Motorists in Dexter can expect a few delays on Thursday on a busy city thoroughfare.

Dexter City Administrator Mark Stidham announced that city street crews will be working on One Mile Road from Business Highway 60 and Grant Road. throughout the day on Thursday.

"Expect a few delays today as we attempt to stripe and install turn lanes on One Mile Road," Stidham said. "This will delay traffic for a little."

Stidham said the crews will be striping and installing turn lanes on One Mile Road.

"We should have everything on One Mile Road completed today before the start of school next week," he added.

Much of One Mile Road was repaved earlier this month during the first part of the road improvement project.

By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

The word to describe the project was “persistence”.

And after nearly 10 years of hard persistence, the ribbon cutting marking the completion of the paving of the roadway from Highway 60 to the Union Pacific Railroad depot northwest east of Dexter was held west of town.

Three county roads – County Roads 531, 570 and 527 – were the central focus of the project for a paved roadway leading from U.S. 60 to the railroad facility. It took at least 10 years, federal elected officials three state senators, local agencies and a lot of persistence to see the project completed.

“It’s been a lengthy process and we appreciate all you guys have done,” said David Grimes, Division 42 Chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

Grimes spoke to a group of government leaders and industrial development representatives on the parking lot of the River of Life Church prior to the ribbon cutting celebration.

“The first time I drove this road I thought ‘you got to be kidding me’,” Grimes.

It was at this time Grimes and other union personnel began working through former state senator Jerry Howard and then former state senator Bill Foster on the proposed project.

Then State Senator Rob Mayer enters the picture, along with U.S. Rep Jo Ann Emerson and U.S. Senator Kit Bond, and funding is secured to finance the road project.

Through Bond and Emerson, more than $340,000 was earmarked in federal stimulus funding for the project. Union Pacific committed up to $90,000 in funds to be used as the 20 percent local match for the project. The Union Pacific funds and remaining funds from the federal money have been set aside to be used for maintenance of the roads.

Grimes also thanked Steve and Connie Dukes with the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Development Agency, Executive Director Julian Steiner,Stoddard County Industrial Development Corporation, and the Stoddard County Commissioners – Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis and Commissioners Carol Jarrell and Frank Sifford.

Photo Above: The ribbon cutting celebration was held this week to the completion of the project t pave county roads from Highway 60 to the Union Pacific offices northeast of Dexter. The completed project cost $304,924.50. The project improved County Roads 531, 570 and 527 – creating a pave route from Highway 60 to the Union Pacific facility. On hand for the celebration were Stoddard County Industrial Development Authority Secretary Janet Coleman, County Commissioner Frank Sifford, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) Legislative Board Chairman Brian Kelley, BLET Division 42 Chairman David Grimes, State Sen. Rob Mayer of Dexter, Union Pacific Director of Public Affairs Benjamin Jones, BLET Division 42 President Brian Wheeler, State Rep. Billy Pat Wright, County Commissioner Carol Jarrell, IDA Board Member Sue Tippen and Presiding Stoddard County Commissioner Greg Mathis. Photo Below: State Senator Rob Mayer of Dexter (right was recognized by Brian Kelly, Legislative Board Chair of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. (SMT Photos by Annabeth Miller)

The ShowMe Times is proud to announce the introduction of yet another feature on the online local news journal.

As of this week, the ShowMe Times will host “Letters To The Editor” under its Blogs menu. This new feature will be another way in which local residents may express opinions on news and events of general interest in our region.

“The general rules are simple: The ShowMe Times reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and general readability,” said ShowMe Times Editor Annabeth Miller. Letters must be signed and provide a telephone number and an active e-mail address for verification purposes; the writer’s name and e-mail address will be published.

Paid Election Letters will also be featured, Miller said. Political letters of endorsement will be published as Paid Election Letters and will be subject to a fee of $25 for a letter of up to 100 words; an additional fee of 50 cents per word will be assessed beyond 100 words. To ensure publication, Paid Election Letters must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday one week before an election.

“Of course, the ShowMe Times encourages writers to remain positive, and to follow the Golden Rule,” Miller said. “We will not publish letters that are hateful and spiteful against an individual, family or group. Letters to the Editor are intended to encourage positive discussion on issues in the community, to offer opinions on issues and events, and to highlight what is good and positive in our area.”

The news journal will retain the right to refuse publication of a letter for its content. In addition, letters must be signed to be published.

“My father, the late Barney Miller, always said that unsigned comments and letters were a chicken’s way to express an opinion or to be negative. We will follow his time-honored philosophy,” Miller said.

