By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
It was a perfect evening for a party with all things coming together to create a memorable time.
The second annual Homecoming Tailgate sponsored by County Wide Insurance and Montgomery Bank was a matchless evening filled with all the ingredients to a fantastic community party – a beautiful evening, delicious food, wonderful folks, hot music, and Bearcat fun.
With three levels of “hot”, Dallas Buchanan and crew fixed a mountain of wings, and Scott Nelson and Ed Gargas grilled awesome hotdogs for the hundreds of folks who attended Friday’s Tailgate.
County Wide and Montgomery Bank crews were on hand to help serve the evening’s meal, and paint dozens of Bearcat paws on young faces in preparation for the Bearcat Homecoming game later that evening. It was an evening of “red and black” with plenty of Bearcat enthusiasm.
There was a community atmosphere on the hillside on Brown Pilot Road, with young (and not so young) tossing footballs, great music from The BUZZ keeping the beat, and friends sharing time and a good conversation with friends.“Guarding” the activity on Brown Pilot Hill was a Dexter classic – the 1960s Stoddard County Civil Defense wagon – all running and back in action again with its unique siren!
It was a perfect beginning to an exciting evening, filled with the presentation of the Homecoming Queen Court and crowning of the 2011 Homecoming queen, a great halftime show by the Marching Bearcat Band, and one of the most exciting football games ever played at Charles Bland Stadium.
A robust crowd of more than 750 attending the annual Tailgate, with supplies of wings and hot dogs all but exhausted by the end of the evening. But the fun times share and memories created were the highlight of the evening – good times, good friends and great community.
ShowMe Times Gallery
Homecoming Tailgate 2011
Photos by Andrew Cato & Annabeth Miller
Randy Renfro is the owner of Reliable Appliance Repair LLC, located at 19 North Walnut Street in the Downtown District. Renfro offers appliance repair and "slightly used" appliances for sale that have been performance checked and cleaned.
Renfro points out he has 12 years of experience in repairing all brands of appliances. He said he is now buying and selling quality used appliances and new repair parts and supplies.
The Chamber of Commerce hosted the ribbon-cutting celebration marking the opening of the new business and Renfro's new membership in the Chamber organization.
Photo Above: Dexter Mayor Joe Weber (center) prepares to cut the ribbon at the ribbon-cutting celebration at Reliable Appliance Repair at 19 North Walnut in Historic Downtown Dexter. On hand for the celebration were (front row, from left) Dexter Alderman Jerry Corder, Chamber Secretary/Treasurer Kevin Bishop, Mayor Weber, Randy Renfro, Chamber President Ed Gargas, Chamber Director Mendy Bell, Chamber Executive Director Janet Coleman; (back fro) Dexter Alderman Terry Battles, Chamber Director Wes Howard, and Roger Renfro. (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)
The sun was shining and folks were out for a beautiful fall day, and it was a perfect morning for the annual Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll fund drive in Dexter.
Knights member Neal Ayers (photo, left) worked at the intersection of Walnut and Vine streets in Downtown Dexter helping accept donations for the local Knights projects. Funds raised will help the local Association for Retarded Citisens (ARC) and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis.
The Tootsie Roll Drive is an annual fundraiser project for the local Knights of Columbus. Knights were downtown intersection at Walnut and Vine as well as the Walnut and Business Highway 25 intersection. In appreciation for their donation during the local road block , the donor is offered a sweet Tootsie Roll treat.
JEFFERSON CITY - Autumn has arrived and some leaves have already started to turn in the ShowMe State and the Conservation Department says fall foliage will be more colorful in some parts of the state than others.
Missourians have e experienced a wide extreme of weather this year i- from heavy rain and flooding to extreme heat and drought. More recent weather has a greater impact on fall hues, however.
As we edge into October and the warmth ebbs and Missourians unpack sweaters and sweatshirts, the ShowMe State’s forests kindle leafy fires to usher in autumn. This year, the fires will burn brightest in the Ozarks.
