Stories from Sunday, June 3, 2012

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Dedicated Travis Tritt fans began lining up outside the Black River Coliseum at 11 a.m. Friday to ensure a prime seat when the Grammy award winning crooner took the stage around 9:30 p.m. About 1,500 attended the show...

From Staff Reports James S. Spencer, an educator who oversaw the creation of a multi-campus community college district serving a 13-county region of southeastern Illinois, and served as interim president of Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Mo. from February to August 1997, died Wednesday, in Burien, Wash...

Story and photo By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer From the stage to the studio, there are a lot of talented people in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and the surrounding communities. Some of these familiar faces will be featured here one Sunday of each month. A hint of color to define the leaves of a tree, a bit of shadow to bring a walker into soft focus and Mike Phelp's vision of McLane Park on a breezy, sunny May morning comes to life in oil paint...

By JOHN WILLEY Staff Writer A shooting victim is in St. Francis Medical Center for treatment of a non-life threatening gunshot wound and the suspect in the shooting is in Butler County jail. About 11 p.m. Friday, Butler County Sheriff's deputies responded to a reported domestic dispute between a father and his step-son at a residence at 50 Haystack Lane...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer As part of the First Friday Art Walk, an opening reception for fiber artist Rosemary Claus-Gray of Doniphan, Mo., will be held from 6 - 10 p.m. on Friday, July 6, at the Randy Bacon Photography Studio and Gallery, 600 W. College, Suite 100, Springfield, Mo. Music will be provided by Black Bonnet Ballyhoo. The reception and refreshments are free...

From Staff Reports James S. Spencer, an educator who oversaw the creation of a multi-campus community college district serving a 13-county region of southeastern Illinois, and served as interim president of Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Mo. from February to August 1997, died Wednesday, in Burien, Wash...

By JOHN WILLEY Staff Writer A shooting victim is in St. Francis Medical Center for treatment of a non-life threatening gunshot wound and the suspect in the shooting is in Butler County jail. About 11 p.m. Friday, Butler County Sheriff's deputies responded to a reported domestic dispute between a father and his step-son at a residence at 50 Haystack Lane...

Story and photo By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer From the stage to the studio, there are a lot of talented people in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and the surrounding communities. Some of these familiar faces will be featured here one Sunday of each month. A hint of color to define the leaves of a tree, a bit of shadow to bring a walker into soft focus and Mike Phelp's vision of McLane Park on a breezy, sunny May morning comes to life in oil paint...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer As part of the First Friday Art Walk, an opening reception for fiber artist Rosemary Claus-Gray of Doniphan, Mo., will be held from 6 - 10 p.m. on Friday, July 6, at the Randy Bacon Photography Studio and Gallery, 600 W. College, Suite 100, Springfield, Mo. Music will be provided by Black Bonnet Ballyhoo. The reception and refreshments are free...

Schrieber hits grand slam I'd like to comment on the opinion that Don Schrieber put in the paper on Wednesday. I agree with it completely. I'm so glad someone put that in there. If you were a baseball player, I'd say you hit a grand slam, but in regular talk-you hit the nail on the head...

By GEORGE F. WILL I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up. No sir, Not I, Not me, So there! -- "Peter Pan" the musical, 1954 WAUWATOSA, Wis. -- This state, the first to let government employees unionize, was an incubator of progressivism and gave birth (in 1932 in Madison, the precursor of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) to its emblematic institution, the government employees union -- government organized as a special interest to lobby itself to expand itself. ...

To the Editor: The Ellsinore Alumni Banquet was held May 22, 2012, with 198 Alumni and guests in attendance. There were nine classes who had special reunions, they were as follows: Class of 1947-65 years; Class of 1952-60 years; Class of 1967-45 years; Class of 1972-40 years; Class of 1977-35 years; Class of 1992-20 years and the Class of 2012 had a special table also. As always the Class of 1953 had a special table, but this year they were practicing for their 60th anniversary in 2013...

By BETSY HART Scripps Howard News Service This is how I know I love my children: I hate running. Stay with me here. I don't mind working out hard. I love "spin" class, which is done for an hour on a stationary bike in a climate-controlled, slightly darkened gym. Typically to really good music, depending on the instructor. I simply refuse to do serious team bike-riding on the street, as I prefer to keep my collarbone and life intact...

By HAMZA HENDAWI Associated Press CAIRO (AP) -- Hosni Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison Saturday for failing to stop the killing of protesters during the uprising that ousted him, offering his opponents a measure of justice. But he and his two sons were acquitted of corruption in a verdict that did not satisfy public demands for accountability after what the chief judge called 30 years of "darkness" under the old regime...

Mindy Reana Wilkerson and Andrew Craig Hightower, both of Poplar Bluff, Mo. were married Friday, May 25, 2012 at the Log Chapel of the Ozarks in Branson, Mo. Rev. W. Bender performed the double-ring ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Kay Wilkerson and Gary Wayne Wilkerson, both of Poplar Bluff...

Clara Boan BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Clara Marie Wempe Boan, 90, of Bloomfield, Mo., died Friday, June 1, 2012, at Sunrise Assisted Living Center in Chesterfield, Mo. Mrs. Boan was born on Oct. 28, 1921, in West Frankfort, Kan. She had moved to Bloomfield in 1977, where she and her husband owned and operated the Bloomfield Vindicator Newspaper. ...

