Stories from Thursday, April 9, 2015

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer An electric rate increase for the city of Poplar Bluff received support Monday from the Municipal Utilities director, who spoke at an advisory board meeting for the organization. City Manager Heath Kaplan also spoke, saying now that he cannot guarantee the city will repay $2 million of a $4.5 million loan from the utility...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A 2+2+2 plan to increase the state gasoline tax is needed to prevent Missouri from losing its share of federal funds for road and bridge projects, according to state Sen. Doug Libla. "The last state fuel tax increase was in 1992. It was fully implemented in 1996 and has been 17 cents per gallon for 19 years," the transportation committee chairman said...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer An incentive plan created by the Poplar Bluff city manager to encourage employees to purchase tickets to a Rotary event was not legal and cannot be honored, according to discussion Monday by the city council. City manager Heath Kaplan, a Rotarian, offered a paid day off to any employee who purchased a $6 ticket to the Rotary Club's Spaghetti Day benefit, which is being held today...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- More than $7 million in funds meant to fix Missouri's ailing highways instead went to excessive paid leave for employees and other expenses, even as the Department of Transportation has said a funding shortfall will prevent proper maintenance of roads and bridges, according to a state audit...

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Information on the Nursing Home Compare website is updated once a month. The article that ran recently in the Daily American Republic listed star ratings from the previous month. The ratings for the nursing homes had already changed from the time the story was written to the time the article printed. Updated ratings and information about the star system can be found at www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare.)...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff City Council approved a debt policy Monday, with the stipulation that the council have the final say on all matters covered in the document. The policy covers any type of debt the city could issue, according to city manager Heath Kaplan...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Two R-I Board of Education members were unseated in the Tuesday election. Heather Tuggle and Ken Davis will replace incumbents Kent Eyler and Rob Rowland. Tuggle was the top vote-getter with 1,162, followed by Davis with 685...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NEELYVILLE -- Another opportunity to provide safer facilities with more classrooms at the Hillview and Neelyville campuses was narrowly defeated by voters in the Neelyville School District Tuesday. Voters supported the proposed $4 million bond issue 294 to 226, but the vote margin of 56.53 percent fell eight votes short of having the required 57.14 percent needed for passage. State law requires four-sevenths approval on bond issues -- not just a majority...

Contests in 18 area school districts were decided during Tuesday's election. East Carter was the only school district with two contests. One of them was decided by only three votes. The other districts with contests were Poplar Bluff, Neelyville, Van Buren, Naylor, Doniphan, Gatewood, Greenville, Clearwater, Southern Reynolds County, Dexter, Puxico, Bloomfield, Advance, Bell City, Malden, Campbell and Clarkton...

Voters in 12 area cities decided 17 contests during Tuesday's election. There were three contests in Malden, two in Bloomfield, Clarkton and Holcomb, and one in Poplar Bluff, Qulin, Van Buren, Greenville, Piedmont, Puxico, Advance and Campbell. POPLAR BLUFF...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A new voice will join the Poplar Bluff City Council. Philip Crocker won Ward 4 in a landslide vote 410-98 against opponent David Lourwood. The city council race saw a nearly 23 percent turnout of active registered voters, compared to less than 10 percent for the only other Poplar Bluff race, for school board...

Voters decided issues in five school districts, one ambulance district, six cities, one road district and three townships Tuesday. NEELYVILLE SCHOOL PROJECTS Failed to get 57.14 percent by 8 votes Yes, 294 No, 226 VAN BUREN SCHOOL PROJECTS No, 394...

Contests were decided in Tuesday's election in the Clearwater Fire District, Wayne County Health Board, Liberty Township (Stoddard County), Cottonhill and Freeborn townships (Dunklin County), and Stoddard County Water District 5. There also were three contests in Castor Township (Stoddard County), three in Union Township (Dunklin County) and two in Carter County Water District 1...

