October
Oct. 1 - The Stoddard County Commission approved on Monday adding information to the Nov. 6 election notice, informing the public about the cost of making the prosecuting attorney a full-time office. The cost will be an additional $65,000 per year.
Oct. 2 - A Monday morning preliminary hearing in the Charles Goforth case revealed that bath salts likely played a role in the death. Goforth is accused of the May 5, 2012, murder of his son, Patrick Goforth.
Oct. 3 - Jim Stuever, a corn grower from Dexter, has been elected chairman of the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC).
Oct. 3 - Dexter's cross country team competed at a meet in Poplar Bluff Tuesday and had five runners bring home medals.
Oct. 4 - The City of Dexter has officially entered into an interlocal contract with Dexter Public Schools for school roadways and maintenance. All services would then be contracted by the city, with city resources aiding as available. Those services would then be billed to the school district.
Oct. 5 - Judi Hampton was tapped as the new superintendent of the Stoddard County Juvenile Detention Center at Bloomfield, Hampton replaces Dennis Fowler, who recently retired.
Oct. 5 - The City of Dudley was recently awarded a Community Development Block Grant is in the amount of $246,670 to pave nearly all of the community's streets.
Oct. 7 - The Dexter Public Schools Foundation announced that the Foundation has received a gift of over $37,000 to establish a perpetual memorial scholarship, the "Pauline and Danzil Dowdy Scholarship."
Oct. 7 - Verl J. Cato, 41, was arrested on July 9, 2012, by the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department and charged with six counts of the Class B felony of possession of child pornography.
Oct. 11 - Steven Clark Rendleman, 51, will face a three-day jury trial on Aug. 28-30, 2013. The case will be heard in a Franklin County courtroom.
Oct. 11 - Two people are hospitalized following an early Thursday morning fire on Adams Drive in Dexter.
Oct. 12- The Bearcats host Rebels in rematch of Class 3 football playoff teams.
Oct. 14 - The body found in rural Dexter on Thursday, Sept. 6 has finally been positively identified as that of 37-year-old Shawn Byron Smith, a former resident of Dexter, it was learned Friday.
Oct. 16 - Trisha Hall, 28, of Dexter, was arrested Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012. She has been charged with six counts of the Class D felony of financial exploitation of the elderly ($50-$499).
Oct. 17 - The Dexter Board of Aldermen, the board voted to accept a considerable grant that will make various improvements at the airport. The state block grant is a 95/5 matching funds grant. MoDOT Aviation will pay $35,900, and the city will pay only $1,795.
Oct. 17 - Willard Adams was honored by Steve Duke and Bob Motte of Experience Works for his work with the BRPC's solid waste management program.
oct. 18 - Dexter School Board members agreed Tuesday night to authorize the sale of $2,600,000 general obligation refunding bonds, an action that will save the district more than $139,000 by taking advantage of current low interest rates.
Oct. 21 - Daniel Keith Dye, 38 of Advance, arrested for allegedly molesting a small child appeared in court. After hearing the evidence in the case, Judge Joe Satterfield ruled that there was probable cause for the case be sent to Division 1 for further proceedings.
Oct. 23 - Past Bernie FFA members, advisors, and supporters, along with their families and guests, are invited to a dinner in the Bernie School cafeteria commemorating the Bernie FFA Chapter's 60th anniversary.
Oct. 23 - The prefabricated concrete walls have been erected for the FEMA Safe Room at the Bloomfield School campus.
Oct. 24 - A presentation at the Federal Courthouse in Cape Girardeau Monday recognized Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russell Oliver for his part in fighting the drug war in Southeast Missouri.
Oct. 25 - Jeffrey Dean Shelton, a 45-year-old convicted and registered sex offender living in the 1000 block of Lela St. in Poplar Bluff, remains behind bars today in the Butler County Jail, with charges that include the kidnapping of Abigail Berthoff.
Oct. 26 - The investigation into Jeffrey Dean Shelton's alleged crimes is still ongoing and additional charges may be filed.
Oct. 28 - The Missouri Press Association (MPA) has once against recognized The Daily Statesman and The North Stoddard Countian for excellence during the year 2011, with the presentation of 18 MPA awards in the association's annual Better Newspaper Contest.
Oct. 30 - SoutheastHEALTH continues to expand its regional presence with the acquisition of the leasehold interest in Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter from Dexter Hospital, LLC.
November
Nov. 1 - Stoddard County voters will be asked to decide whether the county should have a full-time prosecutor on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.
Nov. 2 - Paul Leslie Christian, 22, of Dexter, was cahrged with a Class C felony charge of statutory rape in the second degree. Christian also faces a charge of passing bad checks.
Nov. 2- Dexter native, Col. Matthew G. Elledge, was installed as Garrison Commander at Ft. Hood during a formal change of command ceremony.
