Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Writer
Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Dexter Senior High School students are glad to hear that for the third consecutive year, Southeast Missouri State University has been ranked as the safest public four-year university in Missouri by StateUniversity.com, the leading website for college information.
Jessica Loflin, DHS senior stated, "I want to know that they are doing everything they can to keep the students and teachers safe. There are a lot of my fellow classmates that will be going to SEMO and they don't want to have to worry about bad things happening on campus."
The Safest Schools findings are based on incidents of campus crime as reported by campus safety officials. The 2012 rankings are available online at http://www.stateuniversity.com/rank/safety_score_rank.html.
Doug Richards, director of the Department of Public Safety, said Southeast’s ranking as the safest public university in Missouri is the direct result of the University’s efforts over the past several years to put measures in place to ensure campus safety.
“We have 24/7 police patrols and a well-trained force,” Richards said. “We have technology in place with cameras across the campus providing ongoing video surveillance to help dispatchers monitor and record activities. We offer emergency text messaging for our students, faculty and staff, and we have an excellent outdoor warning system. We also have an urgent alert system to quickly send emergency communications to networked computers on campus. In addition, our campus has lighted corridors and a campus shuttle system running at night.
“We also have officers who provide A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate) training to our faculty, staff, and students, and area schools, employers and the public to help prepare them on how to handle intruder situations,” Richards added.
“Campus safety has been a major emphasis at Southeast,” he said. “The administration had the forethought many years ago to put the technology in place that we needed. This (ranking) did not happen by accident. We are very aggressive on campus safety, and the Department of Public Safety is constantly visible.”
Dr. Debbie Below, vice president for enrollment management and student success and Dean of Students, said, “Southeast Missouri State University continues to be one of the fastest growing universities in the Midwest. Campus safety is among the important factors families consider when evaluating colleges. The safety and security of students are of utmost importance to Southeast. Numerous people and resources on the campus and in the Cape Girardeau community are dedicated to the goal of providing a safe learning, working, and living environment for our student body.
“We encourage students to do their part as well,” Below added. “Students themselves play a vital part in helping to assure that the Southeast campus is a safe place. Throughout the year, students are exposed to a variety of safety and security topics through programs offered by numerous university departments including the Department of Public Safety, the Office of Residence Life, Counseling and Disability Services, the Dean of Students Office and others.”
The safety rankings are the latest in a series of rankings lists compiled by StateUniversity.com, including Top Ranked Schools Overall.
Be sure to watch the ShowMe Times website and Facebook for all updates related to school closings in the area. We will work to provide you the information as quickly as we become aware of changes to the school schedules.
Jessica Snider, SMT Writer
The families were through the Stoddard County Division of Family Services. The Dexter FFA members collected money and items from local individuals and area businesses. Dexter FFA purchased and wrapped the gifts and presented them to Sara Neeley and Michelle Laird-Allen of the Division of Family Services.
The two families adopted by the Dexter FFA included seven children ages seven months to thirteen years.
The Dexter FFA would like to thank the following individuals and businesses for their contributions: First Midwest Bank, Linda Collier, Beckham’s Pawn Shop, Susan’s Consignment, Allen and Kim Massey, Saveway Petroleum, Chris Brannan Agency, Missy Stites, Legrands Communications, Metalweld, Allen Christian, Bank of Advance, and Battles Communications.
Sarah Neeley and Michelle Laird-Allen would like to remind the community that the DFS could use donations all throughout the year.
Pictured in the photo above, Dexter FFA members Chelsey Massey and Nicole Battles are seen presenting the gifts to Sarah Neeley and Michelle Laird-Allen of the Stoddard County Division of Family Services.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Writer
Shawnee, Oklahoma - Down by six points at halftime, the Golden Eagles responded by opening the second half on a 19-5 that resulted in an eventual 72-63 victory over St. Gregory's Thursday night in Shawnee.
Junior guard Sierra Shipley scored a season-high 20 points while scoring a game high three triples in addition to pulling down seven rebounds in the winning effort.
Freshman forward Brooke Barker turned in an impressive performance, netting 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the free throw line. Barker has finished in double digits seven times so far this season and ranks No. 2 in the nation with a 94.6 free throw percentage.
Sophomore forward Abbie Warren turned in a nine-point performance, courtesy of a 3-for-3 shooting evening from the charity stripe. Sophomore forward Morgan Ankrom chipped in with eight points while senior guard Anna Parish and junior forward Kortni Barenberg each added seven points apiece.
Warren and Parish each grabbed a team-high eight boards.
The Cavaliers opened the game quickly, building a 10-3 lead. The SGU advantage grew to eight points (13-5) as the host squad drained its third triple of the game with 14:00 remaining in the first half. After trimming the lead to five, Warren converted a pair of free throws and with Barker's 1-of-2 effort from the line, the visitors pulled within three (15-12).
