Stories from Thursday, February 18, 2016

By BEN KLEINE SEMO News Service Opposition has mounted against Rep. Holly Rehder's bill to establish a prescription drug monitoring program, causing the Sikeston, lawmaker to hold the bill from a vote on the Missouri House of Representatives floor...

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer Lions Club auctioneers raised more than $17,000 during Saturday's 24th annual TV/Internet auction to raise money for local programs promoting vision and hearing. While the total was not a record, it was the most in recent history, according to Steve Walsh...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A new green space, stronger partnerships and an incentive program to encourage investments in historic neighborhoods are among the goals for the Downtown Poplar Bluff group in 2016. A verbal agreement was reached last week to purchase a third piece of property at Broadway and Cedar streets, near Fire Station 1, for a landscaped area and restroom facility, said Downtown Director Penny McGath...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff High School Robotics Club will compete at state following a strong finish at the regional competition in Cape Girardeau. The Iron Mules placed first in their division and second overall Feb. 6 at the Show Me Center. The students will now compete March 5 at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla at the state-wide competition...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Butler County Fair Board members recently attending Missouri Association of Fairs and Festivals convention say they will initiate a number of changes to improve the event in 2016. "We learned a lot about how to make the fair more productive and it gave us a lot of useful information and useful tools that we can use to make the fair bigger and better," said board president Jack Altman...

By BEN KLEINE SEMO News Service Police say a man tampered with evidence by eating a bag of methamphetamine and Xanax. Travis J. Moore, 43, of Cape Girardeau was arrested Sunday by Cape Girardeau police and charged with possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence, both felonies...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff residents will likely pay 6.89 percent more to turn on the kitchen faucet or a garden hose after a vote March 7 by the Poplar Bluff City Council on a rate increase to pay for improvements to the municipal water system...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Public Schools will discuss during its Thursday meeting substantial changes to food service policies in the wake of a scathing January health inspection. School superintendent Chris Hon, associate superintendent Rod Priest and Chartwells Regional Manager Bruce Norman collaborated to design the new policy, which will be presented to the school board Thursday and likely voted on in March...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer After a lengthy and contentious discussion, Poplar Bluff City Council members voted 5-1 Tuesday to transfer $2.825 million from the general fund to Municipal Utilities. Ward 5 council member Peter Tinsley cast the sole 'no' vote, saying there is no proof the money is owed to the electric department and questioning why any funds should be turned over...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Determined to be the first on the ballot, one incumbent and one new candidate began camping out on the second floor of the Butler County Courthouse one week before the filing period starts. "I brought my work with me and I can handle phone calls," said Butler County Public Administrator Sharron Payne, a Republican who plans to seek re-election to her fifth four-year term...

The House passed House Bills 1366 and 1878 this week making cutting edge biologic medications more readily available for patients. Missouri has allowed for the substitution of generic medications for a long time. This bill would now include biological medications on the list for safe substitution as well. ...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Michael Bloomberg's epiphany about the 2016 presidential proceedings is that what is missing is a second bossy, big-government billionaire from Manhattan's East Side -- another candidate with malleable party loyalties. Bloomberg, whose net worth estimated by Forbes is $38.6 billion (eighth on the list of richest Americans), is again exploring an independent presidential candidacy...

Students earning places on the Greenville Junior High School Honor Roll are: Seventh Grade Makayla Alberson, Laney Barfield, Dylan Barks, Erin Bennett, Jacob Clifford, Brian Cook, Leeann Craig, Novalee Crutchfield, Bryce Estes, Patrick Friley, Ross Greer, Jenna Hahn, Cali Harty, Josie Haynes, Ethan Hicks, David Hill, Abigail Houghton, Bailey Johnson, Hannah Jones, Zaalilyah Luke, Hayden McDaniel, Gunner Meloy, Amanda Montgomery, Faith Richmond, Matthew Sims, Landon Smith, Dakota Smith, Ethan Stone, Jayden West.. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Whoever wins the nominations, the most successful campaigns of 2016 provide us with a clear picture of where the center of gravity is today in both parties and, hence, where America is going. Bernie Sanders, with his mammoth crowds and mass support among the young, represents, as did George McGovern in 1972, despite his defeat, the future of the Democratic Party...

TRC trustees meet Wednesday The Three Rivers College Board will meet at noon Wednesday in the Tinnin Center board room. Agenda items include financial reports, the president's report, two hirings, two resignations, one transfer and upcoming events. There also will be a closed session to discuss legal, real estate and personnel matters...

Deborah Holloway Deborah Ann Holloway, 59, of Puxico passed away Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. Services were held Friday, Feb. 12, 2016 at Life Chapel Assembly of God in Puxico. Bishop Ron Webb and Pastor Glenn Epps officiated. Burial followed in the Holloway Cemetery in Puxico. Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico was in charge of arrangements...

Dorothy Myers ADVANCE, Mo. -- Dorothy Uldean Myers, 86, of Puxico, Mo. passed away Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016 at the Advance Nursing Center in Advance. Services were held Thursday at Morgan Funeral Chapel in Advance. Burial followed at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield...

Neelyville board meets Thursday NEELYVILLE -- The Neelyville School Board will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday in the administrative building. Agenda items include a report by Heather Wells on the PLC Leadership Team, Carmel Dare's counseling update, financial report, facilities report, graduation date, in school suspension, Saturday school, administrative reports and a closed session to discuss student matters, personnel and legal matters...

