Stories from Wednesday, August 19, 2015

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A proposal for an additional charge to be added to city electric customers' bills will likely go before the Poplar Bluff City Council in October. The Municipal Utilities Advisory Board discussed a proposed ordinance on Monday that would reinstate the purchase power adjustment...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A state mandate will force city, county and school tax levies to be rolled back this week because of increased property values. The assessed valuation of Butler County properties increased by about 7 percent in 2015 due to reassessment...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) on Monday released district level scores for the 2015 Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test. The scores would normally count for a large portion of a school's accreditation score, however, districts will be exempt this year due to the newness of the content...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The second youngest member in the history of the Poplar Bluff City Council was unanimously named Monday to fill a vacant at-large council seat. Jerrica Fox, 23, will serve the approximately eight months remaining before the next regular election, following a 6-0 vote of the council. Fox replaces Dr. Jack Rushin, who resigned in July amidst accusations of nepotism...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff High School was placed on lockdown Tuesday morning after a teacher saw a man walking near campus with what appeared to be a rifle. Police and school officials stressed they did not believe students were in danger, but initiated the lockdown as a precautionary measure. The lockdown went in to effect at approximately 8:05 a.m. and was lifted an hour later at 9:10 a.m...

By DOYLE McMANUS Los Angeles Times After Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election, Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus commissioned an autopsy to determine what had gone wrong. High on the list: a yawning gender gap. Romney won the votes of most men but lost among female voters by 11 percentage points; among single women, the margin was a daunting 36 points. ...

Patricia Lois Jones NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Patricia Lois Jones, 68, of Pocahontas, Ark, died Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015 at Pocahontas Nursing & Rehab. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday at the Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville, Mo. with a graveside service beginning at 12:30 p.m. at the Coring Cemetery. Donnie Fowler will be officiating...

Nelta Z. Pearce GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Nelta Z. Pearce, 75, of Silva, Mo., died Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015 in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Greenville, Mo. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. also at the Greenville Chapel...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- Both presidential nomination contests having been scrambled by recent events -- the FBI taking control of Hillary Clinton's private email server and a raucous, roiling GOP debate -- the third edition of the Racing Form is herewith rushed into print...

Depot board meets Friday The Poplar Bluff Historic Depot Restoration Corporation Board will meet at noon Friday at The Bread Company. Shirley Davenport, chairman of the steps committee, will report on the progress of rebuilding the historic staircase from the depot to Main Street...

Patsy Moore DEXTER, MO. -- Patsy Moore, 81, of Dexter died Friday, Aug. 14, 2015 at the Southeast HEALTH Center of Stoddard County. Visitation and funeral were Monday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter with Rev. M.C. Moore officiating. Burial was in the Hill cemetery in rural Bloomfield...

John Duncan PIEDMONT, Mo. -- John Duncan, 61, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died at his residence Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015. Visitation will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. Funeral services will be at noon Wednesday also at the Piedmont Chapel. Burial will follow at Duncan Cemetery in Piedmont, MO...

By DAN K. THOMASSON Tribune News Service WASHINGTON _ The average citizen could write Sen. Charles Schumer of New York every day for a year urging him to vote for or against an issue and never get more than a polite, "thank you for your interest" form response. But one or two calls from a leader of a potent, deep pockets lobby would receive almost instant action from the powerful Democrat...

Barbara Tinsley Barbara Tinsley, 73, of Harviell died Monday, Aug. 17, 2015 at her home. Arrangements are pending at this time with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

It's a year of firsts for a handful of baseball teams in the always-competitive Ozark Foothills Conference. For Clearwater, it's a chance to reclaim a winning tradition under new leadership in a conference tournament they haven't won since 2012. No one knows that better than Terry Luce, who spent the last two seasons with Naylor and has always respected the tradition-rich program at Clearwater...

Russ O'Neal Russ O'Neal, 52, of Doniphan passed from this life on Aug. 13, 2015 doing one of the things he loved most, kayaking down Current River. Russ was born in Springfield, Mo. on April 12, 1963 to Bob and Elaine O'Neal. The family moved to Ripley County when he was six weeks old. He graduated from Doniphan High School in 1981 and attended college in Arkansas, earning a degree in electronic engineering...

Dorothy Davis CORNING, ARK. -- Dorothy Sue Davis, 77, of McDougal, Ark., passed away Sunday, Aug., 16, 2015 after a struggle with Lewy Body Dementia. Dorothy was born Aug. 22, 1937 in Poplar Bluff, Mo., the daughter of Sol and Minerva Porch. Dorothy spent her life helping others. She was known by many as a friend, mentor and to any who needed one, she was known as "Mom.". Her life was a celebration of love and kindness...

Roger Geringer Roger Geringer, 53, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015, in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Geringer was born April 20, 1962 in Perryville, Mo. to the late Joseph and Marie Geringer. He was a resident of Poplar Bluff for 24 years...

Louise Dees MALDEN. Mo. -- Louise Dees, 89, was born on Dec. 16, 1925 in St. Francis, Ark. to the late John Mayberry and Maggie Parrot Mayberry. She departed this life on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015 at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo...

Bernice Daniels PARMA, Mo. -- Bernice Daniels, 93, of Parma, Mo. died Sunday, Aug. 16, 2015, at the Golden Living Center in Malden, Mo. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church in Parma. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the church in Parma with Bro. Kerry Stokes of Charleston officiating. Burial with be in the Bernie Cemetery in Bernie, Mo. with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Parma, Mo. in charge of arrangements...

State Rep. Todd Richardson and State Sen. Doug Libla spoke at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce's Quarterly Luncheon Aug. 4 at Three Rivers College's Tinnin Center. Richardson said he is proud the state passed a balanced budget of $27 billion, with no new taxes. He mentioned the legislators were able to pass welfare reform for the state and this year, they will be focused on Right to Work and other important issues...