Certified Junior Betas
Versailles Middle-School Junior Beta Club members received their certificates during an assembly Friday, Feb. 3 at the school. Seventh-grader Arabela Rowland, left, recieves her certificate from eighth-grader Madalyn Hibdon during the ceremony. To be a Beta Club member, a student must score a 3.5 GPA or better, obtain three teacher references and must exemplify Junior Beta core values. (photo by Brady Shoemaker)



Play time
Xaviar Mayfield, 8 months, sits in the grass and plays with his toys Thursday, Feb. 2 during an unseasonably warm afternoon. Mayfield is the son of Jeremy Mayfield and Charlene Kucera of Versailles. The couple are getting married this weekend. (photo by Bryan E. Jones)



Circles in the sky... or the federal government takes over American Airlines
Several aircraft were making circles in the sky Thursday, Feb. 2 high above Versailles. Residents were seen all over town pointing at the sky around 11 a.m. while the event was taking place. Jennifer Green from the Whiteman AFB Public Affairs office reported they are B-2 bomber pilots performing typical flight patterns. Green said normally people do not see them, but due to atmospheric conditions--a cold front coming in from the Rockies, pushing the humidity down--people on the ground were getting a sky show. (photo by Brady Shoemaker)



Taking Larry for a walk
Versailles Police Chief Larry Marshall rescued this pit bull "Arnold" from the Versailles City Pound at age 4 months. The dog is now two and a half and takes Larry for a walk every day, even on sunny days like Thursday, Feb. 2. (photo by Dorothy Batson)



The Art of Pottery
Senior Devin Pearon applies glaze to a pot he made Thursday, Feb. 2 during an art class at Versailles Senior High. (photo by Brady Shoemaker)



Playing Hockey
Versailles Middle-School sixth-grader Wyatt Foley plays a game of team hockey Thursday, Feb. 2 at the middle school gymnasium as part of a physical education class. (photo by Brady Shoemaker)



Dirty job
City of Versailles worker Dave Aeshbacher digs a trench in an attempt to find the source of a broken water main Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the entrance to the Versailles Park. (photo by Jami Mathis)



Save the FSA office
Versailles resident Ken McCutcheon, standing center, was one of several citizens who spoke out in favor of keeping the Morgan County Farm Service Agency office in Versailles open during a public meeting Tuesday night, Jan. 31 at the library in Versailles. The United States Department of Agriculture has listed the Versailles FSA office, along with 130 other offices nationwide, for closure in a consolidation proposal. The proposal must still be approved by congress before going into effect. See the related story in this week's Leader-Statesman. (photo by Bryan E. Jones)


Thieves hit several Laurie businesses
According to the Laurie Police Department, there have been several burglaries in Laurie since Monday, January 30. The businesses that were burglarized were the Mystic Dragon Restaurant, Hair Port, Inc., Busters Bait and Tackle, Omega Coffee and Art Attack Studios. The police report stated the businesses all appeared to all have been broken into overnight Monday.



Ameren files boundary plan with FERC
Ameren Missouri has filed a plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to resolve the issue of encroachments within the project boundary at the Lake of the Ozarks. Ameren Missouri’s proposal, filed Tuesday, January 31, was months ahead of FERC’s deadline of June 2012.




Morgan County Budget Approved
Click here to see financial totals
The Morgan County Commission Friday, Jan. 27 approved the 2012 county budget following a budget hearing at the courthouse in Versailles.


Meetings scheduled Feb. 2-9
(can be viewed by non-subscribers)
The following meetings are scheduled this week and next:


FSA office defended
The possible closure of the Versailles office of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) due to budget cuts within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was likened to the “dismantling of rural America” by recently retired FSA Morgan County Executive Director Dennis Schad, who spoke against the closure Tuesday, Jan. 31 at a public meeting in Versailles.


February 2012 clinics at health center
The following clinics are scheduled at the Morgan County Health Center in Versailles.


Voting test, verification
next week
A public test of electronic voting equipment will be conducted 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 6 in the Morgan County Clerk’s office in the county courthouse in Versailles.


Presidential primary election Tuesday
Voters in Morgan County will have the opportunity Tuesday, Feb. 7 to cast a vote for their pick for their party’s nominee as candidate for president of the United States. Winners in primary races typically receive delegates which will vote at the party’s national convention, leading to nomination as a candidate for president. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.


R-II School Menus
Thursday, Feb. 2 to Friday, Feb. 10


Nutrition Site Menus
Thursday, Feb. 2 to Friday, Feb. 10


SAMPLE BALLOT
Feb. 7 Presidential Primary