Stories from Friday, November 1, 2013

The weather brought more tricks than treats to Southeast Missouri on Halloween night as severe storms swept through the area, bringing hail, heavy rain and reports of property damage across the region. While Stoddard County was spared any major damage, many were without power for a time...

With colder weather arriving, many area residents will begin turning on the heat for the first time this year. While that may sound nice, it can also be very costly--regardless of whether a person uses natural gas or electricity. "It takes more energy to heat a home than to cool it," said Glen Cantrell, Communications Officer for SEMO Electric Coop. "That's when we always see the biggest spike in bills."...

Shelby Gathings is Calendar Girl for the month of November 2013. Shelby is the 16-year-old daughter of Bobby and Angela Alford and was first alternate to Miss Dexter. She is a member of the Honors Choir, FTA, D Unit Pep Club, yearbook staff, and in the cast of High School Musical which will be performed in November. ...

Wind and rain forced witches, goblins and ghouls inside to Dexter High School's gym Thursday night for Student Council's annual Trunk or Treat event. Among the many characters were witches, Alexis Tankersley, Kerigan Brady, and Courtney Scholl. Additional photos from Trunk or Treat may be found in Photo Galleries at www.dailystatesman.com...

POTOSI, Mo. - The sixth-seeded Dexter Bearcats gave the third-seeded Potosi Trojans a first-quarter scare on its home turf in the opening round of the Class 3, District 1, playoffs Halloween Night. Potosi jumped out to an early 6-0 lead with 10:41 left in the first quarter when Austin Cooley ran the ball 80 yards for a touchdown...

Bobby King was born July 26, 1935, and died at the V.A. Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on Oct. 30, 2013, at the age of 78. Watkins and Sons Funeral Home of Dexter is in charge of all arrangements.

Lee Roy "Red" Burns, a resident of rural Dexter died on Nov. 1, 2013, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter at the age of 89. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

Cathy Lynn Spires, 57, of Cassville, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013, at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Mo. Cathy was born March 21, 1956, in Sikeston, Mo. She was raised in Dexter, Mo., where she also attended school. She was united in marriage to Charles H. Spires in 1974, and to this union two sons were born. She and Chuck made their home in Mexico, Mo., before moving to Cassville in the late 1970's...

Shirley Randolph, daughter of the late Thomas Rogers and Martha Williams Rogers was born on Sept. 27, 1948, in Rector, Ark., and died on Oct. 30, 2013, at her daughter's residence in Poplar Bluff, Mo., at the age of 65. Mrs. Randolph was a member of the Second General Baptist Church in Dexter and a former resident of Dexter...

In Friday's Daily Statesman, it was reported that there was not significant damage from the Halloween night storms that ripped through the area around 7 p.m. No damage was reported to local authorities at the time. It was learned shortly after press time, however, that several farming operations and rural homes southeast of Dexter sustained major damage from the storm...

Lee Roy "Red" Burns, son of the late Walter L. Burns and Locie J. Jackson Burns, was born on Oct. 27, 1924, in Dexter, Mo. and died on Nov. 1, 2013, at Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter at the age of 89. Mr. Burns was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Dexter and a resident of Dexter. He formerly was employed at Monarch Feed Mill and Ozark Dairy...