Stories from Sunday, February 10, 2013

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Stoddard County Historical Society will be meeting on Monday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Stars and Stripes Museum/Library in Bloomfield. Sharron L. Willis of Campbell will be on hand for the meeting to review her recently published book, "In the Shadow of Thy Wings."...

SUBMITTED photos The children of Larry and Linda Riley of Bernie will host a casual drop-in reception in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary. Friends and family are invited to attend the reception on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Family Life Center of the Malden First General Baptist Church, located at 601 Barrett Drive in Malden...

By JIM SALTER Associated Press ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The U.S. Senate is launching a bipartisan Mississippi River Caucus in an effort to encourage commerce and address issues such as flood mitigation and navigation concerns, two senators said Thursday. Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri and Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa announced plans for the caucus that also will seek to help communities along the nation's longest waterway...

By NOREEN HYSLOP Managing Editor The Missouri Department of Conservation has been busy in recent days with a project on Cypress Lake at the Otter Slough Conservation Area southwest of Dexter. According to Fisheries Management Biologist Mike Reed, the staff at the slough, along with MDC officials from the Cape Girardeau Regional office, have been building fish attractors using oak trees...

Photo by SHANNON PUTNAM Taylor Owens is a junor at Dexter High School and is the daughter of Ken and Shannon Owens. She is the reigning Miss Dexter, Miss Heartland and Miss SEMO Fair. She is on the Varsity Tennis Team and the Softball Team and is involved with Cadet Teaching and the A+ Program. Taylor is also a member of Rowdy Gals and is a lifeguard for the Dexter Aquatic Center during the summer months. The Miss Dexter Contest is sponsored by the Dexter High School Music Department...

By NOREEN HYSLOP Managing Editor Little did Preston and Elizabeth Clark of Dexter know just how much their lives would be altered when twins came into their lives. Neither did they know, they say, how blessed they would be. When it was realized in the spring of 2011 that Liz was carrying twins, the couple was shocked, but overjoyed...