support@semo.net
1573 686-9114​​​​

DEXTER - Veteran's Day activities commence here at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday with a patriotic presentation at the Bearcat Center, organizers said Saturday. American Legion Kenady Ivan Hanks Post 59 Commander Eric Smith told SEMO TIMES the event kicks off a series of three presentations for Veterans Day. "We'll have keynote speakers, members of the military on stage and of course the high school band will perform," Smith said of the morning event." Allen Hedrick is the featured speaker this year. "it's important that kids understand the importance and significance the day hold for us," he added. "A lot of kids don't even know what a veteran is, or what it means to be a veteran." Smith said the program includes bestowing

JEFFERSON CITY - Minimum wage workers in Missouri will earn $7.65 per hour beginning Jan. 1. The announcement from the state's Department of Labor came Friday. The law regulates employee wage minimums for all companies whose gross annual sales exceed $500,000. The wage represents an increase of 15 cents per hour from 2014's minimum, according to reports. Missouri minimum wage workers now earn $7.50 per hour which is 25 cents higher than the federally mandated $7.25 per hour, reports indicate. All minimum wage employees in neighboring states save Illinois, where the minimum is $8.25, are paid the prevailing federal minimum. Of America's 144 million workers, approximately one percent, - 1.6 million people - earned that prevailing federal minimum in 2012, documents released by

Key political positions were dominated by incumbent Republicans Tuesday when Stoddard Countians went to the polls. Voters re-elected incumbent 8th Dist. U.S. Rep.Jason Smith (R) to another term in Congress. He rolled past Democratic candidate Barbara Stocker by a convincing 5,157 to 1,411 vote. Incumbent state Auditor Tom Schweich (R) continues to serve in that capacity as he has since his election in 2010. Schweich defeated Democrat Sean O'Toole by a landslide tally of 5,407 votes to O'Toole's 768 votes cast. Dist. 151 state Rep. Tila Hubrecht (R), who was elected to the seat in a past special election, emerged victorious overwhelmingly against her Democratic challenger Ryan Holder. Hubrecht won the position by a 4,991 to 2,100 vote margin. Stoddard

Photo  - Charlie and Charlie (not sure which one is which) Charles West has been in downtown Dexter for a long time. He now operates “Mr. Charlie’s” at 22 East Stoddard Street. “I’ve operated a store downtown for 40 years,” explained West. For many years, he had stores in both Dexter and Malden. At one time he had both a furniture and shoe store. “Then I retired, or at least thought I’d retire,” said West. But, once again, he was drawn back to downtown Dexter. He said it’s a hard habit to break. “Downtown Dexter has gone through a lot of stages over the years,” said West. It’s had boom times and then times when things weren’t looking so great.

When a pageant, prom or formal approaches it's time for a visit to The Bunny Patch. Owner Peggy Barks' shop enjoys mainstay status in downtown Dexter, and has serviced generations of patrons for 27 years. On Monday, SEMO TIMES found Peggy at the back of her temporary location, sitting at a sewing machine designing custom fittings as she has for a couple of generations of clients. Her large, 8,000 + square-foot shop is in the midst of renovations, she explained. After so long in the same location, Barks decided her store could use a face lift. "I don't have even half my inventory here," she said. "It will be very, very nice when we get back there." The Bunny Patch