Greene County, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon today visited a family farm near Ash Grove in Greene County to survey a new well that has been installed as a result of the Governor’s emergency drought relief program. Gov. Nixon saw the well that is producing water for cattle being raised by livestock producer Kim Keith, and also provided an update on how the emergency program is helping Missouri farmers.
The Governor also announced that the State Technical Assistance Review Team, in conjunction with local soil and water district boards, is in the process of completing final review of pending applications. As of this afternoon, nearly 5,800 applications have been approved, and more than 3,500 of those projects have been completed, are underway or have been scheduled for construction. The review process is nearing completion on the final few pending applications.
“The number of applications we received shows the real and immediate needs that farmers have during this unprecedented period of drought,” Gov. Nixon said. “Now that the review process is wrapping up, we are turning our attention to approved projects so that we can ensure that they are completed as soon as possible.”
Gov. Nixon’s executive order authorized the State Soil & Water Districts Commission to establish the program to provide urgent relief for farmers and producers facing critical shortages of water. To be eligible for the program, projects had to provide immediate and material relief for the farmer or producer. The same day, he signed a separate executive order declaring a State of Emergency in Missouri because of the drought.
Because of the emergency nature of the program, project applications were due by 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6. Officials from the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources are supporting local soil and water districts in reviewing the applications to determine eligibility for funding.
The nearly 5,800 applications approved for assistance have an average cost of approximately $4,800 per livestock project. The program covers 90 percent of the cost of the emergency water project, such as digging or deepening a well or connecting a farm to rural water. The producer or farmer pays the remaining 10 percent. The maximum state match for any project is $20,000.
Funding for this emergency program comes from unallocated reserve funds provided by the State Soil & Water Districts Commission and state resources made available by Gov. Nixon through House Bill 8.
House Bill 8 provides the Governor the authority to direct funds for “responding during a declared emergency at the direction of the Governor, provided the services furnish immediate aid and relief.”
“Witte Brothers Exchange is honoring the sacrifices made by the men and women of our armed services by making it a priority to hire these veterans when they return home,” Gov. Nixon said. “I appreciate efforts by companies like this to hire our veterans, and I encourage more Missouri employers to join the ranks of those who have hired a veteran through the Show-Me Heroes program.”
The Show-Me Heroes program, established by Gov. Nixon in January 2010, is designed to connect military veterans with job opportunities when they return home from service. Administered by the Missouri Division of Workforce Development, Show-Me Heroes showcases Missouri businesses that are willing and eager to hire veterans. Employers participating in the Show-Me Heroes program sign a pledge to ramp up efforts to reach out to, recruit and interview veterans for job openings at their business.
So far, 2,277 Missouri businesses have taken the Show-Me Heroes pledge and 1,778 veterans have been hired. Those businesses like Witte Brothers Exchange that have hired veterans receive the Flag of Freedom award, which consists of a plaque featuring an American flag patch from the combat uniform of a member of the Missouri National Guard worn while that Citizen-Soldier or Airman was deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Last month, Gov. Nixon signed HB 1680 to further strengthen the Show-Me Heroes program. HB 1680 adds an on-the-job (OJT) training component for returning National Guard and Reservists and recently-separated active duty service members that Show-Me Heroes employers agree to hire.
Through an OJT program, employers would be reimbursed for 50 percent of Show-Me Heroes participant’s wages during a contracted training period. The wage reimbursement will serve as an incentive for Show-Me Heroes employers to hire returning National Guard, Reservists or recently separated active duty personnel who may not have all the skills required for the position.
Employers who wish to participate in Show-Me Heroes can visit the state's Web site, MO.gov, to register and take the pledge. Once a company has done so, it is listed prominently in an online database that highlights veteran-friendly employers across Missouri. The database includes contact information for the businesses and links to their Web sites. Employers receive a special certificate, signed by the Governor, and a decal to display at their location. Beyond the employer directory, the Show-Me Heroes Web site also includes resources for job-seeking veterans, including links to employment openings in state government and a link to Missouri Career Source, a statewide one-stop-shop for Missourians looking for work.
“Missouri’s military veterans have served honorably, are well trained, and make excellent employees. That’s why my administration remains committed to helping our veterans find jobs when they return home,” Gov. Nixon said. “I ask every employer in Missouri to join us in this effort by visiting MO.gov today to take the Show-Me Heroes pledge so we can support our veterans and grow our economy.”
