Stories from Monday, February 2, 2015

ST. LOUIS, MO - Sterling Bancshares, Inc. ("Sterling Bancshares"), the parent company of Sterling Bank, has officially closed on its acquisition of 100% of Bootheel Bancorp, Inc. ("Bootheel Bancorp"), including First Community Bank, Missouri, Bootheel Bancorp's wholly owned subsidiary...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Mini pigs attracted much attention during the 29th annual Ag Expo in the Black River Coliseum Friday and Saturday. Daniel and Karen Wertenberger raise the pigs on their farm near Fairdealing and sell them throughout the United States...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer In interviews conducted last week, Poplar Bluff City Manager Heath Kaplan and Information Systems Intelligence owner Ryan Leestma were asked to explain questions regarding the prices of technology sold to the city. Kaplan was asked Monday why the final prices charged for equipment saw significant increases from earlier ISI quotes obtained by the DAR through a request made under Missouri's open documents law...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The need to purchase a single phone system for the new location of the Municipal Utilities office has blossomed into $3.8 million in city contracts with a Michigan-based technology company. Competitive bids were not sought for any of the spending awarded to Information Systems Intelligence (ISI)...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON and RON SMITH SEMO News Service Pursing his dream has Doniphan native Billy Yates traveling to stages across the United States and Europe. This week, his road to success led him and his family to the floor of the Missouri House of Representatives...

By MICHELLE MALKIN This is National School Choice Week, but I want to talk about parents' school testing choice. Moms and dads, you have the inherent right and responsibility to protect your children. You can choose to refuse the top-down Common Core racket of costly standardized tests of dubious academic value, reliability and validity...

Robert Mize QULIN, Mo. -- Robert Lee Mize, 65, of Qulin died Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, at General Baptist Nursing Home at Campbell, Mo. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Qulin. The funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Calvin Ham Jr. officiating. Burial will be at Qulin Cemetery...

Margaret Hunter GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Margaret Hunter, 73, of Greenville died Friday, Jan. 30, 2015 at the Greenville Nursing and Rehab Center in Greenville. Visitation will at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Greenville. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home chapel with Jerry London officiating. Burial will be in the Graham Cemetery near Clubb, Mo...

Dixie Lucas Dixie Lucas, 78, of Warrenton, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, passed away Friday, Jan. 30, 2015 at her residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

To the Editor: The season, though not over, has been an amazing journey for me to not only be amongst some of the best players and fans but coaches as well. When I was first proposed to be a part of this season with this team I thought to myself, "What exactly am I get myself into?" But after meeting with Coach Bess (Gene) I felt very comfortable with my decision. Following right after him was Coach Brian Bess, of course Gene's son...

Wilma "Molly" Jean Dempsey WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Wilma "Molly" Jean Dempsey, 82, of Wappapello, Mo., passed away Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital. Mrs. Dempsey was born Nov. 28, 1932 in Caruth, Mo. to the late Whitson and Lernie Haddon Kimbrow...

Pearl Russom MALDEN, Mo. -- Pearl Marie Russom, 82, of Eureka, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, at Marymount Manor Center in Eureka. Visitation will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Bradshaw Funeral Home with the funeral service following at noon in the chapel with the Rev. Jack Allen officiating. Burial willl be in Memorial Park Cemetery...

Margaret Hunter GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Margaret Hunter, 73, of Greenville died Friday, Jan. 30, 2015 at the Greenville Nursing and Rehab Center in Greenville. Visitation will at 11 a.m. Sunday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Greenville. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home chapel with Jerry London officiating. Burial will be in the Graham Cemetery near Clubb, Mo...

Pearl Russom MALDEN, Mo. -- Pearl Marie Russom, 82, of Eureka, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, at Marymount Manor Center in Eureka. Visitation will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at Bradshaw Funeral Home with the funeral service following at noon in the chapel with the Rev. Jack Allen officiating. Burial willl be in Memorial Park Cemetery...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Poplar Bluff is no longer the only team in the driver's seat for the SEMO Conference title. The Mules, who were the last unbeaten left in conference play, joined a pack of three other 1-loss teams Friday night as Cape Central held off a furious second-half rally by Poplar Bluff to win 71-66...

Wilma "Molly" Jean Dempsey WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Wilma "Molly" Jean Dempsey, 82, of Wappapello, Mo., passed away Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital. Mrs. Dempsey was born Nov. 28, 1932 in Caruth, Mo. to the late Whitson and Lernie Haddon Kimbrow...

Robert Mize QULIN, Mo. -- Robert Lee Mize, 65, of Qulin died Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, at General Baptist Nursing Home at Campbell, Mo. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Qulin. The funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Calvin Ham Jr. officiating. Burial will be at Qulin Cemetery...

BROSELEY -- Twin Rivers had a week to ponder the poor shooting performance it had in a loss at Neelyville. With a fresh approach and fresh legs Friday night on Homecoming against East Carter, the Royals bounced back by taking 75-57 Ozark Foothills Conference game...

Southeast Missourian More than 150 high school athletes from across Southeast Missouri were recognized last summer at the Show Me Center as part of the inaugural Semoball Awards. Now for Round 2. This year's Semoball Awards event is slated for July 11 at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus in Cape Girardeau, but the announcement of the finalists will have a new twist...

The Raiders had the lead before the game even started Saturday. On Point Academy, a last minute replacement for Southern Institute of Memphis which fired its coach, was called for a technical foul for dunking during the pregame warmups. Vashawn Ruffin hit both pre-tip free throws, but things got difficult and quick for the Raiders...

BLOOMFIELD -- Even Bernie coach Brad Botsch's teams that went to state didn't win the Stoddard County Activities Association Tournament and the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament in the same years. This year's Mules did just that with a 52-45 win over Dexter on Friday in the SCAA Tournament championship...

In a rare Peters Gym appearance on a Saturday night, the Poplar Bluff Mules brushed away a tough Friday night loss by beating a state-ranked St. Charles team which hadn't lost a game in well over a month. Poplar Bluff got behind by nine points after the first quarter but used its defense to get back in the win column with a 67-59 defeat of the Pirates...

GREENVILLE -- In a preview of a first-round game in the upcoming Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament, the Clearwater Tigers defeated Greenville during their Homecoming game Friday night, 65-61. The Tigers, seeded No. 4 come next Saturday, got 24 points apiece from DayVon Slack and Bryce Alcorn (five 3-pointers). Haden Clark added 10 points for Clearwater (6-12, 1-3 OFC)...