Stories from Monday, November 2, 2015

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer See 8A in today's paper for an updated city bus schedule. Bluff Area Transit has expanded its hours in advance of plans to increase routes after the first of year. The city bus system will now operate until 8 p.m., an additional five hours Monday through Friday. A Saturday route, operating from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., is also available for the first time...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff man with a low aptitude for shoplifting and a heart set on a pair of new K-Mart sneakers is facing felony charges after allegedly pulling a knife on loss prevention officers. Poplar Bluff Police arrested Brian D. Conley, 57, at the K-Mart on Westwood on suspicion of felony first-degree robbery, unlawful use of weapon and resisting arrest and misdemeanor shoplifting and property damage...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- It has been nearly a year since the Carter County Sheriff's Department received the first money from a half-cent sales tax approved by voters, and since that time, more than $200,000 has been generated from the tax...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A Michigan technology company that received more than $3 million in no-bid contracts for the city of Poplar Bluff is embroiled in a new scandal with another community. A technology director in Ingham County, Mich., was fired Oct. 22 for ethics violations related to accepting gifts from county contractors, including Information Systems Intelligence...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff schools wrapped up Red Ribbon Week on Friday with a number of events aimed at keeping students drug free. The National Family Partnership (NFP) organized the first Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign in response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985...

KENNETT, Mo. -- A Malden, Mo., man's preliminary hearing was postponed last week after the state filed the necessary paperwork declaring its intentions to seek the death penalty in his case. Floyd Mantel Young Jr., 22, was supposed to appear Friday morning before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield for a preliminary hearing on the Class A felony of first-degree murder or in the alternative the Class A felony of second-degree murder, the Class B felony of attempted first-degree robbery, two unclassified felonies of armed criminal action and the Class D felony of unlawful use of a weapon.. ...

Whitney Gale Spencer and Eric Michael Arthur of Fayetteville, Ark., were united in marriage at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, at Horton Farms in Northwest Arkansas. The Rev. Carl Palmer of Central United Methodist Church of Fayetteville, performed the double-ring ceremony. The bride was given in marriage by her father...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer Mark your calendar for Saturday, Nov. 7. It's time again for the local craft fairs and bazaars: St. Anne's Bazaar, Julia Kraft Guild Craft and Bazaar, First United Methodist Church Bazaar and Harviell Community Center Annual Craft and Quilt Sale...

By SHARON RANDALL Tribune News Service Things happen for a reason. Sometimes it's your fault. Other times, it's mine. OK, usually, it's mine. But often, the real reason is no reason at all. As a child, whenever I broke something -- a dish, a rule, or maybe my brother's leg -- I would instantly yell, "Accident! Accident! I'm sorry!"...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Yale historian Timothy Snyder is indebted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently made Snyder's new book even more newsworthy than his extraordinary scholarship deserves to be. And Netanyahu is indebted to Snyder, whose theory of Hitler's anti-Semitism is germane to two questions: Is the Iranian regime's anti-Semitism rooted, as Hitler's was, in a theory of history that demands genocide? If so, when Iran becomes a nuclear power, can it be deterred from its announced determination to destroy Israel?. ...

Virginia Parker CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo, - Virginia G. Parker, 93, of Dexter, died Friday, Oct. 30, 2015 at Chateau Girardeau in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will take place 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2 at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter, with services to follow at 2:30 p.m. Burial will follow in Dexter Cemetery...

David Moss GREENVILLE, Mo.-- David Moss, 79, of Greenville, died Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Shiloh General Baptist Church in Shook. Memorial services will follow at noon...

Dorothy Mae Hall DONIPHAN, Mo.--Dorothy Mae Hall, 94, of Doniphan, departed this life Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015, at the Westwood Hills Nursing Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Hall was born Nov. 15, 1920 in Madison, Ill., to the late William Franklin Crockett and Liza Jane (Rideout) Crockett. ...

Loretta Ann Graves FISK, Mo.-- Loretta Ann Graves, 75, of Festus, Mo., died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015 at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City. Mrs. Graves was born Sept. 7, 1940 at Atkin, Minn. She was a a homemaker and nurse for several years. She was married Aug. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Scott Innes, who is the voice of Scooby Doo, has organized his second annual Songs & Stories Gala to benefit the Recycling Grace Women's Center in his hometown of Poplar Bluff. It will begin at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, in the Poplar Bluff Holiday Inn Ballroom...

Onedia June White FISK, Mo. -- Onedia June White, 91, of Fisk, Mo. died Saturday, Oct. 31, 2015 at Cedargate Healthcare. Mrs. White was born June 12, 1924 at Perryville, Tenn., the daughter of the late E.C. and Lillie Riggs. She had formerly been a nurse and later Co-owned and operated White's Funeral Home in Fisk until her retirement in 1976. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Bernie volleyball coach Jason Long has preached toughness, perseverance and resilience to his squad since the start of the season. Long's squad had the opportunity to display these traits a final time Saturday morning in the MSHSAA Class 1 third-place game against the Winona Wildcats...

ARNOLD, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff's season ended where it started Friday night, but the bookends were complete opposites. Fox forced five turnovers, none bigger than Travis Turnbough's two fourth-quarter interceptions, as the Warriors edged the Mules 27-21 in the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 semifinal...

Charles Fox Charles F. Fox, 67, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, at his residence. Mr. Fox was born July 27, 1948 in Paragould, Ark. He was a lifetime resident of Butler County and attended Grace Christian Fellowship and Midland Church. He was retired from the Poplar Bluff Police Department. Mr. Fox enjoyed car shows, drag racing and his beloved dog Harley...

FESTUS, Mo. -- Katie Sliger punched her first ticket to the MSHSAA cross country championship race Saturday, but Poplar Bluff senior Isaiah Williams slipped out of the qualifying pack in his attempt at a return trip. Sliger placed 23rd in the Class 4 Sectional 1 race at a muddy West City Park in Festus. The sophomore finished the 3.1-mile course in 20 minutes, 24 seconds...

MALDEN -- Revenge for East Prairie was never even on the table in a stage the Malden football team knows best. Six weeks after fighting off a scare from the Eagles, the top-seeded Green Wave racked up 356 yards on the ground and forced a running clock in the third quarter for the second week in a row, cruising past fifth-seeded East Prairie 42-8 in a MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 semifinal Friday at The Swamp...

Through 80 minutes of play, the Raiders have yet to trail. After jumping out to a 13-0 lead in the season opener Friday night, the Three Rivers men's basketball team scored the first six points of Saturday's game against Olive Harvey and won 89-57 in the First Midwest Bank Classic at the Bess Activity Center...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- In a stretch of 5 minutes, 18 seconds during the third quarter of its game against Tennessee Tech, the Southeast Missouri State football team forced a turnover and scored 17 unanswered points on special teams. The Redhawks returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, intercepted a pass that resulted in a field goal and capped their dominant third quarter at Houck Stadium with a punt return for a touchdown to propel them to a 38-17 victory Saturday over the Golden Eagles...

MT. CARMEL, Ill. - The freshmen Lady Raiders experienced both ends of the spectrum in their opening weekend. With two returning sophomores in the lineup, the Three Rivers women's basketball team had a strong debut Friday with a 93-64 win over Southwestern Illinois at the Wabash Valley Classic in Mt. Carmel, Ill...

It didn't take long Three Rivers men's basketball coach Gene Bess to reach down to the end of the bench. Three Rivers dominated from start to finish and across nearly every statistical category to beat North American JV 113-70 in the season opener Friday at the Bess Activity Center...

Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are a difficult time for area residents who are grieving the death of a family member or friend. The GriefShare Surviving the Holidays program will be presented at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in the Kay Porter Building at Poplar Bluff High School...

Oak Grove Elementary School has chosen their Students of the Month for October 2015. Emily Huddleston, daughter of Randle and Autumn Huddleton, has been named by her Second Grade teacher, Nikki Buffington. "Emily is very polite and respectful to teachers and peers," Buffington said. "She always tries her best at everything we do in class. She will always to out of her way to help me or her peers."...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Trailed by two Chinese warships, the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed inside the 12-nautical-mile limit of Subi Reef, a man-made island China claims as her national territory. Beijing protested. Says China: Subi Reef and the Spratly Island chain, in a South China Sea that carries half of the world's seaborne trade, are as much ours as the Aleutians are yours...

By DAVID WILLIAMS The Philadelphia Inquirer Life's two certainties are supposed to be death and taxes. Cheating death is still impossible. But millions of Americans are currently dodging taxes. According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, the Internal Revenue Service has failed to collect some $380 billion in outstanding tax debt. In the last six years, that figure has grown to approximately $470 million, a 23 percent increase...

Leon Gaskin VAN BUREN, MO. - Leon Lascar Gaskin, 75, of Van Buren, died Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, at his residence. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren, MO. with Pastor Jim Hampton officiating Burial will be in the Yount Memorial Cemetery...

Kenneth Jackson CAMPBELL, MO. - Mr. Kenneth Jackson, 83, of Campbell, died Monday, Oct. 26 at his residence. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m., Sunday, Nov. 8 at Crosspointe Family Church in Campbell with Rev. Randy Vaughn officiating. Memorial may be made to Crosspointe Family Church. Landes Funeral Home in Campbell is in charge of arrangements...

Students at Westwood Baptist Academy earning places on the Honor roll include: 1st Quarter 2015/2016 PRINCIPAL'S LIST 1st Grade: Ethan Blackwell, Annaliese Carson, Sydney Hawley 2nd Grade: Freedom Bates, Anjali Gottumukkala, Reese Hampton, Gavin Osburn, Addyson Prater, Cody VanDover...

The Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield will hold its annual Veterans' Day program Nov. 11, 2015. The program will begin at 1 p.m. in the Committal Shelter Plaza in the cemetery. Keynote speaker will be Robert Wayne Fortenberry, Vietnam Era veteran of the U. S. Navy...

Alva Willard CAMPBELL, MO. - Alva Willard, 80, of Campbell, died Saturday, Oct. 31, at Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott, AR. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell followed at 1 p.m. with the funeral service in Landess Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in Tucker Cemetery in Campbell. Landess Funeral Home of Campbell is in charge of arrangements...

Courtney Hausman CAMPBELL, MO. - Courtney Hausman, 16, of Campbell, died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2015 at Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis, TN. Visitation will be from 6 - 8 p.m., today at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Landess Funeral Chapel in Campbell with Rev. Dale Holman officiating. Burial will be in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton, MO. Landess Funeral Home of Campbell is in charge of arrangements...

Shirley Carlene Larmie Shirley Carlene (Stout) Larmie, 67, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away at her home Saturday, Oct. 31 after a courageous eight and a half year battle with cancer. Shirley was born in Mountain View, Mo. on Nov. 29, 1947 to Wilborn "Shorty" Everett Stout and Dorothy Elizabeth (Gower) Stout. She had been a resident of Poplar Bluff since 1951. She married Robert "Bobby" Larmie on July 12, 1968. He survives...

Martin "Marty" Bruton WAPPAPELLO, MO. - Martin "Marty" Bruton, 46, of Wappapello, died Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015, at Landmark Hospital in Joplin, MO. Visitation will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Fowler Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville, MO with the funeral following at noon. Burial will be in New Hope Cemetery near Doniphan, MO...

"Dink" Rosa Hilding DONIPHAN, MO. - "Dink" Rosa Louise Hilding, 68 year old resident of Doniphan, Missouri, departed this life, Saturday, October 31, 2015, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Dink was born May 13, 1947, in Des Moines, Iowa, to the late Charles Edward Hilding and Alma (Perrenoud) Hilding...

Margaret A. Barton Margaret A. Barton, 94, of Poplar Bluff, died Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

Charles Barriner Charles Leroy Barriner, 89, of Poplar Bluff, Passed away on November 1, 2015, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, surrounded by family members. Mr. Barriner was born on November 16, 1925 in the Hendrickson Area. He was a member of the Mt Zion Southern Missionary Baptist Church in Williamsville and was a veteran of the US Army during World War II...

UU 1 lane today, Tues. Route UU in Butler County will be reduced to one lane for pavement repairs 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today and Tuesday. This section of roadway is located from Route 53 to County Road 320.

Charles Barriner Charles Leroy Barriner, 89, of Poplar Bluff, Passed away on November 1, 2015, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, surrounded by family members. Mr. Barriner was born on November 16, 1925 in the Hendrickson Area. He was a member of the Mt Zion Southern Missionary Baptist Church in Williamsville and was a veteran of the US Army during World War II...