Poets wax eloquent about the impending season of splendor, while scientists focus on the interaction of weather and pigments. Most of us just want to know where and when to go to see October’s best visuals. This year, southern Missouri and the tier of counties immediately south of Jefferson City are predicted to be the places to see fall color at its best.
Many people believe that cool weather or frost cause leaves to change color. While temperature may affect color, it is only one of many factors that play a part in painting deciduous woodlands in glorious fall colors.
Hot, dry weather tends to reduce fall color, according to Nick Kuhn, community forestry coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). He said flooding also tends to diminish the intensity of fall color. Those facts serve as the basis for some general predictions about this year’s fall color display.
“Cole County to Arkansas is looking good for fall color this year,” said Kuhn. “I think the Bootheel and Kansas City areas may have a bit less color than usual, with north-central and northeastern Missouri being less colorful still.”
Kuhn said he expects fall color to be about average across the rest of the state, due to recent better weather.
Although summer extremes might reduce fall color somewhat, Missouri’s fall weather has been favorable for tree color so far. Moderately dry conditions, with sunny weather and daytime highs in the 60s and nighttime lows in the 40s, all tend to intensify fall colors. However, freezing temperatures, heavy rain and strong wind could still cut short the fall-color season by stripping leaves from trees.
According to Kuhn, twig damage from cicadas is unlikely to have much effect on fall color in most areas.
Fall color almost always peaks around Oct. 15 in Missouri. Trees in the northern and southern parts of the state may change colors a week earlier or later.
Photo Above: Fall color paints a picturesque scene on a regional roadway. (Archive photo by Annabeth Miller)
Link Of Interest
Missouri Department of Conservation
SPRINGFIELD – A Southeast Missouri educator was honored by Gov. Jay Nixon recently and recognized at the 2011 Governor’s Conference on Economic Development in Springfield.
Three Rivers College President Dr. Devin Stephenson received the governor’s E3 Award – Excellence in Education, Economic Development and Employment.
"I'm certainly overwhelmed," said Stephenson. "As I received the award, I felt that I was receiving it on behalf of everybody that's helped the college. I'm only the conductor; there are a lot of people playing in this orchestra. But I've never been one to shift back into neutral. We will continue to listen and look for every possibility for partnerships and growth. We have to continue to see the possibilities."
Stephenson was nominated by members of his staff and Rep. Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff). The E3 Award is a workforce development award that honors extraordinary leadership and innovation in developing strategies, directions and high performance expectations to enhance employment in Missouri.
"I want to congratulate Dr. Stephenson and the college," said Richardson. "The ability of the college to reach out to area businesses and work to produce a well-trained, well-educated workforce is indispensable to our ability to maintain and grow our economy."
Stephenson and Three Rivers were recognized for actively building partnerships with individuals, businesses, community leaders, organizations, and government officials from throughout the region. These partnerships support the college and its efforts to train the area workforce and serve as the primary economic development engine in the region.
"All across Missouri, we are standing out from other parts of the country, we are working together, and we are seeing real sparks of economic growth," said Gov. Jay Nixon in his address to the conference assembly. "I really appreciate the way Dr. Stephenson and the community college system of our state embraces worker training, career training, and makes those things a focus of their mission each and every day."
"It's evident that Devin has always been involved in the business community and making sure that there's growth in our local economy," said Steve Halter, economic development coordinator and director of the Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. "He's got great vision. Any time you have education and business working together, you're going to see growth."
"It's a humbling thing to receive this award after only being at Three Rivers for two years," Stephenson said. "I really appreciate the award, and having this stamp of approval on our work is very important. It is absolutely humbling, and that's all that I can say."
Photo Above: With Nixon at the 2011 Governor’s Conference on Economic Development in Springfield were (fro left) Judy Stephenson, Steve Halter, of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, Stephenson, Nixon, college Director of Development Emily Parks, and Zora Mulligan of the Missouri Community College Association. (TRC photo)