Nov. 2 - The Bernie Mule volleyball team will play for the Class 1 state championship after the Lady Mules survived a one-game tie breaker against Santa Fe in the round-robin round of the MSHSAA Volleyball Championships at the Show Me Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus Friday afternoon.
Nov. 4 - The Plaza Heights water project to improve and increase water pressure is nearly complete. Construction began in early August.
Nov. 7 - Of the county's 20,408 registered voters, 13,052 (64 percent) cast ballots on Tuesday. Doug Libla, (R) of Poplar Bluff won over his challenger, State Rep. Terry Swinger (D)for state senate. Dennis Fowler (R) won over his Ryan Wm Holder (D)for state representative. State Sen. Rob Mayer (R) won over Associate Judge Steve Mitchell (D) for circuit judge. Danny Talkington (R) won the Position 1 Commission seat over Dale Moreland (D). Incumbent Carol Jarrell (R) won over challenger Al Banken (D) Position 2 on the commission. Incumbent Carla Knowles Moore (D) beat Republican challenger Mike Watkins (R) for collector/treasurer. Kenny Pope (D) won over his Darrell Penberthy (R) for county coroner. Voters came out in support of making the prosecutor a fullp-time position by a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent.
Nov. 11 - Stoddard County hunters took home 165 deer in the youth deer hunt, a jump of 26 from a year ago.
Nov. 11 - A nine-year-old child from Dexter was airlifted to a Cape Girardeau hospital late Sunday morning after being struck by a vehicle in a gravel driveway.
Nov. 13 - Shawn Al Green, 33, of Bell City, was arrested for violating conditions of his bond. He was arrested in April 2012, for first degree sodomy and released on bond.
Nov. 13 - Olivia Sitzes, an eighth grade student at T.S. Hill Middle School, won the contest sponsored annually by the American Legion Auxiliary in Dexter for the best patriotic essay.
Nov. 13 - Longtime First General Baptist Church in Bloomfield Pastor Kevin Eskew died following surgery to remove a tumor from his pituitary gland. He developed meningitis.
Nov. 13 - Dexter High School honored its fall sports athletes Tuesday night during ceremonies in the school's cafeteria. Dexter senior Ryan Joyner was named the receipent of the 19th annual Bland Award.
Nov. 14 - Joseph R. Pulliam was elected the county surveryor. No one filed for the office and Pulliam was elected by write-in vote.
Nov. 14 - Patricia Ann Page, 58, of Advance, was arrested and charged with the Class B felony of elderly abuse in the second degree.
Nov. 15 - Chase Young of Dexter inked a National Letter of Intent to play baseball for the University of Tennessee in Martin.
Nov. 16 - On Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, exactly one year after 21-year-old SPC James Burnett, Jr. died in Operation Enduring Freedom in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device, his community dedicated a Hero's Way sign in his honor.
Nov. 17 - Eighteen members of Dexter's High School Concert and Jazz Bands earned the honor of playing in the All District Bands' performance Saturday, Nov. 17 in Jackson.
Nov. 18 - The Camp Crew from Mingo Job Corps wen to Farmingdale, New York to assist with the recovery efforts following Hurricane Sandy.
Nov. 19 - The Stoddard County Commission awarded a contract for construction of a new electrical station and generator at the County Jail to Sides Construction of Cape Girardeau, Mo., at a cost of $168,343.
Nov. 22 - Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen P. Sokoloff has gone on record saying unless circumstances of the case change, he will be asking for the death penalty in the case of the State vs. Shawn Morgan, alleged murderer of three-year-old Breann Rodriguez of Senath, Mo.
Nov. 23 - Charles C. Goforth, 40, of Catron, has been released on a $200,000 bond according to court documents. He is accused of murdering his son back in May.
Nov. 25 - Missouri's hunters killed 204,647 deer during the Nov. 10-20 firearms season, marking the best season in the state since 2007.
Nov. 27 - Melissa L. Wood. 46, of Dudley, was taken to the Stoddard County Jail where she was booked on charges that include felony possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), felony possession of drug paraphernalia, and the felony of being in possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
Nov. 29 - hearing on State Rep. Kent Hampton's motion to dismiss and Dunklin County Clerk Carol Hinesly's petition for a new election in House District 150 will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday in Dunklin County Circuit Court. Hampton, a Repub-lican, defeated Democrat Tom Todd, a former state representative, by 116 votes on Nov. 6. Todd lost an appeal to both the Appeals Court and the state Supreme Court, but refiled based on irregularity in anothe percinct. The issue is still in the courts.
Nov. 30 - Two downtown Dexter businesses were destroyed and a third sustained smoke damage in a fire that was first sighted around midnight Thursday and sent flames in the air that were visible for miles. A state Fire Marshal was summoned to the scene and arrived at 7:15 a.m. to investigate the cause of the blaze. Two Dexter firemen escaped serious injury while battling the blaze when the ceiling in one of the buildings fell in while they were on the lower level. The two were immediately pulled out and neither was injured.
