■ De Soto resident Angela Huskey, 51, the former business manager for the Grandview R-2 School District, pleaded guilty June 30 to the federal charge of mail fraud in connection with the embezzlement of at least $1.6 million from the Grandview R-2 School District. Huskey faces a possible five-year prison sentence, according to federal sentencing guidelines and will have to make restitution for the money she stole. She will be sentenced Oct. 13. See Tracey Bruce’s story.
■ With concern for mental health on the rise, counselor Elizabeth Bennett wants good mental health for the entire community, but especially for military veterans who may need help transitioning back into society. Festus resident Bennett, 55, is a veterans readjustment counselor for the St. Louis Veterans Center who volunteers her time and expertise at the Amvets Veterans Career Center in Festus, which opened March 28, providing free services to veterans who need a job, counseling or other assistance. See Claire Welker’s Page 1 feature story,
■ Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ signing on June 29 of a bill that names a Festus-area stretch of I-55 the “USMA Cadet Thomas M. Surdyke Memorial Highway” is a well-deserved honor, said speakers at the ceremony, which was held at St. Pius X High School in Crystal City. Surdyke, a West Point cadet who graduated from St. Pius in 2015, died at age 18 on June 28, 2016, after he saved a man from drowning on Long Island, N.Y. The ceremony took place on a hill behind the school’s football field where Surdyke played on the Lancer grid team. See Kevin Carbery’s story.
■ Kathy Ellis, a psychotherapist and addictions counselor, announced June 24 she is running for the Democratic Party nomination for the Missouri 8th Congressional District seat in the August 2018 primary. Republican Jason Smith of Salem currently holds the seat. Ellis, 61, who lives south of Festus, said she was inspired to run for office for the first time by the way the 2016 national election unfolded. See Kevin Carbery’s story.
■ The standing-room-only crowd who turned out for a June 26 rezoning hearing before the Jefferson County Council for a proposed 96-unit apartment complex in Imperial was a dream come true for neighbors who oppose the project. A vote on whether to accept G’Sell’s request will likely come at the council’s July 10 meeting. The council could vote to advance the bill to a final vote on July 24. If the bill fails to pass on July 10, a resolution to deny the request could be placed on the July 24 agenda. See Steve Taylor’s story.
■ School’s out for the summer, but work will be done around 11 school campuses across the county over the next couple of months to install flashing lights to warn motorists to slow down. The list of campuses include: Brennan Woods Elementary School, High Ridge Elementary School, House Springs Elementary School and Valley Middle School, Woodridge Middle School, St. Joseph Catholic School, Simpson Elementary School, Windsor C-1 Schools main campus, Athena Elementary School, Sunrise Elementary School, Maple Grove Elementary School and Northwest High School. See Steve Taylor’s story.
■ Editorial Page editor Patrick Martin’s column deals with the wide, wide chasm between political combatants who can’t even imagine sitting down and talking to each other in the spirit of negotiation. Everyone is too busy being “shocked and appalled.”
■ Sports editor Russ Korando writes in his column this week about new rules that will change how high schools in Missouri are classified for sports. Now, schools will be classified every year based on enrollment instead of every two years.
*** Happy Fourth!