Bloomfield, Missouri – On behalf of USDA Rural Development Missouri State Director Anita J. Dunning, Housing Program Director Pam Anglin celebrated Earth Day by visiting Bloomfield, Missouri. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the first Earth Day and has become a day of recognition to highlight the impact human activities have on the environment.
“Rural Development’s mission is to improve the quality of life for residents of rural America which includes protecting what the earth provides for future generations. Projects undertaken must be shown to avoid negative affects on natural resources,” Dunning stated. “Participating in water quality and water service projects such as the City of Bloomfield project enables Rural Development to influence decisions made on the use of our natural resources. We are proud of the city’s recognition and willingness to continue to provide quality water while preserving our natural resources.”
Bloomfield’s water distribution system is aged and requires continued maintenance. Maintenance and repair costs have created a burden on the city’s budget and staff. Line breaks are frequent requiring boil water orders to prevent bacterial contamination. In order to improve the city’s system and reduce any health risks, Rural Development awarded Bloomfield a $2,406,000 Water and Waste Disposal Loan and a $1,875,000 Water and Waste Disposal Grant. These funds will be used to install new distribution lines, hydrants, pump, and meters.
Water and Waste Water Grant and Loan Programs assist the development of water and waste disposal systems in rural areas and towns with a population not in excess of 10,000. The funds are available to public bodies, non-profit corporations and Indian tribes.
Propst is the son of Darrin and Molly Propst and plans to attend Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas after graduation in May. His current plans are to enter the nursing program.
Shown in the photo are Darrin and Molly Propst, Brooks and Matt Thurman.
Shelby is in the Marching Band and is a member of the Jazz Cats. She is also active in Student Council and a Rotary Interact Club.
She enjoys reading and singing.
Miss Shelby Smith was an attendant in the Miss Dexter 2014 Pageant. This is an annual pageant sponsored by the Dexter Senior High School Music Department. Each year Miss Dexter and her attendants are chosen as Calendar Girls throughout the year.
Congratulations Shelby! The Dexter community is extremely proud of you and your accomplishments.
Photo courtesy of Shannon Putnam.
Written by
Nancy Vines
NCAA Tournament Through the Eyes of Alan Flannigan
"The feeling of playing in the NCAA Tournament was almost surreal as we were going through warm-ups. I still don't know if the reality has sunk in. It was absolutely electric in the building, and as always, the Leopard fans turned out strong. It was pretty neat getting to be a part of March Madness and represent our school in the NCAA tournament."
Alan Flannigan, Dexter High School graduate, is finishing up four years as a member of the Lafayette Leopards. The Division 1 Lafayette College is located in Easton, PA. "This team has been very inspiring. Not only in the way we battled adversity through the ups and downs of the regular season, but also in the way we have handled success. I think a lot of that can be attributed to the leadership of our coaching staff and our team captain and fellow senior, Seth Hinrichs."
Alan says that ever year the team sets the goal of making it to the NCAA tournament, but that this year members felt they really had a great chance.
He proudly points to the fact that the 2014-2015 Leopards are a veteran team with many guys who have seen a lot of court time. He sees this as key to their cinching the Patriot League Championship, and earning a spot in the "Big Dance."
"The experience of cutting down the nets on our home court after winning the Patriot League Championship game was amazing. We have the best fans in the Patriot League, and Kirby Sports Center was absolutely nuts that night. I think about half the student body turned out for that game."
Shortly after winning, the team learned they would be playing number one seeded Villanova--the alma mater of the Leopards head coach Fran O'Hanlon. O'Hanlon had been a star player for the Wildcats, who had seen his jersey number retired.
Alan says the team knew it meant a lot for their coach to be able to play against Villanova. "I think we all certainly wish it had turned out a bit better, but nonetheless, it was a very proud moment."
Written by
Nancy Vines
And so, the dream of an eighth-grade boy from Dexter, Missouri, became a reality.
Alan Flannigan, a 2011 Dexter High School graduate, dreamed of attending a Division 1 school when he finished high school. His parents and high school coach believed he could realize that dream, which in turn, inspired him to believe in himself. Alan credits Coach Rob Nichols with pushing him to always take the next step to improve as a player and a leader. He says that the attraction to Lafayette College basketball program was that he saw the same passion for excellence that had been instilled in him, exhibited in that team, and in their coach."Having a strong culture of winning and expecting perfection from yourself are two things Coach Fran O'Hanlon has demanded from his players in his over 20 years as the Head Coach at Lafayette."
Basketball was not the only inviting aspect of the college -- the rigorous academic challenges also appealed to him. Forbes academic excellence rankings place Lafayette as the sixth highest among Division 1 Liberal Arts schools.
"I think one of my biggest strengths is my ability to realistically assess myself and be very self-critical. So, while every basketball player would love to play in the NBA, I knew that just wasn't in the cards for me.
While picking a school that would develop me as a player was important, I also had the foresight to realize that basketball would only last four years, and I had better have a quality back-up plan."
He adds that Lafayette has a rich history as one of the most prestigious liberal arts schools on the east coast and is always a front-runner in key post-graduation statistics such as average income, job and grad school placement, and return on investment. .
Alan is majoring in economics with a minor in government and law. He is also pursuing a certificate in financial policy and analysis, which is essentially a secondary major within the economics field.
"The focus of the certificate is to provide a challenging curriculum comprised of the most high-level classes that the department offers. These classes focus on international and domestic investment environments, as well as scientific and financial based managerial strategy," he explained.
The road from Dexter, MO, to Easton, PA, was certainly not an easy one, nor was it easy to balance athletic time commitments with the demands of a rigorous academic schedule. Alan admits that being a freshman in class and on the basketball team was a great challenge, along with the swift pace at which everything seemed to move.
"My first few days I spent trying to figure out why everyone was in such a big hurry all the time, but I soon realized that they weren't slowing down, so I had better speed up!" He says the upper class teammates helped in the adjustment to campus life, and the other freshman team members were also transplants--hailing from Australia, Minnesota, and Colorado--so they came to depend on each other when things got tough.
Players spend around 30 hours a week on basketball-related activities--weightlifting, practice, film, treatment and skill work. Finding a balance between basketball and academic demands was no easy feat; however, Alan says that the players take great pride in their ability to do just that.
He explains that pushing through the fatigue to get everything done at a high level is the norm. "If you can't do it, you can't succeed." He cites a personal story to illustrate this point. "My sophomore year we were on the road playing at the University of Kentucky, and I was slated to get my first collegiate start against the number 3 team in the nation. The night before the game, I received an e-mail from a professor asking me to prepare a 15-page Supreme Court case summary to make-up for a group project I was missing because I was on the road, and he wanted it by noon the next day.
Not only was this an extreme work deadline, but a very difficult task that covered over 100 pages of court transcripts. As any of my teammates would have done, I took it in stride, sat down, and went to work. It took me until 4 A.M., but I had done it. Later that evening my name was called for the starting five in front of a sold-out crowd against the defending national champions."
When he graduates from Lafayette College in May, many areas of opportunity will be available to Alan Flannigan. The dream that began in middle school has been realized because he had people in his life who believed in him, encouraged him, and helped him make choices that would allow him to realize the lofty goals he had set. Most importantly, however, is the fact that he believed in himself, pushed himself, and never allowed setbacks to discourage him.
As high school students from Southeast Missouri are preparing for their own graduations, and making choices about their futures, they might benefit from one who not only had a dream, but had the courage to pursue it: "Don't be afraid to dream big and aspire to accomplish things that seem unimaginable at the time."
