Stories from Thursday, September 10, 2015

OXLY, Mo. -- An Oxly teenager died Sunday afternoon after he was ejected when an SUV allegedly being driven by a 9-year-old boy crashed on a county road. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Damian A. Winters, 14, was pronounced dead at 4:55 p.m. at the scene on County Road T3, one mile north of Oxly, by Ripley County Coroner Mike Jackson...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Veteran's Wall at the Black River Coliseum in recognition of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and the following days. "Sept. 11 was a heartbreaking day, but by Sept. 12, we saw people coming together and there was a new respect for our military, our first responders and our volunteers," said Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Robbie Myers...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor During the past six years, Poplar Bluff residents have experienced three hot meteorological summers followed by three cooler ones. The hottest summer during the 18 years the National Weather Service at Paducah, Ky., has recorded temperatures at the Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport was in 2010 when the average was 82.1 degrees (see graphic)...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The City of Poplar Bluff is seeking nearly $900,000 in state grant money to pay for lighting upgrades at the municipal airport. The funds would replace more than 50-year-old wiring and equipment with LED systems, as well as add new lighting to the taxiway, which only has reflectors now, said manager Mike Smith...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The first matter Jerrica Fox was asked to weigh in on Tuesday as a new council member was a proposal to revamp Poplar Bluff's city website. The project has been tabled since April, when former city manager Heath Kaplan and CivicPlus of Manhattan, Kan., presented a redesign project with a $48,000 start up price tag, and $15,000 in annual fees...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff city grant writer has resigned and will not be replaced, according to city manager Mark Massingham. Massingham discussed the matter Tuesday during a report at the end of the regular city council meeting...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Mitchell Davis will be the moderator for the Poplar Bluff Forum featuring the six Republican candidates for governor. Davis, 23, is in his second year as an American government teacher at Poplar Bluff High School. He has been active in Republican politics and served three years as a legislative aide in Jefferson City with former Senate president pro tem Rob Mayer of Dexter...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Lake Road teacher raised the bar for educator tenacity last week when after being bitten by a copperhead at the school, she returned to class the very next morning to teach a lesson on snake safety. First-grade teacher Katelyn Campa was working late on Wednesday evening when she walked out of a back door to meet a friend who was bringing her some supplies. When she opened the door for him, a small copperhead bit her...

Julie Kay Vandermierden Julie Kay Vandermierden, 52, of Marble Hill died Aug. 30, 2015 at her home. Services were held Sept. 5, 2015 at Hutchings Funeral Chapel in Marble Hill. Burial followed at St. Anthony's Cemetery in Glennon.

Mrytle Dunn Mrytle Dunn, 83, of Glen Carbon, Ill., formerly of Puxico, died Aug. 28, 2015. Services were held at the Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. Burial followed in the Puxico Cemetery.

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- Unless she's indicted, Hillary Clinton will win the Democratic nomination. That kind of sentence is rarely written about a major presidential candidate. But I don't see a realistic third alternative (except for one long-shot, below)...

Five yards forward, five yards back, thanks to the National Labor Relations Board. First, a group of football players attending Northwestern University on athletic scholarships filed a petition with the NLRB seeking to organize a union. And in May 2014, the NLRB's Chicago director ruled that the players - 85 members of the 122-player team - should be considered employees with collective bargaining rights. ...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Next week, as rumors swirl of his possible entry into the 2016 presidential race, Vice President Joe Biden will appear on liberal comedian Stephen Colbert's new late-night CBS show. The host is a professional clown. The VIP guest is a political clown with more baggage than the Kardashians during Paris fashion week...

James Gary Aldridge NEELYVILLE, MO. -- James Gary Aldridge, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Sept. 5, 2015 at Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was born Feb. 8, 1949 at Harviell, Mo. to James Calvin Aldridge and LaVern (Adams) Aldridge. On March 14, 1994 at Doniphan, Mo., James was married to Cordelia Ann Green. She preceded him in death on Oct. 25, 2010...

