Stories from Wednesday, December 21, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Memorial VFW Post 6477 on Monday evening honored a number of local students and educators for their commitment to patriotism and announced local winners in the 2016 Voice of Democracy program. According to the VFW, the Voice of Democracy audio-essay program gives high school students a chance to express themselves in a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. ...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer NEELYVILLE, Mo. - A new home for the chickens was a topic of discussion at last night's Neelyville R-IV Board of Education meeting. According to Senior Future Farmers of America student Morgan Magruder, the organization's chickens are currently living in a mud-covered field, which is harmful to the animals' health...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer VAN BUREN, Mo. - A routine traffic stop by an Ellsinore policeman turned out to be anything but routine. Officers eventually took almost 900 pounds of drugs from the vehicle with a street value of $2.4 million, according to Sheriff Richard J. Stephens...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer PUXICO, Mo., - B&H Livestock Market, formerly Puxico Livestock Auction, was destroyed by fire late Monday, according to multiple reports. Auction manager David Hughes says the fire broke out around 11 p.m. When he got there at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, as crews finally had the fire under control, the building was a total loss...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Retail sales for the north Poplar Bluff, Mo., Wal-Mart grew by more than 50 percent in 2016, according to financial documents presented Monday to city leaders. Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market is currently the only business collecting sales tax for the Oak Grove Transportation Development District...

By AMY WALKER Community members using the Polar Express-theme transformed the Duck Creek Baptist Church all-purpose building into the site of a child's dream to offer a fun-filled night for youngsters Saturday, Dec. 10. Arriving dressed in pajamas, children were given a name tag to be used to check off each station they visited. ...

By AMY WALKER The Puxico Library board learned a board member is resigning, discusses proper procedure for complaints, as well as how the courier and book club service works Tuesday, Dec. 13, at the quarterly Library Board meeting . Board member Vergial Harp will be resigning and the board was asked for suggestions as to who should be recommended to serve on the board. Suggestions are to be communicated to librarian Joleah Tettleton for review...

The rolling hills and flatland of southeast and south central Missouri are a beautiful place during the Holiday Season; we take time to gather with family and friends, and we also reflect on the previous days and months throughout the year. For those of us who are Christians, Christmas is a joyful time of celebration for the birth of our savior, and also a reminder that the true spirit of the Holiday is the gift of giving itself...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Political mildness is scarce nowadays, so it has been pleasantly surprising that post-election denunciations of the Electoral College have been tepid. This, even though the winner of the presidential election lost the popular vote by perhaps 2.8 million votes, more than five times the 537,179 votes by which Al Gore outpolled George W. Bush in 2000...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS Sometimes it seems as if every other word from the mouths of academicians is "inclusiveness" or "diversity." How sincere and truthful are these people about their "inclusiveness and diversity" religion? Suppose a group of engineering students do not want to include black or Mexican students in their study group. ...

O'Neal Elementary School announces its Students of the Month. They are: First grader Colton Thompson, son of Stacy and James Thompson, was nominated by his teacher, Cheryl Berry. Colton's favorite subject is math. His hobbies are: swimming and sleeping. He also likes to play board games with his grandma in Oklahoma...

BROSELEY -- Dexter's dominating run at the Lady Royals Christmas Classic rolled on Monday. Chaylea Mosby couldn't have asked for a better follow up to her 31-point performance in the opener. The 5-foot-5 Dexter sophomore poured in a game-high 37 points to lead the top-seeded Lady Bearcats to an easy 78-16 win over No. 8 Greenville in the quarterfinals...

BROSELEY -- It's been a tale of two teams for Doniphan so far this season. Nearly 48 hours after a triumphant one-point win over Twin Rivers on a last-second bucket, that same resilient Donettes team didn't show up. Turnovers caused a slow start and even more miscues limited fifth-seeded Doniphan's chances at making a second-half comeback during its 61-36 loss to No. 4 Kennett in the Lady Royals Christmas Classic quarterfinals Monday...

BROSELEY -- Tebrya Benford. Callee Pickrell. Tebrya Benford. Callee Pickrell. The public address announcer for the Lady Royals Christmas Classic went back and forth between the leading scorers for Malden and Naylor. Pickrell at one end, then Benford at the other. Pickrell with a putback, Benford with a layup...

Terry Eugene Zook PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Terry Eugene Zook, 54, of Goose Creek, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation will be held from 5 - 8 p.m., Wednesday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, at the Piedmont Chapel...

Ralph J. McMillian MALDEN, Mo. -- Ralph J. McMillian, 92, of Malden, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, at the Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden. Funeral will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, at the Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden with Mr. James Powell officiating...

Paula Arnold DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Paula Arnold of Poplar Bluff died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016 at her residence. Arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion.

