Stories from Wednesday, November 19, 2014

By NOREEN HYSLOP Managing Editor In a surprise turn of events Tuesday night following the open session of the Board of Education, Dexter Superintendent Thomas Sharp announced that he would be stepping down as head of the local school district effective July 1, 2015...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Two of the four suspects in the Oct. 10, 2013, bank robbery of the First Commercial Bank of Morley, Mo. were sentenced in federal court Monday, Nov. 17. Alisha D. Porter of Oran, Mo., and Candice L. Wright of Chicago were the two women involved in the robbery...

Nick Boemler, of Dexter, was 12 years old when he picked up the guitar. But it would be a few years later before he got serious about it. Eventually, he started making a little money from his music online and decided to use that medium to help. "I never really took it too seriously. ...

Twins, Gracie and Dallas Fortenberry, were among the guests at Tuesday's Story Hour at Keller Public Library. This week's guest reader was Diana Mayberry, who read, "Ten Fat Turkeys" at some attentive pre-schoolers. A gallery of additional photos from Story Hour may be found at www.dailystatesman.com...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Hicks Animal Hospital in Poplar Bluff will hold a special male cat neutering event on Friday, Nov. 21, at the hospital on Highway 53. The cost for neutering a male cat will be just $10 for pet owners who qualify financially. Pet owners wishing to take advantage of the offer should stop by the vet clinic, bring proof of income, and fill out an application before Friday. ...

DEXTER, Mo. - The success continued for the Dexter middle school boys basketball program in the SCAA Tournament Tuesday night. The Bearcats secured repeat championships in the seventh and eighth grade divisions. Top-seeded Dexter beat second-seeded Bernie 40-24 in the seventh grade championship and top-seeded Dexter edged Bernie 38-31 in the eighth grade title game...

Second in a series Seth and Sheila Cantrell live with their four children in rural Advance. The Cantrells were not raised in the Mennonite community but felt drawn to the church a few years ago. Joining the Mennonite church meant a change in lifestyle for the family...

The Monday, Nov. 17, 2014 board of Aldermen meeting in Advance took a somber note, when Mayor Pete Ritter offered to step down, due to health issues. "I'm going to have cancer the rest of my life," Ritter told the aldermen and several city employees who were present at the meeting. "If you want me to step down, so you can bring someone else in here, I'm ready to do it. Otherwise, I can take a leave of absence, until I can get all these tests run."...