State Rep. Bil Pat Wright, R-Dexter, recently was host to Kelly Gillock, and junior at Puxico High School. Gilloclk is a member of the Puxico chapter of Family, Carrer and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and participated in the group's Legislative Shadowing Project. Gillock joined Wright for a day in the State Capitol last week to learn more about the duties of a state representative in Missouri and about state government. (Submitted photo)

By Tim Krakowiak,
Managing Editor
The SEMO Times, Poplar Bluff

Special To The ShowMe Times

POPLAR BLUFF - The names Blackwell and Baldwin have become synonymous in Southeast Missouri over the past four decades, as seen at car dealerships, along billboards and on vehicles cruising the highways.

What began with an earnest handshake agreement between Harry Blackwell of Naylor and Poplar Bluff native Roger Baldwin, ended up in a legal battle over a year ago, and reached a settlement outside of court last week.

Baldwin now owns the three dealerships on South Westwood Boulevard, while Blackwell operates the business in Dexter, plus he has acquired two additional dealerships in Malden, upon being bought out of the Poplar Bluff operation.

“My family is now in business in Dexter and Dunklin County, and we are excited about the future of these dealerships,” Blackwell said. “I want to humbly thank all of our friends and customers who, over the years, have blessed our family to no end.”

Under recommendation by the parties, the consolidated case was dismissed with prejudice Feb. 16 by Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett in Butler County, and Stoddard County Presiding Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp executed the joint stipulation the previous day.

The three multiple-count civil suits that ensued between Baldwin and his wife Jan against Blackwell and his wife Vivian, each individually and on behalf of their respective trusts, began Nov. 18, 2010.

Baldwin filed the original petition, requesting liquidation and later for the courts to appoint the sheriff of each county to auction off the real estate and divide the proceeds among the parties since, the lawsuit states, “irreconcilable differences have arisen between the partners.” Attorney Jasper Edmundson Jr. of Poplar Bluff and Ray Nickle of Jonesboro represented the plaintiff.

With the legal counsel of Joseph Blanton Jr. of Sikeston and Steve Walsh of Poplar Bluff, defendant Blackwell counterclaimed that the corporations should be sold to himself or a third party, or divided among the partners with payment of the difference in value, since Baldwin’s actions allegedly caused the “breakdown in the relationship.”

The dispute raised question as to whether Blackwell and Baldwin were in a Missouri general business partnership to begin with, or just shareholders of motor vehicle dealerships, as the venture between the owners was formed by oral agreement, not a written contract, “for no specified term of existence.”

TIMELINE

Blackwell-Baldwin opened its first dealership in 1973, the Oldsmobile Cadillac division where Raben Tire is currently located in Poplar Bluff, according to history on its former website.

In 1985, the duo bought out GMC and Ford dealerships in Poplar Bluff and the following year, acquired Lincoln, Mercury, Toyota, Pontiac and Buick operations.

Lastly, they purchased Scism Motors in Bloomfield in 1997, which was relocated to Dexter two years later. Today the dealership, solely owned by Blackwell, includes Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models.

On Jan. 12, former Lincoln Lacy Motors in Malden, now called Harry Blackwell Motors, announced that Blackwell purchased the operation from Jim Lincoln. There are two Dunklin County locations, according to general manager Charlie Thacker, one that includes Ford, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep and the other, Chevrolet, GMC and Buick.

During a brief interview, Baldwin said: “It’s too early to say a whole lot right now,” but he would release a statement once he gets the signage at his businesses in town updated.

Asked why he decided to stay in the business, he replied: “Just family.”

Descendants of both Baldwin and Blackwell have followed in their parents’ footprints in the auto dealer business.

By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times

The Stoddard County GOP opened its doors Saturday evening, and a host of candidates running for office rush in.

The annual Stoddard County Lincoln Day Banquet was held at the Dexter Elks Lodge Friday, and candidates and their campaigns kept a steady stream of speaker at the platform. With an election year with an abundant crop of new candidates seeking statewide office, it appeared at times that the stream of speakers was never-ending.

Stoddard County Republican Party Chairman Wayne Jean was the host for the evening, and his job for the banquet was to be gatekeeper, host and timekeeper. More than 20 candidates were on hand hoping to speak to the crowd of county Republicans.

By coincidence, Scott County Republicans were holding their own Lincoln Day event, so many of the statewide campaigns were shifts candidates from Scott to Stoddard and visa-versa. More than 300 were on hand at the Elks Lodge on Two Mile Road in Dexter.

Several speakers throughout the evening spoke of the growth of the GOP in Stoddard County, from the days when Senate Leader and Dexter native Rob Mayer said that “Wayne Jean, Mike Keathley and Charlie Kruse met in a phone booth” for county GOP meetings, to a banquet attracting statewide candidates and filling a large banquet hall.