Jerry Blemker FISK, Mo. -- Jerry (Jerald William) Blemker , 67, NJCAA Hall of Famer and former Three Rivers Junior College and Vincennes University baseball coach died Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at his home in Poplar Bluff, Mo., known as "The Dugout" to family and friends. The devoted father and grandfather finally lost his ongoing battle due to complications from a series of medical problems that began in 2008...

Jerry VanDover CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Jerry Lynn VanDover, 78, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He had been hospitalized for several weeks with acute respiratory disease...

Vera Belle Baker BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - Vera Belle Baker, 87, of Florida died Thursday, May 31, 2012, at the Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, Fla. Mrs. Baker was born on Oct. 2, 1924, in Bernie, Mo. She had been a long time resident of Bloomfield and Dexter, Mo., before moving to Florida several years ago. She was employed for more than 30 years with the Elder Manufacturing Company in Bloomfield...

Beverly Lee Houston BUNKER, Mo. -- Beverly Lee Houston, 68, of Bunker, Mo., died Friday, June 1, 2012, at Salem Memorial District Hospital in Salem, Mo.. Mrs. Houston was born Sept. 13, 1943, in St. Louis, Mo. She was a homemaker. She loved her dogs, working in the yard, Facebooking and spending time with children and grandchildren...

Heather Deering and Alex Kirkman of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Melidee Jaelynn Kirkman for their 7-pound, 4.5-ounce daughter born at 6:31 a.m. Thursday, May 10, 2012. She was 18.5 inches long Grandparent are Eddie and Joy Kirkman of Fisk, Mo., Sandy Deering of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Denton Deering of Patterson, Mo...

DONIPHAN -- There isn't any doubt that Poplar Bluff Thunder coach Jeff Null had a lot of talent to select from when putting together his inaugural Senior Babe Ruth team. And it hasn't taken long for that talent to gel. The Thunder capped its first full-week of the season with wins of 14-3 and 9-4 over Doniphan High School's summer team Friday afternoon...

Joshua Drake Drummond, a May graduate of Van Buren High School, has been named to receive the Illa Cook Award for scholarship and merit. The annual financial award, administered by the Three Rivers Community College Foundation, is named for Illa Cook, of Poplar Bluff. The award is funded in her honor by two of her sons, Dennis Cook, of Springfield, Mo., and Ralph Cook, of Mesa, Ariz...

Ranley Harris DEXTER, Mo. -- Ranley William Harris, 58, of Gainesville, Ga., died Thursday, May 31, 2012. Mr. Harris was born on May 15, 1954 at Hayti, Mo. Mr. Harris was a truck driver and a former resident of Dexter. He is survived by his wife, Rhonda Kay Harris of the home; his mother, Velma Phillips Harris of Dexter; four sons, Chris Harris of Dexter, Jason Harris of St. ...

To the Editor: The Ellsinore Alumni Banquet was held May 22, 2012, with 198 Alumni and guests in attendance. There were nine classes who had special reunions, they were as follows: Class of 1947-65 years; Class of 1952-60 years; Class of 1967-45 years; Class of 1972-40 years; Class of 1977-35 years; Class of 1992-20 years and the Class of 2012 had a special table also. As always the Class of 1953 had a special table, but this year they were practicing for their 60th anniversary in 2013...

Jerry VanDover CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Jerry Lynn VanDover, 78, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau. He had been hospitalized for several weeks with acute respiratory disease...

Jerry Blemker FISK, Mo. -- Jerry (Jerald William) Blemker , 67, NJCAA Hall of Famer and former Three Rivers Junior College and Vincennes University baseball coach died Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at his home in Poplar Bluff, Mo., known as "The Dugout" to family and friends. The devoted father and grandfather finally lost his ongoing battle due to complications from a series of medical problems that began in 2008...

Vera Belle Baker BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - Vera Belle Baker, 87, of Florida died Thursday, May 31, 2012, at the Capital Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, Fla. Mrs. Baker was born on Oct. 2, 1924, in Bernie, Mo. She had been a long time resident of Bloomfield and Dexter, Mo., before moving to Florida several years ago. She was employed for more than 30 years with the Elder Manufacturing Company in Bloomfield...

Beverly Lee Houston BUNKER, Mo. -- Beverly Lee Houston, 68, of Bunker, Mo., died Friday, June 1, 2012, at Salem Memorial District Hospital in Salem, Mo.. Mrs. Houston was born Sept. 13, 1943, in St. Louis, Mo. She was a homemaker. She loved her dogs, working in the yard, Facebooking and spending time with children and grandchildren...

DONIPHAN -- There isn't any doubt that Poplar Bluff Thunder coach Jeff Null had a lot of talent to select from when putting together his inaugural Senior Babe Ruth team. And it hasn't taken long for that talent to gel. The Thunder capped its first full-week of the season with wins of 14-3 and 9-4 over Doniphan High School's summer team Friday afternoon...

Joshua Drake Drummond, a May graduate of Van Buren High School, has been named to receive the Illa Cook Award for scholarship and merit. The annual financial award, administered by the Three Rivers Community College Foundation, is named for Illa Cook, of Poplar Bluff. The award is funded in her honor by two of her sons, Dennis Cook, of Springfield, Mo., and Ralph Cook, of Mesa, Ariz...