Stories from Tuesday, April 25, 2017

A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man appeared in court Monday as local authorities continued to investigate the shooting he is accused of committing. Tajsh Jarray Lee, 25, of the 400 block of Harper Street appeared before Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth for arraignment on the Class A felony of first-degree assault and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol's crash investigation unit returned Monday to the scene of a fatal crash involving a Stoddard County deputy. At 5:43 p.m. Saturday, Stoddard County Deputy Derrick A. Durall, 25, was operating a 2013 Ford Explorer northbound on Highway 25 with its emergency lights and sirens activated, according to a patrol report...

A local man with Lou Gehrig's disease can breathe easier thanks to donations from members of the community. Chris Batrano is an 18-year survivor of the disease, also known as ALS oramyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He is almost completely paralyzed and relies on a ventilator and another machine to breathe...

Three Rivers College is welcoming the community to an open house and ribbon cutting for the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center, the new home of business, nursing, and allied health classes on the Poplar Bluff campus. Ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. ...

A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man may face assault charges after he bit the tip of a woman's finger off as she attempted to break up an alleged altercation involving the man and her son Monday morning. At about 7:10 a.m. Monday, Poplar Bluff Police Patrolman Shaun Prenger was sent to a residence in the 700 block of North 11th Street, where he contacted 48-year-old Rose Johnson and her 27-year-old son, James Johnson...

For the first time in the Poplar Bluff area, the Boy Scouts of America's Sioux District will host the Corporate Pinewood Derby at 6 p.m. Thursday to benefit the Friends of Scouting campaign. The Pinewood Derby is as much a scouting tradition as campfires, leadership badges and Scouting for Food. Fathers and sons bond while building their cars and on race day, dads go head to head to make sure their son walks away with a first place prize...

Music lovers, philanthropists and anyone searching for a good time all have a reason to gather in Downtown Poplar Bluff Saturday night when The Poplar Bluff Lions Club presents Rockin' & Roarin' at The Rodgers. The event will kick-off at 6 p.m. and performances by the Millstones, Brothers Walker and Alex Riffle & the Stiff Riffs will light up the stage. A live auction during intermission also will take place...

First Missouri State Bank recently announced that Randy Schulz has joined their bank staff and will serve as the Customer Relations manager. Randy and his wife, Lorrie, are the former owner-operators of Cotrell Funeral Home. Schulz will be making the transition from a 44-year career in the funeral industry to accept a new challenge in banking...

To the Editor: I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the many people in the Poplar Bluff area and beyond, who have reached out to me in support of my situation with the VA. I have been amazed at the large number of citizens who have taken time to call, email, text message, sent letters and cards, posted comments on their Facebook pages and contacted Congressmen. Your efforts and words of encouragement are appreciated!...

To the Editor: As a citizen and as director of Poplar Bluff Municipal Library, I want to relay a recent joyful experience at the library. In the library's theater on Saturday, April 15, 2017 (The Ides of April), I enjoyed Shakespeare's Julius Caesar performed by St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, surrounded by an art show sponsored by the Animal Welfare Alliance. I don't believe the arts can get any better for anyone. Our community is a wealth of art, history, theater, film, and music...

Poplar Bluff Middle School third quarter honor roll includes: A Honor Roll Sixth Grade Jarryn Anderson, Mercedes Baguio, Maria Bailey, Hanna Bone, AbigailBuckelew, Rachel Butler, Adrianne Casey, Raigan Caudel, Julia Chambliss, Benjamin Colclasure, Jayla Collins, Kailyn Crites, Anthony Curnutt, Makaylynn Daves, Logan Davis, Kyler Deaton, Mariah Deshaney, Maura Dill, Ysabella Dunkin, David Durbin, Emma Eudaley, Alexia Flowers, Gabrielle Fortner, Elizabeth Fredwell, Jillianne Freeman, Lauren Hamilton, Kaydence Hart-Daves, Madelyn Hefner, Elle Henderson, Gavin Hicks, Nicholas Howard, Lily Johnson, Madeline Johnson, Nevaeh Larkins, Abigail Lawrinenko, Jace Littles, Hudson Matthews, Landen Maurer, Ahna Maycroft, Nathan Mays, Elijah McAtee, Kirstyn Millner, Abigail Murphy, Katie Nidiffer, Emmalein Pendley, Clara Rahlmann, Blane Ray, Jordyn Ridens, Lanie Robertson, Lucas Robertson, River Rowland, Alyssa Roy, Christopher Schulz, Carter Scobey, John Scott, Caleb Shepard, Ethan Smith, Hannah Spencer, Mekhi Starnes, Karissa Tilley, Emma Tinsley, Lindsay Wagner, Diamond Weaver, Jalia Webb, Ethan Webster, Alyssa Wells, Halie Weston, Sidonia White, Paiton Willis, Blake Yarbro. ...

