Stories from Saturday, December 19, 2015

Peggy Currie, a 28-year veteran employee of Dexter Schools, was honored Friday afternoon with a Retirement Tea held at the school district's administrative offices. Currie began volunteering at Southwest Elementary in the second grade classroom of her son in 1987. ...

Dexter Police Dec. 18, 2015 At 9:08 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 17, Dexter Police arrested Antwoinette M. Dupree, 26, of Malden, on a Malden city warrant for traffic violations. She was released after posting $113.50 bond. At 11:35 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 17, Dexter Police arrested James E. Cookson, 38, of Bernie, on a Malden city warrant for traffic violations. He was released after posting $150 cash bond...

The Thursday Night Ladies' League at Dexter Bowl presented newly appointed Stoddard County Children's Home director, Linda Sams, with a $255 donation for the home on Friday. Presenting the donation, at right, is Alberta Stover. The league annually donates to several charitable organizations throughout the year. Sams may be reached at 573-624-0266...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Ameren Missouri has warned customers to be on alert for phone calls from scam artists posing as utility representatives. The scammers have been making calls, threatening to disconnect utility service unless a payment is made immediately...

Rodger Howell received some difficult news in 2013. He was told that if things didn't change, he could have as little as a few weeks left to live. At the time, Howell said he had seen the worst of humanity. He was living in Erin, Tenn., where he retired as a police chief after 24 years in law enforcement. As time shortened, so did his life expectancy...

It seems that every time you turn on the T.V. these days, we see items advertised as 'gluten free'.Even fast food is getting on the band wagon with new gluten free options for all your take-out needs. Many dismiss this as the latest diet craze -- we all remember going carb free right? This is a lot different. It's time to take a closer look at what gluten is and why some are opting to take it out of their diet completely...

The filing period for the 2016 Municipal Election opened this week with only one race contested as of Friday morning. Incumbent City of Dexter Collector Crystal Allstun filed for re-election while Sheila Fuwell also filed for that position. That was the only municipal race that is contested in Stoddard County as of Friday morning...

Nine occupants of a home at 712 S.E. Main St. on Dexter's east side escaped injury Friday morning when a fire spread from the southwest corner of the home into the home's attic. While the attic sustained significant damage, the fire didn't get into the main living area of the home, according to Fire Chief Don Seymore...

ESSEX, Mo. - The Dexter Bearcats varsity boys basketball team opened SCAA regular-season play on a high note Friday night on the road against the Richland Rebels. The Bearcats built a 38-16 lead by halftime and never looked back as it cruised to a 61-24 win against the Rebels...

ADVANCE, Mo. - The first quarter of the highly anticipated meeting between the only unbeaten varsity boys basketball teams left in Stoddard County belonged to the host Advance Hornets Friday night. The rest of the showdown went the Bloomfield Wildcats way...