The Dexter Chamber of Commerce helped with the celebration Saturday morning for the new owners at Sayre’s Sprockets Landing in Dexter. New owners Lisa and Sam Sayre are celebrating their new ownership of the business. All day on Saturday there will be pony rides and inflatable bouncers and slides, as well as JoJo and Magnolia the clowns, face painting and more. The Sayre family has exciting plans for the convenience store, including the addition to new food and breakfast items, expansion of the kitchen area and future addition of a drive-thru lane. On hand for the Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Celebration were (from left) Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Janet Coleman, Kati Briggs, Kat Gibson, Tori Sayre, Cindy Wilcox, Brittney Cato, Dexter Mayor Joe Weber, owners Lisa and Sam Sayre, Dexter City Administrator Mark Stidham, Jo Jo (Joanna Pack), Magnolia (Shawn Everett), and Dexter Alderman Terry Battles. Sayre’s Sprockets Landing is located at 1115 North One Mile Road, across from Missouri Southern Healthcare. (SMT photo by Annabeth Miller)

They gathered together on the edge of the field early Thursday evening. There was a plan, the small team had the necessary tools and they had the energy and creativity for the project. And their hard work will be right in the center of the action Friday night.

The ‘team’ in question is a crew from the Dexter Booster Club. And their project was the preparation of the Bearcat Field at the Charles Bland Stadium at Dexter High School.

With an detailed stencil, paint and manpower, the crew emblazoned Bearcat Field with a centerpiece of a growling Bearcat face and the north and south end zones with “DHS”. All-in-all, it makes for a spirited and professional appearance for the hometown boys.

Led by Travis Miller and crew, they worked on painting the field under the mosquitoes swarmed and there was no more light. A smaller crew put finishing touches on the work Friday afternoon.

According to Travis Miller, the field’s new artwork will receive a “touch-up” so that it will be in good form for each home football game this season.

Helping with the project were Miller, Jason Mattison, Candy Miller, Stacy Blocker, Dana Adams, Karen Kiger, Jim Hutchcraft and students Wyatt Kiger, MaryKate Miller and Shyann Jines. DHS Head Football Coach Aaron Pixley helped to oversee the project.

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A SMT News Report

ESSEX - Say the words “high school journalism” to a person on the street, and the word-association will probably conjure thoughts of a mimeographed monthly newsletter or a quarterly tabloid-sized journal.

But students in the Journalism class at Richland High School have the opportunity to do some amazing work – work that is done with the latest of technologies and eliminates the cost of printing and distributing a newspaper to the school.

The Rebel Yeller is produced throughout the school year by the students in Michael Quall’s Journalism class. But what makes the five students in this class stand out from some of their peers in the region is that this group of budding journalists publish their journal on-line.

“Since I've been teaching the journalism class we have been online,” said Qualls. This will be the sixth year for an online student paper at Richland.

The school utilizes the myhsj.org program - an online program available to high schools and includes more than 3,000 high schools in the nation. The program is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.

Qualls said that because the costs are low the students can publish a new edition of the Rebel Yeller every two weeks during the school year. The first edition of the 2011-2012 school year was published this week, complete with stories about new faculty, new rules, and the upcoming volleyball season at Richland.

ShowMe Times editor Annabeth Miller met with the students Wednesday morning, and she and the Richland students agreed that throughout the school year some of the articles and photos by the students will be published in the ShowMe Times.

“We excited about publishing the students’ work, and look forward to a great partnership throughout the school year,” Miller said. "This is one of the wonderful things about what we do at the ShowMe Times. We try to show the great things that are happening in our communities. And we love to shine the light and spotlight the hard work and achievements of our young people."

The five student journalists at Richland include Richard Forshee, Chelsea Freeman, Baylee Taylor, Mallory Hillis, and Paige McCormick.

The journalism class at Richland High School publishes the Rebel Yeller online. The class includes (seated, from left) Richard Forshee, Chelsea Freeman, Baylee Taylor and Mallory Hillis, and (standing Paige McCormick and instructor Michael Qualls. (SMT Photo by Annabeth Miller)

A SMT News Report

POPLAR BLUFF - Citing growing concern for the direction of our state and nation, Poplar Bluff businessman Doug Libla on Monday announced his intention to run as a conservative Republican for the Missouri State Senate in the 25th District.

For the Republican nomination, Libla will face fellow Poplar Bluff businessman Jeff Shawan, along with State Rep. Billy Pat Wright of Dexter, who is completing his fourth term as state representative for District 154. The only announced Democratic candidate for the senatorial race is State Rep. Terry Swinger of Caruthersville, who is completing his fourth term as the District 162 state representative.

“When I look at government, I see too much spending, too much debt, too many job killing regulations, too many taxes, and not enough respect for the rights and freedoms of individuals and businesses which is affecting their ability to prosper and grow in our communities. I intend to roll up my sleeves in Jefferson City and get to work on changing things,” Libla said.

Libla, as co-owner of Poplar Bluff-based Mid Continent Nail Corporation, brings extensive real–world business and job creation experience to the campaign, according to the press release issued by his office. Libla is not a politician, and has never run for office or managed a campaign. Though a political outsider, he brings first-hand knowledge of the challenges of meeting a payroll and competing in tough economic times to the campaign.

“When I look across the 25th District—from Doniphan to Dexter, Piedmont to Caruthersville and in between—we have been exporting too many jobs overseas and too many of our young people are having to move to big cities to make a living,” Libla said. “We are still not able to export enough of our Missouri agriculturally grown and manufactured products, and I intend to work diligently on these issues to help all of our family owned farms and businesses.”

Libla firmly stated his intention to run and win as a conservative Republican, citing his strong pro-life, pro-gun rights, and anti-tax increases, adding that there are many more issues that need immediate attention.

“My campaign will be centered on improving the quality of life in the 25th District,” he said. “That means improving education, job training opportunities and working to attract more family sustaining careers.”

Libla and his wife of 38 years, Elaine, were raised in Wayne County, graduated from the Greenville school system and reside in Poplar Bluff. They have one daughter, Cassie, a son-in-law, Daniel, and two grandsons, Noah and Josiah. They are longtime members of the First Baptist Church of Poplar Bluff.

Libla is a board member of the following groups: Fellowship of Christian Athletes; Three Rivers Endowment Trust; Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center Advisory Committee; the overseeing committee of Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission; and past president, charter member, and current Troop E director of the Missouri Association of State Troopers Emergency Relief Society, “The MASTERS.”

He stated he looks forward to meeting and hearing the concerns from the citizens of the 25th District as he campaigns through all seven counties. “For those who want to further the conservative path set out by current Sen. Rob Mayer and continue the fight against excessive spending, debt and liberalism, I invite you to join us in the campaign.”

Campaign treasurer is Herman Styles, Jr. and deputy treasurer is Brent Davis, both of Poplar Bluff.

By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor

Missouri’s Harry Truman once said that he found that the men and women who were leaders and got to the top were folks who did their work with “energy and enthusiasm and hard work.”

Those three qualities were evident in the first-ever Leadership Dexter class that graduated last week.

The Leadership Dexter program is one of the initiatives of Dexter Chamber of Commerce President Ed Gargas, and is designed to motivate and inspire a new generation of leaders in the community.

Gargas had the opportunity to participate in the first Leadership Cape Girardeau class, and the experience left a lasting impression on this year’s Chamber of Commerce president.

“It just opened my eyes to the to the community and to the avenues to use to get this accomplished for the community,” Gargas said. So when Cooper Lape approached the Chamber Board of Directors with the idea of establishing a similar program in Dexter, Gargas was wholeheartedly behind the initiative.

The class began meeting in January with six members : Kyle Christian, Amy Ellinghouse, Tyler Wagner, Ken Harris, Bobby Greer and Chris Hyten.

Each month the class met to learn and had the opportunity to learn more about the “cogs” in the wheel that make the community move. Topics they explored include:

• City government
• Area agriculture
• Education
• Healthcare
• Industry

“The program was a huge success this year ,” Gargas said. He noted the first class had young professionals in several different areas of Dexter’s business and professional community. And he hopes that the success of the first year will lead to success in the future.

“We are looking forward to this program growing, and continuing to be an important part in Dexter’s growth and vitality,” Gargas said. “Each member of this year’s class has made a commitment to helping the program continue and move forward and making a real difference in Dexter.”

Photo Above: The first Leadership Dexter class marked its completion last week. Class members include (seated, from left) Kyle Christian, Amy Ellinghouse, Tyler Wagner; and (standing) Ken Harris, Chamber of Commerce President Ed Gargas Robert Greer; not pictured is Chris Hyten. (Dexter Chamber of Commerce photo).