Dexter, Missouri - Many business in the Dexter community participated in the festivities of Halloween today by serving up candy treats and greeting customers with a few scary costumes.  First Midwest Bank of Dexter was one of those businesses that made Halloween fun for everyone.
 
"We had a great time today!" commented bank President, Jack Huffman.  "We have a great staff here and love days like this when we can have a little fun while working!!"

From Mickey Mouse ears to fancy pajamas to tutus, the creative costumes were wild in the lobby of First Midwest Bank.  Many of the bank employees brought smiles and laughs to the normal banking routine of their customers throughout the day.

Tish Hovis was the 1st place winner in her "Fruit of the Loom" grapes costume, Carla McDonald 2nd place as Cat out of the bag and Donna Tilley 3rd place as a spider. 

"We had some pretty creative costumes," added Kim Sifford.

With their new facilities at Business Highway 60 and One Mile Road, First Midwest was the perfect place to stop by today to prepare for a fun filled Halloween night.

Be certain to remember "Trunk or Treat" tonight at the Dexter High School.  In their 10th year, students will be on hand filled with crazy fun for everyone. 

Casey Cobb has been in plenty of local pageants over the years but she is currently preparing for her first state pageant: Miss Missouri USA. She has been in pageants since she was born and she immediately fell in love with the glitz and glamour and wanted to continue with it. Aside from doing local pageants, she was also in the preliminary pageant for Miss America and she is the current title holder of Miss Stoddard Co USA.

Cobb grew up in Bloomfield but attended Puxico High School for her two final years of high school and graduated in 2006. After graduation, she attended SEMO and worked in various jobs. She is now working at Town Pharmacy in Bloomfield and in her free time, she continues her training and preparation for a variety of pageants.

She has placed in many of the pageants that she has entered in and is working hard to prepare for her next challenge at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri on November 2^nd through 4^th. This particular competition has around thirty or forty girls that are between the ages of 18 and 27. The winner of the state contest will receive a prize package of cash, travel, wardrobe, and a scholarship from Lindenwood University.

Cobb has made sure that she set aside plenty of time to hit the gym with her personal trainer. She has learned how to eat right and stay in shape so she’s ready for any pageant that comes her way. Having a great wardrobe is also something Cobb has been working on. She has been working hard to find the perfect evening gown, swimsuit, and opening production number. Although her wardrobe is very important, she has also been working on the interview portion of the competition where she will be scored by five different judges on her communication skills and personality.

Cobb is ready for the upcoming competition on Tuesday and has had a great time doing it. She is very hopeful and thankful for all the people that have helped or encouraged her.

“I would like to thank all of the people who sponsored and donated to help me reach my dream,” Cobb says, “Also to my friends and family who have supported me and loved me through all of this, I wouldn't be so close to this achievement without you! And a special thinks to my mom, Tonia, who taught me to never give up something you want to achieve and for pushing me to be my best. I love you mom! And most of all, I would like to thank God for blessing me.”

We would like to wish Casey good luck in this pageant and the many more to come!

Oliver First Area State Prosecutor to Receive DEA Award

What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you hear the words "Bath Salts"?  If you are like many that are simply naive or unaware of the drug culture that is in our society, your first thought is possibly the "Lose Yourself In Luxury" or the "Ancient Chinese Secret" of "Calgon" water softening minerals.  If that is your level of understanding, we are all dangerously uninformed of the pitfalls and problems found in the world of manufactured synthetic drugs.

Bath Salts are drugs.  These are drugs just like any mind altering, habit forming dangerous illegal drug.  These are synthetic stimulants that are marketed as "bath salts" and are often found in a number of retail products.  Technically, these synthetic stimulants are chemicals.  The chemicals are synthetic derivatives of cathinone, a central nervous system stimulant, which is an active chemical found naturally in the khat plant.   Mephedrone and MDPV (3-4 methylene-dioxypyrovalerone) are two of the designers cathinones most commonly found in these "bath salt" products.  Many of these products are sold over the Internet, in convenience stores and in "head shops".

Realizing the dangers and the exposures that our children have to these synthetic drugs, Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver took a bold and unpopular stand to have these items removed from the shelves of retail stores in our area.  He called them what they were, "Drugs".

“It was the snowball that got it all started for DEA,” that’s how Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Regional Supervisory Special Agent Michael Scalise described Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver’s work on the synthetic drug epidemic.
 