In addition to Show-Me Heroes, another measure the state has taken under Gov. Nixon to encourage veterans to live, work, and retire here in Missouri came in 2009 when the Governor signed legislation gradually phasing out the state tax on military retirement income. Under the new law, by 2016, military veterans will not pay any state taxes on military pensions.
Submitted Story
With autumn comes cooler temperatures and the opportunity to work in the yard. Cleaning out gutters and disposing of leaves are a few things to take care of during the fall season.
The City of Dexter does have ordinances about blowing your leaves into the street and burning leaves in the street. City Administrator, Mark Stidham, stressed that blowing leaves into the street isn’t a good idea because they clog storm drains and catch basins causing flooding and preventing water from being filtered properly.
Because of the dry summer months, early leaf fall is expected and autumn could bring the possibility of heavy rain.
Rake up those thick layers of leaves routinely to prevent wet layers from suffocating the grass below. Leaves and yard debris can be bagged and placed out for pickup by the City once a month. The number to call for pickup is 624-5527 to schedule. (Large appliances will be picked up for $10 but some recycle people will pick them up for free. Couches and other household items will be picked up but require a red tag that can be purchase for $1.00 at City Hall or Harps.)
Another alternative is to use a mulching mower to shred them into fine pieces or place in a compost pile. They are an excellent source of nutrients and organic matter for a winter blanket for flowerbeds. Mulching around trees should look like a donut, not a volcano. Pulling the mulch away from the truck a bit makes it less of a home and meal for voles, chipmunks and mice during the winter.
Another project might be pruning dead wood from trees. While it is always best to get a professional for this job, some do-it-yourselfer’s tackle this project themselves. Trimming trees requires safety first. Perching on the top step of any ladder is not smart. Limit your climb to the second rung from the top. It’s important to keep branches from touching or hanging over a house. Ants and other insects can crawl onto the house on these branches. In addition, mold may grow on the house if a tree or bush causes too much shade. However, pruning promotes growth, and you don’t want to encourage growth when trees are preparing to go dormant for winter. Save that project until early spring, along with cutting back roses.
If you over-seed your lawn heavily enough with the cool-season grass, such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescues and perennial ryegrass, you should be able to achieve a nearly solid green lawn all winter long. The best time to over-seed is 6-8 weeks before the first hard freeze. If you notice bare spots once the seeds begin to germinate, seed those areas again.
Fertilizer should be applied modestly the last of September and again around Thanksgiving. Keep in mind that even if over-seeding results are less than perfect, you can always re-seed during the spring.
This is also the time for planting/transplanting trees or shrubs and spring flowering bulbs. Continue to water trees and shrubs until the ground freezes if there is not sufficient rain.
Remember to store and protect your equipment. Winterize mowers, drain hoses and put into storage. Clean and oil hand tools to prevent rusting before you put them away for the winter.
Have fun with your fall yard work. Remember, it’s good exercise as well as keeping things orderly and getting ready for spring.
Story Courtesy of Debbie Stidham
The concert is scheduled for 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale to the general public Aug. 25 by calling the River Campus Box Office at (573) 651-2265 or online at RiverCampusEvents.com. The box office is located in the Cultural Arts Center, 518 S. Fountain St. Hours are weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Oak Ridge Boys string of hits includes the pop chart-topper “Elvira,” which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, as well as “Bobbie Sue,” “Dream On,” “Thank God For Kids,” “American Made,” “I Guess It Never Hurts To Hurt Sometimes,” “Fancy Free,” “Gonna Take A Lot Of River” and many others. They have had 12 gold, three platinum and one double platinum album, plus one double platinum single, and had more than a dozen national Number One singles and over 30 Top Ten hits.
“When I first got the call about The Oak Ridge Boys, I thought it might be too big an act for the 950-seat Bedell Performance Hall,” said Bob Cerchio at the River Campus. “But the agent said no, the guys were looking for more intimate settings. Well, that’s the definition of the Bedell. As anyone who saw Rick Springfield this past July knows, this is going to be a really up-close-and-personal experience. They’ll see it all and hear every glorious note.”
