Stories from Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Dexter Police Dec. 15, 2014 Police were summoned to the 1400 block of Ray St. at 2:55 p.m. Monday to investigate property damage there. The case is under investigation. Sonya D. McElwrath, 54, of Campbell was arrested on State Highway 25 at 3:20 p.m. Monday for driving while suspended or revoked...

By JONATHON DAWE Statesman Staff Writer As the year ends, and winter rapidly approaches, weather prognosticators can't seem to agree on what the season will be like. Despite the outcome, though, the city of Dexter is prepared for a bad one. According to Dexter Streets and Sanitation Department Head Jeff Myers, the city is better prepared than it has been in a long time...

By JONATHON DAWE Statesman Staff Writer BLOOMFIELD -- Although the Bloomfield Board of Aldermen have regularly met twice each month, the tentative decision has been made to meet once a month, for the time-being. Alderman Kim Johnson explained that meeting once each month has actually been a more efficient way of doing business...

By MIKE MCCOY Statesman Staff Writer BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Stoddard County Commission on Monday appointed John Stepp to the Stoddard County 911 Board of Directors and heard an update on construction of a bridge on County Road 410 northwest of the Aid community...

Photo by PARKER MILLER Richland Schools Richland R-1 junior drum major Skie Pinkley plays during Richland's Pep Band performance at half time of the Rebels' game against Marquand-Zion on Tuesday night. Richland does not play another home basketball game again until Jan. 6, when they host the Woodland Cardinals...

Maggy Bess, daughter of the late Nolan Travis and Virginia Williams Thomason, was born in Harrell, Ark. on Nov. 28, 1944, and died at her home in Puxico, Mo. on Dec. 12, 2014, at the age of 70. Maggy had lived in Florida for 10 years and returned to Puxico, where she has lived the past 18 years. She was a member of the Christian Church and most enjoyed spending time with her family. She worked for Mel's Diner in Puxico as a cashier...

Betty Lou Davis Minton, daughter of the late Dr. Sam Severy Davis and Nola Parmenter Davis, was born on Nov. 10, 1927, in Bloomfield, Mo. and died on Dec. 16, 2014 at her residence near Dexter at the age of 87. Mrs. Minton had the longest membership in the First United Methodist Church in Dexter. ...

By NOREEN HYSLOP Managing Editor The final families have been adopted in the Daily Statesman's Operation Santa program. Several new families were added this week, but were adopted on Tuesday. The Statesman extends a sincere thanks to all who came forward to make Christmas a lot brighter for a total of 45 local families...

DEXTER, Mo. - The visiting Jackson Indians varsity boys basketball team led wire to wire in a 70-19 victory against the Dexter Bearcats Tuesday night. Dexter (0-5) fell behind 10-0 early and was unable to get closer as Jackson (3-1) padded its advantage to 41-9 late in the second quarter...

Virginia Goff Hopkins, age 80, was raised just north of Aquila in Gravel Hill, which was a very rural community situated atop a hill with a building that served as a school and a church. Her mother lost the battle with cancer at age 37, leaving Hopkins, age five, as well as a 17-month-old baby, a three year old, a seven year old, and a 13 year old in the sole care of their father. ...