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JEFFERSON CITY – State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, strongly supports today’s filing by the Office of Public Counsel (OPC) to the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) for an affordable electric rate for Noranda. The PSC denied their initial request last month, leading to Noranda starting the process of reducing their workforce at the New Madrid aluminum plant by up to 200 jobs over the next six months. “For Noranda to compete in these economic conditions, the PSC must grant this rehearing and approve the consumer-friendly OPC compromise. Without the leadership of the PSC, these 900 family sustaining jobs could be lost and the economy of the Bootheel could be permanently damaged,” stated Sen. Libla. “The viability of Noranda’s plant

In its 87th year, the Stoddard County Fair will officially begin with a parade through downtown Dexter at 5:30pm on Tuesday, Sept. 16. (Exhibit entries will be accepted on the 14th and 15th) The winner of 2013's Band Competition, The Puxico Rhythm Steppers, will be the lead band for this year's parade. Immediately after the parade in Arena A there will be youth games and chicken catching; while Arena B will host the Queen's Contest. Bill Hulvey and the Side Street Band will entertain on the Midway at 7pm and Prof. Farquar and Polecat Annie will perform nightly. At 6pm Wednesday, Tyler Feller and Kryst Lyke will offer a youth ministry on the Midway. Thursday will be armband night; the

[Publisher's note: this article will also appear in Thursday's newspaper.] UPDATE:  The legislature voted at 11:55pm on Wednesday night; the Governor’s veto stands.  Jefferson City is a strange place these days. Literally, things can turn upside down overnight. That's been the case with House Bill 1326 and Senate Bill 506. The bills, deemed the Mo Farm Bills, are supported by both the Missouri Cattle Producers and Missouri's Dairy Cattle industry. They were designed to strengthen Missouri's agricultural industry, which pretty much everyone agreed was a good thing. Just over two months ago these bills were also heavily supported in the state capitol. At the time of passage, the Missouri Cattlemen's Association's (MCA) wrote, “The MCA strongly supports the bipartisan 105

SILVER SPRING, Md. – Missouri’s Poplar Bluff Public Schools and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content for K-12 classrooms, announced today an expansion of their partnership that brings Discovery Education’s award-winning digital social studies and science textbooks to junior and high school classrooms district wide. Discovery Education will support the school system’s digital transformation, which is rapidly evolving in partnership with Mooresville Graded School District and helping to prepare students for success in the 21st century. “We are thrilled to expand our collaboration with Discovery Education to provide our educators with resources that are relevant to the 21st Century learner, as well as critical to preparing students to be competitive in the global economy and meeting students’ instructional needs,” said Patty Robertson,

POPLAR BLUFF - Recent Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center graduate of the practical nursing program, Roger Ray, has been selected as a post-secondary male regional award winner of the Missouri Breaking Traditions contest. Ray is eligible for a $100 scholarship from the Foundation of Missouri Women and a $1,000 scholarship from Linn State Technical College. Presently, he has accepted a position at Kneibert Clinic Urgent Care, where he plans to work for a while before becoming a registered nurse. “I’m a non-traditional student in three different ways: my gender, my age and my limited education experience after high school,” wrote Ray on the nomination form, which was submitted by his nursing instructor, Ruth Hutcheson. “If you know of something you want