Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Writer

Poplar Bluff, Missouri – Poplar Bluff has a new emerging country/pop artist in their town.  Eighth grade student, Tori Travers will be hosting a CD release party.  Tori will celebrate the debut of her new album at Las Margaritas on Saturday, December 29^th from 5 pm to 8 pm.

Tori will also be performing and signing autographs.  If you have not heard this very talented 8^th grader sing, you should stop by, have a bite to eat and enjoy the entertainment.  She is truly a remarkable young lady with a wonderful voice.  Her CD is already available for purchase online and in music stores.

 

 

Dexter, Missouri - The anticipated blizzard we have experienced was predicted days ago by our own Dexter weatherman, Jeff Huffman.  Jeff long predicted the storm would be a good one or a bad one depending on your perspective.

In speaking with Dexter city manager, Mark Stidham, the Dexter city offices are closed at this point but will play it by ear as to when they will open.  The street department and others are busy clearing the streets to make them safe for area residents to travel.

"This is some stiff stuff (snow)!" commented Stidham.  "We are busy working on the streets to get them in good shape."

Other local businesses will be opening slowly throughout the day and of course, there are no school closures due to the Christmas break in the area. 

The greatest complication is the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament that was scheduled for their opening round today.  At this point, the tournament has been moved back one day and will now hold the finals on Monday. 

Though out of the area, Jeff Huffman continues to have a heart for his hometown of Dexter.  It's fun to follow his career as a meteorologist and fun to watch his predictions for the weather in our area.  You can follow him at on his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/jeffreyhuffmanor on his Twitter page at https://twitter.com/huffmanweather. 

Jeff is the son of Jack and Betty Huffman.  After graduating in 2001 from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Jeff worked a period of time in the Jefferson City / Columbia area as a meteorologist before transferring to Gainesville Florida  He is a 1997 graduate of Dexter High School.

Dexter, Missouri - Santa Claus, along with some special area elves, had a big gift in mind for The Ben Kruse 18 Fore Life Foundation this Christmas season as the Claus For A Cause fundraiser presented their check to Scott Kruse for $4,000.00. 

Among many other charitable events held throughout the year, Claus for a Cause is held at the Trinity United Methodist Church each December.  Over the past three years, the event has raised nearly $10,000 for charity organizations.

The inspired vision of Julie Dodd in 2008, the event has continued to grow each year.  Julie and photography friend, Amy Ellinghouse, learned of the idea at a seminar that encouraged attendees to use their talents to bring good things to others.  With a passion and love for photography, the idea was created and the rest is a wonderful history of contributions to others.

Claus For A Cause is a great gift to the community allowing area families to get high quality pictures of their children with Ole Saint Nick.  These are memories that will last a lifetime for these families.

Congratulations to 18 Fore Life and a special thanks to Julie and her team for offering their gift of photography as a gift to our community.

 

Dexter, Missouri - As many of us find ourselves in the midst of a holiday celebration, we may be facing one additional concern - SNOW and ICE.

Snow and strong winds are in the forecast for a good portion of the state, meaning we should be prepared for the possibility of slick roadways and decreased visibility.  The Missouri Department of Transportation reminds us to use caution and check road conditions before we travel.

MoDOT's Traveler Information Map, at www.modot.org offers current views of road conditions for Missouri interstates and highways.  Conditions for these routes are color-coded to give visitors the information they need at a glance.  Users can zoom in to a particular location, view live weather radar and view images from MoDOT's traffic cameras and message boards.

For those of us who use smartphones and tablets, the recently upgraded Traveler Information App brings the same information to our mobile devices.  We can even create a "My Routes" text report that allows us to make a custom list of the routes we travel the most.  The App is available for free from the iPhone and Android App stores by serching for "MoDOT".

MoDOT also provides road conditions information through their Customer Service Center.  Dial 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) to speak to one of their expert customer service representatives.  They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Remember while MoDOT works hard to treat and plow our highways as the snow begins to accumulate, it is important to allow extra time for travel and to check road conditions before you head out.  If at all possible try to stay home until the road are clear.

 

Dexter, Missouri -  You've put off the thought of getting a dog for Christmas.  The time and energy necessary to own a dog are not a surprise to you.  You look forward to years of loyalty and love from your soon-to-be new best friend from the Dexter Animal Shelter.

Just in time to give a cute little critter a new home for the holiday season, the Dexter Animal Shelter is having an Adoption Day.  This Saturday, on December 22nd beginning at 1 pm and ending at 4 pm the facility will be open for adoptions. 
 
The Shelter is located at 601 East Grant Street.  The Dexter Animal Shelter also has a Facebook page for postings.  Everyone is welcome to come out and ADOPT A NEW FRIEND!