All city, county, state and federal offices and courts will be closed Wednesday, July 4, as Americans celebrate the Fourth of July holiday.
City of Dexter offices will be closed on Wednesday, July 4. According to City Administrator Mark Stidham, trash pickup in the city on Monday and Tuesday will be on schedule. Trash normally pickup up on Wednesday and Thursday will be one day; there will be no bulk pick-up on Friday. will run on holiday schedules.
Post offices will be closed and regular mail will not be delivered.
Banks throughout the area will be closed.
All State, Federal, and County offices will be closed.
Fireworks Cancelled
Due to the extreme drought conditions in Southeast Missouri, fireworks displays in Dexter and at many other communities in the region have been postponed or cancelled. Fireworks a anytime in Dexter is against city ordinance and law enforcement will enforcing this holiday.
In addition the banning fireworks in Dexter, fireworks have been banned in New Madrid, Bloomfield, Gideon, Parma and Advance.
By Annabeth iller,
ShowMe Times Editor
On the heels of Tuesday’s field fires that stretched more than 11 miles and closed a major Southeast Missouri highway for a time – and with no rain in the forecast - the City of Dexter joins the growing number of area communities taking steps to prevent fires during this summer’s drought.
Dexter Fire Chief Don Seymore announced Wednesday morning the city has issued “No Burn Order” for the city. This means that all burning in the city limits is forbidden until further notice.
Seymore also said the city will enforce a long-standing ordinance prohibiting fireworks in the city. The ordinance outlaws the fire of all fireworks in the city, including on the Fourth of July holiday.
“They will be enforcing this ordinance,” Seymore said.
In addition, the fire chief said the Fourth of July Fireworks Display sponsored by the City of Dexter has been postponed until further notice.
Missouri State Fire Marshall Randy Cole notes that May 2012 was one of the driest Mays on record for Missouri. According to NOAA, the one-year period from June 2011 to May 2012 was the warmest such period recorded for Missouri. The result is an elevated fire risk.
“This year's extremely dry conditions elevate the risk that even small sparks created by consumer fireworks can lead to grass and brush fires, which can rapidly spread” he noted.
A number of area communities join Dexter in issuing “no burn” orders, including Bloomfield, Sikeston, and Parma.
ShowMe Times Editor
Area firefighters from Dexter and four other Stoddard County communities have been battling a 10-mile string of fires Tuesday afternoon.
Dexter firefighters – along with crews from Bloomfield, Essex, Dudley and Bernie – have worked the string of wildfires fueled by the high temperatures and extreme dry conditions in the area.
Because of the smoke and poor visibility, both lanes of Highway 25 south from Dexter to Bernie have been closed for a time Tuesday afternoon, and one lane of Highway 60 has also been closed to traffic.
According to Dexter City Administrator Mark Stidham, the fires appear to have started from sparks from Union Pacific crews that have been “grinding” the tracks south of Dexter. Due to the dry, tender-like conditions of grass and undergrowth, the fires spread quickly, eventually stretching just south of Highway 60, almost to Bernie.
Stidham reported a volunteer fireman from Bloomfield sustained second and third degree burns while fight the blaze, and was transported to Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter for treatment.
“The dry conditions combined with high temperatures, low humidity and this afternoon’s wind have made these hard to control,” Stidham said.
One home near Highway 60 sustained damage, Stidham said, when flames damaged the siding on the back of the house. In addition, at least three different sheds in the fires’ pathways were destroyed by the blaze.
Stage agencies such as the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Division of Fire Safety, are urging Missourians to use extra caution in the extreme drought conditions in the state. Several counties have issued “no burn” orders, and communities throughout the state have banned or are considering a ban of fireworks for next week’s Independence Day holiday.
BE CAREFUL!! The ShowMe Times has just been informed by County Wide Insurance Agency that a County Wide customer received a phone call from a telemarketer saying that their insurance coverage has lapsed. Then they telemarketer said that if they wanted to keep their coverage they would have to give their credit card number to them.
"You should never receive a call directly from an insurance company asking you to make a credit card payment over the phone. Be VERY careful," Alan Hedrick of County Wide Insurance said.
So everyone please be aware of this incident and do not let them fool you. If you receive a call of this nature, please notify the local authorities and contact your phone company to have the phone number blocked.
By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
Reading is for … well, the birds!
To be more specific, at Dexter’s Keller Public Library, reading’s for the owls, kids and all kinds of nocturnal creatures during the Summer Reading Program. And during Wednesday’s weekly program at the local library, kids had the chance to “go camping” and learn more about owls and sing old-fashioned campout songs and hear great stories.
This summer, the Keller Library is putting fun and adventure back into summer reading through its annual summer reading program “Dream Big … READ!” Youngsters (and adults, too) enter the transformed library Community Room – changed into a nighttime world filled with a beautiful moon in the western corner, starry skies, and nighttime animals.
The theme this week was “We’re Going On a Campout!” and leaders Rita LeBeau and Delisa Stitz were joined by a team of adults and older kids who helped create a fun nighttime campout world.
A “pep tent” was in the corner, bats were hanging on one wall, and the kids sang old-fashioned camping tunes (remember “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”?), and heard wonderful tales from guest readers Betsy Taylor, Riley Taylor Dillinger and (home on leave from the U.S. Coast Guard) Zach Taylor. Older kids helped with singing, as well as performing a glow-in-the-dark version of Tinikling, a popular dance from the Philippines. Also in Wednesday;s program LeBeau and Stitz were joined by Phil LeBeau for a musical trio, and middle school student Addie Kruse delighted all with a vocal solo.
Youngsters, clustered on the floor (on the Story Hour rug) and on moms’ laps, all sang, clapped, and listened intently to the stories. Every child who checked out a library book at the end of the program was also given a special small pocket flashlight.
According the Library Director Pam Trammell, 163 attended Wednesday’s program.
“Next week were going to have a ‘pajama party’,” said Trammell. “So wear you’re pajamas!”
The theme for next Wednesday’s program is “Pajamarama!” and kids are, indeed encouraged to were their pajamas to the library. The program will begin at 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 27. The summer reading program is free and open to all.
Parents and other adults should be advised that parking is available on Park Lane as well as in the historic Old Gym parking lot adjacent to the library.
Photo Above: Young Walker Jarrell enjoyed his time at "We're Going on a Campout" - the Summer Reading Progra event on Wednesday at the Keller Public Library. (ShowMe Times photo by Annabeth Miller)
