Stories from Wednesday, December 4, 2013

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A long-time Butler County family has donated $1.5 million for the construction of an event center at Three Rivers College. The anonymous donation is the most significant contribution to date for the project and comes from a very civic minded family, according to Allen Brooks, a member of fundraising organization Three Rivers Endowment Trust...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Poplar Bluff Councilwoman Angela Pearson, who is being sued by City Manager Doug Bagby, has requested a jury trial and wants the case transferred to Scott County or Cape Girardeau County. Pearson also has filed a motion to dismiss Bagby's lawsuit filed on Oct. 16...

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service All of Southeast Missouri and the surrounding region could be in for a winter weather event late this week if forecast models being examined Monday by the National Weather Service hold true in the coming days. Forecasters are not yet sure what type or how much precipitation will fall Thursday and Friday when a winter storm is expected to move through the area, but Dan Spaeth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., said he is fairly confident there will be some accumulation.. ...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor JACKSON, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man was sentenced to prison Monday morning in connection with the December 2011 shooting death of another man. Paris Thomas, who earlier pleaded guilty to the Class B felony of voluntary manslaughter and Class C felony of unlawful possession of a firearm, was sentenced to 15 years on the manslaughter charge and five years on the weapons charge by Circuit Judge William Syler, according to Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour.. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A group that advocates for the legalization of marijuana will hold a town hall meeting Dec. 12 at Three Rivers College. Show-Me Cannabis will present a panel of speakers who advocate for change in Missouri law. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer An educational meeting concerning Missouri's health insurance marketplace and the Affordable Health Care Act will be held Tuesday at South Central Missouri Community Action Agency. This meeting, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., will also provide information for people who want to meet at a later date with a trained counselor who can help with the enrollment process...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor The charges against a Poplar Bluff, Mo., man identified by the street name "Suavee" and accused of shooting another man multiple times recently were dismissed. Ryan Harvey, who was facing the Class A felony of first-degree assault and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action, had his case moved to Cape Girardeau County in August for trial. ...

Esther Crook DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Esther Crook, 94, of Doniphan died today, Dec. 2, 2013, at the Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Funeral arrangements are currently pending at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion...

By DAN K. THOMASSON Scripps Howard News Service WASHINGTON -- Since Jimmy Carter's utter miscalculations led to the installation of a radical theocracy in Iran, the Persian nation has become a thorn in the world's body politic -- a rogue state in many ways fostering terrorism and preparing a nuclear capability that frightens most of its neighbors...

Bob Weathers DEXTER, Mo. -- Bob Weathers, 76, of Dexter died Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013, in the emergency room of the Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. today at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Tim Russell officiating. Burial will follow in the Ash Hill Cemetery at Fisk, Mo...

Willene Matthews BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Willene Gibbs Matthews of Bloomfield died Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013. Arrangements are for visitation at 10 a.m. Tuesday with services following at 11 a.m. at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. A complete obituary will be published later. Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home of Bloomfield is in charge of arrangements...

William and Elizabeth Gillean of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Willow Jayne Gillean for their 7-pound, 14-ounce daughter born at 11:15 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Willow was 21 inches long. Grandparents are Bill and Debra Gillean of Fisk, Mo., and Joe and Barbara Johnson of Poplar Bluff...

Mary Huneycutt QULIN, Mo. -- Mary Rachel Huneycutt, 21, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mary was born April 4, 1992, at Paragould, Ark. She was a homemaker. Survivors include her companion, Arthur Pearson of Poplar Bluff; two children, Arthur Angel Pearson III and Brooklyn Cade Pearson, both of the home; her father, Darrill Huneycutt of McDougal, Ark.; three sisters, Tammy (Jason) Lutes of Qulin, Brittani Coble and Renae (Jason) Burke, both of Wappapello, Mo.; one brother, Matthew Huneycutt of Qulin; her paternal grandparents, Clyde and Doris Melton of Broseley, Mo.; and 12 nieces and nephews.. ...

