Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Dexter, Missouri – The Stoddard County Coroner’s office, Kenny Pope, and Aaron Mathis, along with Stoddard County Presiding Commissioner, Greg Mathis recently fed the members of the Dexter Fire Department and Extrication Team.
The Dexter Fire Department recently held their regular monthly training for all the people who assist the Coroner’s office and Stoddard County emergency personnel when emergency situations arise. These people are dedicated to saving lives and sometimes don't get the recognition or appreciation from the general public. We would like to thank them for their dedication and hard work and for saving lives and property.
Presiding Commissioner Mathis stated, “The cities and towns of Stoddard County are very fortunate to have dedicated men and women to meet the challenges of fire protection and emergency response.”
Submitted by Mark Reed
Bloomfield, Missouri - If you are looking for a great way to get the kids’ summer started, look no further. Local volunteers with support from local businesses along with The National Wild Turkey Federation and the Missouri Department of Conservation will be holding the Stoddard County JAKES Event on Saturday, May 31. This annual event has proven to be popular with kids and parents alike so if you haven’t attended one yet, here is your chance. The day begins at 800 am sharp so arrive early. We will wrap up activities around 100 pm just after lunch.
The JAKES Event is open to all kids age 6 thru 16 and lunch is provided. The day is free thanks to financial support from the community and local businesses. As in past years, the event will be held at the Holly Ridge Conservation Area archery range and pavilion on Stoddard County Road 517. The easiest way to find the area is to travel east from Bloomfield on HWY E then turn south on CR 517. Stay on 517 and you will find us.
Popular activities include archery, trapping, target shooting, nature hike, primitive skills, and more. The kids are divided into small groups based on age and move around the area on a schedule, allowing everyone to participate in all activities. Friends and family will be able to stay together throughout the day. The NWTF and MDC are strong supporters of family and introducing others to the great outdoors. The NWTF’s philosophy of “Share the Hunt” encourages avid sportsmen and women to take others along not only on hunting trips but also a variety of other outdoor experiences.
All equipment will be provided by the NWTF and the MDC so you don’t need to bring anything except an appetite for adventure and maybe some bug spray. Most of the day will take place in mowed areas but closed toe shoes are recommended for walks in the woods. Each activity will be supervised by experienced personnel to ensure a safe and enjoyable day.
There’s no better way to get the kids off their electronic devices and in touch with Mother Nature for a few hours than with this free and enjoyable day. As a bonus, we provide lunch and you don’t have to do the dishes. For more information, contact Dale Kemp at 624-1283, John Pyles at 568-3774, or Mark Reed at 421-3240.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
United States of America - By order of the President of the United States, in accordance with Section 6 of the U. S. Flag Code, all flags at all State facilities are to be flown at half-staff on Monday, May 26, 2014 until noon that same day in recognition of Memorial Day.
For locations that display illuminated flags that remain up at all times, these flags need to be lowered to half-staff for the morning of May 26, 2014 and returned to full staff at noon that same day.
For flag locations at which the flags are not illuminated or for other reasons are raised and lowered each day, the flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position, and returned to full staff at noon.
Your office is responsible for distributing this information throughout your department for compliance with this order on May 26th. Following is the proclamation from the President.
PRAYER FOR PEACE, MEMORIAL DAY, 2014
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Constant in the American narrative is the story of men and women who loved our country so deeply they were willing to give their all to keep it safe and free. When a revolution needed to be won and our Union needed to be preserved, brave patriots stepped forward. When our harbor was bombed and our country was attacked on a clear September morning, courageous warriors raised their hands and said, "send me." On the last Monday of each May, our Nation comes together to honor the selfless heroes who have defended the land we love and in so doing gave their last full measure of devotion.
Today, we pause to remember our fallen troops, to mourn their loss, and to pray for their loved ones. Though our hearts ache, we find a measure of solace in knowing their legacy lives on in the families our heroes left behind -- the proud parents who instilled in their sons and daughters the values that led them to serve; the remarkable spouses who gave our Nation the person they cherished most in the world; and the beautiful children who will grow up with the knowledge that their mother or father embodied the true meaning of patriotism. To those we lost, we owe a profound debt that can never be fully repaid. But we can honor the fallen by caring for their loved ones and keeping faith with our veterans and their fellow brothers and sisters in arms.
The security that lets us live in peace, the prosperity that allows us to pursue our dreams, the freedom that we cherish -- these were earned by the blood and the sacrifices of patriots who went before. This Memorial Day, as we near the end of more than a decade of war, let us never forget their service and always be worthy of the sacrifices made in our name. And today and every day, let us pray for and hold close the families of the fallen.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 26, 2014, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.
I request the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
BARACK OBAMA
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Missouri - With planting season in full swing, the Missouri Department of Transportation wants to remind motorists to pay extra attention for farm equipment using and crossing state roadways.
"Spring planting time is a busy time of the year for Missouri's farm families, and MoDOT wants to make it a safe time of year too," said MoDOT Director Dave Nichols. "Tractors, trucks and other farm equipment are slow moving, and motorists may be surprised when they come up behind one on a Missouri highway."
Missouri's 33,000 miles of state roadway pass alongside the fields of more than 100,000 farms throughout the state.
Motorists are advised to slow down when approaching farm vehicles. Be patient as the farm vehicles travel to their field entrances. In passing zones, please wait until it is safe and pass at a safe distance and speed.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Bloomfield, Missouri - In order to assist the cemetery staff in maintaining the appearance of the cemetery in an appropriate manner, they ask that you review and follow cemetery regulations. Please contact their office if you have any questions regarding these policies.
Flowers and Flower Containers: Fresh cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time. Cemetery personnel will remove and discard flowers, which have become withered, faded, or otherwise unsightly. No permanent plantings are made on the graves. Inexpensive metal or plastic floral containers should be used to display flowers. The use of glass containers is prohibited. Vases are available from the cemetery staff. The cemetery is not responsible for lost or damaged containers.
Artificial Flowers: Artificial flowers are permitted on graves from October 15th through April 15th. Artificial flowers will also be permitted on graves 3 days prior to and 3 days following Memorial Day. Potted plants will be permitted on graves 10 days before and 10 days after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day only.
Christmas Season: Christmas wreaths and floral grave blankets will be permitted from December 1 through January 15.
Unauthorized Decorations: Permanent plantings, statues, pictures, balloons, vigil lights, breakable items of any kind, and similar commemorative items are not permitted on graves, markers, or niche covers. Upright metal grave markers (flag holders) are not permitted. Unauthorized items will be removed and disposed of by cemetery personnel.
Memorial Day: Graves will be decorated prior to Memorial Day with small flags. These flags will be removed immediately after Memorial Day and are not permitted on graves at any other time. Only one flag per grave is permitted. Artificial flowers will be permitted on graves three days before and three days after Memorial Day.
Prohibited Activities: Littering; cutting of trees, shrubs, grass, or other plantings; allowing pets to run loose; recreational activities such as jogging, skating, bicycling, etc; public gatherings of a partisan nature. Please do not sit on grave markers.
Visiting Hours: The cemetery is open to the public for visitation from sunrise until sunset daily. The cemetery office is open from 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.
Thank you for respecting their requests. Keeping the cemetery nice year round is a tremendous challenge and they do such a good job. Please come out at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Memorial Day for their annual celebration and tribute to those that sacrificed their life and served in our nation's military.
