Stories from Tuesday, August 22, 2017

The following figures were used by city council members during discussion Monday. Renovation of Northwest Medical building Cost -- $7,765,800 Includes: 79,883 square feet Does not include: New building at current Second Street location Cost -- $7,500,000-$8,750,000...

"This is a great learning demonstration happening right in the sky," said Three Rivers physicist Dr. Paul Larson. "There is not a lot of opportunities where you can go outside and see something as amazing as this." Larson hosted a lecture on campus just before the beginning of the solar eclipse to give students and faculty a better understanding of what would be happening and how to observe the phenomenon safely...

Clusters of people dotted McLane Park Monday to view the 2017 solar eclipse as it passed over Poplar Bluff, Mo. About 100 people, some from as far away as Texas, Ohio and Arkansas, joined the "Solar Eclipse Party," sponsored by the Missouri Association of Family and Community Education (FCE) and Poplar Bluff Park and Recreation Department. Free glasses, as well as water and cookies, were available for the attendees...

Poplar Bluff City Council members are expected to hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday to potentially discuss and vote once again on a location for city hall, the police department and city court, following a heated discussion Monday. A final agenda has not been approved as of press time...

It's economics not location The location of City Hall should be an economic decision, not an emotional decision. City Hall will not revitalize downtown. The MAACO Apartments didn't do it. Having a Downtown Revitalization Coordinator hasn't done it. Having festivals hasn't done it. City Hall won't do it. Nostalgia is not a good reason to go into debt millions of dollars more for a location much smaller than what can be obtained for much less money...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS Charlottesville, Virginia, a city named after Britain's first black queen, was the scene of a bloody riot Saturday, Aug. 12. The fray resulted in the death of one woman, who was mowed down by a car; plus, there were many other people injured. Have politicians and the news media told the correct and complete story about what happened, or have Americans been deliberately misled? Let's look at it...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat It's hard for a Missouri politician to put our proud state in a more unfavorable light than former Congressman Todd Akins. Akins, you'll recall, made an asinine statement on rape that not only doomed his career but brought insensitivity to a new low...

By GLEB TSIPURSKY The Dallas Morning News via Tribune News Service "I think there is blame on both sides, and I have no doubt about it," President Donald Trump said about the violence at the Unite the Right rally last week in Charlottesville, Va. The statement has been roundly denounced by Democrats and Republicans alike. Still, Trump's words have some truth that we cannot simply wish away, and a broader context provides more clarity on where the president is right, and where he is not...

QULIN, Mo. - Johnnie Heber Hill, age 87, of Qulin, Mo. died Saturday, Aug, 19 2017 at his home. Mr. Hill was born April 29, 1930 at Broseley, son of the late John Heber and Mary Margaret (Butts) Hill. He was a retired farmer and raised registered Hereford Cattle. ...

The August meeting of the Cane Creek Community Club was called to order at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8. After a business meeting, Nancy Wujcik challenged the group to use their brain to learn new things and to do old things in different ways. She also demonstrated ways to exercise, which sharpens mental skills...

DEXTER, Mo. - Mildred Berry, 90, formerly of Essex, died Saturday, August 19, 2017 at Bertrand Nursing Center in Bertrand, Mo. There are no services planned at this time, Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter, Missouri, is in charge of arrangements. www.watkinsfuneralhome.com...

FISK, Mo. - Dawna Gwen Leutert, age 57, of Fisk, Mo., died Friday, August 18, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mrs. Leutert was born March 19, 1960 in Cape Girardeau, Mo. daughter of the late Bill Eugene and Leona Frances Besher. ...

DALLAS (AP) -- A rendering by Norman Rockwell of one of his best known baseball-themed paintings has sold at auction for $1.6 million. The work was a study, or a preliminary work, for Rockwell's "Tough Call." The painting depicts three umpires looking skyward pondering whether to call a game because of rain. It's arguably the most recognizable of his baseball-themed works...

Helen Louise Qualls, 88, of Springfield, Mo., formerly of Slater, Mo., died Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo. Born Feb. 27, 1929 in Doniphan, Helen was the daughter of the late Lula and W.D. Marsh. She was a graduate of Naylor High School and was the class salutatorian. ...

Angela Carol Martin passed away in the comfort of home Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017. She was surrounded by family and friends as she took her journey to heaven. Angie was born Nov. 28, 1961, to Charles and Paulette Hester in Poplar Bluff.. She graduated from high school in 1980 and later from TRCC with an Associates of Arts degree in Art. ...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Marvin L. Jones, 89, of Shook, Mo., died Monday, Aug. 20, 2017, at the Greenville Nursing Center in Greenville. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 23, at the Shiloh Church in Shook. Funeral will follow at noon at the church with Rev. Wayne Burchard officiating...

Clyde Davis, 73, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, at his residence. Mr. Davis was born May 2, 1944 in Poplar Bluff, to the late George and Lillian (Koonce) Davis. Mr. Davis was a mechanic. He was of the Baptist faith. He enjoyed his family, fishing and mechanics...

Kaitlyn Lloyd admits her tennis game has come a long way since the Poplar Bluff senior joined the team as a freshman. "Let's just say my freshman year, the ball was nowhere to be found," Lloyd said. "Now, I can sorta hit it in the general area." Lloyd credits her improvement to the techniques taught by coach Charles Harper and, "practicing all the time helps."...

BONNE TERRE, Mo. -- Shelby Sievers and Brylee Misner hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning Monday as the Poplar Bluff softball team won at North County 6-1. The Mules scored four runs in the opening frame, all with two outs, and Sievers picked up the win in the circle, striking out five...

Runners have goals and the Poplar Bluff cross country team is no different. For senior Ben Till, it's breaking 19 minutes for the first time, while Katie Sliger wants to consistently run in the 19-minute range as she did two years ago. "Really it's all made in practices," Till said. "You never go to a race and run it there. You run your entire race in practice and then you come to the race and that's how you compete."...

EMINENCE, Mo. -- Tanner Wilkins drove in six runs on four hits, Jesse Holmes had five RBIs on three hits and the Clearwater baseball team scored at least three runs in every inning on its way to a dominant 29-7 season-opening victory over Eminence Monday...

Eleven-year-old Mason Moon stared at the sky through cardboard glasses Monday as he as his classmates at Poplar Bluff Middle School gathered on the playground to watch the Great American Eclipse. Moon separated himself from the other students to stand alone, his head tilted up and his hands holding the flimsy solar eclipse glasses to his face, as he watched, in awe, the moon's transit across the sun...

A Qulin, Mo., man accused of beating and holding his girlfriend against her will was arrested early Tuesday morning during a traffic stop in which suspected narcotics were found. Jesse Benjamin Chaffin, 36, was arrested at 3:16 a.m. when his SUV was stopped at the intersection of Ninth and Cherry streets...