STEVE COOKSON - SEMO TIMES

SEMO 

TIMES 

www.semotimes.com 

ALSO 

INSIDE: 

NO LOVE 

FOR CBS’ 

‘MAD LOVE’ 

Our TV reviewer 

checks out a new 

CBS show. 

Page 11 

OPINION & 

LETTERS 

A letter writer 

voices her gratitude 

for a candidate. 

Page 7 

July 8 -14 Issue 93 Volume 3 

FREE 

Not afraid 

to speak 

truth to power, 

STEVE 

COOKSON 

seeks to represent 

153rd Disrtrict in 

Jefferson City

news & opinion section www.semotimes.com 

2705 N. Westwood Blvd 573-778-FITT SEMO TIMES 

Scott R. Faughn, pulisher 

scottfaughn@semotimes.com 

1901 N. Westood Blvd. 

Laura Isaacs, editor 

lauraisaacs@semotimes.com 

Poplar Bluff, Missouri 

Joe Clark 

joe@semotimes.com 

(573) 429-5770 

Kyle Vancil, Distribution manager 

Now Featuring Les Mills! 

Les Mills 

BODY PUMP & BODY ATTACK 

AND COMING SOON BODY RPM 

page 2 

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI’S NEWS-MAGAZINE OF POLITICS AND CULTURE 

This week in the Times 

thumbs......................................................3 

whats up?.................................................4 

a commentary...by silence dogood........7 

opinion page............................................7 

semo dining............................................11 

semo tv review........................................11 

this week.................................................12 

ask heather ............................................14 

crossword puzzle...................................14 

The SEMO TIMES 

The SEMO TIMES is published weekly along with SEMO Homes & Real Estate and The Poplar Bluff Sun by SEMO 

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www.SEMOTIMES.cOM

www.semotimes.com News & Opinion Section 

Thumbs up, Thumbs down: This week in review 

It was a bad week for.... 

Lindsey Lohan. Lohan has to 

head to jail for 90 days for 

breaking her probation agreement. 

The former star of the Parent 

Trap is looking at quite a while before 

she is back on the silver screen. 

It was a good week 

for.....President Barack 

Obama. To add to his 

list of firsts he can 

probably ad that he was the first black man to give a eulogy at 

a Klansman funeral when he spoke at deceased Senator Robert 

Byrd’s funeral last week. What can you say the man is good 

with words. 

It was a good week for.... Tommy Sowers. 

The former Green Beret and candidate for congress 

this year has now raised over $1,000,000 in his race 

against incumbent Jo Ann Emerson. 

It was a bad week for....The St. Louis Cardinals. 

Now officially limping into the All-Star Break after 

blowing a 9-2 lead in the 9th inning Tuesday night. 

Uggh..it could be a long summer. 

It was a good week for.....154th State Representative 

candidate Todd Richardson. Actually it was a 

week or two ago that Richardson scored the endorsement 

of local Republican mover and shaker Eddy 

Justice. 

It was a good week for.....The Poplar Bluff Rotary Club. 

Hosting former Senator Jack Danforth at the weekly luncheon, 

and being sure to have his right hand woman in Butler County 

through all of his campaigns Jan Metz in attendance. 

It was a good week for....State Rep. Candidate Hardy 

Billington. Class move running an ad asking all candidates to 

ask their supporters to refrain from sign abuse. Good call. 


www.SEMOTIMES.cOM page 3


Steve Cookson: Not afraid to stand up for SEMO 

With his work boots, 

southern drawl and the 

humble grace of a cattle 

farmer, at first glance Steve Cookson 

seems more like a good ole’ Ozarkian 

than a politician. And that’s the 

way he wants it. His slow speech and 

carefully-chosen words prove that his 

conservative rural beliefs shape the 

man he is today – the man seeking the 

GOP nomination for State Representative 

in Missouri’s 153rd Legislative 

District. 

“After growing up in Southern 

Missouri, I believe that everyone had 

to be a rural conservative in order to 

survive,” Cookson said. “You had to 

be practical, and had to have a little 

commonsense and independence.” 

And through those experiences, 

Cookson embraced his love of God, 

family and our country. He also 

learned the value of hard work, how 

to stand up for what he believes in and 

how to be an advocate for the underrepresented. 

