Stories from Thursday, April 28, 2016

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer These are special children. BizZee Kidz Therapy, LLC, knows that. And so do the parents of these kids. Tara Daniels called her son's experience "life changing." According to Amanda Young, "BizZee Kidz has been such a blessing for our family. Charlie enjoys his services and all the love that they all show him. I love how each instruction is given to me and that they take time to discuss each session with me."...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor Cancer doesn't have a face until it's someone you love, said Heather Sifford, a member of Team Teal, one of many teams planning to participate Saturday in the Sarah Jarboe White United Cancer Assistance Network Walk in Poplar Bluff...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., toddler was found Tuesday afternoon with a relative in Arkansas and now is in protective custody with her younger sister as authorities continue to search for their mother. Authorities, according to earlier reports, had been concerned about the safety of 2-year-old Julissa Baldazo after her 8-month-old sister was found alone Monday morning inside a home in the 300 block of West Midland Street...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff, Mo., dumped more than 100,000 pounds of trash Saturday, as pickup trucks, trailers and cars lined up to participate in the annual Buff up the Bluff. Hosted by city officials, the spring clean-up effort allows residents to get rid of everything from old furniture to construction materials and yard waste at no cost...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer U.S. Sen. John Boozman, (R) Arkansas, has introduced legislation that could someday spur an extension of Interstate 57 from Sikeston, Missouri, to Little Rock, Arkansas, passing through Dexter and Poplar Bluff in Missouri and Corning, Arkansas, along the way...

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer Southern Bank's new headquarters is the bank of the future, according to Chief Operations Officer Kimberly Capps. "This building is built for the future. It was built for five, 10 years down the road," Capps said at Friday's grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony...

Cotrell Funeral Service, the oldest funeral home in Poplar Bluff, Mo., announces the promotion of two long-time employees to management positions. Long-time funeral director Bruce Goin is now the general manager, as Randy Schulz, the firm's operator since 2006, takes on a new role in the community and profession. A graduate of the Kentucky School of Mortuary Science, Goin has been with Cotrell for 35 years, joining the business in 1981...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Black River Medical Center has invested $3 million in an expansion as the hospital strives to provide the quality of care demanded by Poplar Bluff, Mo., residents and the surrounding communities. The facility opened five additional in-patient hospital rooms and two new emergency patient rooms in March, with an expanded registration and waiting room...

Jacquelyn and Dustin Hodges would like to announce the birth of their daughter, Ruby Jean Hodges, born 7:55 a.m. April 13, 2016 at St. Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. She weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long...

Three Rivers College will honor Erick Kirkman, the recipient of its first annual Distinguished Alumni Award, at a reception from 4-6 p.m. Monday, May 9, at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center. The reception will be open to the public. "We're proud to honor Erick Kirkman for his unwavering support for Three Rivers and our community," said Dr. ...

Did you know that sweet and hot peppers are related to the eggplant, potato, and tomato? They have been enjoyed by families since around 5,000 B.C. According to the Vegetable Planting Calendar, you can plant pepper plants anytime between May 1 and 25...

By GEORGE F. WILL "One fine day, in a fit of euphoria, after he had picked up the telephone and taken an order for zero-coupon bonds that had brought him a $50,000 commission, just like that, this very phrase had bubbled up into his brain. On Wall Street he and a few others -- how many? -- three hundred, four hundred, five hundred? -- had become precisely that ... Masters of the Universe."...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat The odd twists and turns of the Republican presidential primary are almost enough to make Hillary Clinton look like a viable candidate. As a lifelong conservative - which translates into a lifelong Republican - I find myself frustrated and disgusted with the '16 primary season on the GOP side...

Liquor at the water park!!! I can't believe that city council voted to put liquor at the water park. Why of all the places you can have liquor why you put it right under the children's noses. This will only teach our kids there is no boundaries. I'm angry that I voted for people who have no morals. ...

If it concerns sex in any way, you can be sure that our culture will fixate on it and manage to defy common sense with hyperventilating indignation. Same-sex marriage roiled the waters for decades, but now that the Supreme Court has big-footed that question, culture warriors are prowling for new realms of transgression to embrace. So, coming soon to a bathroom near you: transgenderism...

Nelda Marcella Miskell MALDEN, Mo. -- Nelda Marcella Miskell, 85, of Malden died Sunday, April 24, 2016, in Dexter, Mo. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at Bradshaw Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 29, in the chapel with the Rev. John Bowlby and Rev. Roger Fowler. Burial will be in Rosewood Cemetery in Malden...

