Dexter, MO - The 2021 Stoddard County Fair Parade winners have been announced.  In the category of Schools, Three Rivers College earned  1st Place.

Bloomfield Future Farmers of America (FFA) won 2nd place and Dexter FFA earned a 3rd Place spot.

All photos taken of the parade can be viewed on ShowMe Times Facebook.

Dexter, MO - Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft presented a check in the amount of $5,558.00 for a technology grant to Keller Public Library on Saturday, September 11, 2021.

The grant will be used to update the firewall at the library and replace some computers that the patrons use on a daily basis.

Pictured in front from left is: Keller Library Board Secretary Teresa Overall, board member Debbie VanSlyke, Debbie Rodgers and Karen Stevens.

Back row from left is Dexter City Administrator Trevor Pulley, Dexter Mayor Jason Banken and Jay Ashcroft.

Keller Public Library Director, Jordan Myers, was unable to attend.  Via telephone interview, he stated, "I am very grateful and excited for the library to receive this grant.  I will I could have been there, but unfortunately I was out of town."

Dexter, MO - The Dexter Bearcat Booster Club is having their annual Membership Drive.

The purpose of this organization's existence is to lend support to the TOTAL STUDENT ACTIVITIES PROGRAMS at Dexter High School and Middle School while recognizing and respecting the school administration's responsibility to determine what that program shall include and the policies that shall be followed.  Additionally, the organization will encourage school spirit, citizenship, and physical growth through keen competition.

2021-2022 Board Members are Jon Neely, President, Chris Warren, Vice President, Kristi Booker, Secretary, Tyler Ramsey, Treasurer, Mindi Bell, Lindsey Holden, Wes Howeard, Misti McBride, Aaron Menley, Ryan Schlief, Brandon Vaughn, and Chad Werneck.

Alumni Membership - $15 (DHS Alumni between the ages of 18-25)

Dexter Public School Staff Membership - $30 (Proud to work for Dexter Public Schools)

Bearcat Membership - $50 (Anyone who wants to show their Bearcat pride)

Sponsor Membership - $250 (Businesses that want to display their support of the Bearcat activities)

Corporate Membership - $500 (Bearcat businesses that want everyone to know that their true colors are red and black)

Sponsor Membership will include Dexter Bearcat Booster Club yard sign.

Corporate Membership will include 1 All Sports Pass good for the 2021-2022 regular season athletic events and a Dexter Bearcat Booster Club yard sign.

Mail check to Dexter Bearcat Booster Club, P.O. Box 684, Dexter, MO 63841

Here is a list of some of the items provided to the high school and middle school: Two $500 athletic scholarship to graduating seniors each year, $10 cash to state qualifiers, cookies and refreshments for Fal, Winter, Spring Sports Awards banquets, Concussion caps for football helmets at middle school and high school, cooler for football team, senior banners for all the senior athletes, project prom donation, football tackling dummy, tennis windscreen, Goodwill Games donation, new stand for Bearcat Marching Band, Hudl for coaches and athletes to study film, tennis ball machine, contribution to DHS Sr. Beta, sideline chairs for volleyball and basketball in the Bearcat Event Center, jump boxes for weightlifting, new benches in high school lobby area, golf bags for golf team, sound system for middle school gym, and shooting retrieval system for basketball teams.

Dexter, MO - Jerry Dorton, executive vice president of First Midwest Bank of Dexter, was inducted into the Missouri Bankers Association’s 50 Year Club on Thursday, July 15, during MBA’s 131st Annual Convention at the Chateau on the Lake Resort in Branson, Missouri.

This recognition from MBA honors bankers who have dedicated 50 years of service to the banking community. Dorton is one of seven bankers who were inducted into the 50 Year Club this year.

Dorton accepted his first banking job in 1971 as a loan officer for Security Bank in Paragould, Arkansas. From 1971 to 1980, he held various roles at banks in Arkansas and Tennessee. In May of 1980 Dorton was named chief operating officer for First Midwest Bank of Dexter. Throughout the past 41 years, Dorton has held various roles from chief operating officer to senior vice president to president with First Midwest Bank of Dexter, First Midwest Bank of Poplar Bluff, Midwest Bancshares, and Gideon Bancshares Company. Through his 50-year career, Dorton’s philosophy has been to always hold the customers’ best interests at heart.

