News

The Puxico student who was involved in a ATV accident on Sept. 7, died in a St. Louis hospital on Saturday, Sept. 14. Students and others across southeast Missouri rallied for a positive outcome in recent days after hearing of the tragedy that occurred on the morning of Sept. ...

Six Stoddard County schools are now participating in the D.A.R.E. program instructed by Stoddard County Deputies, Lori O'Dell and Cpl. Andrew Johnson. Children in elementary, middle and high school classrooms in six Stoddard County schools today face a multitude of high risk circumstances including the temptation to use drugs and alcohol, violence, bullying and internet safety, not to mention the fear of school violence. ...

On August 29, Stoddard County Sheriff's deputies, faculty and students of Mingo Job Corp, as well as agents of Missouri Fish and Wildlife participated in an active shooter drill at Mingo Job Corp. This drill will be done periodically at Mingo Job Corp to prepare students and faculty in the event of an active shooter situation...

Registration has begun for Dexter Parks and Recreation fifth- and sixth-grade boys and girls basketball. The entry fee is $50 per player and entry deadline is Oct. 10. For more information, call 624-8244 or visit dexterpark-rec.com.

Last spring, shortly before the school year ended, Richland R-1 School District learned that it had won the Makerspace contest sponsored by the Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA). “The competition was an effort by MSTA to promote Makerspace in schools throughout the state,” explains Lisa Taylor, Makerspace facilitator for the Richland district. “Districts had to produce a video illustrating how they were utilizing Makerspace in their schools.”...

The 92nd annual Stoddard County Fair will kick off Tuesday, September 17 with the Stoddard County Fair Parade in Downtown Dexter starting at 5:30 p.m and run through Saturday, September 21. Activity at the fairgrounds begins immediately after the parade and will not stop for the next five nights...

The Dexter Board of Aldermen had a light agenda for its September meeting. City Auditor Eddie Cato informed the board that the city operated at a deficit during July; however this is not unusual for the month of July. This is caused primarily by grants and capital disbursements. Expenses included $140,000 for a street sweeper, $5,000 for new tasers for the police department and over $40,000 in donations...

Joe Killion, of the Missouri Department of Transportation, presented a new county road inventory to the Stoddard County Commission at Monday’s meeting. The commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the inventory, which included printed and digital maps of the county’s roads...

A Dexter man was taken into custody Monday morning after he was sentenced to prison for recklessly causing the death of a local teenager who was killed in a June 2018 boat collision on Black River. Accompanied by his attorney, Dan Moore, Braden Parker Bollinger appeared before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett for sentencing after having pleaded guilty Aug. 13, to the Class C felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter...

Dexter High School announced the 2019-20 Miss DHS candidates. They are front row from left: Blair Rogers, Margo Nea, Shelby Haynes, Emily Pyle and Delaney Lemmon. Back row from left: Madison Slaton, Ann Marie Slaton, Alexa Werneck, Sydney Patrick and Taylor Babb-Ward. All candidates are members of the senior class. The 2019-20 Miss DHS will be crowned next Friday, September 13. Due to continuing construction at Charles Bland Stadium the coronation will take place in the high school gym...

Stoddard County Warranty Deeds County Recorder Kay Asbell 08/19/2019 to 08/23/2019 • James E. Reiker and Tania S. Reiker to Brent Robinett and Yeximani Hernandez. Section 32 Township 25 Range 10. • Steve W. Jordan and Pamela D. Jordan to Travis Bond and Stephania Bond. SEC 2 TWP 27 R 10...

The Dexter Board of Alderman held a tax levy hearing on Thursday evening and passed the tax levy following the hearing. The tax for the year 2019 states that all property taxable according to law by the city of Dexter shall be taxed the sum of $0.6000 on the $1000 assessed valuation for the General Revenue Fund. ...

The Dexter School Board held a public tax levy hearing and approved the purchase of a seven-person vehicle to be used to transport smaller groups of students to events. Superintendent C.A. Counts went over the tax levy. The operating expense came out to $2.7719 and 80 cents for debt service...

