Stories from Monday, March 3, 2014

By EMILY PRIDDY SEMO News Servce A virtual who's who of Southeast Missouri lawyers and judges filled the federal courthouse atrium Friday afternoon in Cape Girardeau to celebrate the career of retiring U.S. Magistrate Judge Lewis M. Blanton. Blanton served as an associate judge in Scott County before being named the first sitting U.S. magistrate judge for the southeastern division of the Eastern District of Missouri in 1991...

Carter toddler dies Fri. By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer A Carter County, Mo., toddler who nearly drowned last month died Friday morning in a St. Louis, Mo., hospital. Adrian Hindal, 2, of rural Ellsinore, Mo., was found in a creek near his family's home the morning of Feb. 24. Carter County Sheriff Rick Stephens previously said it appeared the child had only been in the water "a short time" before being discovered by family members...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Butler County Community Resource Council honored former teacher Kathern Harris on Friday as its 2013 Person of the Year. Harris, who retired from Three Rivers College in 2011, was described as someone who has devoted all of her energy to impacting the education of young people...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A winter storm warning for all of Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas is in effect from 6 a.m. Sunday through 6 a.m. Monday, according to the National Weather Service at Paducah, Ky. Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Shawan, who had a phone conference with NWS officials Friday, urges motorists to stay off the roads when they become slick Sunday...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Republican contests for Butler County presiding commissioner and Associate Circuit Judge Division III highlighted the first week of filing for the Aug. 5 primary election. Vince Lampe and Larry Kimbrow filed for presiding commissioner. They will challenge incumbent Ed Strenfel, who has not filed, but is planning to seek re-election to his third four-year term...

The Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission is encouraging all interested stakeholders to attend a public meeting to help form priorities for all modes of transportation in the region. Public comments and potential projects will be recorded and prioritized in a high, medium, or low category during a March 11 meeting at the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission located at 3019 Fair Street in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m...

Recording artist Matthew West will kick off his U.S. spring tour title, "Hello, My Name Is" Friday, March 14 at First United Methodist Church in Sikeston, Mo. West is an American Music Award Winner and Dove Award Winner. An ASCAP Christian Music Songwriter/Artist of the Year winner and lauded by The New York Times as "a vivid and compelling songwriter with impressive approaches to the familiar," four-time GRAMMY nominee Matthew West's discography includes acclaimed releases: Happy (2003), History (2005), Something to Say (2008), The Story of Your Life (2010) and Into The Light (2012).. ...

Friends and family recently gathered to celebrate the life of 3-year-old Caidan Gage Basinger, the only child of Ashley and Derek Basinger of Grandin, Mo., who lost his battle against brain cancer at 12:53 p.m., Dec. 31, at the American Legion and Black River Coliseum. ...

Oak Grove Elementary School has released its February students of the month for the 2013-2014 school year. Emma Elizabeth Miller, third grade, of Ashley Blume's homeroom class was nominated by Chrystal Pratt. She is the daughter of Michael and Joanne Miller...

Start the week off with exercise by joining the P.A.C.E. (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) class which meets at 9 a.m. in the Assembly Room every Monday and Wednesday. Enjoy The Holdens at 11:30 a.m. when they play and sing gospel songs in the dining room. ...

If you have diabetes, or prepare meals for a diabetic, choosing and preparing foods that are low in sugar, fat, and sodium can be a real challenge. The University of Missouri Extension Specialists are offering a series of cooking classes for people with diabetes or for people who prepare diabetic foods for their families and friends...

Once again it will be Jackson or Poplar Bluff playing for the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 girls championship. In each of the last 24 years either the Lady Mules have gone on to the state playoffs or Jackson. The Indians have won the last two titles, Poplar Bluff won the previous four...

BLOOMFIELD -- In both tournaments the Bernie Mules played at Bloomfield High School this season, the lead up to the championship was spectacular. But the Mules and their fans will want their memory erased of those championship games. Nearly two months after Bernie lost to Kennett by 32 points in the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament final, the top-seeded Mules' season came to end in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 championship Friday night with a 63-36 loss to No. 3 South Pemiscot...

Not much has changed since last year in the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 bracket. Jackson is again the top seed and the Poplar Bluff Mules face second-seeded Oakville in the semifinals. Well, not everything is the same. "They've got a better record," Mules coach Will Durden said of Oakville...

Raymond McCormick FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. -- Raymond Lee McCormick, 71, died Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014 at his home in Puxico, Mo. A graveside military service will be held at 3 p.m. Monday at the Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo. Wilson Funeral Home in Fredericktown is in charge of arrangements...

Keven Long and Dylan Slayton threw a pair of complete-game wins to lead the Three Rivers Raiders to a 2-0 start in Region XVI play after Friday's sweep of Maple Woods at Roger Pattillo field. "We played well. We got two great pitching performances and swung the bats well and played pretty good defense for the most part. That was all the ingredients that we needed," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said. "It is a long haul and a big grind, but it is great to get off to a good start."...

Corey William and Brandy Lashea Sifford of Wappapello, Mo. have chosen the name Gypsy Betty Gene Sifford for their 6-pound, 5-ounce daughter born at 12:04 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014 at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Gypsy was 19 and three-quarter inches long...

Adrian James Hindal DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Adrian James Hindal, 2, of Ellsinore died Friday, Feb. 28, 2014, at Children's Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Adrian was born Feb. 12, 2012 in Poplar Bluff, Mo.. to Allen and Jennica (Weaver) Hindal of Ellsinore. Survivors include his parents and one brother of the home, Darren Hindal; paternal grandparents, Nate and Bertha Hindal of Louisburg, Mo; and maternal grandparents, Lamar and Bonita Weaver of Denver, Pa...

Opal I. Miller DEXTER, Mo. -- Opal I. Miller, 85, daughter of the late Lonzo B. Wolpers and Mina Duncan Wolpers was born on July 7, 1928 in rural Dexter, and departed this life on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014 at her residence in Dexter. Mrs. Miller was a former employee of the International Shoe Company in Dexter during her younger years, before she became a homemaker. Her later years were devoted to taking loving care of her special needs daughter, Lisa...

Lillian A. Richardson Lillian A. Richardson, 97, of South Carolina, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. She was born May 11, 1916 in Fisk, Mo. to the late William A Cravens and Tina Hemingway Cravens. She was a member of the First Christian Church...