Martha "Marty" Lou Bowman ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Martha "Marty" Lou Bowman, 49, daughter of the late Earnest "Ebb" Elmo and Deloris Maxine (Taylor) Martin was born Jan. 11, 1967 in Malden, Mo., and departed this life on Friday, Dec. 16, 2016 at her daughter's residence in Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Glenn Allen, Sr. GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Glenn Allen, Sr., 86, of Barnhart, formerly of Wayne County, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016, at the Crystal Oaks Nursing and Rehab Center in Crystal City. Visitation will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Greenville. Funeral services will follow at noon, Wednesday, at the funeral home chapel with Rev. Elijah Bennett officiating. Burial with military honors will be in the New Prospect Cemetery in Silva...

By TIARA McCLURE Puxico R-VIII Junior High Principal Jason Hill talked about the local winners from the recent Junior Beta convention to the Puxico R-VIII Board of Education school board Monday night, Dec. 12, in the Board Room of the Central Administrative Building on the Puxico Campus...

By PAT PRATT SEMO News Service PUXICO, Mo. - B&H Livestock Market, formerly Puxico Livestock Auction, was destroyed by fire late Monday, according to multiple reports. Auction manager David Hughes says the fire broke out around 11 p.m. When he got there at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, as crews finally had the fire under control, the building was a total loss...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor KENNETT, Mo. -- A Puxico, Mo., woman will spend the rest of her life in prison after being sentenced Thursday morning, Dec. 15, in connection with the 2013 shooting death of her husband, who she killed because "something" told her to "end him."...

As we approach the time of the year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it should be with great joy and renewed hope for a better, more peaceful world. Jesus has been called the Prince of Peace, a fitting title for Him, but the problem that arises is that too many want the peace without accepting the Prince...

Wilma Van Matre, 83, of Oakville, formerly of Wappapello died Friday, Dec. 9, 2016 at Bethesda South gate. Services were held Dec. 12, 2016 at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. Burial will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield...

Michael Eugene Norman, 63, of Wappapello passed away Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016 at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center. Services were held Dec. 9, 2016 at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. Pastor Doug Osborn officiated. Mr. Norman was laid to rest in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield...

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Bill R. Heaton, 73, of Wappapello, passed away Monday, Dec. 12, 2016 at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Bill, the son of the late William Heaton, Sr. and Clara M. Pediford Heaton, was born Oct. 20, 1942 in Sikeston. ...

The following poems were written by members of the Puxico sixth grade communications arts class: the Vacation By Dyson Strickland 'Twas the night before the vacation and all through the house, Not a kid was sleeping not even Mickey Mouse! The luggage was packed and ready to go...

David Joseph Nichols NIXA, Mo. -- David Joseph Nichols, 95, of Ozark, passed away Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016. He was born Nov. 25, 1921 in Jonesboro, Ark., to Joseph and Lilian (Penick) Nichols. David was united in marriage to Dorothy Lee Graham in August 1948 celebrating 68 years of marriage...

Dora N. Teague NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Dora N. Teague, 96, of Neelyville, entered into eternal rest Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016. Born in Arkansas, she was the wife of the late James U. Teague. She is survived by four of her 11 children and 29 grandchildren and a host of great-great-great grandchildren and friends. Viewing will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016 with funeral following at 11 a.m. in the Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel, 16984 Hwy, 67 South, Neelyville, MO 63954...

Jennie Marie Kindrick ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Jennie Marie Kindrick, 42, of St. Louis, died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, at Boone Hospital in Columbia, Mo. Visitation will begin for the public at 6 p.m., Wednesday, at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore, with the funeral services being held at 10 a.m., Thursday, at the Walton Chapel Church in Ellsinore. Burial in Walton Chapel Cemetery in Butler County...

Joyce Levena Burton Strauser BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Joyce Levena Burton Strauser, 60, of Advance, died Friday, Dec. 16, 2016 at her residents near Advance. Visitations will be held from 5 - 8 p.m., Wednesday, p.m. at Chiles - Cooper Funeral Home, in Bloomfield. ...

Martha Katheryn Williams Martha Katheryn Williams, 85, died on Thursday, December 15, 2016 at Wilshire Lakewood Nursing Home in Lee's Summit, Mo. Martha will be laid to rest Wednesday, December 21st in Black Creek Cemetery in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Martha was born Aug. ...

Evelyn Brewer CAMPBELL, Mo. - Evelyn Brewer, 81, of Jackson, Mo., formerly of Campbell, died Sat., Dec. 17, 2016 at her residence. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. today, at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. on Tues., Dec. 20 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Campbell with Rev. Tony Wood officiating. Burial will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Campbell. Landess Funeral Home in Campbell is in charge of arrangements...