Young Meredith and Jack Mayer learned some valuable lessons about finance this summer, as they spent a part of their vacation helping with the family corn harvest. “The children helped with both picking, and selling the corn,” recounts their mother Lauren...

BLOOMFIELD — An area judge cited Missouri statutes as he dismissed Stoddard County Clerk Cecil Weeks as a defendant in the wrongful termination lawsuit filed by a former employee. Ginger McCoy had sued Weeks individually and in his official capacity, as well as Stoddard County, after she was fired April 8 for allegedly questioning irregularities in the April 2 municipal election.

In October 2018, ground was broken on the expansion to the Keller Public Library. The expansion was made possible through a donation by Bud Keller who, now in his mid-90s, still routinely makes the trip to Dexter from his home in Florida. Now the new section of the library is open and Library Director Pam Trammell couldn't be happier...

BLOOMFIELD — The Stoddard County Commission set the 2019 tax levies for drainage districts and the Senate Bill 40 board during a public meeting Monday at the Government Building. All levies remained the same as last year. Drainage District No. 1 Reformed’s rate is $1.50 per acre, Drainage District No. 7 is $1 per acre and Drainage District No. 19 is $2.50 per acre...

The August meeting of the Puxico School Board opened with two public hearings. One revolved around the hiring of a School Protection Officer (SPO), the other, a tax levy hearing. No member of the public spoke during either hearing and the board would go on to hire an SPO. The board would then set a tax levy...

Puxico, Missouri, High School students can attend college virtually debt free, thanks to a new scholarship funded by a pair of PHS alumni who want to help others from their hometown achieve their higher education goals. Harold and Hermena Parks Holigan of Dallas said the Holigan Family Scholarship is a way they can “pay back Puxico” for everything the town did for them when they were growing up there in the 1940s and ‘50s...

Stoddard County Warranty Deeds County Recorder Kay Asbell 08/12/2019 to 08/16/2019 • Kenneth R. Wiseman to Peggy Sue Shaver. Section 23 Township 25 Range 10. Dexter Creek Subdivision Dexter Lot 17. • James E. Tucker and Demetra Ann Tucker to James Carl Tucker, Stephen Paul Tucker and Richard Dale Tucker. SEC 8, TWP 25 R 10...

The Stoddard County ARC awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Cassidy Bess (right). The local ARC awards scholarships to Stoddard County residents who will be attending college and working toward a degree in special education or a related field that will enable them to work with developmentally disabled individuals. ...

New staff members at the Dexter R-XI School District are front from left: Courtney Potts, first grade; Maddison Cox, companion aide; Ashlyn Bruce, title aide; Lauren Walker, special education aide; Stephanie Ordway, special education aide and Alex Barot, special services aide; second row left to right: Amanda Long, high school social studies; Christy Griffen, ELA; Michelle Jacques, high school special services aide; Rebecca Williams, library aide; Nichole Childers, aide and Linda Hill, high school math teacher; third row left to right: Beverly Slavings, third through fifth grade special services ELA; Tammy Eifert, middle school/high school special education teacher; Tonya Keena, middle school art; Christy Hampton Fortner, middle school special aide; Doreen Lammon, high school special education aide and Rachel Elder, agriculture; fourth row left to right: Emily Norris, library aide; Allison Sneed, Southwest Elementary building aide; Hillary Mayberry, third grade; Angie Hilfiker, third grade ELA; Brittany Becker, middle school history, science and STEM.. ...

An autopsy performed Wednesday afternoon found that a Dexter woman’s injuries were consistent with a traffic crash and probable drowning. Crystal Marie Brown-Hart’s body was recovered Tuesday morning from her submerged car in St. Francis River on U.S. 60 at the Butler/Stoddard County line. Her family had reported her missing more than four months ago...

Two students represented Dexter at the 2019 American Legion Boys State at the University of Central Missouri. Boys State took place on June 15 to June 23. Luke Becker and Carson Bell were selected based on their leadership, citizenship, academics and character during their junior year at Dexter High School...