December
December 1 - There were 280 children and parents at Saturday's PAT Breakfast with Santa event.
Dec. 2 - Danny Ray Jones, 27, of Dexter, was sentenced to six years in prison for second degree assault and theft/stealing (more than $500--less than $25,000).
Dec. 3 - Lottie McMullin was presented with the Misouri Southern Healthcare Auxiliarian of the Year Award.
Dec. 4 - U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson announced today she will leave her congressional post in February to become president and CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Dec. 4 - The fire that destroyed two downtown businesses in the early morning hours of Friday, Nov. 30, has been determined to not be of a suspicious nature, according to information received by Dexter Fire Chief Don Seymore Tuesday.
Dec. 4 - Ten-year-old Gaige Willems was victorious in his battle against cancer after being diagnosed at the age of five in 2007. Last Monday doctors confirmed that his acute lymphoblastic leukemia has returned.
Dec. 5 - Dr. Chris L. Nicastro, Commissioner of Education for the state of Missouri, addressed an audience of Region E school superintendents Wednesday morning at the Hickory Log.
Dec. 7 - Dexter High School sponsored a recent "Stuff a Bus" campaign to help the Stoddard County Gospel Mission. Students from across the district took part in the food drive that netted over 7,000 cans of food.
Dec. 10 -The Stoddard County Commission signed an agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) at their regular meeting Monday to proceed with replacing a bridge on County Road 784 located in LaValle Special Road District.
Dec. 11 - Kevin Bishop with Southern Bank, Tracy Christian with BA Promotions, and Scott Kinchen with US Bank were named new Chamber of Commerce Directors at a full membership meeting.
Dec. 11 - Through the generosity of the community, 50 families who applied for help this holiday season are now facing a bright and Merry Christmas through the Statesman Operation Santa program.
Dec. 11 - Dexter Fireman of the Year for 2012 honors went to Jeremy Freeman.
Dec. 12 - Charges against Kevin Bay, 48. of Columbia, Mo., who was arrested following the July 2011 confiscation of hundreds of packets of synthetic marijuana from Stoddard County convenience stores, have been dropped. The case was being pursued by federal agencies.
Dec. 12 - Josh Blankenship, 25, of Zalma, was injured in an accident at a grain elevator in Advance.
Dec. 15 - Over 300 people attended Wreaths Across America at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery to place wreaths on over 1,700 graves in the cemetery.
Dec. 16 - Joshua Sandusky, 22, died in an early morning fire on County Road 659 southwest of Pyletown Sunday morning.
Dec. 17 - Stoddard County Prosecutor Russ Oliver stood his ground at a commission meeting while being questioned by county elected officials and the commission about his intention to give his employees a $1,000 Christmas bonus this year.
Dec. 17 - A reception was held at the Government Building to honor Commissioner Frank Sifford who is retiring after 26 years as commissioner in the county. Plaques were presented by State Rep. Billy Pat Wrigth and Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis n behalf of county officials and employees.
Dec. 20 - Dexter band students Joseph Greer, Alex Rybolt, Lacey Midgett, and Chuy Lara were among those receiving honors at the recent State Band and Jazz Band auditions in Columbia, Mo.
Dec. 21 - Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter held a ceremony Thursday morning to dedicate its newly-built heliport.
Dec. 22 - Three Essex residents sustained serious injuries Saturday morning when the vehicle in which they were traveling failed to stop at a marked railroad crossing southwest of Dudley on County Road 691 and was struck by on oncoming eastbound train.
Dec. 22 - Alison Jarrell led four Dexter players in double figures as the Lady Bearcats defeated Neelyville, 71-32, to claim the championship title at the Twin Rivers Lady Royals Christmas Classic Saturday.
Dec. 23 - Michael C. Lambert, 34, of Dexter, Class was charged with felony of probation/parole violation and the Class B felony of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver/distribute/manufacture, among other drug-related charges.
Dec. 25 - Dexter escaped a predicted foot of snow overnight, but the city and surrounding area did awaken to about five to eight inches of wet snow Wednesday morning, with drifts piled three and four feet high in many areas.
Dec. 27 - The Lady Bearcats are ranked No. 8 in Class 4. The team supports a 10-1 record that includes tournament titles at the McDonald's Shootout in Paragould, Ark., and at last weeks Twin Rivers Lady Royals Christmas Classic.
Dec. 27 - Gavin Miller, native of Dexter, was hired as high school principal at Bernie High School beginning in the fall of 2013.
Dec. 31 - Missouri Senate Pro Tem Rob Mayer of Dexter closes out his service in the state legislature at the end of the month. Mayer served in the House and eight years in the Senate. He was elected Circuit Judge in the Nov. election this year.
Dec. 31 - State Representative Billy Pat Wright concludes eight years in the Missouri House. He was term limited.