WEDNESDAY, OCT. 3, 2018 ■ VOLUME 2, NUMBER 52 ■ 12 PAGES ■ PRICE 75¢ www.MariesCountyAdvocate.com Vienna softball comes from behind to beat Belle. See Sports Page 7. R-1 High School to hold Eagle Cup competition BY LAURA SCHIERMEIER ADVOCATE STAFF WRITER PHOTOS BY JACOB WARDEN [email protected] Belle Harvest Fest fun VIENNA — Vienna High School More than 300 people gathered for the Belle City Chamber of Commerce Fall Festival Principal Ian Murray, in his report to the on Saturday which featured local dance teams, celebrity demolition derby cars and their school board at the September meeting, drivers, face and pumpkin painting contests, BBQ pork steaks, free books, and so much informed the board about the Eagle Cup more. In all 14-plus vendors provided goods and services in addition to the numerous assembly that will be held during eighth businesses located on (and just off) Alvarado. Festival coordinator Sherry Licklider of the hour on the first Friday of each month, Country Belle Cafe had this to say, “Nobody does it alone. We have friends and angels excluding September. working beside all of us. I saw happy children that is what it is about. I pray the vendors Murray said the students were sur- were successful.” The winners of the CornHust Cuties and Scarecrows Sweeties winners veyed and there were comments made included from left; cutie Jude Doss, the son of Brian and Kaci Jo Doss; sweetie Hunter about wanting more student involvement Boyer, the son of Leah and Shane Boyer; sweetie Charleigh Elrod daughter of Kacie Jo in assemblies. Murray said he thinks as- Doss and Pete Elrod; and cutie Mackinley Boyer the daughter of Shane and Leh Boyer. semblies are good, but he prefers class time for instruction over assemblies. However, there is always a middle ground and the High School PLC Team came up with the Eagle Cup competition. It actually was Ms. Operation Clean-Up Maries County goes unfunded Starkey’s idea and Murray said it will help to establish pride and positivity within the Sheriff says former Belle Mayor was not impartial in rating grant projects students. On the first Friday of each month, from BY LAURA SCHIERMEIER Presiding Commissioner Ray Schwartze previously approved. Maries County requested $14,895 but it was 2:51 to 3:10 p.m., they will hold the Eagle ADVOCATE STAFF WRITER had commented there was not enough money to fund all not funded. Phelps County also was not funded for its Cup competition. He’s not sure what the [email protected] of the projects. About a week ago, a group met to score Tough on Trash program request of $12,350. competition will be. It could be a trivia all of the grant requests. At the end of it, 15 projects Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman was very upset game, a Jeopardy game, a skills competi- MARIES COUNTY — Operation Clean-Up Maries throughout the Meramec Region received funding total- about the county’s former trash patrol program losing tion or a knowledge bowl, or a minute to County was one of five projects that did not receive ing $185,049.13. The requests for these same projects its funding. Heitman places the blame on former Belle win it game. But, it will involve the classes funding in the recent 2019 grant selections of the Ozark totaled $372,156.95 and this does not include the five Mayor Steve Vogt, who scored the county’s grant re- versus each other and the teachers, too. A Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMC). unfunded projects that were scored below 70 percent. quest very low, at 47 (31.3 percent). Vogt scored Maries traveling trophy, the Eagle Cup, will be At Monday’s Maries County Commission meeting, there Schwartze said a week after the grant requests were County’s request lower than any other individual who awarded to the team of students that wins was discussion about why the county’s request was not scored, the ORSWMD board members met and a mo- See Operation Clean-Up on Page 6 the competition. funded for the first time since 1999. tion was made to accept the rated grant round and it was Also in his report to the school board, Security officer on campus Tuesday; contract yet to be approved BY ROXIE MURPHY ADVOCATE STAFF WRITER [email protected] BELLE — The Belle Marshal Joe Turnbough assigned a patrolman to serve as a security officer at the Maries R-2 School District Tuesday, while a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has yet to be approved between the school board and the city. The Advocate sought information about the placement of the officer Oct. 2 from Belle Mayor Josh Seaver. Seaver said he was not aware the officer had been assigned, and confirmed a contract had not been completed. Amy Kiso-Bledsoe, school board treasurer, said parents, teachers and staff received a text message this morning confirming the presence of the