support@semo.net
1573 686-9114​​​​

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” — Socrates How profoundly true are Socrates’ words! Fundamentally speaking, a human IS what he/she knows. From the second we emerge from our mother’s cloistered cocoon, the rapid-fire learning experience ensues. Learning is both conscious and unconscious as we are wired to make sense of the world around us. We are learning all the time, creating knowledge out of each experience, innately driven by the curiosity imbedded in our souls. One of the greatest gifts we can bestow upon the children entrusted to our care is guiding them down the path of a life-long love of learning. The public school model meets a vast array of educational

The City of Poplar Bluff is home to one of the 3000 reported disc golf courses in the U.S. Clark Allen, director of the Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department says the 9-hole disc golf course has been in place at Hendrickson Park for about a year now. Set on an 8-acre plot of land, it joins a butterfly garden, playground equipment and shelters as features of the park. The idea came about from local fans of the game, and the course was largely built by volunteers. Use of the park and the disc golf course is free to the public, and it has turned out to be a great addition not just for the players who regularly use it,

Like you, I have watched and read news reports on the surge of unaccompanied children from Central America who are arriving in record numbers in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. These young people are making this dangerous passage through Mexico assisted by smugglers and then entering the United States. Make no mistake about it, the crisis at our southern border is directly connected to President Obama’s refusal to enforce current immigration laws. On July 31, 2014 the House of Representatives was scheduled to be out of session. However, House Republicans were committed to passing thoughtful, but firm legislation to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into our country. The United States Senate had already left Washington for the August

Poplar Bluff, Mo. – In 2012, the City of Poplar Bluff began buying properties at the intersection of Oak Grove Road and Westwood Blvd. As reported by Brian Becker at that time, properties at or around that intersection were going for a premium (see map): #1. $828,000; #2. $789,000; and, #3. $1,000,000. Then the purchasing frenzy came to an abrupt halt when former City Manager Doug Bagby offered only $411,000 to Robert and Robin Whelan for their property (#4). Whelans' property is the second largest property of the four and roughly the same size as the property which sold for $789,000. When the Whelans countered the city’s offer with $900,000, the Bagby cut off negotiations and filed a petition with

In June the Department of Veterans Affairs released an audit that detailed an alarming number of American veterans who were not receiving the care they have so fully earned.According to the audit, 57,000 veterans had been waiting more than 90 days for their first VA appointment. Worse yet, the audit found that 64,000 veterans had fallen through the cracks completely and never received an appointment with a VA doctor after requesting one. This is a national disgrace and our veterans deserve better. The House of Representatives recently passed legislation to ensure our service members receive timely access to care. The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014, which has passed the House of Representatives with broad bipartisan support, will make