Blood drive schedule Upcoming blood drives for the Poplar Bluff area for December are as follows: noon to 6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 20 at Poplar Bluff Area Greater Chamber of Commerce, sponsored by River Radio; 2-7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30, at Black River Medical Center in Poplar Bluff; noon to 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30 at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. All presenting donors for the three events will receive a long sleeve t-shirt while supplies last...

PBJHS PTO honors eight The Poplar Bluff Junior High School P.T.O. honored students for excellent citizenship, effort and positive attitude toward their school work. A luncheon was held in their honor at the Poplar Bluff R-1 School District Administration building in the Missouri Room...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN When, after the massacres at Newtown and the Washington Navy Yard, Republicans refused to outlaw the AR-15 rifle or require background checks for gun purchasers, we were told the party had committed suicide by defying 90 percent of the nation...

By MIKE JENSON Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat In a somewhat bizarre effort to promote the troubled Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration has a handy and helpful video with suggestions on how to start a health care conversation during the Thanksgiving dinner...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS One of the oldest notions in the history of mankind is that some people are to give orders and others are to obey. The powerful elite believe that they have wisdom superior to the masses and that they've been ordained to forcibly impose that wisdom on the rest of us. ...

Willene Matthews BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Willene Gibbs Mathews, 82, of Bloomfield died Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation was held after 10 a.m. today at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. The funeral service followed at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. Alice Fowler of Bloomfield officiating. Burial was in Bloomfield Cemetery...

By MONA CHAREN Remember President Barack Obama's mother? Though the airwaves currently echo with his vow "If you like your plan . . ." I keep remembering Obama's account of his mother being denied coverage by her insurance company as she lay dying of cancer...

Council meeting for tonight is postponed The Poplar Bluff City Council meeting scheduled for tonight has been canceled due to four council members being unable to attend, according to City Clerk Pam Kearbey. She will announce when the meeting will be re-scheduled...

Wade Barnes CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Wade Barnes, 72, of Campbell died Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. today at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Randy Vaughn officiating. Burial will be in the Elder Cemetery in Campbell...

Abbie Morgan NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Abbie L. Morgan, 72, of Doniphan, Mo., formerly of Alabama, died Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013, at her residence. Visitation was Saturday at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Neelyville with a graveside service following at New Hope Cemetery near Doniphan...

After a 13-year hiatus, David Sievers is back as head coach of the Poplar Bluff wrestling team. "I didn't take it figuring it would be a one-year deal," said Sievers, who took over the program this fall when Brian Wisdom took a job outside of the district...

NEELYVILLE -- While tagging along with a friend on her workout with Crowley's Ridge College, Emily Eaker caught the eye of the Lady Pioneers' head coach, Tye Clothier. "I became really interested in her as a player and what she could bring to the team," Clothier said after watching Eaker when she was invited to join into the workout...

Lloyd Beard NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Lloyd Beard, 89, of Naylor, Mo., died Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013, at Southeast Health Center of Ripley County in Doniphan, Mo. Mr. Beard was born Oct. 13, 1921, in Lilbourn, Mo., and was a saw mill operator. He had lived in Naylor for 60 years, and he enjoyed fishing and hunting...

Gary Marron Sr. DEXTER, Mo. -- Gary Thomas Marron Sr., 59, of Dexter died Friday, Nov. 29, 2013, at his residence. A memorial service will be conducted at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter with the Rev. Joshua Carpenter officiating...

Roger Ezell Roger Wayne "Wezell" Ezell, 61, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 2, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Born July 16, 1952, in Roswell, N.M., Mr. Ezell was a musician and carpet installer. He enjoyed working on old cars, woodworking and loved playing music on his guitar...

Paula Radford MALDEN, Mo. -- Paula Lentz Radford, 61, of Crystal River, Fla., died Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, at Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center in Crystal River. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral service will follow beginning at 11 a.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial with full military rites will be in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

VAN BUREN -- Only the defending champions survived out of the local teams in the first round of the Lady Dawg Classic. The top-seeded Neelyville Lady Tigers defeated Ellington by a wide margin but Twin Rivers, Greenville and Van Buren all went down Monday night...