These lessons were apparent 

during Cookson’s career as a school 

administrator. As superintendent, 

Cookson lead the Naylor Schools 

through renovations of the high 

school and other vast improvements, 

including the construction of a new 

elementary school building and a new 

technology building. Throughout the 

improvements, Cookson was able to 

save operating costs without creating 

debt. 

“When you’re working in a rural 

school district in Southeastern Missouri, 

you have to do a little of every- 

page 4 

Laura Isaacs 

SEMO Times 

thing in order to be successful. You 

have to be able to sweep the floors 

and mow the lawn. You’re a plumber 

when the toilets overflow. You have 

to be able to drive the school bus 

and you’re the one to chase the dog 

off the playground,” Cookson said. 

“You’ve got to be able to take care 

of people and make sure their basic 

needs are met before you the process 

of education can begin.” 

Cookson is an advocate for 

higher education. When the state 

overlooked Naylor’s schools with its 

Please see 

COOKSON, Page 6 






PagE 5

news & opinion section www.semotimes.com 


Continued from Page 4 

A+ Schools Program, Cookson and 

other administrators took matters 

into their own hands and created 

their own self-funded scholarship 

program. When designing their 

scholarship program, Cookson 

focused on citizenship, attendance, 

grades and especially community 

service. 

“Being a graduate of the College 

of the Ozarks in Branson, I learned the 

value of earning an education,” Cookson 

said. “An education without practical 

application and work ethic is very 

lacking.” 

The community-service portion 

of the program revolved around 

working with senior citizens, a 

group Cookson is passionate about 

supporting. 

“I believe it is our duty to honor 

and protect senior citizens,” Cookson 

said. “That’s our task as citizens. It is 

our obligation.” 

As chairman of the Three Rivers 

page 6 

Community College Board of Trustees, 

Cookson spearheaded a major scholarship 

program benefitting students in 

Southeast Missouri. 

“I found Mr. Cookson to be sincere 

in his quest to provide educational 

opportunities for all Southeast Missourians, 

especially those in our most 

rural areas,” TRCC president Dr. Devin 

Stephenson said. 

“He always encouraged our 

administration to think about how our 

decisions would impact the student and 

our taxing district.” 

Current chairman of the Three 

Rivers board Marion Tibbs knows 

Cookson is a man who stands by his 

convictions. 

“I’ve found him to be a board 

member who is not easily swayed,” 

Tibbs said. 

Cookson has established himself 

as an advocate for the overlooked and 

the underrepresented and as a man who 

stands up for what he believes is right. 

Please see 

COOKSON, Page 14 


SEMO TIMES daily edition 

Monday thru Thursday at 




Opinion Page 

Silence Dogood: Summer musings 

It is hat-tip time on page 7. I 

suppose that is what the opinion 

page is for. 

It was 

a pleasure 

to give up 

my side of 

the page 

to local 

kingmaker 

Eddy 

Justice last 

week, but 

it’s even 

better to 

be back in 

the swing 

of things. 

n You 

have to hand it to that Obama 

guy, he may be the worst president 

since George W. Bush, but 

nice job being the first black guy 

I know since Cleveland Brown 

to give a eulogy at a Klansman’s 

funeral…when he dropped some 

words at Senator Robert Byrd’s 

funeral last week. 

n Hat tip to Tommy Sowers. 

After the primary, he will 

be the only person running for 

Congress in the 8 th district who 

lives in the 8 th district, was a 

Green Beret, supported Obama’s 

healthcare plan, and has been 

to every county in the district 

this year. He has now raised a 

$1,000,000 for his campaign 

against incumbent Jo Ann Emerson-Gladney 

(R-Maryland). 

People (Loyd Smith) chides him 

for raising a great deal of money 

from outside the district, but 

as someone who contributes to 

several candidates coffers I can 

tell you that I think this could all 

be part of 

a stimulus 

package 

Sowers 

is implementing 

for the 

district. 

Not even 

elected 

and already 

bringing 

home dollars 

to the 

8 th district. 

n Nice 

move by Rick Carl putting forward 

the idea of hosting another 

candidate forum. However, 

what if another news organization 

moderated it. It could be a 

great follow up to the one held 

in the spring. It would be very 

interesting to see someone from 

the medial with a great grasp 

of local issues like Tim from the 

DAR, or if Bill Steiger could dust 

off his mic and put them on the 

hot seat. I was chatting with 

Maybellle about this over the 4th and she said that if a candidate 

cannot stand up and give 

his opinions on the issues at the 

Bread Co. how could they on the 

floor of the General Assembly... 

good point for a terrier. 

Good to be back, and why 

in the world is Matt Holliday 

an All-Star? 

I recently typed up a letter to each of 

the candidates running for the 

153rd District Representative. I asked 

them questions about things that I felt 

were important to know before I voted in 

this upcoming election. I asked questions 

such as, “Where do you stand on abortion?”, 

“Do you believe we have the right 

to the second amendment which gives us 

the right to bear arms so we can protect 

our family?” and “Are you for big government?” 

These are very important issues. I sent 

those letters almost a month ago. Two 

days after I sent those letters, I received a 

visit from one of the candidates. A visit! 

Who would have thought? In his hand he 

had my letter with the response written 

out to each question. We sat down and he 

proceeded to explain to me why he felt the 

way he did on certain issues and further 

asked if there were any more questions I 

1266 Highway B 

Poplar Bluff, MO 

L E T T E R T O T H E E D I T O R 

Calhoun earns recognition 

needed him to answer. Need I say that I 

still have not heard from any of the other 

four candidates? That makes me a whole 

lot irritated. Do they not care that I want 

to know what they believe? I am a voter! 

They ask to put signs in my yard, they 

hand me cards, but do they not want my 

vote? It is hard for e to want to vote for 

someone that won’t respond! Do something 

for me and put this sign in your yard 

but uh don’t ask me any questions and 

don’t expect anything from me. That’s 

what it sounds like! But today I want to 

thank the one candidate that made the effort 

and went out of his way to answer my 

questions. Thank you Rory Calhoun! You 

have my vote! I knew nothing about the 

Constitution Party until this year, but you 

are the start of a new era! 

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Vote for 

Hardy Billington 

Hardy has been 

living in Butler 

County for 53 years. 

He is a small 

business owner, 

a member of the 

Republican State 

Committee, 

Vice Chair for the 

Republican Central 

Committee, Chair of 

the 154th Legislative 

District Republican 

Committee and is on 

two advisory boards 

for the city of 

Poplar Bluff. 

I will listen 

to you! 

for State Represntative, Missouri’s 154th District 

Pro Life 

Pro Family 

Pro 2nd Amendment 

Hardy would 

appreciate 

your vote 

on August 3. 

www.hardybillington.com 

Paid for by friends of Hardy Billington 

Tom Graham, treasurer.

page 10 


OPENING 

SOON! 

“Get it done 

at Club 241” 


www.semotimes.com news & Opinion SECTION 

Every week, our roving food critics, “Dick and Jane,” will visit SEMO restaurants and nightspots 

and report their findings back to you. Dick and Jane will rate each restaurant in the following 

categories: atmosphere, service, value, entree, and dessert. One star will be terrible. Five stars 

will be first-rate. The average of the five will give the restaurant its overall SEMO Dining rating. 

Dick and Jane taste Italy in St. Louis 

Over the 

recently long 

holiday weekend, 

Dick and 

Jane found 

themselves 

going a little 

stir crazy. 

They decided 

to venture out 

of SEMO and 

head north into 

St. Louis. And 

when they’re 

in the city, they 

always visit 

Zia’s on the 

Hill. 

A cozy 

atmosphere 

reminiscent of a good friend’s 

home, fine Italian wines, unique 

appetizers, excellent service and 

affordable prices make Zia’s a 

can’t-miss destination for your next 

St. Louis daytrip. 

This time, Dick had the veal 

and Jane had 

the tortellini. 

Both entrees 

were served 

quickly and 

tasted AMAZ- 

ING. Portions 

were plentiful 

enough to 

merit a doggy 

bag. And 

while Jane 

promised to 

herself that the 

remainder of 

her tortellini 

was for lunch 

the next day, 

she in actuality 

indulged in the 

leftovers that night before bed. 

Overall, Dick and Jane give 

Zia’s on the Hill four stars. The 

toasted ravioli, a St. Louis original, 

can’t be missed. 

Vist www.zias.com for more 

information 

SEMO Television 

Review 

No love for ‘Mad Love’ 

What did they leave out? ...so 

everything. The show has also gone 

through some major recastings as Dan 

Fogler and Ashley Austin Morris were 

originally cast as 

Larry and Connie, 

respectively, before 

being replaced by Tyler 

Labine and Lizzy 

Caplan. 

The plot in a 

nutshell: “When 

people say fairy tale 

love stories don’t 

happen in real life, 

I’m tempted to punch 

them in the face,” 

security guard Earl 

(Hal Williams) explains in the opening 

narration. “Instead, I invite them to 

the Empire State Building - up here a 

new love story starts every day, usually 

with a hero at a crossroads.” And with 

that we meet Henry Parr (Jason Biggs), 

a lawyer, and his boorish best friend/ 

fellow esquire Larry Munch (Tyler Labine), 

who’ve come to the Observation 

Deck to mull Henry’s current quandary: 

whether his “ice princess” girlfriend 

Erin (Alexandra Breckenridge) is “the 

one.” Like in the movies, he’s looking 

for some kind of sign. Enter Kate 

(Minka Kelly), who’s returned to said 

location to find her missing hat, where 

she “meets cute” with Henry. 

The next day, Henry is still coasting 

on the high of meeting Kate but 

can’t quite bring himself to break 

things off with Erin. Nevertheless, he 

drags Larry along 

to see Kate again, 

who’s likewise 

brought her sardonic 

best friend, Connie 

(Lizzy Caplan). And 

so while the lovebirds 

flutter in the clouds, 

Larry and Connie are 

left to trade barbs over 

their mutual disgust 

with each other (Con- 

Jason Biggs stars in ‘Mad Love.’ 

nie: “Are you happy 

with your beard?” 

Larry: “Are you happy with yours?”) 

and protect their respective best pals 

from falling too fast. But like all vehement 

forms of hatred, there’s a sliver of 

attraction between them. 

What works: If the above sounds 

like “How I Met Your Mother” redux, 

it more or less is: a romantic guy on a 

quest for star-crossed love, best pal who 

couldn’t be more the opposite and storybook 

narration about said events. 

What doesn’t: ...rather than the 

Kate and Henry one. It’s not that 

Biggs and Kelly are bad actors, 

they’re just tasked as being the doeeyed 

ciphers for the central drive of 

the show. 



Entertainment section www.SEMOTIMES.com 

SEMO 

THIS 

WEEK 

THURSDAY 

Karaoke @ The River Bar 

Newman Pool League 

page 12 

FRIDAY 

. 

n Dance floor open @ 

Scooters II. 

n Karaoke @ Blue Moon II 

n Cosmic Bowling @ Bluff 

Lanes 

SATURDAY 

n Karaoke @ Shelly’s Sports Bar 

n Cosmic Bowling 

@ Bluff Lanes 

n Dance Floor Open @ 

Scooters II. 

n The Strayght Jacket Mafia @ 

Blue Moon II. 

SUNDAY 

n Karaoke @ Scooters II. 

MONDAY 

n Draft and wings specials @ 

Shelly’s Sports Bar. 

TUESDAY 

n Texas Hold ‘Em 

@ Westwood Billiards. 

n Karaoke 

@ Buffalo Wild Wings 

WEDNESDAY 

n 9-Ball Tournament 

@ Westwood Billiards. 

n Karaoke @ Causbie’s 

n Karaoke @ Jim and 

Jerry’s 

North Division 

Team(s) Points 

1) Zero’s 41 

2)Lakeland Lounge 39 

2, Cooter Brown’s 3 36 

3) Charlie Brown’s 1 37 

Central A 

1) Westwood 1, 34 

Westwood 2, 

Blue Moon 1 33 

2) Jim & Jerry’s 1, 

Jim & Jerry’s 2 39 

3) Bootheel 2, 

Central B 

1) Cottage Inn 1, 

Jim & Jerry’s 4 35 

2) Cottage Inn 2, 

Jim & Jerry’s 3, 

PB Legion 2 32 

3) PB Legion 1 39 

Central C 

1) Lil’ John’s 2 35 

2) PB VFW, 

Lil’ John’s 2, 

Qulin Legion 38 

3) Blue Moon 2, 

PB Legion 3 39 

South S 

1)21 South 2 38 

2)Doniphan VFW 37 

3) Jake’s 38 

1) 21 South 1 38 

2) Hitchin’ Rail 2 37 

3) Tillman’s 33 

Cardinal League 

1. Just Cruising 

2. MADD 

3. Double Stuff 

4. Short Bus Allstars 

Primetimers League 

1. Two Plus Two 

2. Misfits 

3. Golden Girls 

Poplar Bluff: 

