Stories from Friday, September 8, 2017

A Poplar Bluff police officer was among about 25 who recently received advanced training in the disposal of various explosives. The course, according to Lt. Darron Moore, provided him with "another tool in my tool bag when it comes to dealing with bomb threats and other responses as a member of the SEMO (Regional) Bomb Team."...

Students at Poplar Bluff Junior High are holding a cleaning supply drive to benefit Frank Black Middle School in Houston, Tex., from 9 a.m. - noon Saturday at Walmart Supercenter. Led by teachers Jennifer Nicolini and Melinda Moncier, PBJHS adopted the school and has been working to collect supplies in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 hurricane that hit the southern part of the state late last month causing unprecedented flooding...

A new show at the Margaret Harwell Art Museum pairs the intricate creations of a wood sculptor and a fiber artist. Retirement has given Adam Sobas of Ellington, Mo., the ability to devote all of his time to the complex block structures, which he says allow him to explore self, art and the world...

The success of the Women Aware Inc., conference for three decades has been fueled by the teamwork of dedicated volunteers and the Poplar Bluff area business community. The 30th anniversary event Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Black River Coliseum will be no different...

Over the past few weeks, speculation has been floating around Missouri that House Speaker Todd Richardson would become a candidate for a statewide office. Richardson, who is term limited, admitted during the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia that he was considering a campaign for state auditor. ...

By STEPHEN MOORE Does hatred and violence reside only on the far right, as the media seems to be spinning things? Consider this personal anecdote. Late last year I was attending a board dinner for the American Legislative Exchange Council in Pittsburgh. ALEC represents conservative state legislators around the country. The left hates ALEC because it promotes conservative reforms to state government and challenges the public-sector unions...

NEW YORK (AP) -- The share of Americans who identify as white and Christian has dropped below 50 percent, a transformation fueled by immigration and by growing numbers of people who reject organized religion altogether, according to a new survey released Wednesday...

Our tax system is rigged, designed to help only the most powerful people who can afford the most expensive tax lawyers to find their way through tricky tax loopholes. This week, I joined President Donald Trump in Springfield to talk about our complicated and unfair tax code, the work we must do to fix it, and how we are going to give hardworking Americans a pay raise in the process...

Many blacks and their white liberal allies demand the removal of statues of Confederate generals and the Confederate battle flag, and they are working up steam to destroy the images of Gens. Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee and President Jefferson Davis from Stone Mountain in Georgia. Allow me to speculate as to the whys of this statue removal craze, which we might call statucide...

BERNIE -- Dexter picked up a second Stoddard County Activities Association win in three days, this time in clinical fashion. The Bearcats cleaned up their errors in every facet to beat Bernie 25-12, 25-14 on Thursday. "The county is tougher this year. There is no way we are ever going to take a team lightly in the Stoddard County," Dexter coach Carmen Morgan said. "You can't go into any of those games thinking you've got it made."...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Darlene Faye Wagner Noyes, 78, of Broomfield, Colo., died Saturday, June 24, 2017 in Broomfield. A graveside memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9 at Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden with David Wagner officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden...

As the Poplar Bluff soccer team met following a 4-1 loss to Cape Central, a fire alarm echoed through Mules Stadium on Thursday night. It was a fitting metaphorical end to a game in which the Mules fell behind after two early goals and never recovered...

When Teejay Britton is finished punching his opponent in the middle of a cage at the Black River Coliseum on Saturday, the youth minister will kneel down to pray. Britton got into MMA as another way for a former professional athlete to stay in shape...

BROSELEY -- Twin Rivers extended Malden's misery in head-to-head, three-set matches behind the powerful swing of Katelyn South on Thursday night. After a mistake-filled second set, the Royals rebounded to beat the previously unbeaten Green Wave 25-19, 17-25, 25-12...

Stuck on a do it yourself project and not sure how to proceed next? Poplar Bluff Menards will be hosting a Contractor Connection Event featuring local contractors offering home improvement ideas and projects. "Contractors on hand will be able to assist with projects from roofing, landscaping, home additions and more," Poplar Bluff Menards General Manager Gary Dahl said...

Shelby Sievers hit her fourth home run of the season and doubled while Adrienne Stucker struck out a season-high 10 in Poplar Bluff's 13-1 win in five innings Thursday. Audrey Lack was 2 for 2 with three RBIs while Calli Gerber drove in a pair of runs for the Mules (11-4). Brylee Misner had a triple among her two hits, Savannah Hicks and Adrienne Stucker each doubled as seven different batters drove in a run...

Gage Rivers returned a pair of kickoffs for scores while Garrett Lazlier and Dalton Gatewood each scored twice as the Poplar Bluff Junior High football team won its home opener Thursday. The Junior Mules scored six times before giving up a touchdown in a 62-38 win over Caruthersville at Morrow Stadium...

Darlene Faye Wagner Noyes -- Broomfield, Colo.

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Tim Savage, 57, died Friday, Sept. 8 at his home near Piedmont. Arrangements are pending with the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.