State Republican Executive Director Lloyd F. Smith told the party paithful that he placed great importance on the 2012 election cycle, and encouraged them to be informed and to take heed of the election.

"We have a rendezvous with destiny. Our kids and grandkids will depend on what we do this election. Don't wake up the Wednesday after the election and say 'oh boy, I wish I had talked to this person or made this phone call.' You are the boots on the ground; you will make the difference," Smith said.

Candidates speaking to the Dexter crowd included (* denotes incubent):

U.S. Senate

• John Brunner
• Sarah Steelman

U.S. House of Representatives

• Jo Ann Emerson *
• Bob Parker

Governor

• Bill Randalls
• Dave Spence

Lt. Governor

• Peter Kinder *
• Brad Lager

Secretary of State

• Scott Rupp
• Bill Stouffer

State Treasurer

• Ed Martin

State Senate – District 25

• Doug Libla
• Billy Pat Wright

• Bob Thrower

State House – District 163

•  Kent Hampton *

By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor

The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced a number of work projects in Southeast Missouri, which may impact motorists.

Route 60 Bridge near Dexter

Work to replace the deck of the Route 60 bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad in Stoddard County is expected to begin Monday, March 5. The bridge is located east of Route 25 near Dexter.

This project will not involve a road closure due to the traffic volume in the area. Westbound traffic will be diverted onto the eastbound lanes from County Road 517 to County Road 531. In addition to reducing traffic to one lane in each direction, a 16-foot width restriction will be in place.

Completion is anticipated in late August, weather permitting

Route F in Stoddard County

Two different projects on Route F in Stoddard County are on the project board with MoDOT.

Route F from Route 60 to Route J will be reduced to one lane as MoDOT crews perform edge rut repairs. Work will take place through Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, weather permitting.

Route F will also be closed Monday, Feb. 27 while crews replace a pipe beneath the roadway. This section of roadway is located from County Road 420 to County Road 424.

I-55 in Scott County

Interstate 55 in Scott County from Route M at Scott City to Route 77 will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform pavement repairs.

Weather permitting, work will take place Monday, Feb. 27 through Friday, March 2 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

For More Information

• MoDOT Customer Service Center - 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636)
• Missouri Department of Transportation

By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor

The U.S. Postal Service on Thursday confirmed what has been speculated and expected: the centers in Cape Girardeau and Springfield will be closing.

USPS announced it would be closing two processing and distribution centers in Missouri, consolidating the work into two major metropolitan centers in the state. Centers in Cape Girardeau and Springfield will be consolidated in the St. Louis and Kansas City operations.

“In a move to help ensure the future of the nation’s mail system, while adapting to America’s changing mailing trends, the U.S. Postal Service today announced that the Area Mail Processing consolidation studies that began more than five months ago have been completed,” the USPS said in a news release. “These changes are a necessary part of a larger comprehensive plan developed by the Postal Service to reduce operating costs by $20 billion by 2015 and return the organization to profitability.”

Spokesman Richard Watkins in the USPS Regional Office in Kansas City reported that the Springfield closing would mean a loss of 65 positions and the Cape Girardeau closing 71 positions; some transfer opportunities for employees will be available.

No date had been set for the consolidations, but Watkins said they would not take effect before May 15.

The news from USPS was not welcome news in the office of Southern Missouri’s representative in the U.S. Congress. U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said today that she is “incredibly disappointed” in the decision to close the two centers. Both closings will have an impact in her Congressional district. The Cape Girardeau center is in her district, and while the Springfield center in Green County is not in the Eighth District, it borders Emerson’s district.

“I’m incredibly disappointed not only with this decision, but also in the way it was communicated to the communities that rely on these facilities for the timely delivery of the mail they entrust to the USPS,” Emerson said. “I understand the financial challenges facing the Postal Service, but I do not accept that the way to meet these challenges is to eliminate valued facilities, reduce service and reliability, and slow the delivery of mail.  It’s absolutely counter-intuitive.”

Emerson pointed out that mail in the area will now require a minimum of two days for local deliver, because the ail has to travel 100 miles to be sorted.

“While the USPS should be focused on eliminating redundancies and management overlap, it is instead getting rid of the postal employees who work closest to their customers.  I’m frustrated and disappointed in this decision.  The Postal Service acts as though it doesn’t trust its own employees and it doesn’t care about its customers, and they are never going to stop losing money with a mind-set like that.”

Photo Above: With the closure of the postal processing center in Cape Girardeau, even local mail sent from the local Post Office in Dexter is estimated to take at least two days for local delivery. Mail from Dexter and Southeast Missouri will first have to be sent to the St. Louis processing center before coming delivery. (SMT photo by Annabeth Miller)