It is no secret that America has the finest fighting force this world has ever seen. When those brave military men and women return from service, it is our duty to provide them with the benefits they have earned and deserve. From long wait times to subpar care, the Department of Veterans Affairs has not provided the exceptional care that we expect for our heroes. ...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was born in 1970, six years after events refuted a theory on which he is wagering his candidacy. The 1964 theory was that many millions of conservatives abstained from voting because the GOP did not nominate sufficiently deep-dyed conservatives. So if in 1964 the party would choose someone like Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, hitherto dormant conservatives would join the electorate in numbers sufficient for victory...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN The forces that do not want a U.S. nuclear deal with Iran, nor any U.S. detente with Iran, are impressive. Among them are the Israelis and their powerful lobby AIPAC, the Saudis and their Sunni allies on the Persian Gulf, a near unanimity of Republicans and a plurality of Democrats in Congress...

Harold V. Heaton Harold V. Heaton, 72, of Dudley died March 29,2015 at his residence. A memorial service was conducted April 3, 2015 at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home chapel. Buddy Heaton officiated.

Frank Catalano, Sr. Francis "Frank" Joseph Catalano, Sr., 71, of Wappapello died March 28, 2015 at his residence. Services were held March 39, 2015 at Wappapello Cotrell Funeral Chapel. Father David Coon officiated. Burial followed in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield with full military honors...

Danny Ray Franklin Danny Ray Franklin, 63, died March 31, 2015 at his home. Visitation and a memorial service was held April 3, 2015 at the Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. Terry Scott officiated. A private interment will follow at a later date...

Floyd L. Ward Floyd L. Ward, 85, son of the late Floyd Lee, Sr. and Anna Lorene Hallbert Ward, was born in Granite City, Illinois on Sept. 19, 1929, and passed away at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. on March 27, 2015. Floyd had lived in St. ...

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites women to have a weekend of fun while learning various outdoor skills at its annual Discover Nature--Women Summer Workshop. The weekend of hands-on learning will be May 29-31 at the Windermere Baptist Conference Center in Roach along Lake of the Ozarks. Registration deadline is April 24...

Fred Fox PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Fred I. Fox Sr., 82, of Piedmont, died Sunday, April 5, 2015, at his residence. Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Thursday at Trinity United Methodist Church near Piedmont. Burial will follow at Rowland Woods Cemetery near Patterson...

Hitler dreamed of world conquest and ruling the world. But it brought him to suicide instead of fulfillment. David Livingston also had a dream, a noble one...opening dark Africa to the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He found fulfillment at the cost of his life, but he opened the door to others. ...

Spring is a great time of year to visit Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Migratory birds can be seen as they either move through the refuge on their way further north or return to the refuge for their summer breeding grounds. The refuge hillsides and forests also abound with new plant life. ...

Sharon Kearby Sharon Kearby, 66, of Poplar Bluff died Monday, April 6, 2015, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Moore Funeral Service Chapel...

Kerri Stearns DEXTER, Mo. -- Kerri Jo Stearns, 36, of Dexter died Monday, April 6, 2015, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston Visitation was from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services followed at 1 p.m. with Herman Morse officiating. Burial was in the Sycamore Cemetery in rural Pyletown...

Sarah Harp, a senior at Puxico High School, has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a Certificate of Excellence from The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, and with a President's Volunteer Service Award granted by the program on behalf of President Barack Obama...

The Puxico High School Lady Indians hosted their annual 5K March 28. Tyler Wilkerson claimed overall top honors with a time of 26:11. He was also the winner in the male division. Sisters Brenna Hancock and Sophia Hancock tied for first place in the female division...

Rev. Steven Edwards Rev. Steven Lane Edwards, 62, of Edmond, Okla., died Wednesday, March 4, 2015, at his residence. There will be a memorial service at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at the Fellowship General Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff, 3581 N. Westwood Blvd. Burial will follow in the Ash Hill Cemetery...

