December 26, 2012

January 2012 Jan. 1 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is getting $800 million in federal disaster relief funds to make repairs along the flood-ravaged Mississippi River, corps officials announced Thursday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports five people died during the New 1/4/12 - Year's holiday counting period from 6 p.m. ...

January 2012

Jan. 1 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is getting $800 million in federal disaster relief funds to make repairs along the flood-ravaged Mississippi River, corps officials announced Thursday.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports five people died during the New 1/4/12 - Year's holiday counting period from 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, 2012. Troopers investigated 163 traffic crashes with 75 injuries and five fatalities. Dexter's Lady Bearcats rang in the new year on a high note with a 72-41 win over district rival Farmington.

Jan. 4 - The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports five people died during the New Year's holiday counting period from 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, 2012. Troopers investigated 163 traffic crashes with 75 injuries and five fatalities.

Jan. 5 - A sewer line that, according to City Administrator Mark Stidham, is estimated to be over 100 years old, developed problems this week, with a leak under Stoddard Street in the downtown shopping district.

Jan. 6 - A Poplar Bluff man arrested near Bloomfield in October on charges of possessing precursors to methamphetamine was found guilty by a jury of his peers this week. The trial against Hershel B. Deaton a.k.a. Hershel Huff, took place in Poplar Bluff following a change of venue request out of Stoddard County.

Jan. 6 - With the philosophy, "The more you give, the more you receive," Dena Rawson has been giving of her time and talents to further the cause of area senior citizens for nearly seven years. For those efforts and for having consistently gone "above and beyond" through her position as director of O.A.K.S. Senior Nutrition Center in Dexter, Rawson was named recently as one of the Area Agency on Aging's Star Award recipients.

Jan. 8 - Publisher Bud Hunt announced Friday that Bobby Greer, who has been serving as circulation manager and assistant publisher, as well as overseeing all digital media initiatives for the Dexter paper, will take over the duties of General Manager at the paper, effectively immediately.

Jan. 10 - Four vehicles were involved in a Monday afternoon wreck north of Bernie that left a Wingo, Ky., woman with moderate injuries. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Jan. 11 - More names are slowly trickling in to local offices as people continue filing for vacant board seats. Tuesday, Dec. 13 marked the official opening day for candidates to file for the April 2011 municipal election. Candidates may file for office until Jan. 17.

Jan. 12 - State Rep. Billy Pat Wright (R) introduced House Bill 1167, also known as Caylee's Law, on the House floor on Jan. 5. Enrollment at the Three Rivers College Center at Dexter crossed the 300 mark late in the afternoon on Tuesday, Jan. 10, according to Campus Coordinator Bill Hampton.

Jan. 17 - Dexter's Brittany Harris recorded a double-double in points and rebounds to help lead the Lady Bearcats to a 63-21 win over Naylor Monday night.

Jan. 17 - It was at times an emotional tribute Sunday, but one also laced with humor, as city dignitaries, friends and family came together in Dexter to honor Fire Chief Al Banken upon his retirement from the local department after a stellar 48-year career.

Jan. 22 - The American Farm Bureau Federation presented its highest honor, the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, to former Missouri Farm Bureau President Charles Kruse.

Jan. 24 - Dexter's win over Woodland in the junior varsity bracket was the only hint of a upset on the first day of the Stoddard County Activities Association (SCAA) Tournament Monday at the Bearcat Event Center in Dexter.

February

Feb. 1 - Rebekah Northern, 16, is a junior at Bloomfield High School, and on Feb. 3 she is slated to launch the release of her first six-song EP. Her self-titled debut is a compilation of songs she has written over the years that tell her story.

Feb. 2 - A Dexter man was ordered Wednesday to serve 14 years in prison following the molestation of a five-year-old girl. Raymond Henson, 32, was charged with the Class A felony of first degree child molestation, following an incident that occurred in November 2010.

Feb. 3 - Two local residents were transported by ambulance for treatment of injuries sustained in a two-car wreck on the Hwy. 25 overpass at US 60 at about 2 p.m. Thursday. Police say Carol Long, 73, of Dexter was approaching the southbound lanes of Hwy. 25, from the Hwy. 60 off-ramp, when she was struck in the driver's side by a Hwy. 25 northbound car driven by John Malone, 23, of Dudley.

Feb. 3 - After a disappointing effort in Monday's loss to Meadow Heights at the Bearcat Event Center, everyone expected the Dexter Lady Bearcats to bounce back with a big effort against their next opponent. Unfortunately for the Kelly Lady Hawks, they were next in line.