Linda Killian Linda Killian, 68, of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, Feb. 15, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Neelyville High School students placed first in 11 categories during the Future Business Leaders of America District 20 Conference at Three Rivers College. Maggie Eaker of Neelyville sang the national anthem following the presentation of the colors by the Poplar Bluff Junior ROTC...

Dorothy DeJournett DEXTER, Mo. - Dorothy DeJournett, 83, of Dexter, died Monday, Feb. 15, 2016 at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be at 11 a.m., Friday, Feb. 19 at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Mo. ...

Sheridan "Jack" Hines NEELYVILLE, Mo. - Sheridan "Jack" Hines, 82, of Harviell, Mo. passed away on Sat. Feb. 13 2016 at his home. Mr. Hines was born on Dec. 25, 1933 in Harviell, Mo. He worked as a bus coordinator for the Southeast Mo Transportation Service. His hobbies included fishing, gardening, and the outdoors. He enjoyed his church and the children at his church. He was of the Pentecost faith and was a member of Big T Apostolic Church in Corning, Ar...

Loman Irvin MALDEN, Mo. - Loman Thomas Irvin, 92, of DeSoto, Mo., formerly of Malden, died Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016, at Baisch Nursing Center in DeSoto, Mo. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. today at the Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will be 2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the Bradshaw Chapel in Malden with the Rev. Randy Wiseman officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden.V...

Hundreds of REALTORS from across the state gathered in Jefferson City recently for Missouri REALTORS 36th annual Capitol Conference. This conference provided REALTORS the opportunity to meet with their elected officials to discuss issues of importance to Missouri homeowners and the entire real estate industry...

Gene Reddick Raymond "Gene" Reddick, 88, of Puxico, Mo., died Wednesday, Feb. 10 at Puxico Nursing Home. Funeral services were held Feb. 13, 2016 at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico with Rev. Ray Placher officiated. The burial was at Fairview Cemetery...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Antonin Scalia, who combined a zest for intellectual combat with a vast talent for friendship, was a Roman candle of sparkling jurisprudential theories leavened by acerbic witticisms. The serrated edges of his most passionate dissents sometimes strained the court's comity and occasionally limited his ability to proclaim what the late Justice William Brennan called the most important word in the court's lexicon: "Five." Scalia was, however, one of the most formidable thinkers among the 112 justices who have served on the court, and he often dissented in the hope of shaping a future replete with majorities steeped in principles he honed while in the minority.. ...

PATRICK J. BUCHANAN It is a measure of the stature and the significance of Justice Antonin Scalia that, upon the news of his death at a hunting lodge in Texas, Washington was instantly caught up in an unseemly quarrel over who would succeed him. But no one can replace Justice Scalia...

To the Editor: I am sorry to have to complain, but we have one of the worse Postal Services here in Poplar Bluff, that I have ever seen. They sure ignore disabled senior citizens. I am 81 years old, disabled -- unable to walk to a mailbox by the street. So I have been given and signed by my doctor, a hardship, so my mail can be picked up and delivered to my mailbox by my front door, where I can reach it from my wheelchair or a walker...

By NOREEN HYSLOP SEMO News Service DEXTER, Mo. -- Following a $10,000 donation from Norman Harty of First Commercial Bank -- the third such contribution in as many years from the Dexter businessman -- a goal of $23,000 remains to reach the initial goal set by a group formed to save Girl Scout Camp Latonka at Lake Wappapello. The "Friends of Camp Latonka" group has been driven since 2012 to restore and now maintain the camp, holding several workdays along the way...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Poplar Bluff High School students placed first in 10 categories during the Future Business Leaders of America District 20 Conference at Three Rivers College. The top five winners in 20 categories and the first place winners in 29 other categories will advance to state FBLA competition April 24-26 at Springfield...

DEXTER -- Poplar Bluff fell right into the Dexter Bearcats' trap Tuesday night. After some early success, the Mules were outscored 16-7 over the final 4 1/2 minutes and frustrated for much of the night as Dexter earned a 61-57 SEMO Conference win at the Bearcat Event Center...

HILLSBORO, Mo. -- The Lady Raiders have so many players injured or sick, they drove to Jefferson in a school van. The regular bus wasn't needed as six players, plus team staff, drove to Hillsboro on Tuesday and overcame being 12 down at halftime to win 62-61 for the Lady Raiders' first Region XVI victory of the season...

Margaret Lee Wagner DEXTER, Mo. -- Margaret Lee Wagner, 93, of Dexter, died Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m., Friday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Friday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel, with Rev. John Buttry officiating. Burial will follow in the Dexter Cemetery...

Johnny E. Shipp VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Johnny E. Shipp, 69, of Ellsinore, died Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016 at his residence. A visitation for the public will begin at 10 a.m., Friday, in the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore, with the funeral service following at 11 a.m...

Grammy-winning bluegrass band The SteelDrivers will be performing at Rogers Theater on Saturday. The show will begin at 7 p.m., with Poplar Bluff's Alex Riffle and the Stiff Riffs providing the opening act. Hailing from Nashville, The SteelDrivers have appeared in Poplar Bluff several times. The group took home the 2016 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album...

PIEDMONT -- Lucas Hampton's drive through the lane for an easy layup to tie it with 14 seconds in regulation gave the Clearwater boys basketball team all the momentum Tuesday night. The Tigers went on to outscore Naylor 17-5 in overtime on their way to a 96-84 Ozark Foothills Conference victory to wrap up the regular season...