support@semo.net
1573 686-9114​​​​

SEMO TIMES has unearthed yet another disturbing instance of former City Manager Doug Bagby’s careless management and costly inattention to the city’s fiscal health. First, Bagby and his coalition on the council left the new leaders with a $3M deficit in the employees’ health insurance fund. Next, the taxpayers footed the bill for successfully challenging the clever, but illegal, perpetual contract that Bagby orchestrated. And now, the most recent instance of manipulation, playing sleight of hand with public money in the sale of City Cable. Eight months and six days after City Council voted to sell the cable system, Utilities Manager Bill Bach stood before City Council on September 23 and said, “The ZCorum contract was not included” in the

Here's what is in this week's issue: YOU PAID FOR IT: More Comes To Light Regarding City Cable Sale Black Powder Enthusiast - Van Rhodes Butler County Collector's Race Down to the Wire Centerfold: You Are Here - photos by Chris Hadfield/NASA The Folly of Common Core Doniphan Spooktacular Daylight Savings Time Roots and Rituals - Halloween Wisdom of the Woods The Baldknobbers Are Coming! Pick up your copy at one of our Pick-up Locations

John L Squires White Male, 55 years old, 5”8” weighing 150 pounds with gray/brown hair and blue eyes, has absconded from Probation and Parole supervision. Squires currently is wanted on a no bond warrant for absconding. Squires is considered a sexual predator with violent tendencies. On 10-29-2014 John L Squires cut off his electronic ankle monitor and fled supervision while attending a doctors appointment in Poplar Bluff.   Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of John L Squires is encouraged to contact law enforcement.

Poplar Bluff - The Poplar Bluff Mules Booster Club has selected Poplar Bluff High School Tennis star Stephanie Hobbs and Mules Football standout Steven Haley as the September Athletes of the Month. Haley, a junior, completed nine games with 113 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and three sacks. His cumulative GPA is 11.036 weighted. Hobbs, also a junior, is the No. 4 varsity player with a singles record of 7-5 and a doubles of 5-7. Her cumulative GPA is 11.2 weighted.

Poplar Bluff - A total of 11 students from the Graduation Center were awarded certificates for completing the Gateway 2 Jobs program with distinction on Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. This is the fourth year the Chamber has hosted G2J as a way for students to better position themselves to land a job following school. Chamber President Steve Halter credits Sharon Kissinger of Sharon Kissinger Investments for helping the Chamber with the conception of the program, which includes a series of visits from business leaders and exercises such as mock interviews. For the first time this year, the Three Rivers Endowment Trust awarded a $500 scholarship for a G2J graduate to attend the