Feb. 7 - The Stoddard County Commission tabled action on a proposed service contract for servicing the heat and air systems in the Justice Center and the Government Building at their regular meeting Monday.

Feb. 8 - Students at Dexter High School, who through a four-year commitment have achieved the state's A+ Schools designation, were personally recognized for their efforts by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon during a visit by the governor to the high school campus Tuesday.

Feb. 8 - Dexter picked up its 10th straight win and the SCAA regular season title with a 94-45 win over Bell City Tuesday night at the Bearcat Event Center.

Feb. 10 - Statistics kept by the Missouri State Highway Patrol indicate that methamphetamine-related incidents have gone down in some parts of Southeast Missouri since many cities began requiring a prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine.

Feb. 12 - Two Dexter residents remain behind bars following a drug bust Wednesday that netted local police two active meth labs, along with several ingredients associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Feb. 14 - A fire on Dexter's southeast side Sunday afternoon totally gutted one residence and caused significant damage to a neighboring home and a shed.

Feb. 15 - A prisoner who had been housed at the Stoddard County Jail escaped custody just before noon Wednesday from a courtroom in the Stoddard County Justice Center. The call of the escape was received by dispatch at 11:27 a.m. Jason Stroup, 34 of Puxico, was at the Justice Center following his appearance before Judge Stephen Sharp when he apparently walked out of the facility.

Feb. 16 - Dexter's Lady Bearcats were voted the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Class 4, District 1 tournament to be played in Sikeston, Feb. 20-24, at Saturday's seed meeting of the district's coaches.

Feb. 16 - A Stoddard County fugitive was captured at 3 p.m. Thursday near the Stoddard and Bollinger County lines. Jason Stroup, 34, escaped custody Wednes-day when he walked out of a courtroom at the Stoddard County Justice Center shortly before 11:30 a.m.

Feb. 22 - All three Stoddard County Commissioners said they had no objections to engineering specifications submitted by Union Pacific Railroad to construct a second main track between Ardeola and Mesler in northern Stoddard County. The commissioners reviewed the plans and gave their approval at their regular meeting held Monday morning.

Feb. 24 - Dexter native Bob Thrower announced this week his intention to run for the Missouri House of Representatives as a Republican in the 159th District. The filing period for candidates in the race is now Feb. 27.

Feb. 24 - Dexter's Lady Bearcats rolled into the Class 4, District 1 championship game with a 76-32 win over the Ste. Genevieve Hunters Thursday night at the Sikeston Fieldhouse.

Feb. 25 - Thirty-three years ago a 19-year-old Don Seymore thought it would be a good idea to join the Dexter Fire Department volunteer force. Turns out that was a pretty good idea. Seymore officially took over the duties of retired Al Banken recently as Dexter's first new fire chief.

Feb. 28 - With their offense struggling to click, the Kennett Indians turned to their defense to keep their season alive. The Tribe overcame a cold night on the offensive end of the floor and held off a late charge to down the Bloomfield Wildcats 48-35 in the quarterfinals of the Class 3, District 1 Tournament here Monday night.

Feb. 29 - Several homes were flattened and at least one person was critically injured in a storm that slammed into rural Puxico just before 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Feb. 30 - The National Weather Service has not yet confirmed the strength of the storm that ripped several houses from their foundations and scattered debris across an area east of the city.

March

March 12 - A bipartisan commission passed new Senate boundaries Monday, approving adjustments from its earlier proposal that are designed to smooth population differences among Missouri districts. The map doesn't change the boundaries of Southeast Missouri's 25th and 27th districts from their shape on the commission's last map.

March 13 - Kathy White was honored as "Friend of the Year" by Keller Public Library's Friends of the Library during the group's 12th annual Fashion Show held at the Elks Lodge.

March 14 - Michael Kee Wilson, 37, of Dexter, was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison Monday afternoon on child pornography charges related to him allegedly exploiting a teenage relative by taking nude videos of her.

March 15 - The Stoddard County 911 Services Board approved some revisions in the contract with the Stoddard County Ambulance District (SCAD) to provide the 911 dispatch center. The contract calls for 911 Services to pay $55,000 annually to provide for dispatchers, with $2,500 going towards training of employees.

March 16 - Union Pacific Railroad's legendary steam locomotive No. 844 is traveling from Cheyenne, Wyo., to Marion, Ark., this month, pulling a special 150th Anniver-sary Commemoration Civil War Troop Train with nearly 300 civil war historians from the Midwest on their journey to participate in the 150th Anniversary Battle Of Shiloh Reenactment.

