Stories from Wednesday, September 10, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer What does a man need to train livestock that inspired the phrase "stubborn as a Missouri mule?" Patience, according to a Dexter resident, who swept Missouri State Fair competitions in August and is up again today at the SEMO District Fair in Cape Girardeau, Mo...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor DONIPHAN, Mo. --A Doniphan man was placed on probation Friday after pleading guilty to his role in a scheme involving the falsification of affidavits for the obtaining of concealed weapons certification. Accompanied by his attorney Ralph Innes, Tyler Watkins pleaded guilty to the Class C felony of forgery before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett, according to Ripley County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Miller...

SEMO News Service After a week of no KFVS12 for those who subscribe to DirecTV, channel 12 has officially been added back to the DirecTV channel guide. For several months Raycom Media, the parent company of KFVS, and DirecTV have been trying to resolve a contract dispute; when an agreement was not made by deadline, KFVS and larger stations such as ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC were taken off the air for DirecTV customers...

By SAMANTHA RINEHART SEMO News Service The Missouri General Assembly will have no shortage of issues to consider during its Wednesday veto session. The largely Republican Legislature and Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon clashed repeatedly over bills approved in the 2014 legislative session. Sales tax cuts, agriculture and an extended abortion waiting period are among the key issues that divided the two. They are among the more than 30 bills vetoed by the governor over the summer...

By ALEX WEST DAR Staff Writer Businesses interested in healthy babies and healthy bottom lines have the opportunity to participate in the Missouri Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite Program which is a collaboration between the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Missouri Breastfeeding Coalition...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A former Poplar Bluff, Mo., resident inspired by his own personal losses to addiction has organized a fundraiser with three Grammy winning country music artists in support of a local recovery program. Scott Innes, known as the voice of Scooby-Doo, lost both his sister and his mother to alcohol and drug addiction...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A Butler County man was sentenced to five years in federal prison Monday afternoon for illegally possessing a firearm. Timothy G. Ossana, 45, was sentenced to 60 months on one felony count of being a previously-convicted felon in possession of a firearm by U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr., according to the U.S. Attorney's Office...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A bench trial on efforts to get Rocky Kingree removed from the Nov. 4 general election ballot as the Republican candidate for Division II associate circuit judge in Butler County will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17, in Wayne County Circuit Court at Greenville, Mo...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Projects being funded by the Poplar Bluff Regional Transportation Development District continue to move forward. Bob Summers of the Horner & Shifrin engineering firm in Poplar Bluff provided an update on the Oak Grove Road Phase III project between Township Line Road and the Oak Grove School...

Charles Pinkerton Sr. Charles Pinkerton Sr., 97, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

IPHC benefit dinner is Thursday IPHC will serve a benefit chicken dinner from 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Dine in, carry-out or local delivery. Call 573-686-1517. Menu: chicken, mashed potatoes/gravy, green beans, corn, hot roll and dessert. $5.95 (50 cents more for white meat)...

By ADAM APPLETON SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Less than a month away from the premiere of "Gone Girl," there may be no town more anxious for its arrival than Cape Girardeau. The movie's production was the talk of the town, but what has residents excited now? Here are a few things that have Cape "Gone Girl" wild:...

The Islamic State and the other advocates of Shariah law are growing rapidly, along with their zeal to eradicate or convert all "infidels." For those who are asleep at the wheel, in the opinion of these fanatics, most of Western civilization -- including America -- fits into the infidel category...

To the Editor: It saddens me when I hear about the wildfires that have recently threatened some of our national natural treasures. My favorite national park, Yosemite, was recently threatened by the drought stricken northwest wild fires, and also forests in the state of Washington...

Jimmy Elledge Jimmy Ray Elledge, 73, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away peacefully, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, at his home in the arms of Jesus. Mr. Elledge was born Aug. 5, 1941 in Mill Springs, Mo. to the late Milford and Nettie Elledge. He and Nancy Brooks were married Oct. ...

I've got a bruise on my arm made by a woolly mammoth. It came running out of nowhere and stabbed me with its tusks. There's a scrape on my shin from an emergency rescue mission and a bump on my head from the collapse of a cave. But I am not complaining. Being a nana is an adventure. It's not for sissies or whiners...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN About how America became involved in certain wars, many conspiracy theories have been advanced -- and some have been proved correct. When James K. Polk got his declaration of war as Mexico had "shed American blood upon the American soil," Rep. Abraham Lincoln demanded to know the exact spot where it had happened...

Brooklyn Grace Robinson is the name chosen by Laurie Leann and Caleb Andrew Robinson of Malden, Mo. for their 6-pound, 12-ounce daughter born at 10:49 a.m. Monday, Aug. 25, 2014 at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Brooklyn was 19 inches long...

Daisy Crawford DONIPHAN, Mo.-- Daisy Velma Crawford, 75, of Manila, Ark., died Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, in the Manila Nursing Home. Mrs. Crawford was born Oct. 12, 1938, in the Big Barren Community of Ripley County to the late Redden (Buster) Taylor of Doniphan, and the late Leta Bridges Taylor Woody of Steele, Mo. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Steele, and had worked as a supervisor in a nursing home...

