Stories from Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Poplar Bluff and nearby residents should prepare for somewhat of a heat wave, as temperatures are expected to reach 42 degrees on Sunday, making it the warmest, and only, weekend of 2018 thus far. Despite a series of historically low temperatures occurring just after Christmas through Tuesday, no cold-weather emergencies were reported by area officials...

A Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman's live-in boyfriend is accused of inflicting what authorities describe as severe head trauma and internal injuries on her young daughter. The 6-year-old was flown to Cardinal Glennon in St. Louis, Mo., for treatment Tuesday...

From Staff Reports The University Of Missouri Extension Council of Butler County will elect eight people for two-year terms, according to County Program Director Sarah Denkler. Fifteen candidates have filed for the open, two-year terms. Voting begins Jan. 6 and continues through Jan. 20...

WINONA, Mo. -- Missouri's elk herd continues to grow at a slow but steady pace, and managers with the Department of Conservation are optimistic about their future. "They're doing pretty darn good," cervid biologist Aaron Hildreth told the state's Conservation Commission recently, "and there's high public support."...

By ANDREW MALCOLM Special to McClatchy via Tribune News Service For the next 52 weeks you're likely to hear that pretty much every single news event will have an impact on the 2018 midterm elections and President Donald Trump's political prospects. Some of that is true...

To the Editor, We were before the pill and the population explosion, which inexplicable, went hand in hand. We were before the television. Before polio shots, antibiotics and frisbees. Before frozen foods, dacron, Xerox and Kinsey. We were before credit cards and ballpoint pens. For us time sharing meant togetherness, not computers or vacation homes. A chip meant a piece of wood; hardware meant hardware and software wasn't even a word...

After 33 years, Comfort Master, Inc. owner Ron Bridges has decided the time has come for him to hand over the reigns of the business and retire effective Jan. 1. "I want to thank all the customers for their support over the years," Bridges said. "The customers have been very important to me and will be left in good hands."...

By MONA CHAREN It may not be exactly the coming of the Messiah, but seeing a front-page story in The New York Times about over-regulation certainly feels like a breakthrough of note. Titled "One Apple Orchard and 5,000 Government Rules," the story focuses on the Indian Ladder Farms apple orchard in Altamont, New York. ...

CAMPBELL, Mo. - Aileen Wallace, 85, of Campbell, died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017 at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be at noon, Friday, Jan. 5 at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m. in the Landess Funeral Chapel with Rev. Gary Long officiating. Burial will be in Elder Cemetery in Campbell. Landess Funeral Home of Campbell is in charge of arrangements...

ELLSINORE, Mo. - Ronald "Ron" Pinnell, 57, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2017 at his residence. Visitation will be at 6 p.m., Friday, Jan. 5 at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore. The funeral will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 6 in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Tom Wilder will be officiating. Burial will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery in Ellsinore...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - Nancy Maxine Tilley, 71, of Boliver, Mo., formerly of Bloomfield, died Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017 at her residence. Visitation will be at 9 a.m., Friday, January 5 at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Rev. Ronnie Stevens of Bloomfield officiating. Burial will follow in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield with Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in charge of arrangements...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff saw a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter vanish, missed a shot at the end of regulation and lost after an unlikely 3-pointer during the final minute of overtime Tuesday night. Farmington senior Seth Polus put the Knights ahead by a point with a long, off-balanced, well-guarded 3-pointer and Cameron Friend added two free throws with 15 seconds remaining in overtime to beat Poplar Bluff 80-77...

VAN BUREN, Mo. - Mavis L. Rushing, 99, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2017 at Riverways Manor Nursing Home in Van Buren. Visitation was at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 2 at the First Baptist Church in Van Buren. The funeral will be at noon, Wednesday, Jan. 3 in the Church chapel with Rev. Ron Robinson officiating. Burial will be in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sikeston, Mo. Online condolences: www.mcspaddenfh.com...

