Local

Callaway County accepting entries for youth poetry contest

Published by admin on Wed, 04/07/2021 - 8:36am

In celebration of National Poetry Month in April, the Callaway County Public Library and the Auxvasse Creative Arts program invite all Callaway County students to enter the 2021 Callaway County Youth Poetry Contest.

There will be three age groups: ages 5-8, 9-12, and 13-18. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place winners in each age group.

This year’s theme is “We All Need Connection.” Students are encouraged to write a poem about being connected with their community; about their class, their family, a team they are on, or their neighborhood or town.

April 6, 2021 unofficial election results

Published by admin on Tue, 04/06/2021 - 7:48pm

Voter turnout for the April 6 election was 11.59 percent as 1,737 ballots were cast out of 14,982 registered voters, according to unofficial results.

Audrain County voters supported Proposition 1, which extends a quarter-cent sales tax for 10 years. The funding can only be used for the replacement of small road structures and maintenance of bridges.

Both Mexico City Council incumbents, Vicki Briggs and Chris Miller, were both re-elected. Miller had 664 votes and Briggs had 591. Other candidates were Rich Gold (143) and Joshua Price (135).

Historical Society announces dates for 2021 history camp

Published by admin on Mon, 04/05/2021 - 9:00am

The 2021 Audrain Historical Society’s history camp will be held from Monday, June 21 through Friday, June 25, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day.

`Happy 200 Birthday Missouri’ will be this year’s camp theme to celebrate the bicentennial of Missouri and reflect on the great state of Missouri, it’s rich history, resilient and diverse people, and varied landscapes. Campers will actively learn about Missouri through cooking, living history, storytelling, science, arts and crafts, guest educators, reenactments, and recreation.

10 Questions With...Josh Deimeke

Published by admin on Mon, 04/05/2021 - 8:00am

Josh Deimeke is a familiar face around Laddonia. He serves as president of the Laddonia Missouri Athletic Association and helps plan the annual Fourth of July festivities. He has been on the Board of Aldermen. He currently resides in the mayor’s seat – at least until Tuesday’s election. After three terms, Deimeke decided to return to the role of private citizen.

1. What’s the first thing you’ll do when you are no longer the mayor?

MMA drill team wins first place for third year in a row

Published by admin on Mon, 04/05/2021 - 7:00am

For the third consecutive year, Missouri Military Academy’s Fusileer Drill Team has won first place in the Association of Military Colleges & Schools of the United States national drill competition.

Mexico culinary class puts new recipes to the test

Published by admin on Fri, 04/02/2021 - 2:42pm

Smoke pours from a skillet at station four in Karen Ford’s classroom. Students desperate for a respite duck out of the door for a moment, but to no avail.

“It’s worse in the hallway,” was the refrain as they streamed back inside.

Others – not part of Ford’s comprehensive Advanced Nutrition and Wellness course, but curious to know the source of the acrid sensation drifting through the school – peer into the classroom and offer their thoughts.

“You’re burning chicken?” said an incredulous Kaiden Jennings. “How do you mess up chicken?”

Excitement is here as Farmers Market opens Saturday

Published by admin on Fri, 04/02/2021 - 2:40pm

The approach of opening day for any season comes with a tingle of excitement and anticipation.

And Matt Van Schyndel feels it. Phone calls and emails started coming in weeks in advance.

“It’s been every day — it’s crazy,” he said.

Baseball season? No. Fantasy baseball leagues? Not even close. Van Schyndel is owner of Hedge Holler Harvest and president of the Mexico Farmers Market, which opens today in the Orscheln Farm & Home parking lot for its season-long run.

And there is reason to expect a big year.

Cheeper By the Dozen is an `Egg'cellent business for Mexico FFA member

Published by admin on Wed, 03/31/2021 - 10:20am

The Mexico Ledger is introducing our monthly Ag Page this month - see page A8 of this week’s Ledger. This is just a sampling of the local content that will be featured the last Wednesday of each month.

Just when she thought she was out, they pulled her back in. But unlike Michael Corleone in the Godfather (Google it if you miss the reference), ninth grader Rebecca Williams is OK with being pulled back in - to raising chickens.

“I loved having chickens before and thought of them as my feathery babies,” says Williams. “They would follow me around and sit on my arm.”

Small structures tax on ballot for renewal

Published by admin on Wed, 03/31/2021 - 7:07am

Rick Mongler was surprised to find a gaping hole in a bridge near his Audrain County home following the hard rain last week.

“You look down and think ‘gosh, I shouldn’t be standing here,’ ” he said. “We were lucky no one drove over that side.”

Audrain County engineer Brian Haeffner reports that water had been eroding material at the bottom of an abutment and the heavy rainfall finally washed it out. The county instantly closed the bridge, which is on Audrain County Road 350.

Hospital new owner: Access to healthcare is vital

Published by admin on Wed, 03/31/2021 - 7:06am

Noble Health’s Don Peterson believes that rural healthcare adds value to the community, and that there are two measures of value.

The first is that access to care is vital. But the second has an equally pronounced effect on the livelihood of Audrain County and its residents.

According to Peterson, more that $15 million in healthcare dollars leave the county with residents as they seek treatment elsewhere. The new ownership of what is now Audrain Community Hospital must retain a third of that in order to create a sustainable facility in Mexico.

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