FIVE IN THE RUNNING FOR BOLLINGER SHERIFF

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Barry Hughes served as interim Bollinger County Sheriff about 10 weeks in 1991. Now he wants the full-time job.

Hughes is one of four Republican candidates on the Aug. 8 primary ballot.

The winner of the August Republican primary will face incumbent Democrat Sheriff Dennis Willis in the November general election.

Four Republicans will oppose Willis, of Marble Hill, who is unopposed in the Democratic primary Aug. 8. Willis, who is serving his first term, defeated an incumbent in 1996 when he defeated Daniel Mesey by about 500 votes, 2,764 to 2,235.

The four Republicans include Hughes of Glen Allen, Terry Wiseman of Advance, Frank Dye of Marble Hill and Jimmie G. Bollinger of Marble Hill.

Willis, a former deputy in the Bollinger County department, served as police officer for the City of Marble Hill before his election as sheriff in 1996. He has 13 years experience as a law enforcement officer in Bollinger County.

Hughes has an extensive background in law enforcement, and in 1991, he served about 10 weeks as interim sheriff in the county. Hughes, of Glenn Allen, was a policemen in the suburbs of Chicago 27 years before retiring in 1988.

Hughes, who owned property in Bollinger County, returned to the area and has served as a reserve deputy sheriff here since 1988. He has a policeman in Marble Hill and as chief of Police at Advance four years. He is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University's Law Enforcement Academy.

Dye is a farmland owner and owner of Shorty's Three-Way Restaurant in Marble Hill. He has more than 25 years in law enforcement.

Dye has completed a 17-week Sheriff's Posse training. He is president of the Scopus Fire Department.

Wiseman worked as a Bollinger County sheriff's deputy a year. He is a farmer, and this is his first try at politics.

Jimmie G. Bollinger was a candidate for sheriff on the independent ballot in the early 1990s. The former Cape Girardeau labor union member is a Marble Hill native and current resident. Bollinger was unable to be reached by the Southeast Missourian.