Stories from Wednesday, February 24, 2016

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A parolee who earlier was convicted of threatening his Probation and Parole officer now faces a new charge after he allegedly threatened to shoot probation officers last week. Joseph Eli Osborn Jr., 29, of the 500 block of Raspberry Lane was charged Friday with the Class C felony of making a terroristic threat by Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man apparently upset over a collection notice is accused of causing a disturbance inside a local bank Monday morning when he began cutting himself in an attempt to "pay with blood." After receiving a collection letter, the 25-year-old went to First Midwest Bank on North Westwood Boulevard to "talk to the loan officer and apparently didn't get the reply he liked," explained Poplar Bluff Police Deputy Chief Donnie Trout. ...

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer Schools from across the state are interested in learning what Neelyville is doing right, according to curriculum coordinator Heather Wells. Wells gave a summary of the recent Powerful Learning Conference (PLC) in Osage Beach, Mo., at Monday's school board meeting...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Butler County judge ruled Friday that a Poplar Bluff, Mo., man will stand trial for killing another man whose body was found inside a car trunk. Accompanied by his attorney, Steve Lynxwiler with the Public Defender's Office, Edward William Weaver appeared Thursday afternoon before Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth for a continuation of the preliminary hearing in his case...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer About 20 years ago a young Kevin Venardos, a man who would become one of the most famous ringmasters in the nation, set out for the Big Apple with a newly obtained college degree looking for work. "I was just out of college with a degree in musical theater, such things really do exist, and I was looking for someone to pay me to sing," Venardos said. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Eleven Republicans filed this morning as candidates in the Aug. 2 primary election in Butler County. Contests have already developed for assessor, coroner and Western District commissioner. Chris Rickman, who wants to become the next Butler County assessor, was the first person to file in the office of County Clerk Tonyi Deffendall...

Angeleen E. Nations FISK, Mo. --Angeleen E. Nations, 94, of Fisk, died Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016 at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born March 11, 1921 at Broseley the daughter of the late Everett and Cora (Hillis) Clark. Mrs. Nations was a homemaker and enjoyed spending time with her family and her beloved pets: Mac and Candy. ...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS George Orwell said, "But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought." Gore Vidal elaborated on that insight, saying, "As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate." And John Milton predicted, "When language in common use in any country becomes irregular and depraved, it is followed by their ruin and degradation." These observations bear heeding about how sloppy language is corrupting our society.. ...

Arthur Lee Kinder DEXTER, Mo. -- Arthur Lee Kinder, 81, of Dexter, died Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016 at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation was held Monday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Danny Collins and Rev. Ted Stone officiating...

By GEORGE F. WILL "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." -- Newton's Third Law of Motion WASHINGTON -- Notice the Newtonian physics of America's Madisonian system. Barack Obama's Woodrow Wilsonian hostility to the separation of powers, expressed in his executive authoritarianism, is provoking equal and opposite reactions from the judicial and legislative branches...

Kneibert sale impacts insurance Dear Speak Out, I'd like to address the purchase of Kneibert Clinic by St. Francis Hospital. We have received a letter in the mail from Kneibert Clinic informing of this purchase. How wonderful things will be. How we will continue to receive the same quality service we have come to know and trust through the staff of Kneibert Clinic. ...

Jewell Ives Jewell Esther Ives, 93, of Greenville and formerly of Puxico, died Feb. 16, 2016 at Puxico Nursing and Rehab Center. Services were held Feb. 20, 2016 at Morgan-Sifford Funeral Chapel. Rev. Leroy Hefner officiated. Burial followed in Greenville...

Herman Maples Herman Maples, 80, of Puxico passed away Feb. 2, 2016 in Naperville, Ill. A Celebration of Life was held Feb. 20, 2016 at Morgan-Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. Burial followed in the Puxico City Cemetery.

Margaret Wagner Margaret Lee Wagner, 93, of Dexter died Feb. 14, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Services were held Feb. 19, 2016 at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Rev. John Buttry officiated. Burial followed in the Dexter Cemetery...

Michael O'Neill Michael T. (Mike) O'Neill, 69, of Wappapello died Feb. 6, 2016. Morgan-Sifford Funeral home was in charge of arrangements.

Theodore Schalk flag Theodore Schalk, 91, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016, at the John J. Pershing Veterans Hospital. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016 at the Cotrell Funeral Chapel. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. in the funeral chapel with Rev. Byron Beck officiating. Burial will be in the Poplar Bluff City Cemetery with full military honors...

