012

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - The Bloomfield School Board approved an English Language Learner (ELL) plan (required by Title III of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) and heard a report on construction of the new Safe Room building at their regular meeting Monday night. The board worked through a short agenda which included a report by Superintendent Toni Hill that the school district has shown a gradual decline in enrollment over the past four years...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Summer's severe drought mixed with the heat might not have created the largest pumpkins this fall, but there are still plenty to go around. "We've got nice pumpkins, but they're not as big," said Kevin Johns, who owns Cates Orchard in Dudley with his wife, Janet Cates Johns. "We've had a decent crop -- not as good a crop as in years past, though."...

Dexter School Board members agreed Tuesday night to authorize the sale of $2,600,000 general obligation refunding bonds, an action that will save the district more than $139,000 by taking advantage of current low interest rates. L.J. Hart, of the Missouri school finance company bearing his name out of St. ...