Stories from Friday, November 1, 2013

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A Carter County jury was seated Wednesday evening to decide whether a former deputy is guilty of multiple felonies, including burglaries involving two Ellsinore, Mo., homes. A jury of eight women and five men, including one alternate, was seated and sworn in at 6:20 p.m. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Only one bidder showed up Tuesday for a sheriff's sale involving items owned by Poplar Bluff Internet Inc., which were seized by the city of Poplar Bluff in August to partially satisfy a $206,787 judgment. Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs decided to sell all the computer items, accessories, printers, a television and office furniture in a group instead of selling them individually...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Susan McVey has completed an exciting year as president of the Missouri Municipal League and will continue to serve on the MML board as long as she is on the Poplar Bluff City Council. "I am very honored I got the opportunity to do it," McVey said. "I love helping people and being knowledgeable about what I am doing."...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Area law enforcement agencies discussed preparing schools and businesses for active shooters, pandemics and other emergencies at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce's Emergency Management Business Summit Wednesday morning...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS According to a recent Fox News poll, 73 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with the direction of the country, up 20 points from 2012. Americans sense that there's a lot going wrong in our nation, but most don't have a clue about the true nature of our problem. If they had a clue, most would have little stomach for what would be necessary to arrest our national decline. Let's look at it...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN The first reports in early May of 1960 were that a U.S. weather plane, flying out of Turkey, had gone missing. A silent Moscow knew better. After letting the Americans crawl out on a limb, expatiating on their cover story, Russia sawed it off...

To the Editor Downtown Poplar Bluff would like to extend their gratitude and appreciation to those involved in making the 4th annual Iron Horse Festival a great success. The festival had record attendance and 10 partner sites this year. Thank you to those businesses who generously donated to the effort: Dullenty Chiropractic, Baldwin Automotive Group, Childress Bailbonds, Colton's Steakhouse, Coffman Eads & Summers, Commerce Bank, Dental Arts, First Midwest Bank, First Missouri Bank, Gamblin Lumber, Gamma HealthCare, Inc., Gregs Auto Sales, Hick's Animal Hospital, Hollida Insurance, Fox Grin Orthodontics, Kneibert Clinic, Larry Hillis Dodge, Las Margaritas, Mayas, Parks Animal Hospital, Poplar Bluff Federal Credit Union, Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, RL Persons Construction, Robert Whelan Financial Services, Soapy Suds Laundry Mat, Southern Bank, Sterling Bank, Super 8 Motel, US Bank, and Union Pacific Railroad.. ...

Raw, boiled, steamed, or roasted, peanuts are delicious! This is a popular home garden crop and many home gardeners are in the process of harvesting their fall peanut crop. Did you know that the peanut is not a nut? It's actually a legume that is the cousin of peas and beans...

Downtown PB plans 3 events, first is Friday Downtown Poplar Bluff, Inc. has planned three events at the Historic Train Depot between Second and Main streets during November. Wine Down in Downtown will be the first event from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1...

Louise Guinn VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Louise D. Guinn, 76, of Arnold, Mo., died Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, at her residence. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Friday in the McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Wilderness Free Will Baptist Church with the Rev. Kenny Simpson officiating. Burial will follow in the Wilderness Cemetery...

Dr. Jarrell Holt Dr. Jarrell D. Holt, affectionately known to his friends as "Doc," died Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, at Oakdale Care Center after an extended illness. Dr. Holt was the only son of the late James Mac Holt and Ora Essie Woolly, born at Greenbrier, Faulkner County, Ark., on Sept. ...

PORTAGEVILLE -- History was going to be made Wednesday night. Guaranteed. For the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 volleyball championship, both top-seeded Malden and No. 2 Portageville had its sights on a first title in either schools' history. Early on, it looked like Malden was going to cruise to it...

The Poplar Bluff Mules are looking to make a little history Friday night at Morrow Stadium. Playing their first district playoff at home, the Mules look to secure their first district win while junior Bi Nguyen has a chance to break the program's single-season rushing record...

James Thomas LEESBERG, Fla. -- James R. Thomas, 69, passed away on Oct. 22, 2013, in Leesburg. James was born on Feb. 28, 1944, in Detroit to his parents, Burnice and Hortense Thomas. He was raised in Qulin, Mo., and moved to St. Louis in his early twenties. ...

Jewel Gifford SUMTER, S.C. -- Jewel Eva Smith Gifford, 97, widow of Lemuel Gifford, died Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, at her home. Born in Success, Ark., she was a daughter of the late James Alexander Smith and Eva Snowden Smith. Mrs. Gifford was a member of Wise Drive Baptist Church...

Bradford Emmons DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Bradford Lee Emmons, 42, of Doniphan died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013, at his residence in rural Ripley County. Brad, son of Dennis Emmons and Kathy (Downs) Dietz, was born Nov. 13, 1970, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was a set-up man in cylinder heads with Briggs and Stratton in Poplar Bluff. Brad enjoyed hunting, fishing, four-wheeling and being outdoors...