He and his wife, Sandy, have been married for 50 years and have two children and five grandchildren that all reside in Dexter. Jerry is a member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter.

Since he has been with the First Midwest Bank it has grown from a bank with one location and $30 million in total assets to a bank with five locations including Dexter, Dudley, Sikeston, Jackson, and Cape Girardeau with over $430 million in total assets. First Midwest Bank of Dexter is affiliated with the First Midwest Bank of Poplar Bluff and the First Midwest Bank of the Ozarks.

The Missouri Bankers Association is a statewide trade and professional organization in Jefferson City that represents the interests of more than 240 banks and savings and loans in Missouri. MBA serves as the principal advocate for the Missouri banking community and provides educational opportunities, products and services that assist bankers with enhancing their banking operations. For more information, visit mobankers.com.

Pictured: Dexter’s Jerry Dorton (right) receives his 50 Year Club plaque from Max Cook at the MBA Convention.

Dexter, MO - Congressman Jason Smith toured the damage left behind in Dexter after an EF2 Tornado swept through the area on Saturday, July 10, 2021. Smith was joined by SoutheastHEALTH of Stoddard County administration, State Representative Herman Morse, MO Senator Jason Bean, Dexter Fire Chief/City EMA Director Don Seymore, City Administrator Trevor Pulley, and Dexter Police Chief Hank Trout.

Smith first took a tour of SoutheastHEALTH of Stoddard County where there was damage to various parts of the building, roof, and outer areas of the hospital grounds.

The hospital has made strides in repairs and was given an "overall good report" after structural engineers inspected the building.

Smith said it's a must to get the hospital back up and running as soon as possible.  "This hospital is very, very important because any rural community deserves a hospital to help provided health care that we need, 7,500 people live right here in Dexter," commented Smith.  

"This hospital was so important that vice president (Hubert Humphrey) of the United States came here for the ground-breaking back in the late 60's."

“We have to do it as quickly as possible because everyday they’re not up and around is that much health care that’s not being provided to the people here in Stoddard County. And even surrounding counties for that because if you look just south of here in Dunklin County, they don’t have a hospital there either, so we need it,” Smith said.

It’s also Southeast Health’s goal to restore emergency services operations sometime this week. 

Smith then took an auto tour of the damaged residential areas of Dexter.  It was amazing to see that the community had come together so quickly and a large portion of the fallen trees had already been cut and stacked by the side of the street for city crews to pick up and discard.

“It is amazing how Dexter has bounced back so quickly with the community help. Everyone jumped to action,” said Smith after the tour. “You saw something that happened Saturday evening and this is Tuesday. They (residents) are back to business where they open up. I've seen a lot of natural disasters in our congressional district and friends helping friends and neighbors. Dexter has been a great example here. I am so thankful no one was killed and from what we have been told no one was injured."

After the tour Don Seymore, Dexter Fire Chief/City EMA Director about the city's response to the tornado disaster.

“When the incident started we activated the emergency management plan and once the emergency management plan was activated we made rapid progress. We worked all the way to 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning to get the main streets opened up and made real progress. I felt the street and water department and the police and fire all worked well together along with Missouri AmerenUE. They walked the streets with us to tell us which trees had power in them.  I felt it really went real well and by Sunday night we had every street and alley opened up.”

Seymore said there are 32 blocks worth of damage to property in Dexter, and about 750 assessments so far conducted by Dexter City Fire Department and other crews. 

AmerenUE had more than 1,100 crew members on the ground by Sunday into Monday restore power. 

Sparklight had numerous trucks out to help with restoring lost internet and cable.  They have set up two numbers to call 573-614-7825 or 573-614-7829.  These numbers are used for those who have been affected by the EF2 Tornado only and are temporary.  Roughly 1,000 customers experienced some type of disruption

There is also temporary Wifi hotspot service set up at Pavilion #2 in West Park.  No password is required.

The Dexter Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Alisha Trammell, has set up an account to accept monetary donations to help provide relief to those impacted by last Saturday's EF2 tornado.   Any financial donation amount will make a big impact. 

Donations can be made at the Dexter Chamber of Commerce located at 515 W. Market Street or at First Midwest Bank with two Dexter locations; 819 W. Business 60 or 20 W. Stoddard.