Stories from Friday, January 6, 2017

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Public Schools launched a new website last week, the first major revamp since the 2010-11 school year. The new site at www.poplarbluffschools.net boasts a number of features not found in the prior version. Those include one-click, easy access to athletic events, lunch menus, interactive bus route maps, staff contacts and job vacancies, just to name a few...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer NEELYVILLE, Mo. - For four Neelyville eighth grade students, starting a band has led to more than just after school jam sessions in the garage. It has led to two consecutive first place wins in the special talent division at the Junior Beta State Convention with subsequent chances to compete for a national title...

Kameron J. Wood -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Julia L. Parshall -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Bryant Stewart, Jr. -- Campbell, Mo. Roy Lee Parish -- Neelyville, Mo. Teddy Ray "Ted" Whitlow -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Carrie Lavern Moore -- Bertrand, Mo.

Donald Trump's still got a ways to go before achieving the moniker of "statesman," but it appears the president-elect has had a positive influence on a couple of issues inside and outside of government. Trump made a big deal of America's loss of jobs to Mexico during his campaign for the presidency, and his rhetoric seems to have paid off in the decision of Ford Motor Co. ...

To the Editor: The site of the old post office is now occupied by a city parking garage that cost $500,000 and will hopefully find a useful place in the latest plans to revitalize the downtown business district. The Downtown Garage is the only structure downtown that will not fall down or burn down...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS We will never understand liberals and progressives until we recognize that they often see reality as a social construct subject to being challenged and changed. For example, throughout the world, boys and girls have different toy preferences. ...

Students looking to start classes at Three Rivers College still have time left to enroll in spring semester classes before the Jan. 13 registration deadline, according to officials at the college. Online and on-site registration will close at end of day Jan. 13 at the Poplar Bluff campus, as well as the locations in Sikeston, Dexter, Kennett, Malden, and Cape Girardeau. The Spring semester starts on Tuesday, Jan. 17...

CENTER STAGE, INC. will present #My Family Matters -- 2016 Community Family Conference at 6 p.m. Friday at True Believers Church, 510 N. C St. and at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Hollidy Inn, Hwy. 67 N. There will be singing, music, games, door prizes and vendors...

Missouri's alternative methods deer season came to a close Tuesday, with hunters taking 10,602 deer statewide. The total is somewhat surprising, considering the slow start to the season, and the harvest is down only slightly from the 11,078 taken last year (MDC's adjusted count). It remains well off the record of 15,907 deer taken in 2009...

PUXICO, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation, in its efforts to recruit more people into the outdoors, will once again host a women's rabbit hunting with beagles clinic in February. The Discover Nature Rabbit Hunting Clinic, designed for those women with little or no hunting experience, will be held Feb. 11 at the Duck Creek Conservation Area...

LEBANON, Mo. -- A recent examination of several ash trees in rural Laclede County shows an unwanted tree pest is continuing its spread across Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) foresters have confirmed that the emerald ash borer (EAB), an insect whose life cycle is fatal to ash trees, has been discovered in Laclede County. ...

MARION, Ill. -- Clinging to a seven-point lead with three matches left, the Poplar Bluff wrestling team got a lift from its bench Wednesday night looking for help. The Mules didn't make weight at 195 pounds so coach David Sievers moved up Wyatt Lazalier from the junior varsity hoping the sophomore could avoid being pinned...

The black bear is one of the largest and heaviest wild mammals in Missouri. It has a long muzzle with a straight facial profile; rounded, erect ears; rather short, stout legs; and a very short tail practically concealed in the long, heavy fur. For black bears in Missouri, the fur is predominantly glossy black; the muzzle is brown, and there is usually a white patch on the chest...

A coaching career in high school athletics is a balancing act that requires time, patience and an extraordinary ability to multitask as a coach, teacher and parent. Poplar Bluff coach Steven Edwards has excelled at that challenge over the last several years as the boys soccer coach in the fall and the baseball coach in the spring, while also being a psychology, sociology and contemporary issues teacher, a husband and a father to his son at home...

DELTA, Mo. -- Maybe Sam Sides' halftime speech was just much better than his pregame pep talk. Maybe his Saxony Lutheran girls basketball team just needed a little wakeup call. Whatever the case, the Crusaders took a much-needed leap forward in the second half, as second-seeded Saxony put a sloppy start behind it and opened the third quarter on an 11-0 run that took control of the game and pushed it past No. ...

Forgive the Raiders if they overlooked Southeastern Illinois a little bit. Three Rivers College starts its Region XVI schedule at home Saturday against undefeated and currently No. 6 ranked Mineral Area, who is also getting a No. 1 vote. The Raiders played spotty Wednesday, but still beat Southeastern Illinois 89-66 at the Bess Activity Center, thanks in no small part to strong performances from Camron Reedus and Daniel Soetan...

Justas Furmanavicius lined up across from a team full of future NBA players when he and Ole Miss played Kentucky on Thursday. Ole Miss lost 99-76 at home and Furmanavicius (Three Rivers College) finished with eight points, six rebounds and three blocks. He was 4 for 5 shooting and played 28 minutes...

Ruford Clyde Bazzell QULIN, Mo. -- Ruford Clyde Bazzell, 96, of Qulin, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017 at peace with God. Ruford, the son of the late Clarence and Tora Bazzell was born Aug. 20, 1920 in Marble Hill. He was a member of the Oglesville General Baptist Church and was a retired Silver Platesman. ...

Julia L. Parshall Julia L. Parshall, 84, of Poplar Bluff, died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

Bryant Stewart, Jr. CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Bryant Stewart, Jr., 93, of Campbell, died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017, at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. Visitation will be from noon -- 1 p.m., Sunday, at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m., Sunday at Landess Funeral Chapel in Campbell with Rev. Stella Turner officiating...

Roy Lee Parish Roy Lee Parish, 92, of Neelyville, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017 at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017 at Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with Chaplain Bill Hatch officiating. Burial will be at the Naylor Cemetery in Naylor, Mo...

Teddy Ray 'Ted' Whitlow Teddy Ray "Ted" Whitlow, 79, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at his residence. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, in the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Monty Flanigan officiating. Burial will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery...

Carrie Lavern Moore MALDEN, Mo. -- Carrie Lavern Moore, 90, of Bertrand, Mo. died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2016, at Bertrand Nursing & Rehab in Bertrand. Visitation will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. A funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the chapel with Rev. Brad Moore officiating. Burial will be in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton, Mo...