STODDARD SHERIFF'S RACE SET; LEE WILL SQUARE OFF AGAINST STEVE FISH

BLOOMFIELD - Stoddard County Republican Sheriff Arthur "Sug" Lee of Bernie will square off against Democratic challenger, Steve Fish in November.

Lee, who won a special election last year after Sheriff Don Mayberry resigned, easily outdistanced his three primary challengers in Tuesday's primary election that featured a total of 10 candidates.

Lee received 997 Republican votes, while Anson Barney got 161 votes, Jeff Slinkard Jr. 100 votes, and Bill Pry 73 votes.

On the Democratic side, Fish easily defeated his five other opponents with 2,208 votes. Larry Hampton received 1,894 votes, Wilbur McClain 561 votes, John J. Jibben 541 votes, Gary Callow 466 votes, and Larry Jones, 168 votes.

The only upset at the county level was in the 2nd District commissioner's race, where Democrat Ray Coats narrowly defeated incumbent Jody Lemmon, 1,056 to 1,017. The other challenger, Jim Smyth, received 1,004 votes

Incumbent Democratic Assessor Wayne Millington won re-election to another term with 2,490 votes. Elmer "Doc" Dunn received 1,767 votes, while Terry Bates received 1,589 votes.

Longtime County Coroner Ray W. Rainey was also re-elected to another term, defeating his Democratic challenger, Melvin Staggs, 3,201 to 2,549 votes.

In the Bloomfield School District, voters narrowly approved a 76-cent increase in the operating levy by a vote of 683 to 600.

The Bernie School District received overwhelming voter approval to borrow $520,000 to repair old buildings and furnish schools. There were 668 yes votes and 193 no votes.

In Bernie, voters approved a 20-year electric franchise agreement with Union Electric Co. by a vote of 319 to 170.