Alzheimer's meeting at Doniphan Current River Nursing Center of Doniphan, Mo., will host an Alzheimer's meeting for the community at 6 p.m. Sept. 16 in the dining room. There will be a special speaker, Larry Lawrence, from Senior Care in Pocahontas, Ark., and refreshments will be served. Current River Nursing Center is hoping to hold these meetings quarterly, according to the number of participants. For more information call Sheila Day at 573-996-4239...

Roberta Dicken Roberta Ann Dicken, 54, of Poplar Bluff, died Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 in her residence. Visitation will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. Funeral services will follow at 9:30 a.m. at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home...

By MICHELLE MALKIN The Sisters Tsarnaev have been nothing but trouble. Double, bubbling trouble. While their Boston Marathon bomber brother Dzhokhar awaits trial this month for the bloody 2012 attacks that killed three and injured hundreds, his elder Chechen immigrant siblings Ailina and Bella remain on the loose in the U.S. after their own frequent run-ins with the law...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A night after splitting with St. Pius X, last year's Class 2 state runner up, the Dexter Lady Bearcats had to face the Lady Lancers again. For the Gold Bracket championship of the Notre Dame VolleyballFest Saturday night, the Lady Bearcats hung with the Lady Lancers but took a 25-23, 25-20 loss...

Shelby Moon's single loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth inning Monday but Neelyville couldn't produce another hit when the Tigers needed it most. Poplar Bluff freshman Shelby Sievers tossed a four-hit shutout, escaping jam after jam, as the Mules beat Neelyville 4-0 at Bacon Park...

NAMI support group meeting set The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Family Support Group will meet from 6:30-8 p.m. the third Monday of each month, starting Sept. 15, at New Life Christian Church, United at 2755 Barron Road. This meeting offers free support for caregivers and families of individuals with a mental illness. Contact Kathy at 573-778-6881 or Debbie at 573-778-6556 for more information...

Meet the Raiders was a bit bigger this year. New "Voice of the Raiders" Roger Burton introduced this year's men's and women's teams and, in the process, openly joked with packed stands about some of the difficult names he was tasked with learning. Burton takes over for longtime Raiders announcer Wilbur Thornton, who was the team's play-by-play man during the 1992 men's national championship team...

Tona F. Arnold Tona F. Arnold, 75, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Sept. 5, 2014 at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Aug. 5, 1939 in Peach Orchard, Mo. Tona was a long time resident of Butler County. She was married to Ravonne Sonny Arnold for many years. He preceded her in death...

Despite a slow start, the Poplar Bluff volleyball team breezed to a 25-16, 25-11 sweep of Kennett on Monday night at Peters Gym. Halle Huffman and Lauren Rowland each recorded five kills to lead the Mules (6-4-1) while Kori Tapp had 15 assists and six digs...

Charles Edward Pinkerton, Sr. Charles Edward Pinkerton, Sr., 97, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center surrounded by his family. Mr. Pinkerton was born Aug. 2, 1917 in Poplar Bluff to the late John H. ...

Harold Foster BLOOMFIELD, Mo.--Harold Junior Foster, 84, of Bloomfield, died Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, at the V. A. Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m., Wednesday, at the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield with Pastor Jimmy Fingers of Dexter officiating...

Clifford Trammel POCAHONTAS, Ark. -- Maynard-Clifford Trammel Jr. 49, passed away Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014. Clifford was born Jan. 8, 1965 to the late Clifford Sr. and Dorothy Gooch Trammel in Hayti, Mo. He is survived by his wife, Wanda Gibbs Trammel, of the home, children: Rebecca (Cody) Simpson of Pocahontas, William "Zach" (Jasmine) Trammel of Maynard, Ark., Loren Trammel, Dominick Trammel, Stephanie Trammel, Elizabeth Trammel, Ethan Stout and Emily Stout,, all of Maynard; grandchildren: Arabella Trammel of Maynard and Maddox Simpson of Pocahontas; brothers: Lonnie Stout of Savanah, Tenn. ...

Imogene Alice Gilliland NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Imogene Alice Gilliland, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014 at the Manor in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Gilliland was a homemaker. She was born Oct. 29, 1929, in Naylor, Mo. She married Phillip Gilliland May 25, 1949, in Pocahonas, Ark. He survives...

Charles Wilson CAMPBELL, Mo.--Charles Junior Wilson, 76, of Holcomb, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 at his residence. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Landess Funeral Chapel in Campbell with Rev. Harold Dunbar officiating...

PIEDMONT -- The Clearwater Tigers picked up another big win Monday as it beat a Class 1 quarterfinalist from last year in Lesterville, 22-25, 26-24, 25-19. "I'm proud of the girls for coming back after losing the first set," Clearwater coach Sara Hampton said. "They played well as a team tonight and played smart."...