Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Stoddard County

June 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Oak Tree Inn, 1608 U.S. 60 Business West in Dexter, Mo.  Sponsored by the employees of Union Pacific Railroad.

June 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mingo Job Corps Center, 4253 State Highway T in Puxico, Mo.

June 10 from 3-7 p.m. at Advance Eagles Lodge, 19095 State Highway C in Advance, Mo.

June 18 from 12:30-6:30 p.m. at Stoddard County Ambulance District, 501 W. Business Highway 60 in Dexter, Mo.

All blood types are needed, especially types O negative, A negative and B negative.  Platelets are also in great need as they have a shelf life of just five days and must be replenished regularly.

How to donate blood

Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. 

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Poplar Bluff, Missouri - Captain George E. Ridens, commanding officer of Troop E, Poplar Bluff, is pleased to announce the promotion of Trooper Clark D. Parrott to the rank of corporal. Corporal Parrott will remain in his current assignment as the Troop E Public Information and Education Officer, which serves 13 counties in Southeast Missouri.

Corporal Parrott joined the Patrol on October 20, 2002, as a member of the 80th Recruit Class. Upon graduating from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy in Jefferson City, he was assigned to Troop H, Zone 4. In 2008, Corporal Parrott transferred to Troop E, Zone 8. In 2011, he was named the Troop E Public Information and Education Officer.

Corporal Parrott is a graduate of West Plains High School and Missouri State University-West Plains. Corporal Parrott and his wife Michele (Bowles), have three children, Jordan, Natalie, and Hunter.

Troop E Headquarters are located at 4947 Highway 67 North in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.  Troop E is one of the original six troops within the Highway Patrol and was first located in Sikeston in 1931 and later moved to Poplar Bluff in 1937.  Troop E is authorized 92 uniformed officers, 60 uniformed civilians, and 12 civilian employees assigned to 13 counties in Southeast Missouri.  The following counties are served by Troop E:  Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Ripley, Scott, Stoddard, and Wayne.

Congratulations Officer Parrot!  The Dexter community is proud of you and your accomplishments.  Thank you for your dedication to keeping us safe.

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Jefferson City, Missouri - MoDOT Director Dave Nichols today named Jefferson City, Missouri - Ed Hassinger, St. Louis District Engineer for the past 12 years, the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Chief Engineer.

Hassinger, 51, fills the position that has been vacant since March, when Nichols moved up from chief engineer to director. Hassinger has 29 years of experience with MoDOT in a variety of roles.

"Ed has done an excellent job directing MoDOT's efforts in St. Louis," Nichols said. "Everywhere he's worked, he's built solid relationships that have enabled us to partner with others to achieve our goals. He's the right man to lead our districts, engineering divisions and maintenance efforts going forward."

Hassinger, a native of Columbia and a 1983 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering, began his MoDOT career as a design engineer in the Bridge Division. He's also worked as a traffic engineer, bridge maintenance engineer, assistant district engineer in the St. Louis District, and spent one year as the District Engineer in the Northeast District in Hannibal.

 "I'm excited to accept the chief engineer position," Hassinger said. "We have significant challenges ahead of us with the funding situation we face to keep our system in the best condition possible while looking for opportunities to make the kind of improvements that our customers desire. It will take a total team effort to be successful and I feel honored to be able to lead that team."

Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission Chairman Joe Carmichael said, "Ed Hassinger has been a most-valued member of the MoDOT family for many years and the Commission has tremendous respect for what he has accomplished in St. Louis. We look forward to working even closer with him to develop Missouri's transportation priorities for the future."

In the St. Louis District, Hassinger has led nearly 800 employees in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of 6,000 miles of roads in Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Louis Counties and the City of St. Louis. He is a registered professional engineer (P.E.) in the state of Missouri.

Hassinger's photo may be found at http://www.modot.org/newsroom/index.htm

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Dutchtown, Missouri -The Missouri Department of Transportation plans to close Routes A and 74 in Dutchtown, Mo., at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 4. Route 25 will close at noon the same day for rising flood waters. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution near the area and plan alternate routes.

For more information, please contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or visit the Traveler Information Map at: http://maps.modot.mo.gov/timi/index.html?district=SOUTHEAST.

Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer

Cape Girardeau, Missouri -  June 3, 2013 - The Memphis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, initiated Phase I floodfighting activities at 7 a.m. today (June 3) due to high Upper Mississippi River stages. The area of flooding is located in the northern portion of the Memphis District near Cape Girardeau and Dutchtown, Mo.

Significant rainfall over the last week across portions of Missouri, Iowa and Illinois has caused the river to rise again after a period of falling levels.

Based on current National Weather Service forecasts, the Corps of Engineers expects to move to a Phase II floodfight tomorrow (June 4).

"Although we expect this rise in the river to be of short duration - maybe a week or so - we are taking these steps ensure our flood works are performing as designed," Corps Emergency Management Chief Steve Barry said in Memphis. "Because this flooding is located only on the Upper Mississippi River we do not believe it will have any impact on the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway area."

As part of their Phase II response efforts, the Memphis District is establishing a field office in Cape Girardeau, Mo., with seven field personnel assigned there.

At Corps District Headquarters in Memphis, the Corps' Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has gone to Activation Level III with elevated staffing to provide Command and Control support for the response effort. The EOC is staffed 12 hours per day, with personnel on call 24 hours per day.

Through the State of Missouri, local officials in Dutchtown, Mo., have requested assistance from the Corps of Engineers to provide flood protection to their community. Corps leaders are currently assessing these needs and are working with community leaders there to provide them with this help. 

Phase I floodfight activities begin when the river gage at Cape Girardeau reaches 38 feet with a sustained rise forecasted. As of 9 a.m. on June 3, the river stage at Cape Girardeau is 39.78 feet with a forecasted crest of 45.5 feet expected. 

Phase II floodfighting begins when the river gage at Cape Girardeau reaches 43 feet.

Phase I is an initial monitoring phase when personnel from the Corps' Caruthersville (Missouri) Area Office begin monitoring the levees and other flood control structures for any problem areas and coordinate with local officials including levee associations.

During Phase II larger teams including geotechnical engineers deploy from District Headquarters in Memphis to provide technical support and monitor flood control structures for problems such as sand boils and levee wave wash.

The Corps' Division Headquarters in Vicksburg, Miss., coordinates all floodfight activities in the Mississippi Valley. The Corps' Emergency Operations Center in Memphis is directing these floodfight activities in conjunction with the affected states, levee districts and other local interest groups.