Stories from Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Small businesses in Stoddard County may begin applying for grant money from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act’s Coronavirus Relief Fund. The Stoddard County Commission announced during its Monday meeting the guidelines for obtaining those funds and an application are available at the county clerk’s office and on the office’s Facebook page...

The Dexter Board of Aldermen approved the budget for the new fiscal year and discussed the closing of the Dexter Aquatic Center for 2020. Budget The budget for the fiscal year June 2020 to June 2021 was approved by the board. The budget allowed for several items...

“I love kids, so I guess I always thought I would be involved in daycare,” laughs Diane Robinson of Dexter. “When I was young, I worked at a couple of daycares in town. When the center where I was working at the time closed, I just decided to work for myself.”...

Rubey June Kastner, daughter of the late Joel Richardson and Nellie Goodman Richardson, was born on April 22, 1931 in Gideon and departed this life on May 26, 2020 at Winchester Nursing Center in Bernie, at the age of 89 years. Funeral services were conducted at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Interment followed in the Dexter Cemetery...

Betty Jean Ivester, daughter of the late Arvel F. Williamson and Francis Fay Rankin Williamson was born on January 29, 1936 and departed this life on May 28, 2020 at the Southeast Health of Cape Girardeau at the age of 84. A memorial service was conducted at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Interment followed in the Armstead Dowdy Cemetery...

Orval Wayne Patterson, age 74, died Saturday, May 30, 2020, at his home in Dexter. Born March 31, 1946, at Essex, to the late Orval Brice Patterson and Mildred Warthen Patterson, he had lived in the Dexter area most of his life and had been employed as a diesel mechanic and a truck driver and in many other skilled trades throughout his life...

Jerry Don Hill 63 of Powe, passed on June 1, 2020 at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.  Visitation will be held Thursday, June 4, 2020 from 5 p.m. Till 8 p.m. in Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie.  Funeral services will be held Friday morning, June 5, 2020 at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in Browns Chapel Cemetery, Broseley, Mo...

Shellee Jo Cowgur, daughter of Jo Ann Hitt Cowgur and the late William Cowgur, was born on December 15, 1979 in Cape Girardeau and departed this life on June 1, 2020 at Southeast Health in Cape Girardeau, at the age of 40 years. Friends may call at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Saturday, June 6, 2020 from noon to 2 p.m. Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Chapel on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at a later date in the North Antioch Cemetery...

Charles Michael Harmon, son of the late Bob Harmon and Lula Owens Harmon was born on July 16, 1959 in Kennett and departed this life on May 28, 2020 at the St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis at the age of 60. Funeral services were conducted at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. Interment followed in the Sycamore Cemetery...

• Dexter Police officers are investigating a report of stealing and second-degree burglary made at 12:01 a.m. May 17 in the 400 block of North Elm Street. • A citation was issued for illegal dumping, which was reported at 11:18 a.m. May 18 in the 500 block of North Two Mile Road...

• A 38-year-old Bloomfield man was injured in a two-vehicle crash at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, on Highway 24, one-half mile north of Dexter. According to the report, Bradley R. Cooper was operating a 1997 Ford pickup southbound when he began slowing in the road due to mechanical difficulty...

• George Michael Campbell Jr, 35, of Dexter was booked at the Stoddard County Jail was booked on Passing Bad Check. • James Edward Reed II, 33, of Essex booked at the Stoddard County Jail on possession of controlled substance except 35 grams or less of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia...

Stoddard County Health Center Director Ben Godwin confirmed six new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday afternoon bringing Stoddard County to 100 confirmed cases. The new cases are not related to the nursing home outbreak. The county now has 60 active cases, 35 recoveries and five deaths...

Five contested school board races were decided Tuesday in the Stoddard County Municipal Election. Stoddard County saw a voter turnout of 14.93 percent on Tuesday. The results are unofficial until certified by the Stoddard County Clerk. In Dexter incumbent Ben Worley held onto his seat with 905 votes with Ronald David Glaus II and Saren Elizabeth Ann Demaree claiming seats with 724 and 704 votes, respectively. ...