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Poplar Bluff - The Poplar Bluff Public Library hosted its first Local Author Fair—featuring two recently published authors from the R-I school district—on Saturday, Oct. 4, during the Iron Horse Festival. Communication arts teacher Rachel Stiber of Poplar Bluff Junior High School released “Elise’s Choice” via Creative Prose Publishing based in Utah on Aug. 25. “Elise’s Choice” is a fantasy novel about a young lady who must make a choice that ends up affecting her life as well as the lives of everyone in her village, according to Stiber, who writes as a hobby. Art teacher Charles Gearhart of O’Neal Elementary School released “Never Nurse a Grudge” via Rocking Horse Publishing in St. Louis on Sept. 23. “Never Nurse a

Emily Parks wants to be Butler County’s new County Collector. She feels she has both the experience and the desire to do an outstanding job in the position. “I’m a sixth generation Butler Countian,” said Parks. She knows the county well, and with a degree in business administration from the University of Missouri, she feels that she is well-equipped for the position. Since graduating with that degree in 2004, she has held three different positions. She started her career as an account manager in political fundraising, and in 2008 she was appointed by then Missouri Matt Blunt to fill a vacancy of the position of Circuit Court Clerk in Butler County. Then in 2010, she became the Director of Development

POPLAR BLUFF – When Kaplan came on board on August 18, he was faced with the city’s self-funded health insurance nearing a $3,000,000 deficit. His first step in getting out of such a huge hole was to find a health insurance consultant. A request for bids was sent out. The city received two qualified bids for insurance consultants. The low bid of $68,000 was submitted by First Community Insurance of Poplar Bluff. A bid of $85,000 was submitted by AON, an international company. To evaluate the two bids, a committee comprised of seven employees from different departments within the city was formed. Committee members included Deputy Chief Jeff Rolland as chairman along with Steven Burkhead, Gail Barriner, Chris DeGaris, Jason

Thank you to Swindles for allowing us to put our newspaper rack in your grocery store. Everyone in the area, don't forget to pick up our paper each week when buying your groceries. The newspaper publishes on Thursday and should be in the story by 3pm each day. THANK YOU SWINDLES!

Chris Michel says not only can he do the job as County Collector for Butler County, he already is. “After Brenda Fox died, the Office of Commissions in Jefferson City contacted me within the week, and asked if I would take this position. I agreed, and I hit the ground running,” said Michel. That was September 18, and since then Michel said he knows he has already done much to improve the office, and he would like the opportunity to continue bringing a technological and professional edge to the office. “I’m really not a politician,” he explained. “I’ve got 30 years of business experience.” He started back in 1982, operating one of the first One-Hour Photo Labs in the country. His experience with computers goes even