Written by
Dee Loflin, Manager/Writer SMT
Bloomfield, Missouri – In 1974 everyone enjoyed the jingle, “Hotdogs, Apple Pie, Baseball and Chevrolet” ringing in their ears. Independence Day is blessed with American traditions, as it should be. Happy Birthday USA!
Some things just go hand-in-hand, like peanut butter and jelly, cookies and milk, mashed potatoes and gravy, and baseball and hot dogs!
This 4th of July, join the Bloomfield Firefighters Association as they host their annual fundraising SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT.
There are several teams competing and it all begins at 9:00 a.m. with the last game to be played around 4:00 p.m. The Bloomfield Fire Department will compete against the Liberty Hill team, Flaming Rubber Ducks, JSC, and the Misfits
Watch the players pay $10 for every homerun hit over the fence! Or you can participate by offering $10 for a hit out of the park.
Rumor has it that the Hot Dog Guy is going to be there! Come out and enjoy this American tradition and raise some money for the brave firemen of Bloomfield.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, Manager/Writer SMT
Missouri - The 2013 July Fourth holiday is fast approaching. All across Missouri, people will gather to have some fun, share a meal, or simply enjoy fireworks. Whether your plans will take place on land or on the water, Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, reminds Missouri’s travelers of the importance of safety during the upcoming July Fourth holiday.
In 2012, four people were killed and 194 injured in Missouri over the holiday in 385 traffic crashes. One person was killed or injured every 9.1 minutes. Of that total, troopers worked 104 crashes, including three of the fatalities and 56 injuries during the 2012 July Fourth holiday. Troopers arrested 59 people for driving while intoxicated during last year’s holiday weekend. Last year's counting period was 30 hours in length.
The 2013 counting period for the July Fourth holiday will be from 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 3, to 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 7. This year's counting period will span 102 hours.
The Highway Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) over the July Fourth holiday weekend. All available officers will be patrolling Missouri’s roadways enforcing Missouri’s speed limit, seat belt, and alcohol laws, in addition to being available to assist motorists.
Troopers throughout the state will participate in a 20-Mile Trooper operation on Wednesday, July 3, and Sunday, July 7, 2013. This operation will include Interstates 35, 44, 55, and 70, and U.S. Highways 60 and 63. Troopers will be targeting all traffic violations, and be especially vigilant of aggressive driving violations.
Motorists who need assistance or who witness criminal activity while traveling on Missouri’s roadways can contact the nearest Highway Patrol troop headquarters by calling the Patrol Emergency Report Line at 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone. Motorists may call 1-888-275-6636 to check for road construction or possible flooding along their travel route.
The Highway Patrol also reminds the public that the Fourth of July holiday is one of the busiest boating holidays of the year. In 2012, there were zero boating fatalities. However, four people were injured in four boat crashes. Three people drowned during last year's July Fourth holiday. One person drowned at Bull Shoals Lake in Taney County; two people drowned at Lake of the Ozarks in Morgan County.
Additional officers will be working on the state’s waters to ensure safety. Missouri’s boaters are asked to do their part by remaining alert for other boats and swimmers, and being courteous on the water. With more boats on the water, it is even more important to pay attention when operating your vessel.
Remember:
· Distractions and alcohol consumption slow reaction time.
· Appoint a passenger to help monitor the other boats around you.
· Make evasive maneuvers early and deliberately.
The many firework displays after dark attract many more boaters at night.
At night, remember to:
· Check your vessel’s navigation lights before heading out, and be sure to have spare bulbs on board.
· Avoid overloading your boat with too many passengers. This can cause the boat to become swamped and affect the handling of the boat.
· Observe Missouri’s nighttime speed limit of 30 miles per hour on the water.
· Slow down and take your time. Nighttime accidents tend to involve more serious injuries and damage, due to the lack of visibility.
Finally, it is illegal to discharge fireworks from a vessel, so leave them in a safe place on shore.
“The Patrol encourages motorists and watercraft operators to protect themselves by making sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint and everyone in the vessel is wearing an approved life jacket," said Colonel Replogle. "Please be courteous whether operating a vessel or vehicle. If your celebration includes alcohol, designate someone else to drive, whether operating your boat or your car."
Article Submitted to
ShowMe Times
news@showmetimes.com
Puxico, Missouri - Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center held its annual Public Safety Day on June 25th in conjunction with the National Safety Council's Safety Month. Over 100 students and staff participated in the program.
Dexter Fire Chief Don Seymore and Firefighter Todd O’Dell demonstrated one of the department's Pumper trucks. By combining a pumping capacity of 1,250 gallons per minute and the ability to control the volume and direction of flow by remote control, it is a powerful firefighting tool that provides an extra level of safety for the operator.
Chuck Kasting, Assistant Manager of Stoddard County EMS, and Communications Supervisor Jamie Holcomb discussed career opportunities in the emergency medical field and presented tours of an ambulance and the high tech equipment on board.
"Many of Job Corps’ Health Occupations Career Technical Training graduates continue their training and have found careers as EMTs and Paramedics. These young men and women here today may find themselves as part of an ambulance crew someday in their future," stated Tim Aslin, Business and Community Liaison with Mingo Job Corps CCC.
"Mingo Job Corps CCC maintains a U.S. Forest Service Wildland fire team and while traditional firefighting is somewhat different, there is overlap in training and technique. I believe the students were intrigued by the level of technology used by the Dexter Fire Department.” added Ryan Lindsley, Safety Officer at Mingo.
Mingo Job Corps CCC offers educational and vocational training in seven occupations: welding, painting, heavy equipment operator, carpentry, brick masonry, health occupations, and office administration in a residential setting.
The U.S. Forest Service operates 28 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers across 18 states with a capacity of 6,200 students. There is no cost to qualifying students.
For more information, call Mingo Job Corps CCC at 573-222-3537 or visit their website at www.jobcorps.gov
Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
Dexter, Missouri – “SAVE CAMP LATONKA!” MEETING is scheduled for tonight at the Girl Scout office in Dexter at 6:30 p.m.
Camp Latonka was established in 1951 and is a resident camp on Lake Wappapello. Girl Scouts of Missouri Heartland is preparing to close the camp by 2016; however there is a movement to save it. If you are interested in attending the meeting it is open to the public and there is a petition if you would like to sign.
You can also sign the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savecamplatonka/.
The petition is to let the Council and board of the Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland know that the public does NOT want the divestment of Girl Scout Camp Latonka to take place.
Many want to see this “home by the water’s edge” for future Girl Scouts plus cherish the memories of past and present scouting events.
The board will visit the issue of divestment in November 2013.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, Manager/Writer SMT
Bloomfield, Missouri - With the Fourth of July just around the corner, the Bloomfield Firefighters Association is on a quest to raise money for the annual fireworks display to be held on July 4th. You may have even caught a glimpse of a few flyers around town.
The BFA was established in 2012 as a non-profit organization to support the Bloomfield firefighters and their cause. The annual fireworks display is funded entirely through private donations.
Brooke Smith is the secretary/Treasurer of the Bloomfield Firefighters Association and stated that last year’s fireworks display cost approximately $4,000. The goal this year is to collect at least $3,000.
Donations can be made in any amount and are tax deductible. A receipt is also available upon request. Make checks payable to Bloomfield Firefighters Association and send to BLFA, 21681 County Road 510, Bloomfield, MO 63825.
Anyone who is interested in making a donation may also contact Brooke Smith at 820-7841 or Randall McCollum at 820-1640.
“With your donation and dedication to our community, we can continue this family-oriented celebration of our country’s independence the way our forefathers intended.”
