Stories from Wednesday, June 4, 2014

By SAMANTHA RINEHART SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. --The time Ben Affleck came to town will be a story told throughout Cape Girardeau for years to come. As he and a host of other Hollywood stars traveled the city's streets filming 20th Century Fox's "Gone Girl," behind-the-scenes crew bought props and construction equipment from local stores, ate at local restaurants and recruited some locals as extras in the movie...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A judge will decide in July whether a Neelyville, Mo., man should stand trial for allegedly abusing his 2-year-old daughter after his case was continued Monday afternoon as prosecutors seek immunity for his wife...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Following a long discussion, 49 appointments to 18 city boards were approved by the Poplar Bluff City Council Monday night. Council members Betty Absheer and Ed DeGaris questioned why applicants were being considered for appointments who did not apply by the May 12 deadline...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Poplar Bluff Municipal Library District has agreed to repay the city $489,833.98. "The library agrees to pay back monies provided by the city that supplemented library operations for the tax years 2008-2012," Library Director Sue Crites Szostak said...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Interest rate quotes from seven local banks on a loan to purchase two new pumper trucks for the Poplar Bluff Fire Department were reviewed during the Poplar Bluff City Council meeting Monday night. "The estimated cost of two new pumpers will be approximately $900,000," Fire Chief Ralph Stucker said...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Aaron Decker, a loan officer at Southern Bank, questioned Mayor Angela Pearson Monday night about information she presented to multiple investigative agencies nearly a year ago. "I don't know the status. I can't talk about none of it because of pending litigation," Pearson answered...

Charlene Clark Charlene Jeanette Clark, 63, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away at home on Friday, May 30, 2014. Mrs. Clark was born Oct. 24, 1950 in Turkey Creek, Ky., to the late Kellie and Della Music Mills. On April 30, 1969, she and Joseph A. Clark were married in Elizabethtown, N.C. He preceded her in death Sept. 24, 2012...

Jordan Hardwick VAN BUREN, Mo. - Jordan Darrel "Pooter" Hardwick, 20, of Van Buren, Mo., died Sunday, June 1, 2014 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. A visitation for the public will be held 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Fremont Baptist Church with funeral service to follow at 11 a.m...

By BEN CARSON More discussion on the topic of pragmatism and politics is critical. If conservatives decide to take their marbles and go home rather than fight to the bitter end because they feel their principles have been compromised, they will needlessly subject future generations to untold misery...

Roy J. Gillihan Roy J. Gillihan, 79, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Monday, June 2, 2014, at Mark Twain Caring Center. Mr. Gillihan was born Sept. 28, 1934, in Hardy, Ark., to the late Lewis E. and Violet Young Gillihan. On May 31, 1952, he married Clettea D. Campbell, in Piggott, Ark. He served his country in the United States Army, was owner operator of a monument company and also did trucking and dump trucking. He enjoyed spending time with his family and loved horses and trading cars...

Karen Stewart WAPPAPELLO, Mo. - Karen Stewart, 67, of Wappapello, Mo., died Monday, June 2, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Wappapello, Mo.

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- It is said that the problem with the younger generation -- any younger generation -- is that it has not read the minutes of the last meeting. Barack Obama, forever young, has convenient memory loss: It serves his ideology. ...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Behold Canada and America. One country supports the efforts of a U.S. special forces soldier's widow to hold accountable the jihadist who killed her husband and the father of her two young children. The other country helped free that jihadist from Guantanamo Bay in a shady deal that appeased his far-left allies...

AT 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Mo 734 held its weekly meeting at the 1st Presbyterian Church, corner of Main/Oak Streets. There were 11 TOPS and three KOPS members present when leader, Linda Morgan, convened the meeting...

The Poplar Bluff High School Class of 1959 will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday for a picnic lunch at the Missouri Pacific Depot. Please bring a sack lunch. All class members, spouses and guests are invited. Any questions, call 573-686-1019 or 573-718-5900...

Darlene E. Beezley Darlene E. Beezley, 82, died Sunday, June 1, 2014, at her residence in Patterson, Mo. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Thursday also at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont...

Alice Minton Alice Minton, 60, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Sunday, June 1, 2014 at her residence. She was born Nov. 10, 1953 in St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Minton was a homemaker. She is survived by her husband, Hollis Minton, two sons, Scott Zimmer and Corey Bertram, a sister, Robin Arthur, a brother, Michael Zimmer, and one grandchild, Trinity Zimmer...

Leonard Woodfin Leonard Lee Woodfin, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Monday, June 02, 2014, at John J. Pershing V.A. Medical Center. Visitation is from 6 - 8 p.m. Wednesday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel, with a 10:30 a.m. funeral service on Thursday. Cotrell Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements. A full obituary will be published in Wednesday's paper...

Dennis Lynn Mothersbaugh DEXTER, Mo.- Dennis Lynn Mothersbaugh, 62, died Friday, May 30, 2014 at his residence in Dexter. A memorial service will be conducted at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Faith Lutheran Church in Dexter with Pastor Justin Sponaugle officiating. Services are being handled by the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter...

Junior Olympic Fencer, Elizabeth "Liz" Feller, granddaughter of George and Phyllis Leonard of Poplar Bluff, Mo., placed second in the North America Cup. Liz is a 17-year-old senior at Hendrick Hudson High School in New York. She won silver and a "B" rating in Division Two, fencing epee, at Minneapolis, Minn. on Saturday and is one of only 17 women in the country to hold ratings in all three weapons...

Three Rivers College pitcher Taylor Friend was so good this season, she was more likely to relieve a game than leave it. Friend was recently selected to the All-American third team after going 25-12 for the Region XVI runner-up Lady Raiders in her sophomore campaign...