Dexter, Missouri - The Public School Retired Employees Association of Stoddard County will meet at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, March 27, 2017 at Hickory Log Restaurant.
All retired school employees, certified and non-certified are invited to attend.
The meeting will consist of a buffet lunch at a cost of $10.00 per person then followed by a keynote speaker, Joe Kinley, recently assigned Coordinator at the Three Rivers College in Dexter. There will also be a brief business meeting.
Don’t feed bears. Avoid encounters. React right.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - As blossoms and buds emerge each spring, so do Missouri's estimated 300 native black bears. As they leave their winter dens this time of year, finding food is their main focus. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds people to "Be Bear Aware" by not feeding bears and not providing potential sources of food.
“As black bears become active in the spring, they are on a mission to find food,” said Laura Conlee, a resource scientist and black-bear researcher with MDC. “It is very important for Missourians to recognize potential food attractants in their area. Things such as bird feeders, trash, barbeque grills, and food waste left out at camp sites can all serve as huge attractions for bears. Keeping our areas free of attractants, and letting bears find natural foods is in everyone’s best interest. If you see a bear, enjoy the sighting, let the bear be, and be sure you don’t offer it any food. Most importantly, never intentionally feed them.”
Conlee added feeding bears makes them comfortable around people, which can also make them dangerous.
A FED BEAR IS A DEAD BEAR
"When bears lose their fear of people, they may approach people in search of food or may defend the food sources or territory they associate with people, which can make them dangerous," Conlee said. "When this happens, the bear has to be destroyed. A fed bear is a dead bear."
She added a fed bear that becomes a problem in one place cannot be relocated to another.
“Once a bear learns people can provide food, they will seek out other places such as camp sites, residential areas, and farms in search of food,” she explained. “Bears also have an excellent memory and will often return year after year to places where they were provided food.”
AVOID ATTRACTING BLACK BEARS
MDC offers these tips for avoiding attracting black bears to possible food sources:
Don't leave pet food sitting outside. Feed pets a portion they'll eat at each meal and remove the empty containers.
Store garbage, recyclables, and compost inside a secure building or in a bear-proof container until the day of trash pick-up.
Keep grills and smokers clean and store them inside.
Don't use birdfeeders from April through November in bear country, or hang them at least 10 feet high and 4 feet away from any structure.
Use electric fencing to keep bears away from beehives, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, orchards, and other potential food sources.
Keep campsites clean and store all food, toiletries and trash in a secure vehicle or strung high between two trees. Do not burn or bury garbage or food waste.
AVOID ENCOUNTERS AND REACT RIGHT
While close encounters are uncommon, MDC offers this advice when outdoors in black-bear country:
Make noise while walking or hiking to prevent surprising a bear. Clap, sing, or talk loudly.
Travel in a group if possible.
Pay attention to the surroundings and watch for bear sign, such as tracks or claw or bite marks on trees.
Keep dogs leashed.
Leave a bear alone! Do not approach it. Make sure it has an escape route.
If encountering a bear up close, back away slowly with arms raised to look larger. Speak in a calm, loud voice. Do not turn away from the bear. Back away slowly. Do not run.
A native to Missouri, black bears were abundant until the late 1800s when they were nearly wiped out from unregulated killing and from habitat loss when Ozark forests were logged. MDC research shows that a small number of native black bears survived. Over time, their numbers increased and continue to do so. Results of ongoing black-bear research by MDC staff and others show that the animals have been sighted in about half the counties in Missouri, primarily south of the Missouri River, with most bears located in the southern third of the state in the Missouri Ozarks.
Black bears are a protected species in Missouri. MDC anticipates a limited hunting season as a population-management method once black bear numbers reach a population estimate of about 500 animals. The current estimate is about 300. No details regarding the anticipated future hunting season have been developed.
MDC asks people to report bear sightings by calling 573-522-4115, ext. 3080.
Dexter Police Joins National St. Patrick’s Day Holiday Crackdown
To Reduce Drunk Driving Fatalities
‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ Campaign Will Target Substance–Impaired Drivers.
Dexter, Missouri - Local police will be out in full force as part of the annual nationwide St. Patrick’s Day Holiday “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” substance–impaired driving crackdown. The crackdown, which will include high-visibility enforcement throughout Dexter, will run from March 16-19, 2017. The effective nationwide substance–impaired driving crackdown will include high-visibility enforcement, high-profile events, and will be supported by national paid advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb substance–impaired driving over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. Dexter Police said its Officers will be aggressively looking for substance–impaired drivers during the crackdown and will arrest anyone caught driving impaired. Although it is illegal in all 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to drive impaired (having a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher), far too many people across the nation get behind the wheel after consuming too much alcohol. The latest statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration underscore the serious nature of the nation’s continuing drunk driving epidemic.
“Every year, about one third of all motor vehicle traffic deaths involve one or more substance- impaired drivers or motorcycle operators,” said Chief Stone. “In 2016, 179 people were killed and 643 seriously injured on Missouri’s roadways in crashes that involved at least one substance-impaired driver.” That works out to approximately one substance-impaired driver involved fatality every (2) two days. added the St. Patrick’s Day holiday is particularly dangerous. During the St. Patrick’s Day holiday March 17-20, 2016, two (2) people were killed and eight (8) seriously injured involving at least one substance-impaired driver.
“Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement like the 'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' campaign reduces substance–impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. By joining this nationwide effort, we will make Dexter’s roadways safer for everyone throughout the holiday,” said Chief Stone. "We want to remind everyone that getting behind the wheel impaired is a terrible idea. Unfortunately, not only does being under the influence impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely, it also impairs your judgment and good sense about whether you can, or should drive. If you have any doubt about your sobriety, do not get behind the wheel. If you do chose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses,” Chief Stone said.
Chief Stone noted that being arrested for driving under the influence of any substance brings a wide range of negative consequences into one’s life. Substance–impaired drivers face jail time, loss of their driver licenses, and steep financial consequences such as higher insurance rates, attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of job. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators also often face tremendous personal embarrassment.
“Driving while impaired is simply not worth the risk. So don’t take the chance. Remember, we will be out in force and we will be watching, so ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,’” said Chief Stone.
East and Westbound ramps to Route 60 in Stoddard County will be closed as contractor crews perform pavement repairs.
The two on-ramps from Route 25 to Route 60 east and westbound will be closed.
Weather permitting, work will take place Monday, March 13 and Tuesday, March 14 on the eastbound ramp and Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday, March 15 on the westbound ramp from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Dexter, Missouri - Dexter Police announced today they are joining with statewide law enforcement March 15-31 for an aggressive youth seat belt mobilization to crack down on Missouri’s seat belt law violators and to reduce highway fatalities. Only 70 percent of Missouri teens wear their seat belts when driving or riding in a motor vehicle. Eight out of ten teen vehicle drivers and passengers killed in traffic crashes are unbuckled.
Under the Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) law, teens are required to wear their seat belt as it’s a primary offense, meaning they can be pulled over solely for not wearing their seat belt. “Local motorists should be prepared for stepped up seat belt enforcement,” said Chief Stone. “We’ll be out there to remind you seat belts can – and do – save lives.” Seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes.
