Stories from Wednesday, December 3, 2014

A freezing rain advisory for Southeast Missouri is in effect until 6 tonight, according to the National Weather Service at Paducah, Ky. NWS meteorologist Dave Purdy expects "ice accumulations in most areas will be light, but isolated amounts of a tenth of an inch or more are possible."...

By RUTH CAMPBELL SEMO News Service Efforts to help boost Southeast Missouri State University's position in the academic marketplace are progressing, but officials are not offering details yet. Southeast board of regents president Doyle Privett said an update is on the board's agenda for Dec. 18 and 19. Privett said he hadn't seen very much about the rebranding so far...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff R-I administrators say two programs are helping reduce bullying incidents by changing the school climate. While statistics from years past were not immediately available, principals at the high school and the junior high say Capturing Kids Hearts, a program design to change the classroom climate and Stand for the Silent, a nationwide anti-bullying organization have been effective in reducing bullying incidents...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff man who visited Ferguson last week paints a different picture of the situation than the war zone like images portrayed by many media outlets, adding that only when urban and rural Missourians unite will peace prevail in the St. Louis suburb...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer City Manager Heath Kaplan took time Monday during his report to council members to share that he is very pleased with recent meetings with citizen advisory boards. They have provided a good exchange of dialogue and this will be an important year as the city works with the boards to bridge budget gaps, said Kaplan...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff City Council members defeated a motion 4-2 Monday to repay money borrowed by the city from the electric fund. The motion was made by council member Ed DeGaris, who said repaying a $4.5 million loan used to support the city cable department could prevent any need for an electric rate increase in 2015. It marked the first concrete offer by current city leaders to make good on the debt...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff City Council members approved a permit for an adult daycare center Monday, which will be located in Poplar Bluff Square, near Big Lots. Council members also approved a new health insurance plan for city employees and an agreement with Big River Telephone at a monthly cost of approximately $1,800 to provide redundancy systems for the city's new virtual desktop and phone systems...

Sold a bill of goods Poplar Bluff, you've been sold a bill of goods by your wonderful City Council. In selling off the City Cable not only has the quality gone down the drain but that service you used to receive here locally and by that I mean you could sit there and call the New Wave Cable hotline for problems and the problem will remain for days at a time. ...

By PATRICK BUCHANAN "It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters." Edmund Burke's insight returned to mind while watching cable news coverage of the rampage in Ferguson, Missouri, after St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch announced that officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted in the shooting death of Michael Brown...

To the Editor: I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who made 'Scare Away Cancer' - a benefit run for Monica Edmonds -such a huge success. Our 4k and 1 mile Fun Run was held at McLane Park on November 1, 2014. Together our Community raised more than $3,000 for the event. We had a beautiful day and approximately 100 people in attendance. It was a fun day filled with hope...

By MICHELLE MALKIN In his 967-word statement to the nation about the Ferguson grand jury decision on Tuesday night, President Obama devoted precisely one sentence to the risks and sacrifices police officers make to keep the peace. One. Obama delivered a tepid, obligatory acknowledgement that "our police officers put their lives on the line for us every single day." But he sandwiched it between a finger-wagging admonition that cops need to "show care and restraint" and a pandering discourse justifying the "deep distrust" that "communities of color" have toward law enforcement because of the "legacy of racial discrimination in this country.". ...

City firefighters responded at 9:44 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a natural gas odor at 1805 Kentucky St. Nothing was found. The property is owned by Mike Moffitt. _ City firefighters responded at 9:53 a.m. to 238 Almond, where a wood stove was partially overturned. Firefighters extinguished the fire...

William Anthony Pickard, 31, of Dexter, Mo., was booked at Stoddard County Jail on a warrant for a probation violation.

Robert Dugger, 39, of the 2800 block of South 11th reported two batteries were stollen from a delivery truck at the location between midnight Nov. 23 and Wednesday. _ Shadow free Michael Bishop, 21, of the 1800 block of Thomas was arrested at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Scott County Jail for failure to appear on the original charges of traffic violations. He was booked at Butler County jail...

Demarlon M. Richardson reported a gaming console, television and other electronics were stolen sometime between Wednesday and Thursday during a suspected burglary at his residence in the 5200 block of C Street. _ Clay Houston reported three firearms, three silencers and other items were stolen sometime between Tuesday and Thursday from his truck parked at his residence in the 2500 block of Brownwood...

Christopher J. Arnold, 30, of Doniphan was booked into the Butler County jail Friday on failure to appear warrants for stealing and passing a bad check $500 or more. _ Larry L. Carter, 39, of Neelyville was booked into the Butler County jail on Friday on suspicion of driving while revoked...

Eric Cletshawn Hicks, 23, of the 1000 Township Line was booked Wednesday at Butler County jail on suspicion of aggravated stalking. _ Zackery Alton Hicks, 26, of Dexter, Mo., was booked at Butler County jail Thursday on suspicion of second degree property damage, first degree trespass and failure to appear on the original charge of no driver's license...

Kevin E. Jones Kevin E. Jones, 49, of Dardenne Prairie, Mo., died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Greenville. Services will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial will follow at New Prospect Cemetery, Silva, Mo...

To the Editor: To our friends and supporters in the community: Our sincerest thanks from the Northside Nutrition Center for all those who supported us in our recent fundraiser. Thanks to your generosity, we raised more than $2,200 to be used for the repairs and improvements for our kitchen equipment. We especially want to thank the following individuals, businesses and organizations for their support:...

Michael Colove DEXTER, Mo.-- Michael Scott Colove, 35, of Dexter, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, at his residence. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. with Rev. Bill Pennington officiating...

Linda McCain MALDEN, Mo.-- Linda McCain, 55, of Gideon, Mo., died Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, at St. Louis University Hospital. Visitation will from noon until 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel...

Mary Lea Simmons Bland Mary Lea Simmons Bland, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, at her residence. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. A full obituary will follow in Tuesday's edition of the Daily American Republic...

Beulah Jones Shipman DEXTER, Mo.-- Beulah Jones Shipman, 93, of Dexter, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, at her residence. Visitation was Sunday evening at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. today in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Travis Quertermous officiating. Burial will follow in the Hagy Cemetery...

Orville Riggins Orville Riggins, 97, of Maryville, Ill., passed away Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, at Liberty Village in Maryville. Mr. Riggins was born July 26, 1917, in Three Springs, Mo., to the late James A. and Zora Bell Osborn Riggins. On May 8, 1944, he married Geraldine Gunn in Corning, Ark. She survives of the home...

Already no stranger to southeastern Missouri, Central Methodist University is expanding its presence by bringing four-year degree programs and teacher certification to Sikeston and classes to Dexter beginning in January. CMU, established in Fayette in 1854 and a partner with Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff since 2008, will offer coursework at Three Rivers facilities in Sikeston and Dexter, according to CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad. Courses begin the week of Jan. 12...

O. Grove honors students Oak Grove Elementary announces its Students of the Month for November. Dawn Isabella Barger, daughter of Gregory and Tawana Barger, represents the first grade. Barger is a student in Mrs. Edwards' class. According to her teacher, Barger was chosen for this honor because she is friendly and always willing to help in the classroom, she makes all A's and she exemplifies the qualities of a wonderful student...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, a Vietnam war veteran and the lone Republican on Obama's national security team, has been fired. And John McCain's assessment is dead on. Hagel, he said, "was never really brought into that real tight circle inside the White House that makes all the decisions which has put us into the incredible debacle that we're in today throughout the world."...

Wake up PB 2 weeks ago, a parent of one of the suspended soccer players went on a rant about the Poplar Bluff school system on Facebook. This person's final post made sure that every one knew that "ONLY Steve Sells, Gary Simmons, Kent Eyler, and Rob Rowland" were to be thanked. ...

Hazel Pratt Hazel Verda Ross Pratt, 97, of Dexter, Mo. died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, in Dexter. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Phillip Tanner officiating. Burial will follow in the Walker Cemetery...

By GEORGE F. WILL For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. -- Newton's Third Law of Motion WASHINGTON -- America's Newtonian Constitution might again function according to Madisonian expectations if a provoked Congress regains its spine and self-respect, thereby returning our constitutional architecture to equipoise. ...

Lester Ross VAN BUREN, Mo.-- Lester Ross, 88, of Van Buren, formerly of Ellington, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, in Van Buren. A visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. The funeral service will start begin at 2 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Roger Ross officiating. Burial to follow in the Van Buren City Cemetery...

DeSOTO -- For 10 1/2 minutes Monday night the Poplar Bluff Mules didn't allow a single point. DeSoto was stuck on four points for nearly a third of a game as the Mules scored 37 unanswered points in a 77-31 victory to start the Fountain City Classic...

