A SMT News Report

Plans are being finalized for the annual Miss Dexter and Miss Heartland pageants, sponsored by the DHS Choral Music Department, on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 3 and 4.

Choir student Dalton Putnam reported that members of the choir have been busy working on the annual pageants, and a number of the gentlemen in the choir will be on hand to serve as escorts for the older girls in the pageants.

"This is one way the men of the choir are involved, and it adds a special touch to the pageants," Putnam said.

Malinda Mayo, Stephanie Gee and Morgan Cliff all said the choir members are working hard, and hopeful that girls will participate in the pageants.

Mayo explained the Miss Dexter Pageants will be held on Saturday, Sept. 3. Contests include the Little Miss, Little Mister, Petite Miss, Junior Miss and Miss Dexter pageants.

Cliff explained that all contestants in the Miss Dexter pageants must reside in the Dexter R-XI School District. The pageants will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the Little Miss and Mister Dexter contests. All pageants will be held in the DHS Auditorium.

On Sunday afternoon, the Miss Heartland Pageant will be held. The Miss Heartland Pageant will be open to all girls throughout the region. Gee said the Miss Heartland Pageant scheduled and their age divisions include: * Baby Miss at 1:30 p.m., birth through 17 months * Tiny Miss at 2 p.m., 18-35 months * Wee Miss at 2:30 p.m., 3-5 years * Petite Miss at 3 p.m., 6-8 years * Pre-Teen Miss at 3:30 p.m., 9-11 years * Jr. Miss Heartland at 4 p.m.,12-14 years * Miss Heartland at 4:30 p.m., 15-19 years An entry fee of $25 is required for each contestant. Entries forms are available at the Bunny Patch in Downtown Dexter, may be downloaded from the ShowMe Times by using the links below, or by contacting the pageant director at via e-mail/: Jamie Sepulcado

Miss Dexter Entry Forms

Little Mr. & Miss Dexter

Petite, Jr. & Miss Dexter

Heartland Pageants Entry Form

Heartland Pageants

Photo Above: DHS Choir members Malinda Mayo, Stevie Payne, Morgan Cliff, Dalton Putnam, and Stephanie Gee pause on their preparations for the Miss Dexter and Miss Heartland pageants, to be held Sept. 3 and 4. (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)

Dexter's Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting celebration to mark the opening of Associated Building Solutions, LLC (ABS), located at 1311 W. Business 60. ABS is owned by Reade Ferguson and provides full service architecture and construction management services locally and for neighboring states as well. Taking part in the celebration were (front row, from left to right) Alderman Jerry Corder, Chamber Director Mendy Bell, Mayor Joe Weber, Owner Reade Ferguson, his wife, Mary Ferguson, Chamber Chamber Secretary/Director Kevin Bishop, Ashley Jackson, Chamber member Dana Adams, and Chamber Executive Director Janet Coleman.

Seventy-six trombones led the big parade
With a hundred and ten cornets close at hand.
They were followed by rows and rows of the finest virtuosos
The cream of ev'ry famous band.

Trombones, and cornets and drums and piccalos and more will be marching on Stoddard Street in Downtown Dexter soon, as the Annual Stoddard County Fair kicks off with bands and floats and good times.

The parade will start Fair Week on Tuesday, Sept. 20 with the winners of last year’s Band Competition – the Advance High School Band - leading the way.

This year’s parade will include three categories for floats – Commercial, School, and Churches & Others. There will be three prizes in each division of $150, $100 and $50.

Groups wishing to enter a float in this year’s parade need to register their float by contacting the Dexter Chamber of Commerce at 1-573-624-7458 or toll-free at 1-800-332-8857.

According the Chamber Executive Director Janet Coleman groups do need to preregister for the parade, and they will in turn receive a map of where they should report in parade line-up and additional information concerning the parade.

“We take registrations right up to the day before the parade,” she said.

Coleman said that three judges from outside Stoddard County will evaluate and chose the winners for the Band Competition.

