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There are times when SEMO TIMES must take an editorial stance and Noranda's Rate Case with the PSC, as supported by the Office of Public Counsel, is one of them. SEMO TIMES urges citizens to take some time to read about the issue and then, if you feel compelled, submit the following email to the Public Service Commission by entering your information and clicking "Send." We hope that the Public Service Commission will listen to Governor Nixon and accept the OPC's compromise. Senator Libla to PSC: Opportunity Crucial For Our Economy - June 10, 2014 Noranda Still Might Get Rate Reduction - August 11, 2014 Public Service Commission Knifes the Heart of SEMO - August 20, 2014 Noranda To Lay

JEFFERSON CITY - Parents and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) came to blows as they began work on the development of Missouri’s standards for the public schools across the state as part of HB 1490 signed into law by Governor Jay Nixon in July of this year. HB 1490 was supported by parents and citizens from across the state because the intent was to allow parents and teachers to work together to develop Missouri’s educational standards. Throughout the process of lobbying for HB 1490, parents and citizens sought to redress much of the Common Core Standards adopted by the Governor in June of 2009. Regardless of the intent of HB 1490 to allow the groups involved to work

Poplar Bluff, Mo. - At this Tuesday's council meeting, council will discuss workshop item D regarding rezoning a property at the corner of Northwood Dr. and Westmoor Dr. At the planning and zoning meeting earlier this week, it was clear this is a divisive issue among the neighbors. Jared Beaird purchased the property for his family dentist practice and the neighborhood appears torn as to whether it should happen. Planning and Zoning said no but ultimately it is up to council. Does the city take a more aggressive stance on commercial development or not? That's what really is at question here. Northwood, Sunset, Old Orchard, that's what we think of when the word Poplar Bluff neighborhoods is brought up. But over the

UPDATE: Following last night's (8/18) City Council meeting, former Mayor Ed DeGaris provided the City of Poplar Bluff a check for $25 to cover the cost of the key he gave to Doug Bagby last week. SEMO TIMES asked Mayor Pearson if the councilman also apologized for his actions and she said, "I had a private conversation with him" but Pearson would not reveal any of the details. In the Sunday edition of the Poplar Bluff daily newspaper, former City Manager Doug Bagby is seen being awarded a "Key To The City" by councilman Ed DeGaris. A key to the city is an honorary custom from medieval times and symbolizes that the recipient can be trusted to come and go from

When considering to be a part of the SEMO Times, I thought long and hard about the central role of a newspaper in a tightly-knit community such as ours. Though we live in the instant-information age of the internet, we will always look to the “paper” to supplement our information intake with local news, entertainment and sports, births and deaths, marriages and anniversaries, and even weekly sales and classified ads A local newspaper’s pivotal role in our daily lives carries with it a great responsibility. Our guideposts are simple: to be fair and objective, neutral and unbiased, thorough and informative. Most of all, we are obligated to treat all parties equally, regardless of who they are, and present both sides