Mary Jeanne Lentz MALDEN, Mo. -- Mary Jeanne Lentz, 66, of Malden, died Sunday, April 24, 2016, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be at 6 p.m., Friday at the Landess Chapel in Malden. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Landess Funeral Chapel with Rev. Alan Wallenberg officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden...

NEELYVILLE -- Nearly every weapon in Greenville's arsenal clicked Tuesday afternoon. The offense remained prolific, two pitchers combined for a no-hitter and Neelyville became the Bears' latest victim in a 17-0 run-shortened victory. The Ozark Foothills Conference regular-season champions pounded out 15 hits and scored in all but one frame to remain unbeaten in conference play. Greenville (14-1, 5-0 OFC) has won 12 straight games...

Freda Phegley WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Freda Phegley, 77, of Wappapello, Mo., died Sunday, April 24, 2016 at her residence. A graveside service and burial will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Wappapello Cemetery in Wappapello, Mo. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cotrellfuneralservice.com...

Loretta Chiles DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Loretta Chiles, 76, formerly of Doniphan, died Monday, April 25, 2016, at Sunset Healthcare Center in Union, Mo. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. A graveside service will follow at 3 p.m. at the Doniphan City Cemetery...

Alex Mintum Baker Alex Mintun Baker, 66, of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, April 22, 2016 at his residence. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Poplar Bluff. Online condolences: www.moorefuneralservice.com...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Rain and a two-out, game-tying rally kept the Poplar Bluff baseball team from clinching sole possession of the regular-season SEMO Conference title. New Madrid Central got a RBI double after a two-out walk in the bottom of the fourth inning Tuesday and had a runner at second base with two outs in the sixth when the game was halted by rain tied 4-4...

Teams didn't really try to press the Lady Royals this year. One big reason for that is that Hannah Baxter and the rest of the backcourt was just too fast and too good with the ball. "Hannah has got good speed and good ball handling skills. She can get the ball down the court quickly and distribute it and get an offense going," Twin Rivers coach Kelly Westerfield said...

Cane Creek Community Club met Monday, April 4, at the home of Wilma Rains with five members present and one guest. The thought for the day was "Wake up every morning with a thankful attitude . Expect something to happen in your life today." Members pledged the flag and answered roll call with an April Fool's joke. Rains gave the devotion...

Ronnie Louis Gulledge FISK, Mo. -- Ronnie Louis Gulledge, 58, of Hammond, Ind., died Sunday, April 24, 2016 in Munster, Ind. He was born Aug. 15, 1957 at Hammond, Ind. Mr. Gulledge is survived by his stepfather and mother: Vernon and Bettie Lou (Gulledge) Holder of Marble Hill, Mo.; two brothers Rusty Holder of Lowell, Ind. ...

Lilla "Dianne" Bowman ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Lilla "Dianne" Bowman, 69, of Ellsinore, died Monday, April 25, 2016 surrounded by her family. Visitation will begin for the public at 11 a.m, Thursday, at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore, with the funeral services following at 1 p.mz. in the Funeral Home Chapel. Rev, Scott Reynolds will officiate. Burial will be in New Hope Cemetery...

Three Rivers College has added Twin Rivers' leading rebounder. Casey Douglas has decided to play at Three Rivers next year. As a senior with the Lady Royals, Douglas hauled in 164 rebounds. She was also second in team efficiency, steals and points. "Casey is used to playing some post for us and I know she is probably not big enough. ...

MALDEN --Lana Reed hit a three-run home run in a five-run fifth inning to break a tie as the third-seeded Malden softball team advanced to the Bootheel Conference Tournament championship Tuesday with an 11-4 win over Kennett. Katie Goodman pitched all seven innings for the Green Wave. She struck out 10 while facing 32 batters, walked four and gave up four earned runs on four hits...

Kathleen Aratis Psalmonds BRADENTON, Fla. -- Kathleen Aratis Psalmonds (née HICKS), 81, died peacefully in Tampa, Fla. on Monday, April 25, 2016. Kathleen was born in Qulin, Mo. on March 7, 1935 to the late William and Onie Hicks, and grew up on the family farm. She spent her summers harvesting cotton by hand; the work was hot and hard but she cherished working alongside her family. In 1953, she married Buel Psalmonds and moved to Bradenton, Fla., where she lived for the majority of her life...