“Each band receives a recording from each judge evaluating their performance in the parade,” Coleman said. In addition, the band directors receive a written evaluation from the judging team.

The winner of the 2011 parade competition will lead the 2012 parade, she explained. The 2010 winner was Advance, with second place going to the Puxico Rhythm Steppers, and third to the Bernie Mules Band.

“As the host band, the Dexter Marching Bearcat Band asks that it not be included in the competition,” Coleman said. “They want to be gracious hosts to their fellow musicians in the county.”

The annual parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Downtown Dexter.

Following the parade, the Stoddard County Fair Queen’s Contets will be held in Arena B at the Fairgrounds. Also on Tuesday evening, there will be Chicken Catching and Youth Games in Arena A and at 7:30 p.m. Anna Catherine DeHart will be in concert on the Midway.

Photo Above: The Bell City Band was one of many bands to participate in the 2010 Stoddard County Fair Parade. This year's parade will bgin at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 20.-

Local Links Of Interest

Stoddard County Fair

Dexter Chamber of Commerce

A SMT News Report

CAPE GIRARDEAU – Southeast Missouri State University is a "growing" place.

Total enrollment at the regional university continues to grow with 10,875 students enrolled after the first full day of classes of the fall 2011 semester.

Total enrollment is up 2.7 percent from this time last year. Classes at Southeast began Aug. 22.

Key to growth this fall is the second consecutive year in which beginning freshmen enrollment has surpassed 1,900, according to Dr. Debbie Below, assistant vice president for enrollment management and director of admissions. Beginning freshmen enrollment stands at 1,924, down just 1.7 percent from last year’s 1,958 beginning freshmen on opening day.

“This record of continued growth is contributing to the University’s positive outlook for the future,” Below said. “This is a student body that is well-prepared and ready to learn. We are honored they have chosen Southeast, and we look forward to helping each and every student meet their educational goals.”

Dr. Bruce Skinner, director of Residence Life, said 3,108 students are living in SEMO's dorms this fall, an increase of 171 from this time last year. Because of the demand for on-campus housing and to accommodate Southeast’s growing campus population, only five students are housed in private rooms this year.

Southeast also has 48 students who are upperclassmen are being housed this year on the fourth floor at Candlewood Suites, a Cape Girardeau hotel, Skinner said.

“The residence halls at Southeast continue to be in high demand from our new and returning students. We are pleased so many students recognize the value and convenience of living on campus,” Skinner said.

With more than 800 volunteers, a record 1,286 students moved into the residence halls on Aug. 18, accounting for the largest single day move-in to the residence halls in more than 20 years.

Enrollment of students taking only Web courses is 705, up from 659 last year.

“Increasingly, our students have busy lives, and online classes make it possible for students to stay on target with their academic goals while balancing the demands of family and work,” said Robin Grebing, director of Southeast Online. “Increasing the number of classes we offer online is just one way the University serves the needs of students locally and around the world.”

Growth is also evident in the School of Graduate Studies where total graduate student enrollment is 960, up 2.6 percent from fall 2010. Degree seeking master’s student enrollment is 834, up 5.7 percent from this time last year.

The official census report will be issued in four weeks. University officials say the enrollment typically grows between the first-day census and the final fourth-week census date.

Local Link Of Interest

Southeast Missouri State University

Video On Southeast's Fall Enrollment

The first of two Open House events at Southwest Elementary School in Dexter was held Tuesday evening with parents of kindergarten and first grade students. Many of the officers and representatives of the Southwest PTO were on hand to recruit new members and to sell this year's edition of the PTO t-shirt. On hand were (from left) Belinda Worley, public relations; Christy Dorton, kindergarten delegate; Sarah Porter, membership; Pam Laramore, vice president; Angie Dugan, president; and Ginny Krapf, first grade delegate. Among the year's activities will be Grandparents night from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 18, and later in the year the PTO will help sponsor National School Lunch Week and Book Fair Week. This year marks the 99th year for Parent-Teacher organization in Dexter Schools. (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)