Paul Davis Paul A. Davis, 48, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, March 23, 2015, at his home. Paul was born Nov. 18, 1966, in St. Mary's, Penn., to Rev. William Edwin and Donna Rehrig Davis. He had served his country in the U.S. Navy. Paul loved to work with computers...

Joyce Crook NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Joyce M. Crook, 87, of Naylor, formerly of Gary, Ind., died Saturday, April 4, 2015, at Southeast Hospital in Doniphan. Mrs. Crook was born June 4, 1927, in Vanceburg, Ky. She worked as an assistant postmaster for the Postal Service. She was a member of the Church of God, and enjoyed sewing, word search puzzles, Christmas village, gardening and ceramics...

Stacey Freeman FISK, Mo. -- Stacey June Freeman, 42, of Poplar Bluff died Friday, April 3, 2015, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Stacey was born Sept. 29, 1972, at Poplar Bluff. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, cooking, music, scrapbooking, crafts, swimming and outdoor activities. She was a Member of Stringtown Baptist Church...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Contracts for projects in Butler and Wayne counties were awarded Wednesday by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. A $1,137,643 contract was awarded to Lappe Cement Finishing, Inc. of Perryville for grading, pavement and sidewalk improvements at the Oak Grove Road intersection on Business 67 in Poplar Bluff...

One in three Americans visit the emergency department each year, for a total of more than 115 million visits, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians. Locally, Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center sees more than 31,000 patients each year through the emergency department, more than any other hospital in the Southeast Missouri region. ...

Mossy Oak Properties, Inc. announces that Mossy Oak Properties Mozark Realty Agent Lucas Edington recently was recognized as making Pinnacle Club status for the fourth quarter of 2014. The Pinnacle Club recognizes the top land sales professionals each quarter from a network of more than 400 agents and brokers across 22 states. Edington also earned Pinnacle Club status in the second and third quarters of 2014...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Mary Ficker and Teresa McKinney, Park Rangers at Ozark National Scenic Riverways, retired on February 28 after long careers with the National Park Service (NPS). Mary Ficker began her career in the summer of 1978 as the first seasonal Reservation Clerk at Ozark National Scenic Riverways. ...

The 5th & 6th Grade Center honor roll is as follows A Honor Roll 5th Grade Ethan Alford, Alexis Allred, Jacob Baller, Luke Barousse, Aden Bedell, Kalise Belcher, Dylan Brown, Nicholaus Brumitt, Jacob Brush, Kannon Carr, Avery Casey, Kastin Caudel, Seth Champlin, Emilee Cheek, Angel Cheshire, Caleigh Chilton, Joseph Clark, Emberleigh Clenney, Allison Cochran, Aaliyah Coleman, Tymber Colvin, Mason Cook, Morgan Courtney, Jacob Crawford, Bryce Crites, MacKenzie Decker, Carson Dille, Piper Duncan, Emma Eubank, Alexandra Ferguson, John Fortner, Devin Gatewood, Collin Glick, Maria Golightly, Dawson Greenwall, Haile Hall, Rileigh Hart, Mikaela Haynes, Josephine Haywood, Kason Henderson, Victoria Hernandez, Lexis Hesselrode, Allison Hicks, Madilyn Hillis, Jayce Jay, Jaci Johnson, Kendric Jones, Mollie Jones, Jacob Joseph, Trista Judd, Alexis Keirsey, Sean Kirby, Addison Kirkman, Olivia Kirkman, Hannah Lane, Garrett Lazalier, Reece Lour, Emily Lovette, Adriane Lutton, James Martin, Logan Massey, Kylyn Maxwell, Salah McCormack, Kelsei McIntosh, Kitiara Melton, Breanna Miller, Amelia Mirza, Jonathan Moreno, Natalie Murphy, Carson Nagy, Courtney Padgett, Trenton Patterson, Jakeim Pigg, Morgan Pyle, Dustin Ramsey, Kennedy Ray, Isaac Reid, Kaylen Riley, Rylan Roach, Alexis Rowland, Kennedy Rowland, Abagail Ryman, Shae Sarabia, Noah Scott, Julia Smothers, Rhylee Sprague, Mattilyn Stacy, Emalee Starling, Austin Stoner, Emma Sutton, Jamy Swofford, Gatlin Taylor, Lukas Tinsley, Michael Todd, Gavin Vaughn, Jada Vaughn, Jordan Vinyard, Darian Webb, Davis White, Natalie Whitehead, Breann Williams, Alexander Wiseman, and Ella Zgaynor.. ...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Rick Sheren, a former full-time officer with the Puxico Police Department, defeated incumbent Daniel Dew for the office of marshal Tuesday, April 7. Sheren, who previously worked for the PPD for three years, received 52.31 percent of the vote (102 votes), according to unofficial election results from the Stoddard County Clerk's office. ...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Ballot Issue #1, which asked city of Puxico voters to decide whether or not go forego future municipal elections if all candidates are running unopposed, passed with 57.14 percent of the vote. According to unofficial results from the Stoddard County Clerk's Office, 108 "yes" votes were cast. A total of 81 "no" votes were cast, accounting for 42.86 percent of the vote...

