Stories from Thursday, February 27, 2014

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Three candidates for U.S. representative in Congressional Dist. 8 filed Tuesday in the Missouri Secretary of State Office. Republican Jason Smith of Cape Girardeau, who is the incumbent, was the first Dist. 8 candidate to file. The other two candidates are Democrat Barbara Stocker of Silva and Doug Enyart of Piedmont, who is a Constitution Party member...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Time was the most important thing community members were asked to give Tuesday night, during a fundraiser held by a group that supports the tax levy measure Poplar Bluff schools will put before voters April 8. Success hinges on the time it takes to cast a yes vote and the time it takes to bring friends and neighbors to the polls, speakers said...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Legislation is moving through both chambers of Missouri's legislature, which could change the way the Missouri Department of Conservation does business, prompting concerns from sportsmen and conservation groups. Senate Joint Resolution 42 and House Joint Resolution 57 both seek to require any rules and regulations passed by a state agency to be approved by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR), which is made up of five senators and five representatives.. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor On Friday, one of Poplar Bluff's iconic businesses will close its doors for the last time. Riggs Building Supplies and Home Center opened its first store in Poplar Bluff nearly 51 years ago. For decades it was one of the most thriving building supply and hardware stores in the city. But floods, the economy and chain store competition have taken a toll...

Check on your neighbors Today I saw an article in your newspaper about the weather, or being cold, can cause stroke in higher-risk elders or seniors, I should say. I would like to ask your readers to make sure you check on your neighbor if they are elderly and make sure they are nice and warm and if they cannot fix their furnace in good working order --do not have the funds--you may ask their landlord or maybe find some other resources if they own their homes. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Religious Right Cheers a Bill Allowing Refusal to Serve Gays." Thus did the New York Times' headline, leaving no doubt as to who the black hats are, describe the proposed Arizona law to permit businesses, on religious grounds, to deny service to same-sex couples...

Along with Sen. Mike Cunningham, R-Marshfield, I co-sponsored Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 22, which urges the National Park Service to take one of three options in regard to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR): 1) Choose the "no-action alternative" option of the general management plan, 2) Enter into negotiations with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) for the return of the ONSR to the State of Missouri, or 3) Enter into a contract with the MDC for the management, operation, and maintenance of the ONSR. ...

By MIKE JENSON Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat The problem with drawing a line in the sand is that sometimes, the other guy ignores your line. So then what do you do? This administration is increasingly tumbling in international standing and has become a toothless tiger with ample roar and limited punch...

PUXICO, Mo. -- The Mingo National Wildlife Refuge office has moved from the temporary office location to the site of the new visitor center. The visitor center is still under construction and the exhibit area will remain closed during the ongoing construction. However, a temporary visitor contact station has been set up in the east wing of the building to assist visitors with any questions and to sell refuge permits...

Grace Fondren Grace C. Fondren, 93, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor If you are a hunter or angler in Missouri, don't forget your 2013 licenses expire Friday. That means you'll need to pick up new 2014 ones before heading out this weekend. With that in mind, I'll say I think the Missouri Department of Conservation needs to reconsider one big aspect of its permit system, namely all the paperwork which needs to be carried around...

A special art show and silent auction to benefit the Animal Welfare Alliance of Southeast Missouri will be begin with the Unleash Reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 11, and will end with the Tail End Reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 25, at Artfully Framed. ...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Preparations are underway for Ozark National Scenic Riverways to accomplish several prescribed burns this spring. The burns will be carefully planned and monitored by the park's fire management staff and will be performed between late February and mid-April...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The Heartland Gobblers chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will host its 21st annual Superfund Banquet on March 8 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The event will kick off at 5 p.m. at the Brown-Mabry American Legion Post No. 153 off Kanell Boulevard...

By RUTH CAMPBELL SEMO News Service The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri has filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of a gun advocate who contends his free-speech rights were violated by a Scott County Sheriff's Department captain, according to an ACLU news release...