This week, the House gave approval to legislation reforming Missouri's workers' compensation law and improving the state's workforce development programs, amongst other priorities. You can learn more about the legislative initiatives advanced by the House below...

WASHINGTON -- The crisis with North Korea may appear trumped up. It's not. Given that Pyongyang has had nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles for more than a decade, why the panic now? Because North Korea is headed for a nuclear breakout. The regime has openly declared that it is racing to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach the United States -- and thus destroy an American city at a Kim Jong Un push of a button...

QULIN, Mo. -- Charles Wright Jr, 89, of Qulin, died Monday, April 24, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Wright was born Sept. 20, 1927 in Corning, Ark. to the late Charles and Lela (Spencer) Wright. He served in the Army during World War II. ...

The SEMO Conference game between Jackson and Poplar Bluff was a standoff even before the first pitch Monday. Each side opened with a three-run first inning but Poplar Bluff got a pair of two-out RBI singles in the fourth to pull ahead. That was enough to back Ronin Rice's complete-game effort as the Mules won 5-3 at Bobby Strenfel Field...

Louis D. Smith, Jr., 70, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Monday, April 24, 2017 at St. Anthony's Hospital (Kindred Center) in St. Louis. Louis, the son of the late Louis D. Sr. and Georgia West Smith, was born Oct. 18, 1946 in Illinois. He was a member of First Baptist Church and had retired in 2000 after 25 years of teaching art for the Poplar Bluff R-1 Schools. Louis enjoyed fishing, knapping, gardening, sculpting, coaching baseball and following the St. Louis Cardinals...

SIKESTON, Mo. - If there was a grand slam title to win, the Poplar Bluff golf team would own that as well. The Mules continued their stranglehold on the area's major events with a dominant win at the SEMO Conference Tournament championship Monday at Fox Haven Country Club...

LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn., -- Dorothy A. Nixon, 95, of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Sunday, April 16, 2017, at Country Side Health Care in Lawrenceburg. Arrangements are pending.

FISK, Mo. -- Gregory H. Elledge, 50, of Poplar Bluff, died Sunday, April 23, 2017 at The Manor in Poplar Bluff. Mr. .Elledge was born March 24, 1967 in Dexter. He attended Puxico General Baptist Church before his health failed. He is survived by his mother, Veda White Elledge of Poplar Bluff; four brothers: Rick White and wife Lovetia, Paul Eugene White and wife Cheryl, and Terry White and wife Rose all of Poplar Bluff and Timothy Elledge of Saint Louis; two sisters: Lorain Duley and husband Marty of Poplar Bluff, and Shirley Whittley and husband George of Leora. ...

DONIPHAN -- After losing to Naylor earlier this spring, East Carter had all the motivation it needed. The second-seeded Lady Redbirds struck first, scored throughout and ended nearly two decades worth of bad memories in the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament by knocking off top-seeded Naylor 11-3 to claim their first title since 1999 Monday at Quick Creek Park...

Rustin William Ramsey and Katherine Deanne Ramsey are the names chosen by Cacie Elizabeth and Tyler Rustin Ramsey of Dexter for their twins born Monday, April 10, 2017 at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. Katherine Deanne Ramsey weighted 7-pounds and was born at 11:28 a.m.; Rustin William Ramsey weighed 7-pounds, 9 ounces, and was born at 11:30 a.m. She was 19 inches long; he was 19 1/2 inches long...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Aimee J. Harmon, 87, of Poplar Bluff, formerly of California, died Saturday, April 22, 2017, at Mark Twain Caring Center in Poplar Bluff . Arrangements by Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville.

The Lady Raiders are on their longest winning streak of the season heading into their final week. With weekend sweeps over State Fair and Mineral Area, Three Rivers College has won eight straight with two doubleheaders remaining before the Region XVI Tournament...

VAN BUREN -- Ethan Ponder blasted a three-run home run and Todd Wilcoxen chipped in a double, as the Van Buren baseball team beat Greenville 9-6 on Monday. Ponder and Wilcoxen each finished with three RBIs to lead the Bulldogs (11-2), who have won 10 of their last 11...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Raiders had four players batting Sunday who are listed as pitchers in the program. Hampered by injuries all season, the worst-case scenario finally hit Three Rivers College as they traveled to MCC-Maple Woods with seven healthy position players...