Screwed by a nail Yes, I'd like to put my input in on the Tuesday, March 10th Daily American Republic. The headline says, "Nail plant gets tax abatement." The headline should have been, " Taxpayers get screwed again by the rich." I read the article and it looks like some Mexican-owned company is gonna get a tax abatement and/or a tax refund of over a couple of million dollars and the City of Poplar Bluff can't even get some of their roads paved. ...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat The ill-fated Starbucks Coffee campaign to force a discussion on race relations in this country ran into massive customer push-back. And as a result, no longer will customers receive hand-written inclusive messages on their overpriced cups of java...

By BEN CARSON Over the past few months in cities throughout the country, we have seen harsh moments that have been characterized as "racial incidents." Whether it be Ferguson, Mo., New York City or Los Angeles, these events continue to occur in states regardless of which party dominates the political landscape...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Incumbent school board members Jerry Crisel and John R. Davis will retain their seats on the Puxico R-8 Board of Education. Unofficial results from Stoddard County showed Crisel with 272 votes (43.73 percent). Davis received 205 votes (32.96 percent), and Melton received 144 votes (23.15 percent). One write-in vote was cast...

Crisel, Davis Retain Seats

By JOE JEREK Mo. Dept. of Conservation CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation's Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center invites the public to celebrate its 10-year anniversary of helping people discover nature on May 1 and 2...

Jacqueline Davidson MALDEN, Mo.--Jacqueline "Jackie" Davidson, 57, of Holcomb, died Sunday, April 5, 2015 at her residence, Visitation will be at noon, Thursday until service time at Bradshaw Funeral Home. Funeral will follow at 2 p.m. at Bradshaw Chapel with burial in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton...

Tina Scott DEXTER, Mo. -- Charlotte "Tina" C. Scott, 56, of Dudley, formerly of Campbell and Naylor, died Tuesday, April 7, 2015, at her residence. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Earl Hagy of St. Louis officiating. Burial will be in the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter...

Missouri's youth turkey season will be held this weekend, and it looks like young hunters might catch a break with the weather. Gobbling still is intensifying, and I'm starting to hear birds sound off later in the mornings now. Even on a breezy, sometimes rainy Monday morning, I heard about 10 birds gobbling...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation We are not only blessed in the state of Missouri with a substantial wild turkey population, we also have a two-day youth season dedicated for hunters ages 6 through 15 to hunt these wary birds. This season is this weekend, April 11-12...

