Local News – Wednesday, July 19

The judging at the 4-H and FFA Expo Friday afternoon kicked off at 1:00 with the Small Animal Show judged by Wally Buttrum. The Champion Market Meat Chicken Pen was exhibited by Isabel Thomas and the Reserve Champion Pen was shown by Abigail Thomas. Intermediate Junior Showmanship went to Baylee Parks and Hank Phelps won the Junior Division. In the Market Meat Rabbit Pen Division Hank Phelps exhibited the Champions, while Cooper Case showed the Reserve Champions. There were 21 breeding rabbits exhibited with class winners being Jenna Murr, Emily Miller and Cooper Case. Both Grand Champion Doe and Reserve Champion Doe went to Jenna Murr, while Cooper Case took home the Grand Champion Buck and Murr had the Reserve Champion Buck. The Showmanship competition consisted of all Intermediate Contestants and the winner was Emily Miller. The Livestock Shows at the 4-H and FFA Expo culminated in the Cattle Show Friday afternoon and evening. Breeding class winners were Bryce Mobray, Kohen Garrison, Preslie Strader, Levi Gillam, Ray Cunningham, Isabell Mutz and Liam Flowers. Champion Hereford Heifer went to Flowers and Gillam won Reserve Champion. Bryce Mobray’s Angus Heifer was selected as Angus Champion and Overall Grand Champion Heifer, while Ray Cunningham’s Angus Heifer was Angus Reserve Champion and Overall Reserve Grand Champion Female. Bucket Calf exhibitors were Cutter Brown and Jade Clancy. Participants in the non-competitive Pee-Wee Clinic were Lynlee Easter, Hadlee Tilley and Emeri Yates. The Market Steer show saw Judge Addie Theesen (Tayson) evaluate 46 steers and select class winners exhibited by Ross Dunlap, Anna Cato, John Cunningham, Brantley Thompson, Bryce Coates, Kallen Garrison, and Kash Howard. The Championship went to Kallen Garrison’s 1365-pound Charolais Cross steer with Kash Howard’s 1510-pound Angus Cross steer being selected as Reserve Champion. Eight Juniors, 17 Intermediates and 4 Seniors competed in the Beef Showmanship competition. In the Junior Division Quinntin Cooper won the award, while the Intermediate Division winner was Bryce Mobray and the Senior Division was won by Ray Cunningham.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is seeking individuals who are interested in a career to “come for the snow, stay for the mow” and keep Missouri moving during the winter season and beyond. MoDOT is currently hiring maintenance personnel for winter operations, with opportunities for year-round employment including mowing, striping and other maintenance functions. The department currently has hundreds of full-time and emergency maintenance positions available across the state. Maintenance worker position salaries begin at $19.08 per hour, depending on level of experience and area of operation, and is also eligible for an additional $3 to $6 per hour when working winter and emergency operations. MoDOT State Maintenance Director Natalie Roark said that these positions are critical to Missouri travelers once the snow starts to fall, but also include critical work to maintain our highway system throughout the year. If you’re a dedicated, hard-working individual looking for a job with excellent benefits where you can make a difference, there’s no better time to apply than right now.Career opportunity job postings can be found online at modot.org/careers. In addition, MoDOT is hosting hiring events across the state from late July through the month of August. These events will provide applicants an opportunity for an accelerated hiring process, including on-site interviews and potential job offers; followed by initiating criminal background checks, drug testing and work simulation physicals. Offers made could result in new employees starting within a week. For details on these events, and to learn more about these career opportunities, visit modot.org/opportunities-maintenance. Full-time maintenance employees receive training and a long list of benefits including paid leave, medical, vision and dental insurance, a retirement plan, and a culturally diverse workplace that is dedicated to safety and personal development. Applicants need to be at least 18 years old and successfully complete a criminal background check (a misdemeanor or felony conviction is not an automatic restriction to employment). It’s preferable for applicants to have a CDL permit, but assistance and training is available to help new employees achieve their CDL. For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org.

An accident happened early Tuesday morning at 1:15 in Texas County on Highway 63 about three and half miles north of Houston. According to the highway patrol report a 2008 Chevrolet Aveo being driven north by 19 year old Gabrielle Lewis of Cabool traveled off the right side of the road. Lewis then overcorrected, traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned several times. Lewis, who was not wearing a seat restraint, suffered serious injuries and was taken by air ambulance to Cox South in Springfield. The Aveo was totaled and removed from the scene by Jay’s Towing.