The home advantage would hover around eight for the remainder of the half as the Cavalier defense, which entered the game No. 21 in the nation in field goal percentage defense (35.7 percent), held John Brown to just 30 points in the first frame, shooting 35.5 percent (11-of-31). The Cavaliers didn't shoot much better, only knocking down 14-of-30 opportunities, taking a 36-30 lead into halftime.
The Golden Eagles came out a different team in the second half, kicking off the frame on a 19-5 streak that saw JBU take its first lead of the game at 40-39 with 15:40 on the clock. John Brown would eventually nab a 10-point advantage as its’ shooting from behind the arc caught fire. Three different shooters nailed treys as Shipley, Parish and Barenberg each converted opportunities en route to the double-digit lead.
With a 55-47 lead, freshman guard Tristan Carrasquillo came off the bench and netted a timely three-pointer, extending the visitors' lead to 14 points.
St. Gregory's attempted to stay in the hunt but a pair of free throws from Barenberg and a Shipley field goal pushed John Brown to a game-high 15 point lead (67-52) with 3:58 left in the half.
The Cavaliers wouldn't let up as back-to-back triples pulled the hosts within seven (67-60), but an athletic and timely play from Barker allowed the freshman to drain a basket while earning the foul, which returned the Golden Eagle lead to 10 with 1:44 remaining.
The John Brown defense denied SGU a field goal over the final 2:02 of the contest. While the Golden Eagles were only able to shoot 37.5 percent (24-0f-64), JBU was able to knock down seven of its 10 three-pointers attempted (70.0 percent). St. Gregory's was only able to shoot at a 33.9 percent clip (19-of-56).
The Golden Eagles dominated the boards, out-rebounding the opposition 47-34, converting its advantage to a 17-4 scoring margin in second chance points. Becoming a positive trend, the JBU bench clearly outplayed the Cavaliers, notching a 30-12 scoring advantage. Despite committing 10 turnovers, the visitors only allowed SGU four points as a result of its miscues.
With the win, the Golden Eagles move to 7-8 on the season and climb into the winning side of the Sooner Athletic Conference standings with a 2-1 conference record. After dropping its SAC opener to No. 9 Oklahoma City, John Brown has rattled off two consecutive road victories. The Cavaliers drop to 7-10 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
As a senior at Dexter Senior High School, Abbie Warren posted 16.4 points and 11/3 rebounds per game and was named Standard Democrat's Girl Player of the Year. She was also awarded all-conference, all-district, and all-region honors. She went on to play at Three Rivers College where she averaged 8.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a freshman.
JBU's busy week will finally come to a close on Saturday, Jan. 12, when the Blue and Gold host No. 15 Rogers State (Okla.) (13-4, 3-0 SAC) at Bill George Arena to a 3:00 p.m. tip-off.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Writer
Jonesboro, Arkansas — KASU Radio of Arkansas State University, in cooperation with The Arts @311 and Gregg-Langford-Bookout Funeral Home, will launch a new year of expanded jazz concerts free to the public beginning Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at 311 South Church St. in Jonesboro.
“Jazz Thursday” concerts, to be presented each fourth Thursday evening January through October, will feature jazz musicians from Jonesboro and northeast Arkansas, Memphis, Nashville and other locations.
The series will begin with Caprice, a five-member local ensemble of young musicians who have studied in the ASU Music Department’s Jazz Studies program. Caprice’s sound is built around Tim Moore on piano; Tim’s brother Brandon Moore on tenor saxophone; Alex Ditto, guitar; Addison Boling, drums; and Matt Bounds, bass. Caprice performs jazz standards, such as tunes by Charlie Parker, Chick Corea and Horace Silver, along with some original tunes by Tim Moore.
Caprice will perform two sets between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. followed with a jam session led by The Swing Band Project ending about 9 p.m.
KASU Radio has brought live monthly music events to communities in northeast Arkansas for over 15 years. Beginning with its original Blue Monday series in Jonesboro, the station expanded to Bluegrass Monday, now held in Paragould, and Bluesday Tuesday, an ongoing series in Newport.
Station manager Mike Doyle noted, “KASU first brought regular live blues concerts to downtown Jonesboro beginning at the old Potlikker’s Restaurant, and the concerts were always free. As downtown Jonesboro blossomed into a live entertainment district with new restaurants offering blues, rock and pop, we took a hiatus from downtown and began to offer music in some other communities. While continuing our involvement with Newport and Paragould, we’re glad to be back home again, presenting something a little different in downtown Jonesboro – regular live jazz, with no cover charge.”
Doyle said that sponsors, by underwriting a guaranteed performance fee for each month’s featured group, make it possible to present the concerts free of admission charge. In keeping with KASU tradition, the station will pass the hat through the audience so concertgoers may show their appreciation for the band with tips if desired.
“We’re able to do this by partnering with Greg-Langford-Bookout Funeral Home, which is very community minded, and with Dr. Carl Abraham’s wonderful arts collective, the Arts @311 (South Church) which is an ideal location for the intimacy of live jazz,” concluded Doyle.
For additional information, contact Doyle at (870) 972-3486 or through e-mail at mdoyle@astate.edu.