PB man hit by car and dies A Poplar Bluff man died Sunday night in St. Francois County when he was struck by a SUV while walking on U.S. 67. According to the report, the crash occurred at 8:05 p.m. when Linda V. Hill, 51, of Shelbyville, Ky., was operating a 2014 GMC Terrain southbound on U.S. 67, north of Highway DD...

Roger Weld ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Roger Scott Weld, 81, of Ellsinore, Mo., passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, April 3, 2015, at his home in Ellsinore. Roger was born Feb. 21, 1934, to the late Walter Munro and Myrtle May (Schubert) Weld in Denver, Colo. He retired after 24 years with the United States Army and moved to Ellsinore in the early 1980's where he made his home for nearly the past 35 years...

Barbara L. Mayhall DEXTER, Mo.--Barbara Lou Mayhall, 61, of Dexter, died Monday, April 6, 2015 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be after 1 p.m. Friday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the...

Willie Shaw Willie T. Shaw, 86, of Broseley, Mo., died April 2, 2015 at his residence. He was born Nov. 2, 1928 in Swift, Mo. to the late Joe Willie Shaw and V.S. Giles Shaw. Willie was a long-time resident of the Morocco Community. He graduated from Wheatley High School. He was of the Methodist faith under the guidance of his grandfather, Rev. Monroe David Giles...

Ronnie Trice Ronnie Lee Trice, 66, of Poplar Bluff died Monday, April 6, 2014, at his home. Ronnie was born March 12, 1949 and had lived in Fisk and Poplar Bluff for 11 years. He is survived by two daughters, Kimberly Dawn Trice and Ronda Kay Stephens; two sisters, Janet Christian and Joan Campbell; one brother, Benny Hon; three grandchildren, Scott Thomas Stephens, Brandon Earl Stephens and Jacob Ray Stephens; and one great-grandson, Brody Stephens...

William Lee "Bill" Gaines, Sr. William Lee "Bill" Gaines, Sr., 82, of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, April 6, 2015 in the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Bill was born on June 20, 1932 in St. Louis to William Howard and Beulah Mae (Bowman) Gaines. ...

BRANSON -- Jabreuna Brimlett broke a 34-year old Poplar Bluff record then helped set another Tuesday. Brimlett, Lexi Hafford, Krisman Eakin and Soley Webb lowered the school record in the 400-meter relay with a winning time of 49.99 seconds after Brimlett won the triple jump with a record leap of 38-feet, 7.5-inches...

Just a week into April and the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules soccer team has already shown improvement all over the field. Tuesday night at Whiteley Park against Fredericktown, they put together their best game to date this season. Poplar Bluff scored a pair of goals in each half to beat the Lady Blackcats, 4-0, as senior Hannah Burnett had a three-point night...

Sharon Kearby Sharon Kay Kearby, 66, of Poplar Bluff, died on Monday, April 6, 2015 at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born on Jan. 11, 1949, to Bill and Opal (Stamps) Crawford in Kennett. Sharon retired from Technical Plastics in Poplar Bluff after 15 years, where she had worked as a supervisor. On Oct. 1, 1966, she married Dan Kearby in St. Louis...

PIEDMONT -- The Clearwater Tigers earned their first Ozark Foothills Conference win of the spring with a 3-2 decision over Doniphan on Tuesday afternoon. Eric Hillis went 3-for-3 for the Tigers while Haden Clark had two hits. Bryce Alcorn, Ty Gooch and Kameron Fay each had one RBI for Tigers (5-0)...

After falling behind in doubles play Tuesday, the Poplar Bluff tennis team swept Cape Central in singles for a 7-2 win. Peyton Bradley overcame a 7-2 deficit in his No. 5 singles match to beat Central's Parker Outman 9-7. Poplar Bluff's Isaac Laseter won his singles match 8-6 while the rest of the Mules were 8-1 winners...

Job fair Thurs. at TRC More than 50 employers will be taking applications at a Spring Job Fair to be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Thursday in the Bess Activity Center at Three Rivers College. The event is open to the public and admission is free...