Stories from Saturday, March 15, 2014

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Republican-led Missouri House has passed legislation guaranteeing the right to hold rodeos in the state. Supporters say the measure protects rodeos from animal-rights groups that have raised concerns over the treatment of animals. But many House Democrats opposed the bill, citing a controversial State Fair rodeo act last year that mocked President Barack Obama...

By EMILY PRIDDY SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- When jurors begin deliberations Friday in a murder case out of Stoddard County, Mo., they will have to decide whether to believe Glen Scott Evans' words to them or his words to police. Evans, 46, took the stand on his own behalf Thursday, offering a different timeline of events than the one he gave police in a videotaped interview four nights after the Feb. 19, 2013, shooting death of 34-year-old Sean Crow of Bernie, Mo...

By RUTH CAMPBELL SEMO News Service The Missouri House of Representatives on Thursday passed a joint resolution to put before voters a state constitutional amendment to enshrine parental rights. Proposed by Rep. Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, the bill heads to the Senate when lawmakers return from a weeklong break March 24...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor A Missouri House of Representatives bill, which sought to re-classify captive deer from wildlife to livestock and place their regulatory control under the Department of Agriculture, instead of the Department of Conservation, will not advance...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor With a history spanning more than eight decades, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is about to reach another milestone as it is seeking candidates for its 100th Recruit Class. "Me, personally, I can think back, I've been on 20 years; this (the 100th class) is the 34th class since I came on," explained Sgt. Brad Haggett, who serves as the patrol's recruiter for the southeast region...

She's a really wonderful lady At Independent Living there's a lady --her name is Brandy. She just had emergency operation and had it real bad, but she's back to work now and I just want to say she's a God-send. She takes care of us old people. Don't get nothing in return except her pay and gives more than she receives. ...

By MICHELLE MALKIN At the end of 2013, Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz had some nasty words for yours truly. Irked that I used my Twitter feed to criticize her Obamacare propaganda efforts, Wasserman Schultz snarked back at me: "Thanks for spreading the word! You'll be eating them next year. #GetCovered."...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat I started my week with a hot cup of coffee and some lukewarm conversation at a local convenience store. That is not my normal routine but when the conversation turns to politics, weather and sports, I have some self-imposed obligation to throw my 2 cents in...

By MONA CHAREN The traditional family is dead, so we've been informed. It's been replaced by blended families, cohabitation, single-parent families, and, if the latest scientific controversy regarding mitochondrial DNA pans out, multiple biological parents for a single child...

Margaret Cobb PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Margaret Jane Cobb, 91, of Patterson, Mo., died Thursday, March 13, 2014, in Desloge, Mo. Arrangements are pending at this time with Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont in charge of arrangements. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhome.com...

Fourteen years ago, TaRanda Kiser (now Greene), who will be in concert at First Baptist Church at 6 p.m. Sunday, was like most high school seniors. She was headed for college and ready to conquer the world. Little could she have known what the next decade and a half would hold, after she made the decision to forsake college and audition for the popular Southern Gospel Music group, The Greenes...

Hazel Gentles PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Hazel Gentles, 87, of Piedmont died Thursday, March 13, 2014, at Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Visitation will begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday for the family and 5 p.m. for the public at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. The service will then be held at 11 a.m. Saturday also at the chapel with burial at Forest Chapel Cemetery...

Leo Hindman Leo Hindman, 89, of Harviell, Mo., died Friday, March 14, 2014, at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Edward Hilton VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Edward Riley Hilton, 88, of Van Buren died Wednesday, March 12, 2014, in Van Buren. Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Monday in the McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Terry Richardson officiating. Burial will be at Poca Hollow-Dry Valley Cemetery...

Jack Roach PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Thomas L. "Jack" Roach, 84, of Lodi, Mo., died Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation for the family will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday and public visitation will follow from 5-8 p.m. at New Hope Church in Silva, Mo. The service will then be held on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. also at New Hope Church...

With the softball season barely underway, Three Rivers coach Jack Childress has already locked up his recruiting class for next season ... and it may be his best ever. With a fancy new building and the Lady Raiders coming off back-to-back 40-plus win seasons, Childress signed seven players, the last of which put ink on the dotted line in late February. Last year, comparatively, the largely local class wasn't finalized until late spring or early summer, Childress said...

The Lady Raiders got a sweep in their home opener in the most dramatic of fashions Thursday afternoon. Jessica Menz, hurt shoulder and all, hit a walkoff, 3-run home run against Northeast Mississippi in the bottom of the seventh to secure a 7-4 win...

Margaret Lotshaw Margaret Lotshaw, 63, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, March 14, 2014, at her residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Raiders can now boast they are, and will finish, with a perfect record in night games. In their one and only night game of the season, Three Rivers got strong production from the middle of its lineup and another win out of Keven Long to finish their annual trip to Florida with a 6-3 win over Tampa University...

Edwin Ahrent CORNING, Ark.-- Edwin Ahrent, 94, of Corning passed away Thursday, March 13, 2014. Mr. Ahrent was a carpenter and was very active in his community. A veteran of World War II, he was a member of the V.F.W.-- Rapert-Poynor Post # 8347 in Corning. He was a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Corning...

Moe Millis VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Charles Clarence "Moe" Millis, 88, of Ellsinore, Mo., formerly of St. Louis, Mo., died Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014, in the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday in the White's Mill Cemetery in Ellsinore. McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren is in charge of arrangements...

Raymond Silvey PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Raymond E. Silvey, 59, of Des Arc, Mo., passed away Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at his home near Des Arc. He was born March 4, 1955, the son of Chester and Mary (Crowley) Silvey. He was a satellite technician for the Multiband Company in Paducah, Ky. He was a member of the Piedmont Masonic Lodge # 526, the Scottish Rite in St. Louis, Mo., the York Rite in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and the St. Catherine Catholic Church in Piedmont...

Vernon Johnson Vernon Gale Johnson, 67, of Fairdealing, Mo., died Wednesday, March 12, 2014, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Johnson was born Oct. 1, 1946, in Scott County, Mo., to the late Jesse and Alfreda Johnson. He was a member of Grace Christian Fellowship in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and had worked at Three Rivers College...