officer and the beginning Action filled fifth Belle challenge derby held Saturday of the contract. “We have been working with the Belle Police Department to bring a Security Officer The Belle Boys battled it out in their fifth demolition derby against The Outsiders on Saturday at Owensville’s Memorial Park. program,” the message read. “Today Officer Brennan will be in the building.” The five demolition challenges are filmed events for the new History Channel TV series “Heavy Hitters.” The final derby is scheduled for Saturday Oct. 13. Chad Faulkner driving the “Psycho” (above) hits Outsider “Warcar” always from fellow Belle District wide messages are released by the administration building. Boy “Hillbilly” during Saturdays main event derby. See more photos from Saturdays derby on Page 11. Last week, The Advocate published a story “R-2 board questions officer contract” PHOTO BY DAVE MARNER See Security officer on Page 5 Senator McCaskill representatives visit with Maries County Commissioners BY LAURA SCHIERMEIER County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers. As Senator McCaskill’s Kavanaugh’s nomination on Friday and the full Senate of 194 products with tariffs was recently announced. ADVOCATE STAFF WRITER representative, Klocke meets with the county commis- expected to vote this week, Klocke said. And, China has retaliated by placing tariffs on goods [email protected] sion several times each year and he shares information In other information sharing, Klocke said there is sold at Walmart, The Gap, and Maceys and on prod- and the commissioners speak of some of their concerns. an Assistance to Firefighters Grant that Senator Mc- ucts from US corporations such as Coke, Apple and MARIES COUNTY — Two representatives from Senator McCaskill’s office is the only federal-level Caskill’s office can assist local fire departments with General Motors. The list includes televisions, home United States Senator Claire McCaskill’s office met representative who regularly reaches out to the Maries if they will contact the senator’s office. The grant has renovation materials such as sheetrock, solar panels, with the Maries County Commission last week to talk County Commission. money available to purchase equipment, uniforms and beer, electronics and clothing. The tariffs are expected about a variety of subjects on the federal government He began by talking about what is happening in fire safety gear, training, and even fire trucks. He said to hit consumers’ pocket books to the tune of $127 a level that impacts Maries County, directly or indirectly. the US Senate that day, Thursday, September 27. The the fire department in Fayette is using the matching year for the average person. Justin Klocke, Field Representative, and his col- Senate Judiciary Committee was hearing testimony grant to purchase an expensive fire truck. Drewel asked why are all the manufacturers over- league Aaron Carter, a UMC political science student, by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford pertaining to Judge Brett A big thing the senator is dealing with recently seas. Fagre said labor costs is one reason, recalling when met with Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre, Kavanaugh’s nomination to the US Supreme Court. is the impact of tariffs on farmers, business owners, Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel, and The judiciary committee was expected to vote on manufacturers, and ultimately on consumers. A new list See Commissioners on Page 3 County Eagle Pride City of Belle absentee Band takes proceeds with balloting in first website progress See Page 3 See Page 12 See Page 5 “Power is like being a lady... if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” — MARGARET THATCHER MCA ■ WEDNESDAY, OCT. 3, 2018 ■ PAGE 2 A NEW ADVENTURE I didn’t inhale bet you didn’t know that former President study and make good grades in college, which I was. not understand why anyone would not want to get Bill Clinton and I both have something in After eating dinner each weekday, my buddies high each night. Icommon. — we both didn’t inhale. in the dorm met in the only room at our end of the After the end of the fall semester I moved into It was a little over 25 years ago, March of 1992 floor that had a 12-inch black and white TV to watch another room with my third roommate in two years when Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas, then front- M.A.S.H. After the show everyone went to their at Columbia. runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, rooms to study, except me. I went to the library or Roommate number three, Paul, also had his own said in an interview that he briefly experimented with the dorm’s lounge. problems which had nothing to do with illegal drugs. marijuana while a student in England in the 1960s.