Stories from Monday, July 14, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Five-year-old Isabella Halliburton can sum up the summer program at Wheatley School in one word, "amazing." Almost in kindergarten, Halliburton will spend the next month learning skills that will serve her well when she starts school in August, like how to line up and how to follow instructions...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Laptops will be distributed to Poplar Bluff junior and senior high students Aug. 4-8. Classes start Aug. 14. Pick up times are scheduled in alphabetic order, by last name. Letters will be mailed to families in the next week explaining specifics. Appointments can be rescheduled if needed...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer In a world built on iPhones, tablets and instant access to information, Poplar Bluff art teacher Christina Swint doesn't believe her students can find the success they dream of with lessons that lag behind. There is no job that will not involve technology, Swint said...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Voters in the Oak Grove Precinct have a new permanent polling place. Butler County Clerk Tonyi Deffendall has arranged for Oak Grove voters to cast their ballots in the Fellowship Hall at Fellowship General Baptist Church...

Darby Provance and Ryan Carel, both of La Monte, Mo., exchanged vows Saturday, June 7, 2014 at Spirit Chapel, Whiteman AFB, Mo. with Father Bill Miller and Deacon Joe LeMay officiating at the Mass and double-ring ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Tom and Mary Provance of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Still good people in US I'm calling about an incident Sunday night, May 25th, on Highway 51 in Fisk my dog was run over and killed. A young man stopped to tell me. He was not the man that ran over the dog, but he stopped and he came to the door and told me and then he buried my dog for me. I was too upset to get his name, but I really want to thank him and I am so glad we still have wonderful good people in America...

Iroval Carpenter Iroval Neal Carpenter, 97, of Paragould, Ark., passed away Thursday, July 10, 2014, at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center, in Paragould. Mr. Carpenter was born Dec. 28, 1916, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., to the late Epheriam and Leona Shoat Carpenter. He was a self-employed businessman, and served his country in the United States Navy, and enjoyed watching westerns in his later years...

Paul Ballew Paul E. Ballew, 87 of Williamsville, Mo. passed from this life Wednesday, July 9, 2014. Visitation will be 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. Funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. with Jim Schremp officiating. Burial will follow at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Butler County with full military honors...

Rudy Kanell Rudy Lee Kanell, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Thursday, July 10, 2014, at his home. Mr. Kanell was born July 10, 1948, in Poplar Bluff to the late Claudie Lee Kanell and Ruth Elizabeth (Burks) Kanell. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during the Vietnam War...

Melvin Spencer NEELYVILLE, Mo.--Melvin Spencer, 69, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, July 11, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born Oct. 16, 1944 in Butler County to George and Betty (Wilson) Spencer. Mr. Spencer was a lifelong resident of Butler County and never married. He worked in feed sales for Kings Farm Center...

Charles Christian Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Sunday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home chapel with Rev. Alice Fowler officiating. Burial will follow in the Bloomfield Cemetery...

Aubree Pelliccio Infant Aubree Skye Pelliccio died Monday, July 7, 2014, just a few minutes after being born at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. A graveside service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Butler County. Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home of Poplar Bluff, Mo., is in charge of arrangements...

Bob Medlin MALDEN, Mo. -- Bob Medlin, 79, of Malden died Friday, July 11, 2014, at his home. Funeral services will be from 6-8 p.m. Monday at Landess Funeral Home in Malden. Funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Rosewood Cemetery First Addition in Malden...

Murdean Warbington Murdean Warbington, 90, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Saturday, July 12, 2014, at her residence. Mrs. Warbington was born Dec. 28, 1923, in Sikeston, Mo., to the late Ray and Maude (Jeffries) Wisdom. On March 29, 1946 she married Joseph Ward Warbington in Sikeston, he preceded her in death July 6, 1975. ...

Lester Scott Jr. Lester Ellis Scott Jr., 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Thursday, July 11, 2004, at his residence. Cotrell Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.

By SHARON RANDALL McClatchy-Tribune News Service We were young then, with our whole lives before us, starry-eyed blind to all that lay ahead. I went running up the steps of the church - late, yes, to my own wedding- when I spotted them out of the corner of my eye hurrying along beside me...

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the last of three stories about Poplar Bluff, Mo., writer Carolyn Smith's travels to Africa. By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer After our Botswana adventure, my daughter and I slept in Monday morning, opting for a leisurely breakfast at a quaint, little bistro across the street from Fawlty Towers. ...

Charlie Elayne Kinsey is the name chosen by Charles and Christen Kinsey of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for their 5-pound, 15-ounce daughter born at 10:09 p.m., Friday, May 2, 2014 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was 20 inches long. Grandparents are: Doug and Emily Smith, Ronnie and Sharon Kinsey, all of Poplar Bluff, and Larry Acre, Jr. of Benton, Mo...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff School District will begin its second, and perhaps most ambitious, part of the 1-1 digital transformation in August. Every high school student, about 1,400 teens, will receive a laptop as part of a program district leaders believe will better prepare graduates to compete in a technology-driven world...

Poplar Bluff Children's Dentistry just had that winning smile Friday night. With three straight innings of five or more runs, Children's Dentistry first had to hold off PMB, Inc and then pulled away to win the Park Department Pony League Tournament championship, 20-10, in six innings at McLane Park...

CHARLESTON -- After going toe-to-toe for 10 innings Friday, Poplar Bluff and Piedmont are both fighting to keep their seasons going at the Senior Babe Ruth state tournament today. Piedmont edged the Poplar Bluff Mules 4-2 in extra innings Friday but the Riverdogs were knocked into the elimination side of the bracket with a 6-5 loss Saturday to the Leopold Pirates...

Pitchers for Buffalo Wild Wings struck out 10 and got plenty of defensive help, including a triple play, in the Park Department Civic League Tournament championship Friday night at McLane Park. They allowed just one hit in an 11-5 win over Shooter's Shack and it came by the slimmest of margins...

The boys of Ozark Fitness got their first taste of what underdogs can do, and it tastes sweet. Ozark Fitness lost its first five games of the season and was the bottom seed going into the Park Department Civic League Tournament but won the championship game 16-11 over third-seeded Nordyne on Friday at McLane Park...