“Mr. Oliver is the first state prosecutor in this area to receive this award because his leadership and work on the frontlines of this new battle in the war on drugs has been instrumental in law enforcement’s advancements against the growing threat of synthetics,” Scalise explained at an award ceremony on Monday at the Federal Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

“Russ’ work was one of the catalysts that initially got DEA’s attention and eventually lead to ‘Operation Log Jam’ in which a nationwide sweep of convenience stores and ‘head-shops’ netted hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal property seizures and thousands of pounds of synthetic drug product,” continued Scalise.

"I'm honored to be recognized by DEA, however this award is an accomplishment for all of Stoddard county's law enforcement community," humbly stated Oliver.  "Sheriff Carl Hefner and the municipal agencies of the county all had a hand in this success.  They all can be truly proud of this accomplishment."
 
Also present at the awards ceremony was Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson, Emerson, who sponsored the “Bath Salt Ban” legislation that recently was introduced in the US Congress, and State Senator Rob Mayer, who also passed multiple synthetic drug bans while in the Missouri legislature.
 
Emerson said of Oliver’s work, “we’re all proud of the work that Russ has done.  These drugs have truly scary consequences. While working on the Bath Salt Ban legislation, we learned so much about the effects that these substances have on individuals. It is vital that the families of this area become aware of these dangers in their backyard.  Russ’ work no doubt has saved lives and informed thousands of these dangers.”
 
Also on hand was State Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer.  “These drugs are a menace to our communities.  We passed multiple pieces of legislation to give law enforcement the tools they needed to fight this epidemic.  It’s great to see the efforts of our local law enforcement recognized on a national level” said Mayer.
 
During media interviews Oliver was asked if because of this award he considered this a good day, Oliver responded “any day that the media talks about synthetic drugs it raises awareness of the dangers of these substances.  Awareness of these dangers saves lives.  Any day that lives are saved is a good day.”

For a good source of additional information related to "Bath Salt", visit the website for "Just Think Twice".  This site boasts the slogan of "YOU HAVE HEARD THE FICTION, NOW LEARN THE FACTS".  A little better understanding of what we are dealing with could help us all.

Without research or experience, we many times loose touch with the dangers that surround us in our society.  These manufactured drugs are sneaking into our world under the disguise of energy stimulants that we have been excepting of for years, such as "No Dose" or Monster Energy Drinks.  However the long term effects and dangers of Bath Salt exceeds the acceptable level of a safe stimulant. 

Compliments and kudos to Russ Oliver for his award, but most of all for his willingness to step forward on his beliefs that our families and children deserve to be protected from the ravages of a drug such as Bath Salts. 

Amongst many things going on at Dexter High School during the fall season, a large number of family and friends showed up to the DHS Auditorium this afternoon to listen to the Dexter Choirs perform in their Fall Concert.  

Every year to begin the Fall Concert, the seniors are announced. Choir Director Mrs. Jamie Sepulvado took the microphone and introduced the eighteen seniors who are currently enrolled in at least one of her choir classes. Each senior was announced one by one as they walked down the aisle holding a candle and met to form a senior group on the risers.

Mrs. Sepulvado commented on this year’s seniors, “I’m truly going to miss this class of incredible seniors. I only wish them the very best in the next chapter of their lives. I know their future is bright. My advice to them is to keep their music close. There will be days of rejoicing and days of sorrow but through everything, the music they have inside them will help them through it all. It was an honor to be your director for two years.”

After the recognition of the seniors, the Concert Choir and Women’s Ensemble joined each other on stage as they performed four songs together. Soloists including: Paula Hagy, Jason Killian, Linda love, and Oliver Warren.

Following the Concert Choir and Women’s Ensemble was Chamber Choir. Chamber Choir performed four different songs with soloists including: Rachel Putnam, Jacob Murdock, Shayna Bess, and JT Putnam. Mrs. Sepulvado noted that the Chamber Choir consisted of eighty-one members, who for the most part, are very young but talented members.

Closing the concert, Honors Choir came onto the stage to perform four songs. Their first song was a familiar song to everyone in the crowd as they sang The Star-Spangled Banner.  Soloists among the Honors Choir included: Jon Rodgers, Logan Quertermous, Christin Sitzes, Reale Cook, Noah Raines, Noah Kronk, Emily Long, and Brooks Propst.

Despite how beautiful of a Sunday afternoon it has been outside, there was hardly an empty seat in the Dexter High School Auditorium as these talented choirs took the stage under the direction and accompanist of Mrs. Jamie Sepulvado for the 2012 Fall Choir Concert.

Pictured in the above photo is a number of girl members in the Dexter Choir. In the photo below is the group of seniors enrolled in a choir class this year at Dexter High School.