Stories from Wednesday, November 5, 2014

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The U.S. Senate contest between the Democratic incumbent Mark Pryor and the Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton and seven races for state offices will produce a big turnout during the Nov. 4 general election in Arkansas...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor City Manager Heath Kaplan will release a newsletter today explaining his recent decisions and to reply to the Daily American Republic's concerns. "I want to provide the background on the decisions I am making. There is a lot of bad information being circulated in the public," Kaplan said. "The newsletter is eight pages long. It goes through all the major financial decisions I have made."...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor An ordinance authorizing the Police Department to purchase 39 body-worn cameras, services and accessories from Taser International of Scottsdale, Ariz., was approved by the Poplar Bluff City Council Monday night...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Hundreds of Butler County voters took to the polls early Tuesday despite a scarcity of contested races on the November 2014 ballot--many saying regardless of the election's importance, they were there to exercise their right to cast a vote...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Poplar Bluff City Council will have a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in City Hall to discuss the proposed 2015 city budget and hire a financial advisory firm on a temporary basis. City Manager Heath Kaplan had planned to review the new budget Monday night, but is awaiting additional information before completing the document...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man may face weapons charges after he allegedly fired multiple shots from his second-story bedroom window at an occupied vehicle early Tuesday morning. At about 1:10 a.m., an officer with the Poplar Bluff Police Department was sent to the area of Harper and Garfield streets regarding shots having been fired...

To the Editor: The political situation in our country has gotten to be who can throw the most dirt. Watching TV lately has begun to be ridiculous, all you get is one politician saying how bad it would be if their opponent wins the race, and, their opponent stating how wrong it would be for them to win, both blaming the other for everything that has gone wrong. Being here in Southeast Missouri, we get bombarded with the same thing from the politicians in Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky...

The Poplar Bluff Municipal Library is hosting an exhibition of the top 20 award-winning photographs from the 9th Annual Mingo Swamp Flora & Fauna Photography Contest, on loan to the library from the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Lasting throughout November, the exhibit is open to the public and admission is free. Amateur and professional photographers of all ages competed in the annual contest, being judged in three divisions of youth, adult, and professional...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Wendy Russell Davis is on fire. And I don't mean that in a good way. I mean it in a five-alarm, set-her-own-skirt-aflame, billowing-human-torch kind of way. To say that Davis is smokin' hot is not a compliment. It's a campaign incineration status update...

To the Editor: The Qulin Nutrition Center wishes to thank everyone who visited our yard/bake sale. Thank you to all who donated baked goods and sale items. We wish to extend a special thank you to the Modern Woodsmen of America for sponsoring our fundraising event. ...

Sharon Rippee Sharon Sue Rippee, 69, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

Cletus Scott DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Cletus William Scott, 85, of Doniphan, departed this life Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014, at Southeast Health Center of Ripley County. Mr. Scott was born Sept. 21, 1929, in Elmstore, Ark., to Leonard and Dezlee (Bounds) Scott. He was self-employed as a carpenter and farmer. ...

Jerry Reed Jerry Reed, 79, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service.

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- Is this election really about nothing? Democrats might like to think so, but it's not. First, like all U.S. elections, it's about the economy. The effect of the weakest recovery in two generations is reflected in President Obama's 13-point underwater ratings for his handling of the economy...

By BEN CARSON I have had a fulfilling career as a pediatric neurosurgeon, which unfortunately included numerous instances where worst-case scenarios played out in the operating room. Good surgeons plan ahead for these possible events so that bad outcomes are minimized. But of course, few treatment plans will succeed if the doctor continually fails to make a proper diagnosis before surgery begins...

By MONA CHAREN When I fretted to my friend and colleague Jay Nordlinger that Republicans may learn the wrong lessons from success in 2014, he noted sagely that he prefers to wait until the results are in before drawing any lessons. While that ought to have stayed my hand, I think some contours are discernible, and so I plunge in!...

Alysha Liu Alysha Liu, 27, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014, at the Sonshine Home, where she had resided for the past 18 years in Poplar Bluff. Alysha was born May 1, 1987, in Springfield, Mo., to Chin Yu and Li Mei Liu. She attended New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and was disabled...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN As it stands today, Republicans will add seats in the House and recapture the Senate on Tuesday. However, the near-certainty is that those elections will be swiftly eclipsed by issues of war, peace, immigration and race, all of which will be moved front and center this November...

Jerry Reed Jerry Reed, 79, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. Cotrell Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements...

Pamela Reazin DEXTER, Mo.-- Pamela Sue Reazin, 58, of Dexter, died Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 at her residence. Arrangements are being handled by the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

Marion West Marion Weldon West, 85, a prominent businessman and civic leader of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, Nov. 3, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at the First United Methodist Church with the funeral at 10:30 a.m. Friday. The arrangements are pending by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff...

Oak Grove Elementary's October Students of the Month are: First Grade Lily Acree was nominated by her teacher, Traci Allen. Lily is not sure what she wants to be when she grows up, but she enjoys listening to music and playing with her dog. Lily has shown much growth in the classroom. ...

Every question mark is going to get tested tonight. The Three Rivers Lady Raiders open their season at home against Vincennes at 6 p.m. at the Bess Activity Center. Coach Jeff Walk has been saying for several months that this team will be quicker than last year, and hopefully, better defensively. The guard-heavy lineup will spend a lot of time trapping, pressing and running...

Mildred L. York Mildred L. York, 85, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born Jan. 28, 1929 in Detroit, Mich. to the late Robert and Annie Dobson Jiles. She was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff. She was a member of the First Baptist Church...

Rev. Lex Junior Horner DEXTER, Mo.-- Rev. Lex Junior Horner, 78, of Dexter, departed this life for his heavenly home on Friday, Oct. 31, 2014 at Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County. Visitation was held from Noon until 2 p.m on Monday, Nov. 3, 2014 at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter. Funeral services were then conducted at 2 p.m. Monday in the funeral home chapel, with Mike Pope and Gary Kelly officiating. Interment followed in the Dexter Cemetery...

Carolyn Massey Carolyn "Betty" Massey, 92, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014, at the Westwood Hills Healthcare. Mrs. Massey was born June 27, 1922, in Poplar Bluff to the late David M. Gullette and Leona (Perry) Gullette. She was a member of Fellowship General Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. She was a retired LPN, and a foster grandmother at Oak Grove School. She enjoyed spending time with her family and camping...

Sharon Rippee Sharon Sue Rippee, 69, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014. No more sorrow, no more pain, she's walking the streets of glory. She was born Aug. 27, 1945, to her parents Jack and Dora, who preceded her in death. They were from Dixon, Mo...

Eric Summers dedication At 12:15 p.m. Nov. 13, at Ozark Ridge Golf Course, there will be a dedication of the new flagpole honoring Staff Sgt. Eric Summers and members of all branches of the military who gave their lives for their country. Summers had made the request that if he should be killed in combat, that the old flagpole be replaced. He was killed along with three other Marines during a range sweep at Camp Pendleton on Nov. 13, 2013...