The members of the Master's Touch Church will be hosting Changed Hearts 6 p.m. Sept. 12. The church is located six miles west of Bloomfield on J Highway and County 249. Pastor Everett Owens and the congregation invited everyone to attend. For more information, call Pastor Owens at 573-222-6988...

God is, in the very essence of His nature, holy. He is necessarily holy as part of His perfection. A god that was not holy could not command respect or obedience from us. Were He like the idols gods in Paul's day with their female counterparts, we would not be inspired to worship Him, but to gratify our lusts...

Charles Kight BLOOMFIELD, MO. - Charles L. Kight, 80, of Bell City, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 5, at his home. Visitation will be at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9 at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. Masonic services will follow at 7 p.m. The funeral will be at 1 p.m., Thursday, Sept. ...

Sande Durham DEXTER, MO. - Sande Durham, 74, of Dexter died Thursday, Sept. 3, in Dexter. Visitation will be at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 2:30 p.m. with Rev. Bill Burke officiating. Interment will follow at the Bernie Cemetery...

Samuel L. Giambelluca Samuel L. Giambelluca, 87, of Poplar Bluff died Monday, Sept. 7, 2015, at his residence. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Thursday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 2 p.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church...

Born Aug. 12 Lily Robertson and Ryan Tucker of Zalma would like to announce the birth of their daughter, Ava Emma Hope Tucker, born 5:02 a.m. Augu. 12 at St. Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. She weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and 19 inches long...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL For many, the annual Puxico VFW Homecoming is a time of celebration, when community members, past and present, hit the Midway for good food, music, rides, square dancing and visiting, and everyone comes out for the parade on Saturday. For Ben Lemons of Fenton, who was a spectator at the parade Aug. 15, that Saturday could have been tragic if not for the kindness and assistance of several good Samaritans...

The 24th Annual Old Greenville Days Event will be celebrated on Sept. 19 - 20 at the Greenville Recreation Area just two miles south of Greenville, Mo., on U. S. Highway 67. This annual family oriented event is done in partnership with the Wayne County Historical Society and several businesses and volunteers. ...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL The Puxico Athletic Booster Club will hold a meeting at 3 p.m. Sept. 13 at the pavilion in the park south of Puxico. According to Mike Armstrong, baseball commissioner, the agenda includes the election of officers, consideration of changing leagues from Stoddard County to Ozark Foothills for the upcoming baseball season, a donation to Puxico R-8 Schools and a donation of a piece of equipment to the school for the district's indoor batting cages...

Waterfowl hunters have until Sept. 18 to apply online with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to hunt on 12 wetland areas intensively managed by MDC for waterfowl. To apply and for more information on Waterfowl Reservations and hunting areas, visit MDC online at www.mdc.mo.gov under Waterfowl Reservations on the home page...

REVISED PROGRAM ENHANCES CONVENIENCE, EMPHASIZES HANDS ON TRAINING MDC recently revised its Hunter Education curriculum to enhance student convenience and emphasize mentorship and hands-on training. The new, more flexible program is divided into two parts...

Lois J. Barrett PIEDMONT, MO. -- Lois J. Barrett, 85, died Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015 at her home in Piedmont. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel, Piedmont.

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Twelve days after their Aug. 22 hiking accident in Washington State, Ray and Margaret Binford arrived back in Missouri. The couple was transported Sept. 2 from Richland, Wash., via medical flight to St. Louis, where Margaret, who sustained significantly worse injuries from the nearly 300-foot fall on a trail in Palouse Falls, will undergo physically therapy at The Rehabilitation Institute of St. ...

Share your memories of Sam Giambelluca on the DAR Sports Facebook page. Bob Cradic: "I first met him, actually in 1953. I was 15 years old and just moved (to Poplar Bluff) from Williamsville and didn't know anyone. He quickly made friends with me and made me feel welcome in Poplar Bluff. ...

Max Ballard DONIPHAN, MO. -- Max Ballard, lifetime resident of Doniphan, died Monday morning, Sept. 7, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion...

