Regional Roundup
Here is a look at what’s going on around the area.
Madison County
Azalea Festival May 1-4
Fredericktown’s annual Azalea Festival celebration rolls into town in less than three weeks. The event, to be held May 1-4, brings a variety of activities including a pet show, tug of war contest, horseshoe tournament, look-alike contest, antique tractor pull and show, sand volleyball tournament, in addition to a huge arts and crafts show, games, rides and plenty of food and fun. The event will be held at Jaycee Park in Fredericktown, located on North Main Street about one block from the county courthouse.
Rouse takes top honors at PBL conference
A Metro Business College student recently took home top honors from the 44th annual Missouri Professional Business Leaders Conference in Jefferson City. Steve Rouse, of Fredericktown, placed first in the Computer Applications competition. In addition, Rouse, with Rick Martin of Perryville and Kim Watson of Dexter, earned third place in the Multimedia Presentation competition. Because of his first place win, Rouse will now compete at the national PBL competition in Dallas, Texas, June 28-July 2. While attending classes at Metro Business College in Cape Girardeau, Rouse has served as vice president of the school’s Psi Beta Omega PBL chapter for three quarters, has been named Student of the Quarter and Student of the Year by the Missouri Association of Private Career Schools. Rouse, who holds a 4.0 GPA, will graduate in May 2003.
FHS group earns national award
Members of Fredericktown High School’s FCCLA chapter have received notice that their careers project has earned a first place national finish. Students in the seventh-hour Career and Family Leadership class worked with second grade classes at Fredericktown Elementary to present information on different professions.
Iron County
Hamilton is new mayor
Tom Hamilton beat out Jon Swane and Robert Halket to become the next mayor of Ironton.
Hamilton received 105 votes while Swane received 45 and Halket received 64.
Pilot Knob Mayor Maxine Dettmer ran unopposed to keep her position while Viburnum Mayor Lance Mayfield received the most votes of all the write-ins in that race. However, it has not been determined who will serve Viburnum as mayor.
Gary Gardner received the most votes for a position of Ironton Alderman Ward I. Ruth Degonia was elected as Arcadia Ward I alderman and Ruby Sutton beat out incumbent Tracy May for a seat on the Annapolis Board of Alderman. Charles Wilson Sr., who received 14 votes, beat out his two opponents for the Pilot Knob Alderman Ward I position.
An Annapolis City Tax Levy passed with 45 votes for it and 43 votes against it.
A total of 1,123 votes were cast in the local elections, a rate of just 17 percent.
Mobile office in area
The Mobile Office of U.S Rep. Jo Ann Emerson will be in the area this week.
Representatives of Emerson will be at the Iron County Courthouse from noon to 1 p.m.
Ste. Genevieve
Greminger elected mayor
Only two incumbents in the April 8 election were re-elected throughout the county. In the city of Ste. Genevieve, Dick Greminger defeated incumbent Kathleen Waltz in the mayoral election. For Ward 1, challenger John Wibbenmeyer beat incumbent Jerome Klein. Incumbent Herb Fallert beat out Joan Eydmann for Ward 3 alderman. Robert Huelskamp defeated incumbent Suzanne Greminger for the office of municipal judge.
Incumbent Bill Howren lost to Joan Donze and Jim Kirchner for two spots on the Ste. Genevieve R-II Board of Education. For the Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital Board, Kurt Basler defeated incumbent Ed Jaegers.
The city of St. Mary re-elected Carl Wyatt as mayor, defeating Laura Lynch. For Ward 1 Alderman, Gloria Bader beat Donald Heldman, while Marion Miller defeated incumbent Robert Bequette, Jr. in Ward 2.
New non-profit organization set up
On March 11, Secretary of State Matt Blunt’s office issued a charter for the Ste. Genevieve County Community Foundation, a new non-profit organization which will ensure donations make their way to special community enrichment activities, such as cultural or health-related events.
A recent donation of $362,000 was made by Kent Kehr, trustee for the Margery Bussen Trust. The organization is affiliated with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. To make a donation, contact Veronica Sharlow at 573-883-9145.
Washington County
Where there was smoke, there was a prescribed burn
Smoke from the fire could be seen throughout southeast Missouri, but it did not generate emergency calls. That is because the fire was a prescribed burn being conducted by the U.S. Forest Service.
The burn, which covered about 2,700 acres in the Council Bluff Recreation Area, was to reduce hazardous fuel build-up, as well as to maintain and improve wildlife habitat. It took place April 10.
Forests begin to build up amounts of fuel that could result in larger, more destructive fires if not cleared by a prescribed burn. The burns also improve the habitat for many species, including deer and turkey.
Council Bluff is located about nine miles west of Belgrade. This was the largest prescribed fire planned on the Mark Twain National Forest this year. It was so large, smoke from the fires drifted south across State Highway 32 and reached well into Reynolds County.
The recreation site was closed for the burn, but is now open.
