By Annabeth Miiler,
ShowMe Times Editor

Flags across Missouri will fly at half-staff on Thursday in honor of a U.S. Navy Seal who died in service to the nation.

Gov. Jay Nixon has has ordered that the U.S. and Missouri flags at state buildings in all 114 counties and the City of St. Louis be flown at half-staff on Wednesday, Aug. 17 to honor the bravery and sacrifice of Special Warfare Operator Chief Petty Officer (SEAL) Matthew D. Mason.

Chief Petty Officer Mason, age 37, of Holt, was a sailor in the U.S. Navy serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He died on Aug. 6 of injuries sustained when his CH-47 Chinook helicopter was attacked while conducting special operations combat in the Wardak Province, Afghanistan.

The funeral for Chief Petty Officer Mason will be held on Aug. 17.

In addition to the flags statewide, Nixon has ordered that the U.S. and Missouri flags at all state buildings in Clay County be flown at half-staff from Aug. 18 to Aug. 23.

“Chief Petty Officer Mason served our country with bravery and dedication as a Navy SEAL, and I ask all Missourians to remember his sacrifice when they see the lowered flags,” Nixon said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they mourn for him.”

Chief Petty Officer Mason was assigned to the East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare Unit. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star (2 awards), Purple Heart (2 awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal with “V” device for valor, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” device for valor, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (2 awards), Presidential Unit Citation (2 awards), Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal (3 awards), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (6 awards), Rifle Marksmanship Medal, and the Pistol Marksmanship Medal.

In flying a flag at half-staff there are some general rules and procedures to follow:

• Most half staff days suggest that the American flag is at half staff from sunrise until sunset on the days of the order. Memorial day is the exception where the American flag is at half staff from sunrise until noon.
• When raising the American flag to half staff on a vertical pole, always raise it briskly to the top of the flagpole for a moment before lowering it. When taking it down for the night, raise it to the top of the flag pole again & lower it to the bottom.
• With a telescoping pole it is acceptable to put the USA flag on the second set of rings instead of the top set. In this case the top set would be left empty.
• When the United States flag is flown at half-staff, State and other flags should be removed or flown at half-staff too.
• Only the President and state Governors can decide when and how long the American flag should be flown at half-staff.

By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor

BLOOMFIELD - Stoddard County officials have a new “opponent” to fight in the county’s facilities. Late last week, county commissioners were informed of - and took the first steps to fight - the growth of mold in one of the county’s facilities.

“We have a mold problem at the Justice Center,” Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis said at Monday’s weekly meeting of the County Commissioner. Mathis said commissioners were notified last week that mold is growing in the ventilation system in the Justice Center. Commissioners contacted architect Dale Rogers to find out what steps needed to be taken to correct the situation. The architect of the Justice Center was the late Harold Porterfield of Poplar Bluff.

“We immediately called Tetra Tech,” Mathis said. Tetra Tech is a provider of consulting, engineering, and technical services worldwide. The team responding to the Stoddard County situation is based in Collinsville, Ill. “They were doing a job in Fulton at that time and on Wednesday they pushed a man loose and sent him (to Bloomfield).”

Mathis reported the TetraTech technician took more than 20 samples as well as air samples from the Justice Center. The samples were delivered to EMSL Analytical of St. Louis and studies were conducted, Mathis said.

Representatives from Tetra Tech, Dale Rogers, a fungal clean up company and Langford Sheet Metal from Jackson, a St. Louis-based mechanical engineering group will meet with county officials.

“At that time they will talk about our heating and cooling system we have in the Justice Center to see if they can see any issues with it,” Mathis said. Langford Sheet Metal did the heating and air system in the County Government Building; Buffington Brothers from Poplar Bluff did the system in the Justice Center.

“The gentleman from Tetra Tech will present a plan of action tomorrow (Tuesday),” Mathis said. The plan will inform the county of what is growing in the system as well as a plan to clean the system and disinfecting of the ductwork.

“All the employees have been notified of everything that’s going one over there from the get-go” Mathis said. “So the bottom line is we’re going to get an evaluation, we’re going to get the problem fixed up and see what we need to do to more forward and correct it to where the heating and air conditioning works properly.”

Mathis said some shuffling is being done to be able to conduct business in areas not affected by the mold.

Last week Commissioners Carol Jarrell and Frank Sifford met with representatives of Union Pacific Railroad concerning a number of rural railroad crossings in the county. Crossings inspected late last week include the ones on County Roads 967,708, 702, 567- 551, and 331.

“They told me that over there by 967 (near Fisk), those trains run 70 to 75 miles per hour,” Sifford said.

“While we were covering these roads, there were trains that came through at more than 60 miles per hour,” Jarrell said. “They said it would probably be a year or more down the road, but they are going to put gates and lights on all these crossings.”

In other business Monday morning:

• Presiding Commissioner Mathis reported that plastic shields have now been placed over the thermostats in offices in the Justice Center; he said he spoke to many of the Justice Center employees concerning the shields.

• Commissioners received the sales tax report, which showed the county was up in sale tax receipts approximately $25,000 over August 2010 and $86,000 up for the year.

• Commissioner Sifford reported he has been working on the cleaning out of Ditch 13 southeast of Advance. Sifford said there is a possibility of a cleaning out about 3,600 feet of the ditch and save the ditch district $5-7,000 on the project.

Photo Above: Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis discusses how the county plans to address the mold that has grown in the Stoddard County Justice Center. (SMIT Photo by Annabeth Miller)

SIKESTON - The Illinois Department of Transportation is alerting motorists traveling Interstate 57 of an upcoming interstate closure.

Beginning Tuesday, Aug. 16, the I-57 bridge over the Mississippi River spanning from Missouri to Illinois will be closed to north and southbound traffic. The closure is anticipated to be in place three days, as IDOT's contractor makes repairs to the bridge.

Marked detour routes will be in place for north and southbound traffic. Detour routes include:

Northbound: I-55 in Missouri, Missouri 74 (through Cape Girardeau), IL 146, IL 3, I-57.
Southbound: IL 3 (Exit 1), IL 146, Missouri 74 (through Cape Girardeau), Interstate 55

Due to the high volume of traffic, the marked detour is expected to be congested with probable delays. Motorists are encouraged to seek an alternate route. Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling in the area and should observe all message boards and detour route signage.

The Dorena-Hickman Ferry is an additional detour option. For more information about the ferry, please visit:http://www.dorena-hickmanferryboat.com/

For additional information about the upcoming closure, please contact IDOT Construction Engineer Keith Roberts at (618) 351-5253 or MoDOT's Customer Service Center at 573-472-5333.

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)