Betty Bankert POPLAR BLUFF, MO. - Betty Bankert, 94, of Poplar Bluff passed away Monday, Sept. 7, 2015 at her residence. Visitation will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 10 with a Mass of Christian Burial at noon at Sacred Heart Church in Poplar Bluff. A full obituary will follow in Wednesday's edition of the Daily American Republic. Cotrell Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements...

J.M. Hawkins CLARKTON, MO.- J.M. Hawkins, 90, of Clarkton, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015 at his residence in Clarkton, Visitation will be 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden with services to follow at 3 p.m. at the funeral home chapel with Rev. Aulden LaBlanc officiating. Burial will be in Mt. Gilead Cemetery in Clarkton...

Damian Andrew Winters NEELYVILLE, MO.-- Damian Andrew Winters, 14, of Oxly, Mo. died Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015, near Oxly. He was a student at Naylor. Damian was born Oct. 8, 2000 at Poplar Bluff, Mo. His hobbies were basketball, video games and being with family...

A Spaghetti Fundraising Supper for Hanna Wilson will be held 5-8 p.m. Sept. 19 at The Master's Touch Church. The church is located at 20912 County Road 249 Bloomfield. Wilson is going to a National Pageant and is raising money to help with expenses...

On the heels of strong growth in the first half of 2015, Sterling Bank's loan production office in the affluent Chicago suburb of St. Charles, Ill., is becoming a full service banking facility. The facility will feature Sterling's architectural style and boast a staff with extensive banking experience in the growing market. Currently, loans under management in the St. Charles, Ill., market total over $50 million and are anticipated to increase over 20 percent by yearend...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The Bluff City Mallards chapter of Ducks Unlimited will host a special "Sportsman's Night Out" event on Sept. 19 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The event will kick off at 5 p.m. at the Brown-Mabry American Legion Post No. 153 off Kanell Boulevard and will include a silent auction, raffles and various games...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Mark Twain National Forest began lowering the water level at Fourche Lake Tuesday. Fourche Lake is a 44-acre lake located in Ripley County on Mark Twain National Forest's Eleven Point Ranger District. Mark Twain National Forest's Eleven Point Ranger District needs to do maintenance on the boat ramp area and channel into the main portion of the lake. ...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Managers from Mark Twain National Forest are holding a meeting in September to seek collaborators for the development of a project to improve forest health. The meeting will be held at the Mark Twain National Forest Eleven Point District Office, located at #4 Confederate Ridge Road in Doniphan from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation Squirrel season began the Saturday before Memorial Day, as usual this year. Sportsmen usually take advantage of this early season to take to the woods and pursue these wily little creatures while it is still fairly cool outside and soften the blow of spring turkey season being over...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Liberalism is the ideology of Western suicide," wrote James Burnham in his 1964 "Suicide of the West." Burnham predicted that the mindless magnanimity of liberals, who subordinate the interests of their own people and nations to utopian and altruistic impulses, would bring about an end to Western civilization...

House Members Prepare for Annual Veto Session As mandated by the Missouri Constitution, the General Assembly will meet Wednesday, Sept. 16, to consider bills that were passed by the House and Senate but vetoed by the governor. The annual Veto Session gives legislators a final opportunity to enact their ideas into law despite the governor's objections. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The first thing Felix Baker ever bought at an auction was an old washing machine motor, perfect for a 12-year-old who liked to take things apart. The young boy didn't know it, but he had already found the key to a successful auction. Anything can be sold, to the right customer...

Lois J. Barrett PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Lois J. Barrett, 85, died Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015 at her home in Piedmont. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel with Pastor Richard Sanders officiating. Burial will be in the Masonic Cemetery...

By MONA CHAREN Nine years ago, aboard a National Review cruise, I debated immigration policy with my colleagues and the cruisers. It was a good discussion that touched all the familiar bases. Are there really jobs Americans won't do? Are big business and big agriculture enmeshed in a corrupt bargain with liberal Democrats whereby business gets cheap labor and Democrats get new voters?...

VAN BUREN -- Summer Shockley and the Van Buren Lady Dawgs lined up to shake hands after a ho-hum, 13-0, 5 inning win against East Carter that involved an 80-minute rain delay coming off a practice-free Labor Day weekend. The junior pitcher allowed a few base runners, struck out a bunch more, tallied three hits batting and her courtesy runners scored twice. ...