HOLCOMB -- Zack Tucker's last two buckets of the night proved to be the biggest of his 28-point performance Monday. The 6-foot-3 Puxico senior cushioned his team's lead with two buckets with under a minute to play as the fourth-seeded Indians averted an upset by Campbell, 55-50, in the first round of the Holcomb Invitational...

Chester Gary Cravens, Sr. DEXTER, Mo.-- Chester Gary Cravens, Sr., 81, of Dexter, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. The funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with David and Melody Snodgrass officiating. Burial will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Allen Smithson DONIPHAN, Mo.-- Allen Rodgers Smithson, 75, of Doniphan, passed away Friday, Nov. 28, 2014, at Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center in Crystal River, Fla. Mr. Smithson, son of the late Lewis Perry and Luranna (Murdock) Smithson, was born June 17, 1939, in Gatewood, Mo. He had retired after 27 years as an insurance agent for Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance...

Mary McKillips Mary Pauline McKillips, 65, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Ms. McKillips was born in Gideon, Mo. to the late Morris and Caroline Meriedith McKillips. She was of the Catholic Faith and she enjoyed spending time with her family, sewing, and making quilt tops and doing jigsaw puzzles...

BELLEVILLE, Ill. -- The Lady Raiders will open the Region XVI season on a three-game win streak. Three Rivers beat Lindenwood-Belleville JV on the road 74-60 Monday. It was their second consecutive road win and the second time in three games it beat Lindenwood-Belleville JV...

Ruth Yancey Ruth Ann (Close) Yancey, 67, of Ellsinore, Mo., entered into her Lord's Presence, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. She was born Jan. 29, 1947 in Chicago, Ill. She was a member of Westwood Baptist Church, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. ...

Betty Lou Davis Betty Lou Davis passed away peacefully in her sleep on Nov. 18, 2014 in Yakima, Wash. She was born on Feb. 21, 1939, to Paul and Dorothy Friday in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Betty is the eldest of four children. She married Elmer Davis on March 23, 1957, and they lived in Poplar Bluff until 1972, when they moved the family to Yakima. ...

Delores Krauss CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.-- Delores Krauss, 75, of Cape Girardeau, died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Chapel in Cape Girardeau. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel...

Randall Blankenship Randall Todd (Neal) Blankenship, 51, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014 at Mark Twain Caring Center. A memorial service will be held Saturday at the Wappapello Eagles at 2 p.m. Cotrell Funeral Service was in charge of arrangements...

Mary Bland Mary Lea Simmons Bland, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, at her residence. Mrs. Bland was born July 23, 1926 in Wynn, Ark., to the late Thomas and Clara Riecken Mayse. On June 26, 1950, she and Edward Simmons were married in Poplar Bluff. He preceded her in death in 1977...

Wallace Ritz Wallace Ritz, 86, of Harviell, Mo., formerly of Bridgeton, Mo., died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014, at his home. Mr. Ritz was born Dec. 9, 1927, in Bismarck, N.D. He served in the U.S. Army and was retired from Boeing, formerly McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, Mo...

James Jewell James Jewell, 70, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, at the VA Hospital in Little Rock, Ark. Surviving children are Kim, Keith, Jamie, Jimmie, LaDonna, KayLynn and Rebecca; brother, Glen L. Jewell; and two sisters, Imogene Baldridge and Cora Lee...

Damarlon M. Richardson, 20, of the 700 block of West 10th Street was arrested at 10:41 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Spring and Ninth on a Poplar Bluff warrant for driving without a license. He was booked at the Butler County jail. _ Frieda B. Blagg of Harviell reported while she was shopping Saturday afternoon at a business in the 700 block of North Westwood someone took her wallet that contained her bank and credit cards and other identification...

Two Sikeston residents were injured in a collision at 12:15 p.m. Monday on U.S. 60, two miles east of Dexter in Stoddard County. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol reports, Saturnino Lajpop-Mateo, 44, was driving westbound in a 1995 Ford Aerostar van when a 2001 Volvo tractor trailer driven by J.W. Tilley, 74, of Bloomfield, Mo., pulled into the path of the van, causing the van to strike the trailer...

THAYER -- The Neelyville Tigers beat the Alton Comets for the second time in four days Monday night to advance in the Thayer River Country Chevrolet Classic. The Tigers, seeded fifth, rolled out to a 16-6 start in the first quarter to move on to a 65-52 win...