VAN BUREN -- Once again, the Ozark Foothills Conference has shown who the best two teams are in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 girls tournament. For the second consecutive year, Neelyville Lady Tigers and the Greenville Lady Bears will meet with the title on the line...

A rollercoaster season came to a screeching halt Tuesday night for the Three Rivers College women's basketball team. The Lady Raiders went three minutes without scoring late before Jefferson held on at the free-throw line to win the Region XVI quarterfinal 78-72 at the Bess Activity Center...

KENNETT -- Some teams win games with a 1-2 punch. Tuesday night, the Poplar Bluff Mules used an inside-out punch to beat Kennett. Poplar Bluff got a big first half from center Stacy Gipson, then hit three 3-pointers as part of a game-turning third quarter surge to defeat the Tribe 63-44 Tuesday night in the regular-season finale for both teams...

PARK HILLS -- Three Rivers coach Gene Bess went into the Region XVI Tournament believing, deep down, that the Raiders would beat Mineral Area. They didn't. "You work all year and you play 30 ball games, more or less, to get ready for this game and you've covered everything that you know to cover," Bess said. "So you come to a game like this and you are sitting over there just waiting to see if we couldn't come up with some good chemistry and ride someone's shirt tail."...

The Raiders did a whole lot of celebrating at home plate Tuesday. After turning Thursday's road trip to Harrisburg, Ill. into a home game, Three Rivers took advantage with a pair of walk-off hits in the doubleheader sweep against Southeastern Illinois...

RISCO -- The top-seeded Clarkton Reindeer sprinted out to a 26-point halftime lead as they punched their ticket to the MSHSAA Class 1 District 1 championship game with an 87-71 win Tuesday night over the Naylor. The Reindeer (16-9) will face the second-seeded Risco Tigers Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Risco defeated Delta C7 60-52 in the other semifinal on Tuesday night...

CHAFFEE -- The Oran boys basketball team had one main focus entering Tuesday night's Class 2 District 3 semifinal against Ellington, and that was to slow down Ellington freshman standout Marshon Morrissey. "We really wanted to make [Morrissey] work to catch the basketball, and we wanted to push in transition," Oran coach Joe Shoemaker said...

Patricia Womack VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Patricia Ann (Trish) Womack, 75, died Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, at her home in DeSoto, Mo. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday in the McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren with the funeral service following at 1 p.m. Brother Mark Olds will officiate. Burial will be in the Gresham Cemetery...

John Evans John Monroe Evans, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Evans, who had been disabled since birth, was born April 18,1947, in Poplar Bluff to the late Woodrow and Mildred (Shoat) Evans. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Evans enjoyed spending time with his family and extended family and caregivers at Oakdale Care Center, listening to country music and watching western movies...

Brad and Emily Peters of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Bailey Dianne Peters for their 6-pound, 13-ounce daughter who was born Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Bailey was 19 and one-half inches long. Grandparents are Gene and Nelda Holliday and Melvin and Kathy Hamblin, all of Fredericktown, Mo., Kelly and Terry Stewart of Poplar Bluff and Jack and Tracy Peters of Puxico, Mo. ...

Irene Arthur BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. -- Irene Wilhoit Arthur of Aventura, Fla., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., left this world on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014. Born June 19, 1929, in Munich, Germany, she is survived by her husband, John Arthur of Aventura; her daughter, Liane and son-in-law, Tom Lynch; and grandson, Joe Lynch. Also surviving her is daughter-in-law, Pat Wilhoit...

Everett Nance Sr. DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Everett Theodore Nance Sr., 79, of Grandin, Mo. died Monday, Feb. 24, 2014, at his residence. Mr. Nance, son of Ernest and Bertha (Cannon) Nance, was born Feb. 8, 1935, in Grandin. He was self-employed, having worked in the construction and grocery business. He enjoyed playing cards, gambling, spending time with family and visiting with people...