RECTOR, Ark. - Marjorie Kitchens of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Jan. 1, 2018 at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro, Ark. She was 95 years old. Born in 1922 to Royal and Mabel Brandon in Piggott, Ark, Mrs. Kitchens spent her early childhood near Greenway but moved and then graduated from Piggott High School. She worked in St. Louis all during WWII...

CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- The Malden Green Wave boys basketball team put the entire Bootheel Conference on notice Tuesday night. Malden outscored defending champion Caruthersville in each of the final three quarters to secure a 62-54 road victory. "Caruthersville had some uncharacteristic turnovers in the second half," Malden coach Andrew Halford said. ...

James W. Armstrong, 65, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. James was born Aug. 5, 1952 in Poplar Bluff to the late James L. and Lucille Diamond Armstrong. He graduated from Normandy High School in St. ...

Raegan McAtee and the Poplar Bluff swim team knocked off the competitive rust Tuesday as the Mules swam in their first meet in three weeks. McAtee missed a state qualifying time by half a second in the 100-yard butterfly, cutting 2 seconds off her previous season-best time in winning by 9 seconds at the Black River Coliseum Aquatic Center...

DELTA, Mo. -- The Puxico girls basketball team knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to start the game and never trailed, as fifth-seeded Woodland struggled offensively and fell to the fourth-seeded Indians 48-38 in a quarterfinal of the Delta New Year's Invitational Tournament on Tuesday night at Delta High School...

Marvin Edward Pierce, 81, of Poplar Bluff passed away December 22, 2017 at San Antonio Regional Hospital in Upland, CA. Mr. Pierce was born Nov. 6, 1936 in Poplar Bluff. He had founded and helped build Northside Missionary Baptist Church and was ordained as a deacon; later he served as deacon in Lighthouse Missionary Baptist Church and most recent, Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church. He was in the United States Army from 1954-1957 where he was on border patrol in occupied Berlin...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - Wayne Underhile, 89, of Dexter, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017 at his residence. Friends may gather at 9:30 a.m. Thurs. January 4 at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter for a procession to the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield. A graveside service will begin at 10 a.m...

DONIPHAN, Mo. - Donald Ray "Big Don" Bulington, 75, of Doniphan, Missouri, died Tuesday, January 2, 2018, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Mr. Bulington was born October 2, 1942, in Lafayette, Indiana. He had been a horse trainer. ...

CAMPBELL, Mo. - Rietta Sue Davis, 61, of Kennett, Mo., died Monday, January 1, 2018 at NHC in Kennett. Visitation will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, January 4 at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. in Landess Funeral Chapel with Rev. Dale Rickman and Rev. Johnny Bogle officiating. Burial will be in Loyd Cemetery in Holcomb, Mo. Landess Funeral Home in Campbell is in charge of arrangements...

Ola Deffendall, 96, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Jan. 1, 2018 at Cedargate Nursing Home. She was born May 21, 1921, in Parma, Mo. to the late Mose Smith and Bessie Rice Smith. Ola was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff. She was of the Baptist faith...

DEXTER, Mo. - Richard L. Long, Sr., 67, of Eads, Tennessee, died Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 at his residence. Friends may call on Friday, January 5, 2018, after 10 a.m. until time of services at 11 a.m. at the Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter. Burial will be in the Dexter Cemetery with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

BERNIE -- Bernie's Nate Dillinger hit a 3-pointer in the waning seconds to lift the Mules to a 60-59 win over visiting Oran on Tuesday night. The Mules outscored Oran 21-11 in the third quarter to take a 51-42 lead into the fourth where they held off a late charge. Oran held a 17-9 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter...

Power was shut off briefly Tuesday to all city of Poplar Bluff electric customers to allow emergency repairs at the Morrison Road substation by a power provider. The outage was scheduled for 1 p.m. and lasted for just over 14 minutes while a crew from the Southwestern Power Administration took a breaker offline, said Bill Bach, Municipal Utilities director...