Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Southeast Missouri - For Missouri Department of Transportation crews, spring marks the beginning of striping season. Work to re-stripe various state routes will begin mid-March and continue through Memorial Day weekend. Routes included are 34, 53, 60, 63, 67, 72 and portions of Route 412, I-55, I-57 and I-155 in Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Howell, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Scott, Shannon, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Texas, Wayne and Wright Counties. Weather permitting; striping work will be underway from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, excluding weekends.
"Our striping caravan is a continuous, moving operation," said District Maintenance Engineer Jeff Johnson. "Due to the fact that the operation is always moving, no stationary signs will be posted. Proper safety measures will be in place during each operation, including warning signs on MoDOT striping vehicles. We urge motorists to use extreme caution and allow the machinery the space needed to properly apply the reflective paint."
Motorists are advised to stay back 500 feet and follow all safety signage.
"For the safety of area motorists and our MoDOT crews, motorists should not pass any of the equipment while it is operational," said Johnson. "In addition to safety issues, we also suggest that motorists do not pass the equipment, to avoid getting paint on their vehicles."
The reflective paint used to stripe roadways is a unique type of paint chosen for its reflective and adhering qualities.
"The paint is designed to ‘stick' to the roadway, which means it will stick to other surfaces that it comes in contact with too. If you pass the striping equipment, you may be taking the chance of getting paint on your personal vehicle," he said.
For additional information, contact the Missouri Department of Transportation's Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).
Written by
Beth Farrar, SMT Writer
Cairo, Illinois Area - A bridge closure on US 60/62 Bridge (South of Cairo, Illinois) is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 25th at noon and will continue all the way through Thursday, March 28th until noon. The bridge will be restricted to only one lane from 7 am to 4 pm on Monday, April 1st up until Thursday, April 4th. The bridge closure will affect those traveling through Alexander County, Illinois and those passing through Mississippi County, Missouri.
The bridge will be closed due to MoDOT crews performing required safety inspections to create a safe driving environment for Missouri citizens.
Jessica Snider, SMT Writer
Dexter, Missouri - Dexter's very own Lauren Thrower is working towards becoming the Miss America's Outstanding Teen. This year, Miss America Outstanding Teen Organization is teaming up with Children's Miracle Network to help kids in our community by raising much needed funds.
Sunday, March 17th, a Children's Miracle Fundraiser will be held at the Dexter High School. The money raised at the fundraiser will help benefit both Children's Miracle Network and the Miss America Outstanding Teen Scholarship Fund.
By attending the event, you will be helping Miss Lauren Thrower achieve her goals and also help out a great cause. Lauren has set a goal to raise $500.00. Let's help her meet and even surpass her goal!
Some events that will be going on next Sunday will be: live music, bake sale, face painting, auction by Fowler Auction Service, pictures with the queen by Cara Hill Photography, TEAM LAUREN t-shirts for sale, Wannabe DVD's, and D.A.R.E. with Lori O'Dell.
The local talents that will be performing live throughout the day are: Paul Wayne Pierce, Rebekah Northern, DHS Jazz Band, Buddy Heaton, Joseph Greer, Michaela Heaton, Matney Davis, Jera Hutchison, and Lauren Thrower.
Lauren would love to have your ongoing support by wearing her Team Lauren t-shirt as she continues her journey to the Miss Missouri Outstanding Teen pageant being held in Mexico, MO on June 7, 2013. If Lauren wins that title, she will then be competing for the title of Miss America's Outstanding Teen.
You may purchase a sponsorship for $25 and receive a TEAM LAUREN T-shirt with your name printed on the back.
Team Lauren shirts are on sale for $15. With a Team Lauren Sponsorship of $25, it includes a t-shirt and your name printed on the back.
To place your order today and to make donations you may contact one of the following:
Lori Hawkins: 573-625-1190
Candy Miller: 573-614-2468
Amy Bryant: 573-624-1166
You can also make a donation online at the following website: https://www.aotee4kids.org/m.aspx?i=29368BAC62462FC41
This is a wonderful way to get involved in helping Lauren's dreams come true and also a way to help with a great fundraiser for the Children's Miracle Network!
Again, the Children's Miracle Network Fundraiser will be held this Sunday, March 17, 2013. The event will start at 1:00 P.M. and continue until 5:00 P.M.
This will be an event-filled day you won't want to miss! There will be much entertainment throughout the day to be enjoyed by people of all ages!
Submitted by
Jessica Snider, SMT Writer
Dexter, MO- Starting very soon, crochet lessons will be given at the Dexter Welcome Center/Museum.
