Stories from Thursday, November 14, 2013

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A hearing on the city of Poplar Bluff's motion for appointment of a receiver to take control of the Semo.net domain will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. Carter County Circuit Judge Michael Ligons will preside during the hearing in Butler County Circuit Court...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer With family in the Philippines, Larry Kimbrow of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and his wife Amalia have kept a watchful eye on news and weather reports from the area over the past week. Fortunately, her family was spared the worst of the damage from Typhoon Haiyan, or Yolanda as it is known in Amalia's native country...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A good day to be thankful, but a bad day to be a turkey, Poplar Bluff schools say of the community Thanksgiving that will be hosted Monday at the high school campus. About 400 pounds of roast turkey are expected to be served at the annual dinner. The free event will be held from 5-7 p.m. at the student center. It is not necessary to have a child in Poplar Bluff schools to attend...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A young man with a new son now holds a fulltime job and a home of his own after life nearly took him down a road that led to prison. An older man looks to the future with hope after battling 20 years of alcohol and cocaine addiction...

Ray Stratton DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Ray Stratton of Doniphan died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013, at his residence. Funeral arrangements are currently pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion.

Nancy Stovall Nancy L. Stovall passed away on Monday, Nov. 11, 2013, at her home in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She was 88 years old. Nancy L. Stovall was born June 7, 1925, in Marion, Ill., to Bert and Dewey (Downs) Patterson. Her father passed away when Nancy was two years old. She was raised by her mother along with her three brothers and two sisters who have all preceded her in death...

Guy Deckard PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Guy R. Deckard, 82, of Piedmont died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013, at his home near Piedmont. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.

Shirley Hutchison RIDGWAY, Ill. -- Shirley Ann Hutchison, 69, of Carmi, Ill., died peacefully at her home surrounded by her family after an extended illness. Shirley was born in Broseley, Mo., on Sept. 2, 1944, to the late Cecil and Eula Mae (Hillyard) Minehart. ...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Saturday is the opening day of Missouri's most popular hunting season, the fall firearms deer season. Each year, anywhere from 490,000 to 596,000 permits are sold for the gun season, and that's not including youth deer permits...

CARTERVILLE, Ill. -- The Three Rivers Raiders were nearly perfect at the free-throw line Tuesday and stretched out their lead over the final minutes for a 67-59 comeback win at John A. Logan College. Torry Butler made a layup 5 seconds after the opening tip and the Raiders held that lead until Pierre House converted a three-point opportunity with two seconds left in the half, finishing a 13-0 run and putting Logan (0-3) up 32-29...

Floyd Smelser MALDEN, Mo. -- Floyd Arthur Smelser, 86, of Risco, Mo., died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013, at Golden Living Center in Malden. Visitation will be at 5 p.m. Thursday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Bradshaw Chapel. Burial will be in Memorial Park in Malden...

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt's staff will host a Listening Post Meeting from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. Listening Posts are opportunities for Missourians to discuss their questions or concerns with the federal government one-on-one with members of Sen. Blunt's staff...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation The November portion of the 2013 firearms deer season is upon us, opening Saturday morning one-half hour before local sunrise time. Here are a few Do's and Don'ts to keep you safe, legal and happy. First and most importantly, safety is the priority. Do wear at least a solid blaze orange vest and hat. This is the minimum required by Missouri state law, but more is always better...

Cmd. Sgt. Maj. of the Missouri National Guard Jeffrey Pennington will present a national defense program at the Poplar Bluff Chapter NSDAR meeting at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the West Side Church of God, corner of Barron Rd. and Channon Drive. He will speak on the Missouri National Guard as a component agency of the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the United States National Guard and their mission of service in protecting our citizenry at home and around the world...

Southern Bank, headquartered in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Citizens State Bank, headquartered in Bald Knob, Ark., have announced the signing of a definitive stock purchase agreement whereby Citizens State Bank will be merged with and into Southern Bank...

Doyle Richmond ENID, Okla. -- Melford "Doyle" Richmond, 92, of Enid died Monday, Nov. 11, 2013. Visitation with the family will be from 5-7 p.m. today at Anderson-Burris Funeral Home in Enid. Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Richmond Chapel in Wappapello, Mo., with the Rev. Donald Richman officiating. Burial will follow in the Richmann Cemetery under the direction of the funeral home...

The Three Rivers Lady Raiders opened with a 15-2 run against Lindenwood JV on Tuesday and stretched out that lead clear to the final minute. Five Lady Raiders finished in double figures as Three Rivers comfortably won 95-45 at the Bess Activity Center...

Will Holifield (Three Rivers) made a 3-pointer off the bench in SEMO's loss to Saint Louis on Friday. In SEMO's win over Central Baptist on Monday, he was 4-for-5 for 11 points, including three 3-pointers. Tarius Johnson (Three Rivers) went 5-for-13 for 14 points in a trio of games in Eastern Kentucky's first week of the season. The Colonels went 2-1...

Richard Bulher Richard D. Bulher, 61, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Nov. 11, 2013, at his residence. Arrangements are under the direction of Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

By MONA CHAREN When New York City's strikingly successful police commissioner, Raymond Kelly, arrived to address students at Brown University, he was harassed, booed and heckled for 30 long minutes. "Racism is not for debate," they shouted. A university official pleaded with the goons, er, students to permit Kelly to speak, reminding them that they would be free to express disagreement during the Q-and-A session afterwards. "Shout him down!" responded a man in the audience, and the crowd did...

Don Dunivan GIDEON, Mo. - Don Wayne Dunivan, 58, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Nov. 11, 2013, at his residence. Mr. Dunivan was born Jan. 7, 1955, in Gideon, Mo. Survivors include two brothers, John Dunivan and wife, Patricia, of Poplar Bluff and Jerry Dunivan and wife, Nancy, of Reddings, Calif., and one sister, Carol Newsom of Gideon...

On Monday Butler County held a ceremony to honor its veterans for their service and the sacrifices they willingly make by putting themselves in harm's way to keep our country safe. Last Friday, the Butler County Commission was approached by its deputies...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN If Bibi Netanyahu succeeds in closing down Obama's diplomatic path to Iran, only the road to war remains open. Which is exactly what Bibi wants. For what terrifies Tel Aviv, and rattles Riyadh, is not a U.S. war with Iran, but the awful specter of American rapprochement with Iran, a detente...