State Rep., associate judge candidates to debate

Two of three candidates for Missouri House Representative District 154 will participate in a debate at the Expo Hall of the West Plains Civic Center on Wednesday, July 22 at 6:00 p.m. Democrat JoJo Stewart and Republican Travis Smith will debate. Incumbent Representative Lisa Durnell has declined to participate. Howell County News has extended a standing invitation, up to and including the date of the event, to Durnell.

 

Readers are encouraged to submit questions ahead of the event, and questions will be accepted in person that night. Anyone wishing to submit an anonymous question must do so in advance.

 

The four candidates for associate judge in Howell County will debate July 22 as well: Lyndell Beard, Larry Burton, Heath Hardman, and Marty Simpson. Readers are invited to submit advance questions for consideration to these candidates, but due to the rigorous standards for judicial candidates, questions will not be accepted the night of the event. Advance questions for the judges will be prepared and edited by the newsroom, in cooperation with the submitter, for consideration in the associate judge seat debate, but will not be provided in advance to the candidates. 

 

Submit advance questions to editor@howellcountynews.com, by phone at 417-252-2123, or in person at 110 West Main Street, Willow Springs. 

 

For the first time this year, two local media outlets are also collecting questions for this event. The audiences of the West Plains Daily Quill and Ozark Radio News will be invited to submit advance questions for consideration.