3525 S. Westwood Boulevard 

Jonah Hex 

10:00am 12:10 2:30 4:45 7:00 9:30pm 

Marmaduke 

9:45am 12:00 2:10 5:05 7:45 10:30pm 

Shrek Forever After 

9:40am 12:05 2:20 4:35 7:15 9:40pm 

Toy Story 3 

9:15am 12:00 2:45 5:30 8:15 11:00pm 

Killers 

‎11:40am 2:00 4:30 6:50 9:20pm 

Prince of Persia 

10:30am 1:05 3:40 6:20 9:00pm 

The A-Team 

11:30am 2:15 5:05 7:45 10:30pm 

The Karate Kid 

9:30am 12:30 3:30 6:40 10:00pm 



Entertainment section www.semotimes.com 

It’s a NO BAND 

WEEKEND 

It’s HOT outside, but it’s 

BURNING UP in here! 

The hottest dance floor in 

southeast Missouri will be 

packed all weekend long ! 

SCOOTERS II 

Hwy. T & 60 

for more info call 573-778-0422 

www.myspace.com/scooters2 



Entertainment section www.semotimes.com 

Steve Cookson has spent time visiting with senior citizens during his campaign. 


Continued from Page 6 

He understands the unique challenges 

facing a rural area and he understands 

that small business and agriculture 

at the backbone to the economy in 

his district. He’s a strong believer in 

Second Amendment rights and feels 

that our right to bear arms is part of 

the tradition and freedom that folks 

page 14 

in rural Missouri hold dear. 

“I’ve always stood up for what I 

believe in and am passionate about,” 

Cookson said. “And helping the 

underserved has always been a 

passion of mine.” 

For more information about Steve 

Cookson, visit his Facebook page by 

searching for Cookson’s Committee: 

The Good Folks for Cookson. 


“Get with the TIMES” 

Check out the SEMO Times Daily Edition 

updated Monday-Thursday 

at www.semotimes.com 


eal Estate section www.semotimes.com 

ACROSS 

1. Native of South America 

5. Without companionship 

10. Naked 

14. Close by 

15. Cords 

16. Not closed 

17. Ends 

19. Klutz 

20. Peculiar 

21. Insect eggs 

22. City in south central 

Ukraine 

24. Skin irritation 

25. Made a sound of derision 

26. African desert 

29. Mariner 

30. San Antonio fort 

31. Not glossy 

32. Lyric poem 

35. Attire 

36. Unit of radioactivity 

37. Found on a cowboy’s 

boot 

38. Macaws 

39. Sink 

40. An anesthetic 

41. Stock certificates 

43. Says “Hello” 

44. Not outsides 

46. Become larger 

47. A young unmarried 

woman 

48. Historical periods 

49. Murmur lovingly 

52. Untruths 

53. Invigorating 

56. Sea eagle 

57. Marten 

58. East Asian unit of 

weight 

59. Rodents 

60. A chip or fragment 

61. Flexible tube 

DOWN 

1. Within 

2. Require 

3. One of 52 in a deck 

4. Forelimb 

5. An ointment 

6. Averse 

7. Chooses 

8. Born 

9. A yellow-brown garnet 

10. A short jacket for 

Real Estate Section 

women 

11. Indicates omitted letters 

in a word 

12. Utilize again 

13. Inward 18. Introduction 

(abbrev.) 

23. Anagram of “Lode” 

24. Metrical unit of syllables 

25. A smooth fabric 

26. A narrative 

27. Winged 

28. Torment 

29. Indian dresses 

31. Contemplates 

33. A song for 2 

34. Makes a mistake 

36. Reckless 

37. Ragout 39. Invite (archaic) 

40. Jagged 

42. Snake sounds 

43. Small stones 

44. A do-nothing 

45. Nigerian monetary unit 

46. Bar & _____ 

48. A Tuscan island 

49. Italian greeting 

50. 1 1 1 1 

51. Look amorously 

54. Short sleep 

55. The utmost degree 



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STEVE COOKSON - SEMO TIMES

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