Stories from Thursday, December 5, 2013

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Harps Foods of Springdale, Ark., has purchased approximately five acres in the Cripple Creek Development for the construction of a 30,000-square foot grocery store with a gasoline station. "We are excited to be coming to Poplar Bluff. Hopefully we will start construction in late spring and be open in the fall of 2014," said J. Max Van Hoose, vice president of store planning...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A milestone in the county's history was celebrated Tuesday morning with officials gathering to burn the mortgage for the Butler County Justice Center. Opened in 1997, the justice center was built after the citizens of Butler County passed a quarter-cent sales tax in 1993 during then Sheriff Fred Armes' administration...

Mona Charen can't write I was just readin' the article in today's DAR by Mona Charen about "Obama's soft despotism." After readin' the first 15 lines, down to that Iran-Contra deal, I quit readin' it. The woman apparently don't know how to write or something or somebody's gettin' their writing wrong, 'cause she's saying here that Obama' Hurricane Katrina and his Iraq --I think it was George W., wasn't it? They don't mention until way on down here, but somebody that writes like that--anybody--reporter that writes like that don't deserve to have it read. ...

To the Editor: Twenty-four Missouri state senators signed on to a letter recently delivered to National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis. This letter expresses the concerns of these lawmakers regarding the proposed General Management Plan presented by the National Park Service (NPS) and its impact on the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. My colleagues and I agree the NPS has not considered the effect of its plan on the citizens who live, use and work along these national riverways...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The word on the street from duck hunters has been pretty mixed lately. Some hunters report good success, while others say they struggle to get birds to work, or even see them for that matter. By all official reports, mallards seem to have arrived in good numbers, but on some days they just don't fly much...

Veldia Hicks CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Veldia Hicks, 68, of Clarkton, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 2, 2013, at her residence. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m. Thursday at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral service will follow beginning at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Jack Allen officiating. Burial will be in Loyd Cemetery in Holcomb, Mo...

Vernon Kanell Vernon L. Kanell, 67, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Alvin Woodrum Alvin Eugene Woodrum, 69, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

James Cashion James Roy Cashion, 75, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS In a March 2008 column, I criticized pundits' concerns about whether America was ready for Barack Obama, suggesting that the more important issue was whether black people could afford Obama. I proposed that we look at it in the context of a historical tidbit...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation With the firearms deer season over and a few days off, my family was looking for something to do outside. While there are many work-related chores to do, we wanted to do some outdoor activity as a family that didn't involve work. We settled on taking a hike. Hiking is an activity that involves little equipment and a lot of fun...

BERNIE -- It was an odd night Tuesday at the Bernie Invitational. Bloomfield and Puxico were both missing their head coaches, Puxico had an off night shooting and Bloomfield, with its four underclassmen starting, took an 53-38 upset win to advance to the semifinals...

Jason Root NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Jason Walker Root, 30, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Texas, died Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Root was born May 19, 1983, in Houston, Texas, and had lived in Butler County since 1996. He was an auto mechanic who enjoyed cars, fishing, hunting and being with friends...

Esther Crook DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Esther Crook, 94, of Doniphan, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 2, 2013, at the Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Mrs. Crook, daughter of the late Richard Adolph and Mary (Grichow) Rueffer, was born Feb. 18, 1919, in Melrose Park, Ill. She had been a clerk with the Federal Job Corps. Mrs. Crook enjoyed reading, writing short stories, gardening and working with flowers. She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church...

Father Ralph Duffner CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Fr. Ralph J. Duffner, 83, of Chaffee, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 2, 2013, in Jackson Manor, Jackson, Mo. Fr. Duffner was born Aug. 4, 1930, in St. Louis, Mo. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Joseph Duffner and Agnes Anna (Stuesse) Duffner. ...

BELLEVILLE, Ill. -- Anna Vogt entered the ballgame with Three Rivers ahead by one point. Four dominant minutes later, she led the Lady Raiders to an eight-point lead that they would never relinquish. Three Rivers had trouble separating from Lindenwood-Belleville JV on Tuesday. The two squads were tied seven different times in the first half and Lindenwood led by as much as six...

Justin and Samantha Armes of Poplar Bluff, Mo. have chosen the name Spencer James Armes for their 7-pound, 7-ounce son born Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, at St. Bernard's Hospital Birthcare Center in Jonesboro, Ark. Grandparents are: Ron and Julie Spencer, Donny and Florence Armes, and Doug and Jan Bennett, all of Poplar Bluff...

With his team leading by a point, Poplar Bluff senior Tyler Harper knew exactly what he had to do Tuesday night at Peters Gym. Fourty-seven seconds later it was over. "It was going through my head, 'We need the win, we need the win,'" Harper said. "I just wasn't going to stop."...

TROY, Ala. -- Callie Stanhouse took second in the goat tying long round at the Trojan Stampede at Troy State University the weekend before Thanksgiving as Three Rivers completed the fall portion of its rodeo season. Stanhouse had an 8.6 second run and took third in the short round in 8.8 seconds. The two times were good enough for second in the average...

ORAN -- Cortez Dobbins had 10 points in the first quarter and finished with 33 for Malden, but he still wasn't the high scorer in Tuesday's matchup against Green Wave coach Andrew Halford's former team, Advance. Lane Below scored 34 points for the Hornets as Advance won 93-68 in a first round matchup of the Oran Invitational...

The Three Rivers College Music Department will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. Monday in the Tinnin Fine Arts Center. The concert will feature performances by the Collegiate Choir, the Swingsations, the Three Rivers College Gospel Choir, and the Three Rivers Symphonic Band...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Two 2014 John Deere road graders will be delivered to the Butler County Highway Department in March through a five-year buy back program. A bid from Erb Equipment Company of Cape Girardeau, Mo., was accepted Monday by Butler County Commissioners Ed Strenfel, Jeff Darnell and Butch Anderson...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The plat for the third and final phase of Timberlake Trails Subdivision was approved by the Butler County Commission Monday. Timberlake Trails is located on the south side of Highway PP approximately two miles from Bypass 67...