March 17 - The Stoddard County Republican Caucus Saturday drew 83 registered county voters who took nearly two hours to finalize 14 delegates and 14 alternate delegates to both the congressional district convention at Poplar Bluff. The district convention delegates selected were Tiffany Parris of Dexter, Carol Jarrell of Dexter, George Gilbert, IV, of Bernie, Debra Pfannenstiel of Bernie, Ron Garner of Dexter, Vernon Allen of Dexter, Galen Cato of Bernie, Doug Scott of Puxico, Marietta Ream of Bernie, Shelia Jackson of Dexter, Sean Cato of Bernie, Rose Ann Chadwell of Dexter, Gary Jackson of Dexter and Jeff Rodgers of Bernie.

March 20 - The Bloomfield School Board voted to re-bid for construction of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) safe room on the campus.

March 20 - Steven Clark Rendelman, 51, of Advance, is behind bars today following a weekend rape that resulted in an ensuing chase and shots being fired. Rendelman faces the unclassified felonies of forcible rape with additional aggravating acts and forcible sodomy, the Class B felony of kidnapping, the Class C felony of felonious restraint, two counts of the Class A felony of assault of a law enforcement officer in the first degree, the Class D felony of property damage and the Class D felony of resisting arrest. The lowest of six bidders on the project was R. L. Persons Construction, Inc. of Poplar Bluff with a base bid of $2,499,513.

March 22 - The Bob Gray Award went Dexter's Brittany Harris at the 54th annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Basketball Banquet.

March 23 - Judge Joe Z. Satterfield allowed Steven Clark Rendelman no bond, arguing that he is a "danger to the community." Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russell Oliver announced he will be seeking life without the possibility of parole due to Rendelman's multiple prior rape convictions in Stoddard and Cape Girardeau counties.

March 23 - Both district positions on the Stoddard County Commission will be contested in the November general election. Retired fire chief Al Banken of Dexter filed as a Democrat agains incumbent Republican Carol Jarrell of Dexter. Democrats that have filed are Kenneth Carney of Bloomfield and retired State Patrol Sgt. Dale Moreland of Bloomfield. Republicans that have filed are Steve Jordan of Advance and Danny Talkington of Grayridge. Jason Williams of Bloomfield filed as a Libertarian.

March 26 - Terry W. Mace, 45, pleaded guilty to the Class D felony of resisting arrest in connection with a September assault of a Dexter police officer. Prosecutor Russ Oliver said sentencing will be "left up to the judge."

March 26 - The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that local sales taxes cannot be levied on out-of-state purchases of motor vehicles, trailers, boats and motors. Prior to the ruling, the Department of Revenue collected state sales taxes at the time of registration.

March 27 - Richard Cullum 39, of Dexter, was arrested and charged with the Class B felony of attempt to manufacture or produce a controlled substance. A happenstance stop by a Stoddard County Sheriff's Deputy resulted in the seizure of a walking methamphetamine lab.

March 27 - Four offices in county government and three district offices will be contested in the November 2012 general election. In addition to the commissioner races, Rep. Mike Watkins filed for collector/treasurer against incumben Dem. Carla Knowles Moore. The other contested county race will pit Democrat Kenny Pope against Republican Darrell Penberthy for county coroner. Republicans Doug Libla of Poplar Bluff and Billy Pat Wright of Dexter will vie in August for the Senate District 25 seat and will challenge Democrat Terry Swinger of Caruthersville in the November election. Republicans Bob Thrower of Dexter and Dennis Fowler of Advance will meet in the primary for House seat 151. Democrats Gary Gaines of Dexter and Holder also filed.

March 28 - Fifteen band members from Dexter High School earned inclusion in the All District High School Band. Kendra Stevenson, Chandler Crowley, Lauren Dudley, Shelby Chappell, and Emma Powell, Owen Flowers, Joseph Greer, Chuy Lara, Brooks Propst, Alex Rybolt, Zane Olson, and Brandon Moore, Leah Noyes, Michaela Lesley, and Lacey Midgett were selected.

March 29 - Well over 300 people waited at the rural depot near Dexter for a glimpse of old No. 844 as it rounded a curve for a short stop at the UP station on County Road 517A.

March 29 - The Bloomfield School Board hired Dustin Hicks, current middle school principal at Puxico, as the new high school principal for the Bloomfield district.

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