Dexter, Missouri - A cold shudder trickles down your spine.  Glancing nervously over your shoulder you see ghostly portraits staring at you from behind layers of dust seemingly penetrating your very being.  Your flashlight casting eerie shadows on the walls.   As you walk forward slowly, you can't help but feel that someone is following you!  The Walls of Terror are upon you!!

If you enjoy getting scared then come out to Scott and Angie Laden's place on Friday, October 18th from dusk til midnight.  It's a one night only chance to have a great time looming around in a haunted barn and walking through the woods with live actors ready to scare the wits out of you!

Their farm is located at 9265 County Road 627 in Dexter.  Just go down 3 Mile Road  to the end and follow the signs.  They will have hot dogs, hot chocolate,  and bottled water.  It's FREE to the public; however a generous donation would be welcome to cover expenses and encourage a repeat performance next year. 

"We hope this could become an annual event for people around here," state Angie Laden.  "My husband just loves doing this and we go to haunted house conventions every year and buy new props to decorate with."

It's recommended for ages 10 and up, but anyone can attend.  They also will be giving away 3 - $25 Wal-Mart gift cards.  Just show up, enjoy and enter your name in the drawing.

For more information about the Walls of Terror Click Here!

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

United States - If you are a grouch or if you know someone who is a grouch then today is your special day, it is National Grouch Day, a day that is celebrated annually on October 15.  

According to Sesame Street Magazine, National Grouch Day was created for all grouches to celebrate their way of life.

As per Merriam-Webster dictionary, a grouch is described as a person who complains frequently or constantly or a habitually irritable or complaining person.

It seems that a grouch may be happy (although they would never admit it) only when others are unhappy and grouchy also.  It is then that they feel most comfortable by having others share in their world with them.

National Grouch Day would be a good time to send a “grouch” e-card to someone you know and then ask a friend, whether they be a grouch or not, to come on over, sit back, share some popcorn, relax and watch the movie, “Grumpy Old Men” !

Today, if you are not normally a grouch, it is okay to be a little bit grouchy as you have an excuse.  If you are a grouch; Happy National Grouch Day and…… We hope your future days are much brighter!

NATIONAL GROUCH DAY HISTORY  The creator of this day was the Sesame Street Magazine, in honor of the famous Sesame Street grump – Oscar the Grouch.

Dexter, Missouri - Among many of the activities at the 2013 DHS Homecoming was the DHS Bearcat BBQ Contest sponsored by County Wide Insurance Agency. 

"There is just something special about having the BBQ smoke and grills going during a football tailgate, and these guys know how to do it right," commented Alan Hedrick of County Wide Insurance.  "I'm really thankful that James Kaufman, Doug Cox and Dallas Buchanan came out to be involved."

Teams began to arrive at 2:30 AM to begin the process of preparing their contest meats for their 10:30, 11:00 and 11:30 AM turn in times.  With three categories of chicken, pork ribs and pork shoulder, each team worked to  distinguish their own special taste to win the taste buds of the judges.

The Bearcat BBQ Contest worked in conjunction with the Dexter Bearcat Football team head coach Justin Peden

"Most of the time it's tough to get the players out of bed on Saturday morning after a game, but much easier when you ask them to show up to eat BBQ," commented Coach Peden. 

The good weather experienced on Friday evening turned more unfavorable on Saturday morning.  Eventually, the clouds rolled in and the rain began to soak down the area prior to the 8:00 AM start of the Bearcat First National Bank Color Burst Run.  Just like the participants of the Color Burst Run, these BBQ masters were able to push through the scattered showers of the morning.

"We were well into the process before we got any rain," noted James Kaufman, of the First Commercial Bank team.  "We've been wet before so we all just huddled together and kept the smoke rolling in the pits."

Dexter has a longstanding tradition of a BBQ community so it was a natural to include the BBQ contest as one of the many Homecoming events.  Not only do we have the great local restaurants but the community and area is filled with BBQ pit-masters that spend a lot of their own personal time helping local charities raise funds through bar-b-que fundraisers.

In a recent crappie fishing fundraiser for the The Ben Kruse 18-Fore Life Foundation, these three teams joined together to cook Boston butts for that event and raise additional funds for the charity.  Good friends that enjoy a good weekend at a BBQ contest, Doug, James and Dallas have actually competed previously as members of the same team and have performed very well.  For this event, they graciously decided to divide up and work with local businesses to enter a team.

As many of the events held this weekend found a group or club at DHS to affiliate, the BBQ contest had chosen the Bearcat Football team as their affiliate school group.  Head Coach Justin Peden was excited to offer up any help needed.  He had no idea at that point that volunteering to help could be that much fun and satisfying.  

Coach Peden had his Bearcats on hand to perform the judging duties.  As this was their first opportunity to be a "BBQ Judge", they were quickly rushed through a crash course of the disciplines of appearance, tenderness, juiciness, texture and taste of each category.  Categories are weighted in each division to provide a fairness in the judging process.  Each student-athlete did a remarkable job of eating and a great job of scoring the contestants.

When the judges sheets were totaled and a winner determined, Doug Cox of the Midsouth Butt Rubs, Painting and Drywall was found to the the Grand Champion of the 2013 Bearcat Homecoming BBQ Contest. 

Chicken Category:  Midsouth Butt Rubs, Painting and Drywall and Doug Cox were the winners of the first place trophy in the Chicken Division with a total score of 253 points.  First Commercial Bank and James Kaufman came in 2nd place and County Wide's Premium Smokers with Dallas Buchanan and Zach Hedrick received the third place trophy.

Rib Category:  County Wide's Premium Smokers with Dallas Buchanan & Zach Hedrick were the winners of the first place trophy in the Rib Division with a total score of 255 points.  Midsouth Butt Rubs, Painting and Drywall and Doug Cox won the 2nd place trophy and First Commercial Bank and James Kaufman received third place.

Shoulder Category:  First Commercial Bank and James Kaufman were the winners of the first place trophy in the Shoulder Division with a total score of 237 points.   Midsouth Butt Rubs, Painting and Drywall and Doug Cox and County Wide's Premium Smokers with Dallas Buchanan and Zach Hedrick tied for 2nd place.  Midsouth was deemed the winner in a BBQ scorecard playoff with a score of 227.4 to Premium Smokers 226.9. 

Overall it was a great event and many attendees expressed an interest in getting involved next year should the contest be carried into a 2nd Annual event.  Congratulations and thank you to all the participants and the many members of the County Wide Insurance team that helped to organize and setting up the event.

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Additional Pictures of Event Located Here:

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Come on over to the DEXTER AMERICAN LEGION HALL!

We have a VETERANS SERVICE DAY JUST FOR YOU! If you have questions, we have answers. If you have problems? Let us get you through them!

We have professionals ready to help you, no matter the issue!

VETERANS SERVICE DAY

12 Oct 2013, from 0900 to 1200

420 W. Oak, Dexter, Missouri

The Dexter American Legion Post 59 is hosting a Veterans Service Day on 12 Oct 2013 at the Dexter American Legion Hall, 420 W. Oak Street, in Dexter. We will have various experts and “Help” agencies present to help all veterans with a wide variety of issues.  The John J. Pershing Veterans Hospital will have representatives as well as Cape Arrowhead, both from Poplar Bluff to name a few. If you need help with a claim or didn’t know that you are eligible for eye glasses or are close to being homeless, these folks can help you.