The Welcome Center is located at 10 West South Main. Classes will be held once a week starting Tuesday, March 19th. The classes will last from 6:00 until 7:00 P.M.
Each participant will need to bring one skein of yarn and a size G crochet needle to the class.
For more information or to register for classes, call Sharen at the Welcome Center at 573-614-5131.
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Cape Girardeau, Missouri – For the Family of a new Missouri National Guard recruit, the transition from civilian to Citizen-Soldier can be gratifying and difficult.
The road to becoming a Guardsman can take time with paperwork, entrance processing, basic and advanced individual training.
New recruits from across southeast Missouri serve in Company E of the Recruit Sustainment program in Cape Girardeau. Through the program, they learned basic Army skills and values and became more familiar with their role as a Soldier in the Missouri Army National Guard.
And while the primary responsibility lies with the new recruit, Families are affected too, the ones closest to the new recruit are who they turn to for support during all this.
“Your Soldiers are going to change, but you’re going to change too,” said Staff Sgt. Jeremy McGuire, Recruit Sustainment Program coordinator in Cape Girardeau. “You just have to be patient with each other, and learn and change together.”
One of the biggest and often hardest moments is when the new recruit leaves for basic and advanced training, which depending on their chosen military career can be between four to eight months. In a few careers, this can be longer.
For Families during this time, they can feel left behind, left out, disconnected or overwhelmed with how to get through the responsibilities of daily life without their Soldier, said Angel McGuire.
“There’s nothing wrong with feeling that way,” added Angel. “But you have to learn how to remain strong because it means the world to the Soldier to have someone behind them supporting and loving them every step of the way.”
Last fall, Angel and her husband realized that the recruit sustainment program had many Families learning and struggling with the transition and remaining strong for themselves and their Soldier.
“There are so many things going on during this time and people are going to have issues and they need someone to talk to,” said Angel.
Every unit in the Missouri National Guard has a Family Readiness Group composed of spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, Family members, even community leaders and employers who come together to provide activities, support, outreach and information for Families and Soldiers alike. From tougher times during deployments to the monthly weekend training drills, the groups offer a wide-range of resources.
For McGuire, who deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2010 to 2011, and Angel the importance of a support group can be the pivotal point for someone to make it through any military career.
And there’s no more important moment for spouses than when a Soldier first enlists, said McGuire.
“Yes, your spouse enlisted and being married to you that means they enlisted you too,” he said. “You may not put the uniform on but you’re a big role in that too.”
In February, RSP hosted its first FRG meeting, inviting spouses, significant others and relatives.
They’re goal is to make sure to be there for one another, said Angel.
“Behind every good Soldier is a good spouse, or fiancé, or girlfriend or boyfriend, or parent,” she said.
During their first meeting along with reassuring one another they can overcome the difficulties, McGuire and Angel described what the Soldiers will be going through in the upcoming months, what basic training is like, what to expect after basic and advanced individual training when the Soldiers begin once-a-month weekend drills with their new units.
Even ideas such as writing letters to stay connected to their Soldiers while they’re gone for months at a time during basic training.
“For me it means something more than just a text or an email,” said McGuire. “When they have mail call it’s like Christmas.”
What’ll make Soldiers and their Families stronger is each other and letting them and the FRG know if they have any problems or issues, Angel told the attendees, encouraging them to call her any time even when their Soldiers are away during basic and advanced training.
“I don’t care if it’s just because you’ve had a bad day,” said Angel, who’s gotten calls in the middle of the night. “It doesn’t bother me, if you need to talk, let’s talk.”
As the FRG grows she hopes what the group can provide is a way to make the transition from civilian Family to Citizen-Soldier Family smoother, provide contacts and information on what to do in an emergency why your Soldier is gone, and how to connect to the Soldiers’ new unit Families.
"I think this is a really good idea," said Sarah Davidson, of Jackson, who's husband Cody is currently serving with the RSP. "When your Family gets tired of hearing about what is bothering you, it is nice to get to talk to someone else about it."
Angel and McGuire hope in the upcoming months as more spouses and Families participate they can pass along each others experiences.
"Your experiences as your Soldier is getting back from basic training can be passed onto the brand new recruits' Families who just enlisted last week." McGuire told the ERG.
Above all, Angel hopes the group gives a place for Families to talk and find support.
“I know this isn’t going to be as easy for some as it is others,” she said. “Hopefully we can just make this a lot smoother for everyone and be here for each other.”
For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites: www.facebook.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.twitter.com/Missouri_NG; www.youtube.com/MoNationalGuard; www.myspace.com/missouri_ng; www.flickr.com/photos/missouriguard; www.moguard.com/blog; www.pinterest.com/monationalguard/