Speaking of notes, the four-part harmonies and upbeat songs of The Oak Ridge Boys have garnered a host of industry and fan accolades including Grammy, Dove, ACM, and CMA awards. In 2008, they were awarded the coveted Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award. Every time they step before an audience, the Oaks bring three decades of charted singles, and 50 years of tradition, to bear on a stage show widely acknowledged as among the most exciting anywhere.
Members of The Oak Ridge Boys include lead singer Duane Allen, bass singer extraordinaire Richard Sterban, tenor Joe Bonsall and baritone William Lee Golden.
“When I go on stage, I get the same feeling I had the first time I sang with The Oak Ridge Boys,” Allen says. “This is the only job I've ever wanted to have.”
“Like everyone else in the group,” adds bass singer extraordinaire, Sterban. “I was a fan of the Oaks before I became a member. I’m still a fan of the group today. Being in The Oak Ridge Boys is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.”
Their career has spanned not only decades, but also formats. In 1977, Paul Simon tapped the Oaks to sing backup for his hit “Slip Slidin’ Away,” and they went on to record with George Jones, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Roy Rogers, Billy Ray Cyrus, Bill Monroe, Ray Charles and even Shooter Jennings, the son of their old friend Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter.
They produced one of the first Country music videos. In 1977, “Easy,” although not released in the U.S., reached the Number Three slot in Australia. They participated in the first American popular music headline tour in the USSR.
The Oak Ridge Boys have appeared before five presidents. And they have become one of the most enduringly successful touring groups anywhere, still performing some 150 dates each year at major theaters, fairs, and festivals across the United States and Canada.
They did it with a consistently upbeat musical approach and terrific business savvy.
“We always look for songs that have lasting value and that are uplifting,” says Allen, who co-produced seven of the Oaks’ last eight studio albums.
They also have proved themselves to be capable and tireless advocates of charitable and civic causes, serving as spokesmen or board members of fundraisers for the Boy Scouts of America, the National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse (now, Prevent Child Abuse America), Feed The Children, the National Anthem Project and many more.
The Oaks’ high-energy stage show remains the heart and soul of what they do, and they refine it several times a year, striving to keep it fresh well into the future.
“We‘re not willing to rest on our laurels,” Golden says. “That gets boring. As a group, we do things constantly to challenge ourselves, to try to do something different or better than the last time we did it.”
“I feel like I can do what I do on stage just as good now as I could 20 years ago,” says Bonsall. “I plan to be rockin’ my tail off out there as long as I’m healthy. The people who come out, who bring their families to see us, deserve everything I’ve got.”
In 2011, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store asked The Oak Ridge Boys to record an album with a blend of previously recorded and brand new songs. The result was “It’s Only Natural,” a 12-track CD with seven rerecorded hits, including the group’s multi-platinum, Country-Pop hit “Elvira,” and five new songs.
Veteran Oaks’ producer Ron Chancey returned to the studio with the group to produce “Elvira” and two new songs, and the team of Duane Allen and Michael Sykes reunited to produce the remaining nine. The album debuted on September 19, 2011, a month after the Oaks were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. The Oaks’ history has been intertwined with the Opry for more than 60 years, dating back to the founders of the Oak Ridge Quartet in the 1940s. The current lineup of Allen, Bonsall, Sterban and Golden has performed on the Opry stage many times during the past four decades.
In November 2011, The Oak Ridge Boys and Cracker Barrel released the Oaks’ new single, “What’cha Gonna Do?” to Country radio. Internet sensation Keenan Cahill joined the group for the taping of their viral music video for the song.
The Oak Ridge Boys performed at the 2012 “We’re All for the Hall” fundraiser hosted by Keith Urban and Vince Gill. The April 10 concert event, held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, also featured Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, the Band Perry, and Alabama, among others, and raised $450,000 for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Gaither Music released The Oak Ridge Boys’ “Back Home Again,” a retro-flavored Gospel album in May. A Christmas album, co-produced with Allen, will release this fall.
“We’ve experienced a lot of longevity,” adds Sterban. “I think the reason is the love we have for what we do—the desire, the longing to actually get up there and do it. We love to sing together ... to harmonize together. It’s what our lives are all about.”
City officials noted the test would last roughly three minutes, and urged local households and businesses to review their own emergency preparedness plans during the tests, slated to begin at 8:50 a.m.
