Stories from Saturday, January 14, 2012

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Two Ellington, Mo., families are facing more than $10,000 in medical bills after exposure to rabies. The exposure occurred when a rabid skunk attacked Jean Goldsborough's dogs on the morning of Dec. 14. "Our mama dog was chained up and the skunk came and got past mama dog into the doghouse," Goldsborough, 39, said. "It killed a puppy, hurt another puppy and sprayed."...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A petition leading to the creation of a Poplar Bluff Regional Transportation Development District has been filed in Butler County Circuit Court. If the district's creation is approved by the commercial property owners within the district, the design and construction of seven road improvement projects will be accelerated so the city will be ready for expected new retailers, according to City Manager Doug Bagby. ...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man turned himself in Thursday afternoon after being charged earlier in the day with possessing more than 7 pounds of suspected marijuana with intentions of distributing it. Billy Dean Williams Jr., 32, of the 600 block of Eighth Street was arrested at 4:34 p.m. at the Poplar Bluff Police Department on a warrant for the Class B felony of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A second candidate has filed for the Sub-District 2 seat on the Three Rivers College Board. Incumbent Randy Grassham filed Thursday to run against Rocky Kingree, who had filed earlier. Grassham, a Van Buren, Mo., businessman, was appointed to the board following the death of his father, James Grassham. In 2010, Grassham was elected to serve the remaining two years of his father's unexpired term...

DEXTER -- The Dexter Lady Bearcats got their defense going early and the offense followed. The Lady Bearcats used a strong press and jumped out to a big lead over Neelyville before cruising to a 73-27 win at the Bearcat Event Center. "I thought defensively we did a really good job tonight," Dexter coach Chad Allen said. "Last time we played them, in the Christmas tournament, we gave up quite a few more points...

The Agee Community Club met at Ryan's on Jan. 4. Jeanie Figgins was the hostess. President Cathy Womack opened the meeting with the ladies repeating the club motto. Jacque Gallamore gave the invocation. Roll call was answered with each lady reading a list of new and improved resolutions from a page in Readers Digest...

The Twin Rivers-Qulin second quarter honor and merit rolls are as follows: FIFTH GRADE Emmalee Casinger, Wyatt Doser, Leanne Harris, Allen Hendrix, Kiera Williams, Jesse Johnson, Kaitlyn Lachance, Brady Leutert, Michaela Martin-Tidwell, Aaron Mittelstadt, Emily Ollis, Lindsay Rhodes, Noah Smothers, Josiah Suiter and Hayden Thomas...

A Sweetheart Breakfast will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at Qulin Nutrition Center. The menu will include biscuits/gravy, sausage, sliced ham, scrambled eggs, muffins, fresh fruit, coffee, milk and juice. Cost of the meal is $5...

DEXTER, Mo. - Enrollment at the Three Rivers College Center at Dexter crossed the 300 mark late in the afternoon on Tuesday. "People are hearing about the college," said center coordinator Bill Hampton. "It seems like everyone wants to further their education for the possibility of a better job and a better living."...

Michael and Heather Allen of Harviell, Mo., have chosen the name Henry Isaac Allen for their 7-pound, 8-ounce son born at 1:14 p.m., on Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Grandparents are Rickey and Serena Gower of Poplar Bluff, Mo., Mike and Pam Allen of Fredericktown, Mo., and Helen Chrisman of Farmington, N.Y...

Jim Snider VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Jim Snider, 78, of Van Buren, Mo., died Friday, Jan. 13, 2012, at Riverways Manor Nursing Home in Van Buren. Funeral arrangements are pending with McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren.