Stories from Friday, February 5, 2016

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A third candidate has announced he will seek the Republican nomination for Butler County coroner in the Aug. 2 primary election. Bob Crawford, who owns Crawford Security, announced his candidacy today. He also said Dr. Michael Stevenson will serve as his deputy coroner...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff man attempting to get an acting part for his son in the Empire TV show was instead selected himself for crowd scenes. "I never wanted to be an actor or a model, but my son has been interested in both," 37-year-old Marquis Adams said...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor About 50 officers and volunteers searched three large sections of woods in the Poplar Bluff Conservation Area last week in an attempt to find a Poplar Bluff, Mo., man who was reported missing nearly eight months ago...

During challenging economic times, we Americans try to stretch our dollars. Food is a flexible budget expense that can be reduced when money is tight. This may be the only part of the family budget that has some give and take. Before going grocery shopping, figure out how much money you have for food, what foods you have on hand, and what is on sale. ...

Second Round of Ethics Reform Bills Headed to the Senate (HB 2166, HB 2203, HB 2226) On the first day of the legislative session, House Speaker Todd Richardson called on the Missouri House to make substantive ethics reform a top priority for the 2016 legislative session. Just a few weeks later, the House had made good on his promise by approving seven separate bills that take a multitude of steps to improve the culture at the state Capitol...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat We American taxpayers are on the verge of shelling out $400,000 to help the state of Minnesota persuade young Somali refugees not to join ISIS. The money is just a drop in the bucket of the $50 million Obama administration program to fight domestic terrorism...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Because the crime rate is zero, the potholes are all fixed and homelessness has been completely eradicated, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio now has time to focus on what really matters to Big Apple taxpayers: Racial quotas in Hollywood...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation's Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center will host a Duck Decoy Carving program Feb. 26-27. MDC Education Consultant Bridget Jackson said participants will make beautiful duck decoys to use for waterfowl hunting or as unique art for their home or business...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center invites women to learn how to fish for trout Saturday, Feb. 20, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. "This is a chance to experience camaraderie with other women while learning a new outdoor skill," said Michelle Randecker, a naturalist at the center. "Trout fishing can be very exciting, as the fish will sometimes put up a good fight on the line."...

Eugene Field Elementary School has chosen its Students of the Month for January. They are: McKenna Medley, daughter of Kasey and Dakotah Hulsey and Richard Medley, was chosen by Teresa Webb's first grade classroom because of her consistent practice of seven habits. ...

By ALEX WEST Staff writer For some people, their dogs are their best friends. For coondog hunters, their dogs are their partners. For Eric Henry of Clubb, Mo., his partnership with Coonhound Wipeout Hell on Heelz helped make him the 2015 PKC World Champion...

Hillview kindergarten screening The Neelyville R-IV School District is taking appointments for kindergarten screening, which will be held at Hillview Elementary from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26. Call Hillview Elementary at 989-3370 and speak with Ms. Kellie to schedule the child's appointment...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The deer hunting season may be over, but that doesn't mean you have to stop spending time in the woods. As February ushers in, die-hard deer lovers begin another hunt - one for shed deer antlers. "It's a matter of getting out and looking," said Poplar Bluff, Mo.'s Daniel Moncier, who's been searching for shed deer antlers for almost 20 years with his brother, Sam Moncier...

City Ward meeting schedule The following tentative schedule has been set by the Poplar Bluff City Council for public meetings in Wards 2, 3 and 4. Ward 2 - 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce Ward 3 - 6 p.m. Feb. 17 at city hall...

Michael Alley MALDEN, Mo. -- Rodney Michael Alley, 55, of Malden died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, at Southeast Health Care of Stoddard County in Dexter. Visitation will be held at noon Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 at Bradshaw Funeral Home. Funeral will follow at 2 p.m. in the chapel. Burial will be in Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kennett...

Betty Norton MALDEN, Mo. -- Betty Norton, 66, of Wappapello, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from noon - 2 p.m., Thursday, at the Landess Funeral Home in Malden. Funeral will follow at 2 p.m. at the Landess Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in the Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The Bluff City Mallards chapter of Ducks Unlimited is making final plans for its annual sportsman's banquet, scheduled for Feb. 20 at Poplar Bluff's Black River Coliseum. The doors will open for the event at 5:30 p.m., and games and raffle drawings will begin then. A silent auction for various items of hunting gear, home décor and more also will be available for visitors to peruse. Games geared just for children also will be on the bill...

Zencie Odean Rulo Zencie Odean Rulo, 91, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 at the Poplar Bluff Full Gospel Fellowship Church. The funeral service will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the church. Burial will be held at noon Monday, Feb. 8, 2016 at the Mo. State Veteran Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Theresa Lynn Swigert DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Theresa Lynn Swigert, 54, of Grandin, Mo. died Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, in Madison County, Mo. Visitation will start at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The memorial service will follow at 3 p.m. in the funeral home chapel...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Now that Wappapello Lake has dropped to winter pool, fishing has been reported as both pretty good and pretty poor, depending on who you talk to. "The water wasn't as clear as I thought it would be, but we still caught about 200," one angler said of his Friday fishing trip. "We ended up with 20 keepers, with 14 between 11 and 13 inches."...

Herman P. Maples PUXICO, MO. -- Herman P. Maples, 80, of Naperville, Ill., formerly of Puxico, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016. Funeral arrangements are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico.

The Doniphan boys and Neelyville girls basketball teams ended up exactly where everyone expected them to be at Wednesday's Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament seed meeting. The Dons and Lady Tigers are the only two teams to finish undefeated in conference play, earning them first-round byes in the OFC Tournament, which starts Saturday at Greenville High School and concludes with the championship game Friday, Feb. 12 at the Bess Activity Center on the campus of Three Rivers College...

Richard Lee Smith Richard Lee Smith, 60, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 at his home. Mr. Smith was born Aug. 6, 1955, to the late Louis Dale Smith and Georgia West-Smith. He had served in the United States Air Force. He was a construction worker and had a great love for animals and being outdoors...

Mary McNeely CORNING, Ark, -- Mary McNeely, 79, of Fairdealing passed away Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 at Current River Nursing Home in Doniphan. Mrs. McNeely was a homemaker and a member of Oxly Pentecost Church in Oxly. Survivors include brothers, Charley Noah McNeely of Belton and Joe Eugene McNeely of Denver, Colo.; nieces and nephews, Judy Reyes, Jackie Maine, Tina (Randy) Johnson, Glendle (Wendy) Overbey, Jerry (Carolyn) McNeely, Brenda (John) Dodge, Paula (Don) Eiflang, Charley McNeely, Jr., Robin McNeely, Valerie McNeely, and Lavoine Beck; and many great nieces and nephews.. ...

The Lady Raiders keep adding to a recent surge of power hitters. Van Buren's Logan Hayworth recently signed to play softball next year at Three Rivers College. "It feels awesome. I've been really looking forward to it," Hayworth said. "I'm definitely looking forward to playing with the girls because I know every one of them. Some of my closest friends are actually signing this year, too. So that will be fun...

Ralph James Innes Ralph James Innes, 95, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center. He was born Oct. 27, 1920, in Covington, Ky. He was a lifetime member of the Masonic Lodge 209 in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Innes served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

Marjorie Jean Smith Marjorie Jean Smith, 62, died Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 at her home in Silva, Mo. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Assembly of God Church in Greenville with Pastor Brenda Henson officiating. Interment of her cremains will be the Memorial Gardens Cemetery at Poplar Bluff. Services are under the direction of Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel, Greenville...

Malden senior Chapen Riley fulfilled a dream most high school quarterbacks can't fathom. As a freshman, you're expected to pay your dues, wait in line and maybe get a chance to start down the road. But not Riley. He excelled in four years as the Green Wave's starter under center, wrapping up his career with a trip to the MSHSAA Class 2 state championship this fall...

Malden coach Joel Wyatt has a pretty good idea of the type of player it takes for a program to rebuild and reach its full potential. For four straight seasons under Wyatt, senior linebacker Nick Thompson fit that bill and helped the Green Wave do just that, culminating the journey with a trip to the Class 2 state championship in November...

Neelyville's Ali Law wanted a place that felt like home, and Mineral Area College made the decision to further her softball career easy. The Lady Tigers' senior standout signed her National Letter of Intent recently, choosing the Lady Redbirds over the likes of Three Rivers and Central Methodist University...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- If the lead-up to National Signing Day was filled with nerves for Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz, the day itself brought excitement and relief as the Redhawks announced a 21-player class of incoming recruits who signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday...

Richard Lee Smith -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Betty Norton -- Wappapello, Mo. Michael Alley -- Malden, Mo. Zencie Odean Rulo -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Theresa Lynn Swigert -- Grandin, Mo. Herman P. Maples -- Naperville, Ill. Mary McNeely -- Fairdealing, Mo. Marjorie Jean Smith -- Silva, Mo...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Raegan McAtee qualified for the state championships in a second race, Kaylee Harris broke a team record and they didn't even win their events as the Poplar Bluff swim team beat the defending conference champs by 65 points Wednesday...