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STAY IN TOUCH

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: The maximum length is 250 words. We edit for clarity, accuracy, punctuation and spelling. The letter must be signed. Please include your name, street address, city and a phone number where you can be reached between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

PAID ELECTION LETTERS: All letters of endorsement of candidates or ballot issues will be published as Paid Election Letters and are subject to a fee of $25 for up to 100 words, plus an additional 50 cents per word beyond 100. To ensure publication, Paid Election Letters must be received by 5 p.m. Tuesday one week before an election.

SEND LETTERS TO: Letters may be emailed to letters@showmetimes.com or faxed to (toll-free) 1-866-515-6828.

A SMT News Report

Two soon-to-be college students from Dexter recently received scholarships to further their education.

Luke Robinson and Karsen Adams both received the Rotha Wilson Scholarship from the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Dexter. The $500 scholarships were presented on Monday. Adams and Robinson graduated with the Class of 2011 from Dexter High School and are now preparing to leave for college.

Adams is the daughter of Dana and Travis Adams of Dexter. She plans to attend the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and major in mathematics and chemistry.

Robinson is the son of Mark and Rhonda Robinson. He plans to attend Truman State University in Kirksville. He plans to major in political science with a pre-law emphasis.

Rotha Wilson was a long-time educator in the Dexter Schools, teaching freshman English classes at DHS. She was a member of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The scholarship was established by the local church in her memory and as a tribute for her many years in education.

The Rotha Wilson Scholarship Committee included Mark Stidham, chair, and Non Robinson, Darryl Orr, Kendall Mouser, Tommy Horton and Sue Daniels.

Photo Above: Dr. Larry Colvin (center), pastor of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Dexter presented checks for $500 each to Karsen Adams (left) and Luke Robinson, recipients of the 2011 Rotha Wilson Scholarship.

SENATH – The search continued throughout the area today by law enforcement officials and volunteers in hopes of finding three year old Breeann Rodriguez. As of early Sunday evening, there had been no reports on the whereabouts of the young girl.

The FBI has joined the search, assisting the local Senath Police Department, the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

At approximately noon on Saturday, the young girl was riding her bike near her home on Ode Johnson Street in the small town of Senath, Missouri. Authorities said that Breeann was last seen wearing a pink shirt, pink shorts, riding a pink bike with her hair in pigtails.

A prayer vigil, sponsored by the Ministerial Alliance, attracted over 200 local community leaders and friends from throughout the area. Words of hope and encouragement were delivered to the group with few details about the ongoing search.

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Senath Mayor Joe Lane headed up the meeting along with area pastors. Each pastor offered prayers for Breeann’s safe and quick return to her family.

“We will always be affected by the disappearance of this young girl” commented Mayer Lane. “I have granddaughters and things will just not be the same.”

The local Hispanic community pastor was on hand to deliver prayers in Spanish. After his prayer, the pastor expressed his appreciation for the community's effort to locate the young girl.

“The Hispanic community is one with the Senath community”, added the pastor.

Many local businesses were appreciated at the event for their donations of ice and bottled water for those volunteers searching for the young girl.

One Senath resident commented that he lived about four houses down from the Rodriquez home. He commented that volunteers had walked every single row of the cotton fields located behind their street without any results.

Senator Rob Mayer was also on hand to offer support and assess the needs of those officials working to locate the young girl.

“When I learned about the young girl's disappearance on the news Saturday evening, I just couldn’t get this off my heart,” commented Senator Mayer. “I wanted to come down and just see if there was anything that I could do to help.”

Senator Mayer took a moment to speak with Senath city officials. He was also able to take a short moment to express his concerns to the Rodriquez family and his hope for Breeann’s safe return.

Many of the attendees noted that the Amber Alert had not been activated at this point, and concerns circulated about when this would take place. Local city officials noted that they were not involved with the investigation and had not been informed of the progress.

The Amber Alert System has criteria that are established and regulated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. In order for an AMBER Alert to be forwarded for dissemination via the Alert Missouri, program the following criteria must be met:

1. Law enforcement officials have a reasonable belief that an abduction has occurred, which meets the definition in RSMo. 565.110 or 565.115.

2. Law enforcement officials believe that the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.

3. Enough descriptive information exists about the victim and the abductor for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert.

4. The victim of the abduction is a child age 17 years or younger.

5. The child's name and other critical data elements - including the child abduction (CA) flag - have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system.

Additional information regarding the Amber Alert guidelines can be found at the Missouri State Highway Patrol's website.

Until the decision is made to activate the Amber Alert, readers are encouraged share pictures and information of Breeann’s disappearance with others throughout our area via Facebook and other social media applications.

If you have any information or see Breeann Rodriquez, please contact the Dunklin County Sheriff’s Department at (573) 888-2424.