Tiffany Michelle Crook DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Tiffany Michelle Crook, 22, of Doniphan, died Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016, at a friend's home in Doniphan. Visitation will begin at noon Wednesday at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel and burial will be in the Pope Chapel Cemetery...

The Poplar Bluff Kiwanis Club, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, will again be hosting the Wolf Creek Trail Run. The date this year is March 26. Along with the 5K and 10K, Kiwanis will also be conducting an 18K run. "This will be our first year offering an 18K run. ...

By PAUL DAVIS SEMO News Service "I wanted to try something different," said Danielle Osborn, 19, of Wappapello, Mo., just before trying to hit several erratically-moving clay targets with her shotgun. After that quick practice session at the Duck Creek Conservation Area, Osborn and 19 other women from around Missouri headed afield Saturday morning with volunteer guides for a rabbit hunt with beagles...

By BEN KLEINE SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- After getting into fight with several people in a large crowd, a Cape Girardeau man pulled a gun and threatened to kill two people, police say. Ron Maurice Johnson, 24, was arrested Saturday by Cape Girardeau police and charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon...

By BEN KLEINE SEMO News Service OLD APPLETON, Mo. -- The 15-year-old girl who allegedly was imprisoned inside a makeshift room in her own home in Old Appleton had just come back from a mental-health facility in the St. Louis area, according to a probable-cause statement...

VAN BUREN -- In the opening minute of the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 semifinal Monday night, Matthew Shrontz got a steal leading to Van Buren's first bucket. It was the only points off turnovers the Bulldogs got all night. Winona turned the ball over just three more times, shot 60 percent from the field and cruised past the host 85-54...

Edward Clay "Eddie" Roberts ELLSINORE, Mo. -- "Eddie" Roberts, 54, of Poplar Bluff, died Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016 at his residence. A visitation for the public will begin at 1 p.m., Friday in the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore with the funeral service following at 2 p.m. Burial will be in the Yount Memorial Cemetery in Garwood. Rev. Mike Price will officiate...

MALDEN -- The memory of an overtime loss to Doniphan two games into the season faded quickly for the Malden girls basketball team. With even bigger stakes on the line in a MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 semifinal Monday night, the third-seeded Green Wave avenged it with a 52-42 upset win over the second-seeded Donettes...

Theodore Schalk Theodore Schalk, 91, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016 at the John J. Pershing Veterans Hospital. Mr. Schalk was born Nov. 20, 1924 in Poplar Bluff to the late Otto and Callie Mosberger Schalk. On Aug. 30, 1946, he married Vida Stroud of Broseley Mo. She survives...

CAMPBELL -- As Cooter senior Kyler Barnes was being wheeled away on a stretcher, he said to his coach, "Coach, I love you and I want to play." Cooter coach David Mathis leaned down close and said, "I know buddy. You were going after that loose ball and you were playing hard. I couldn't be more proud of you. I love you and I'm sorry it happened to you."...

Benny Daves Benny Daves, 75, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Daves was born July 25, 1940 in Wayne County Mo. to the late Oda and Opal Leach Daves. He was a retired over the road truck driver for over 40 years, and enjoyed fishing and hunting...

Pansy Marie Clark FISK, Mo. -- Pansy Marie Clark, 88 of Fisk passed from this life to her eternal home Monday, Feb. 22, 2016. Marie was born Aug. 7, 1927 in Frisco, Mo., the daughter of the late Marion and Sara (Norman) Horn. She was the youngest of 11 brothers and sisters. ...

Kennett high school to get Chromebooks SEMO News Service KENNETT, Mo. -- Kennett High School principal Richie Leeker said all students will be issued a Chromebook laptop computer before the start of next year."We have been working on this plan for the last two years," Leeker said, "making sure that all the necessary upgrades to the system have been made in preparation for the switch to the Chromebooks."...

DEXTER -- The Dexter girls basketball team experienced little difficulty ending the Jackson Indians' 14-game winning steak Monday night. Dexter shot 48 percent from the field and managed to limit Jackson to just 13 field goals while handing Jackson its first loss since Dec. 22 with a 59-35 victory...

By BRIDGET BROWN SEMO News Service Pending final approval, SoutheastHEALTH will expand its cardiovascular program in Cape Girardeau and relocate its psychiatric unit to the SoutheastHEALTH Hospital in Stoddard County, Missouri, as part of a significant emergency department expansion there...