Betty Mae Moore Burial will follow in the Dexter Cemetery...

Christene Gardner NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Christene Gardner, 66, of Naylor, Mo., passed away Monday, Sept. 7, 2015 at the Manor in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mrs. Gardner was born Oct. 31, 1948 in Neelyville. She worked as a homemaker and enjoyed going to yard sales, listening to music and spending time with her family...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Tuesday is a big day for Missouri's bowhunters. That's the starting date of the 112-day archery deer and turkey season. "Our deer numbers are looking good," said Missouri Department of Conservation Resource Scientist Jason Sumners. "Some parts of the state (mostly middle regions) still are a little low because they're recovering from the 2012 EHD outbreak."...

NAYLOR -- Naylor has owned the rivalry against Neelyville as of late. It had been two years since the Lady Tigers defeated the Lady Eagles in a regular-season game. When the two teams met for the first time this fall Tuesday, things looked promising early for the Lady Tigers, who scored three runs on three straight hits to begin the game...

With storm clouds approaching a tie game at Bacon Park, Poplar Bluff put its first two runners on base in the fourth inning. But like the rain, the Mules' offense never showed up and Notre Dame scratched across two runs in the final three innings to beat Poplar Bluff 4-2...

Betty Bankert Betty Bankert, 94, of Poplar Bluff passed away Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015 at her Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Bankert, daughter of the late Evert C. and Etta Martha (Oskins) Phillips, was born Jan. 16, 1921 in Evansville, Ind. ...

Samuel Leo Giambelluca Samuel Leo Giambelluca departed from this life on Monday, Sept. 7, 2015, at his home lovingly surrounded by his family. Sam was the son of Vincenzo (Charlie) and Frances (Fria) Giambelluca. He was born on June 28, 1928, in Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Doris Weston CORNING, Ark.--Doris Weston, 92, of Pocahontas, Ark., formerly of Corning, passed away Monday, Sept. 7, 2015 at Pocahontas Nursing and Rehab. Mrs. Weston was a homema ker who enjoyed reading, gardening, knitting, fishing, and spending time with family. She was a member of New Bethel Freewill Baptist Church in Pocahontas...

John Max Ballard DONIPHAN, MO.--John Max Ballard, 81, life-time resident of Doniphan, passed away Monday, Sept. 7, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Ballard, son of the late Herbert A. and Rachel (Gatlin) Ballard, was born Jan. ...

Gladys Irene Braden Gladys Irene Braden, 92, of Puxico, passed away Sunday Sept. 6, 2015 at her residence. Mrs. Braden, daughter of the late Samuel and Gladys (McKeene) Hindes, was born Nov. 5, 1922 in Pittsburg, Pa. She was a member of the Life Chapel in Puxico and was a homemaker. From 1980 to 1992 she owned and operated Pow-Wow Resort at Wappapello. Mrs. Braden enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, crocheting, and cooking...

Highway VV closed Thurs. Highway VV one mile from Route B will be closed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe under the roadway. Drivers are urged to use extreme caution while traveling in the area...

BLOOMFIELD -- Dustin DeBeaux hit a walk-off home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and give Bloomfield a 4-3 home win over Twin Rivers on Tuesday. Noah Vandiver pitched two innings in relief and picked up the win. Dalton Phillips went 2-for-3 with two RBIs at the plate for the Wildcats (4-6). Tyler Battles was 2-for-3 with two runs scored...

The second annual Shop With a Hero Poker Run is set to kick off at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Cypress Creek Motorsports. The poker run will benefit Shop With A Hero, an event that partners local law enforcement officers with children whose families are facing economic barriers around the holidays for a holiday shopping spree...

Damian Andrew Winters NEELYVILLE, Mo.-- Damian Andrew Winters, 14, of Oxly, Mo. died Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015, near Oxly. He was a student at Naylor. Damian was born Oct. 8, 2000 at Poplar Bluff, Mo. His hobbies were basketball, video games and being with family...