Stories from Wednesday, March 19, 2014

By EMILY PRIDDY SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- After about two and a half hours of deliberation, a Cape Girardeau County jury on Friday convicted Glen Scott Evans of second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 34-year-old Sean Crow of Bernie, Mo...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor SHANNON COUNTY, Mo. -- Staff from the Missouri Department of Conservation came across an interesting thing when they went to check on a female black bear in its winter den last week in rural Shannon County - a pair of young cubs...

By NOREEN HYSLOP SEMO News Service ESSEX, Mo. -- Police are looking for two suspects after the robbery Monday morning of the First Commercial Bank branch in Essex. According to Stoddard County Sheriff Carl Hefner, two suspects described as black males entered the bank at 11:25 a.m. Monday and demanded money...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Neelyville board members discussed a proposed bond issue Monday night in preparation for community meetings later this week. The first meeting will be held in the Hillview cafeteria today at 6:30 p.m. Another will follow Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Neelyville cafeteria...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Neelyville schools will pay an additional $43,500 in insurance premiums for the 2014-15 school year, Superintendent Brad Hagood announced at Monday night's meeting. As part of the Missouri Educators Unified Health Plan consortium, the district's base PPO 2500 plan features a $2,500 individual and $7,500 family deductible. Prescription co-pays vary by tier from $10 to $75. The plan premium was $519.12 per month per employee in 2013-14 and will increase to $576.77...

Merle Kuenzle GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Merle June Kuenzle, 93, of Greenville died Saturday, March 15, 2014, at her residence. Visitation will be held Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Ruegg Funeral Home in Greenville. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. also at the chapel. Burial will be in Greenville Cemetery...

David Sadler David Sadler, 78, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, March 16, 2014, at his residence. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN In the last stanza of "The Battle of Blenheim," Robert Southey writes: "But what good came of it at last?" Quoth little Peterkin. "Why, that I cannot tell," said he; "But 'twas a famous victory." What did it really matter? The poet was asking of the triumph of the Duke of Marlborough -- "Who this great fight did win."...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- In September 1958, a future columnist, then 17, was unpacking as a college freshman when upperclassmen hired by tobacco companies knocked on his dormitory door, distributing free mini-packs of cigarettes. He and many other aspiring sophisticates became smokers. ...

Merle Kuenzle GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Merle June Kuenzle, 93, of Greenville died Saturday, March 15, 2014, at her residence. Arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home in Greenville.

Amos Burleson DEXTER, Mo. -- Amos Burleson, 70, of Dexter died Saturday, March 15, 2014, at his home near Dexter. Visitation will be held from noon to 8 p.m. today at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel with Kevin Swain of Malden, Mo., officiating. Burial will be in Hagy Cemetery...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Back in September, our family received an Obamacare-induced health insurance death notice. We joined millions of other Americans whose individual market health plans died after Democrats lied about our ability to keep the plans and doctors we liked. President Obama tried to "fix" the mess he created. But as usual, the federal government's solutions have made things even worse...

Johnie Britt DEXTER, Mo. -- Johnie Clarence Britt, 78, of Clarkston, Mich, formerly of Dexter, died Thursday, March 13, 2014, at St. Joseph Hospital in Pontiac, Mich. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. A grave side service will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday at Chalk Bluff Cemetery in rural Dexter...

Malden man dies in wreck A 36-year-old Malden, Mo., man was killed in a one-vehicle crash at 6:20 p.m. Saturday on Highway DD at Wilhelmina, Mo. According to the report, Thadduas E. Tank was operating a 2005 Dodge Durango eastbound when it ran off the left side of the road and down an embankment. Tank's SUV then reportedly struck several trees and overturned...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN In assessing the motives and actions of Vladimir Putin, Hillary Clinton compared them to Adolf Hitler's. Almost always a mistake. After 12 years in power, Hitler was dead, having slaughtered millions and conquered Europe from the Atlantic to the Urals...

Does DAR lean to right? I have a question about your opinion page. I have noticed that it contains commentary nearly exclusively by Fox News commentators who seem to have a shall we say "rightward" slant to their opinions. Does this reflect your opinions? You do realize that some of your readers may not agree with these commentators and start to wonder about your politics and using the only newspaper as a political tool instead of a community service. Just wondering.....

By MONA CHAREN Just try to envision the scene: A newly elected Republican mayor of a large American city takes steps to close down some of the best schools serving an almost exclusively minority population. You know how it would go. We'd be hearing that Republicans "hate" the poor. The words "cruel," "vicious" and "racist" would circle the new mayor like sharks. News organizations would examine where the mayor sent his own children, and his hypocrisy would be fiercely denounced...

Bloomfield student gets scholarship Becca Bolin of Bloomfield R-14 High School in Bloomfield, Mo., has been accepted to Culver-Stockton College for enrollment in the fall 2014 semester. Along with acceptance to the College, Bolin has been awarded the Trustee's Scholarship, a four-year award. Bolin's anticipated major is biological chemistry...

Bud Tank CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Bud Tank, 36, of Malden, Mo., died Saturday, March 15, 2014, in an automobile accident in Wilhelmina, Mo. 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 Mr. Allen Massey officiating. Burial will be in Elder Cemetery in Campbell...

Pete Watson CORNING, Ark. -- Norman "Pete" Watson, 88, of Corning passed away Sunday, March 16, 2014, at Corning Therapy and Living Center in Corning. Mr. Watson was born in Crockett, Ark., on Sept. 30, 1925. He was a retired farmer and service station owner/operator. He enjoyed duck hunting, fishing and spending time with his grandchildren...

Doniphan senior Kalli Hill was recently named to an elite list of student-athletes. Hill is one of just 40 high school volleyball players in the United States named to the 2013 PrepVolleyball.com Academic All-American team. She is just one of three Missourians to garner the honor...

Robert Overbey Robert Wayne Overbey, 77, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, March 15, 2014, at his residence. Mr. Overbey was born Feb. 19, 1937, in Rombauer, Mo., to the late Albert and Jane Wilson Overbey. Having served proudly for over 20 years in the US Air Force, he retired on March 1, 1975, as a master sergeant. Mr. Overbey enjoyed spending time with his family, collecting coins, fishing and playing golf...

David Sadler David Sadler, 77, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, March 16, 2014, at his residence. Mr. Sadler was born Nov. 23, 1936, in Butler County to the late Shelmer and Maude (Badgley) Sadler. He was a retired foreman at Florsheim Shoe and enjoyed fishing, knife collecting and nature watching. He was a member of Abundant Life Christian Center...

Landon Cary FISK, Mo. -- Landon Sylbert Cary, 90, of Fisk died Sunday, March 16, 2014, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Born March 29, 1923, at Fisk, Mr. Cary was a mechanic and truck driver and had served in the U.S. Navy during WWII...

Nearly Perfect Shoes celebrated its 25th anniversary on March 14. Founded by Alan and Jeannine Kaufman in 1989, Nearly Perfect Shoes is a family-owned business. The company maintains the same core values as the day it started with strong product savings, selection and a consistent commitment to its patrons, community organizations, local teams, schools, charities and various partners, according to the owners...

Haley West NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Haley Dominique West, 14, of Doniphan, Mo., formerly of Corning and Reyno, Ark., died at 4:57 p.m. Friday, March 14, 2014, at St. Louis Children's Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. Friday for family at Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville. ...