Stories from Wednesday, January 31, 2018

An elderly Poplar Bluff, Mo., couple had so little money for food shortly before Christmas, they were malnourished When their circumstances were discovered, Northside Nutrition was at the top of the list of agencies asked to help. The center could offer warm, healthy noon meals delivered to their home, as well as food through other programs...

GREENVILLE, Mo. -- A Williamsville, Mo., man accused of brutally killing a couple and their toddler made his first court appearance this morning. Drew D. Atchison was formally arraigned before Associate Circuit Judge Randy Schuller on three Class A felonies of first-degree murder, three unclassified felonies of armed criminal action, two Class A felonies of child kidnapping and the Class D felony of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, according to Wayne County Circuit Clerk Darren Garrison.. ...

The presence of bed bugs at Poplar Bluff Head Start recently was confirmed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, despite a Head Start official there initially denying the allegations. According to Sarah O'Connor, chief public information officer at the state's health agency, the staff at Poplar Bluff Head Start -- Part Year Center, located at 405 Karen Drive, is currently working with the Division of Community and Public Health to exterminate the bugs...

NEW YORK -- Toys R Us, a nostalgic favorite even as many shoppers moved to Amazon and huge chains like Walmart, plans to close up to 182 stores, or about 20 percent of its U.S. locations. One of those locations is the Cape Girardeau store on Silver Springs Road. The store manager declined to comment on the impending closing when reached by telephone, but instead referred all inquiries to a corporate spokesperson...

On Friday night, January 19th, Senate obstructionism was on full display for all of America to see as a handful of Senators voted to shut down the United States government in order to advocate for unrelated illegal immigration policies. That's right, they chose to prioritize illegal immigration over paying our troops and making sure our men and women in uniform had the tools they needed to protect our freedoms. ...

The Economic and Business Engagement Center at 920 Broadway in Cape Girardeau is under the Southeast Missouri State University umbrella, but it serves the 19-county region by encouraging economic development, director and Poplar Bluff native Crystal Jones, a Poplar Bluff native, said...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS President Donald Trump reportedly asked why the U.S. is "having all these people from shithole countries come here." I think he could have used better language, but it's a question that should be asked and answered. I have a few questions for my fellow Americans to consider. ...

PUXICO, Mo - Alice Virginia Hoover Hodge Langston, 83 years old, died at her home Monday, Jan. 29, 2018 in Puxico, Mo. She was born Feb. 17, 1934 in Thebes, Ill., to Jay Festus Hoover and Zelma May Tisdale, who preceded her in death. Alice was married to Jewel Dean Hodge Dec. ...

By STEPHEN MOORE We're just one month into the new tax bill, and only those wearing left-wing ideological blinders -- which, unfortunately, is still the case for millions of anti-Trumpers -- can deny that Donald Trump's tax cuts are helping just about everyone. The avalanche of news stories of bonuses, pay raises, fringe benefit payments, job openings and factories relocating to the United States piles up with each passing week. As many as 3 million Americans have received such pay boosts...

Frances Hughes Yeager Byers, 99, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 at Westwood Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018 at Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Graveside services will be held following visitation at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Poplar Bluff...

Patricia A. Clayton, 84, of Dexter, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018 at Dexter Living Center. She was born Sept. 19, 1933 in Omaha, Neb. to the late Arthur Gardner and Lela Gross Gardner. She was a long time resident of Butler County. Patricia was a homemaker. She enjoyed collecting rocks and making clocks...

WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. - Bridgette Marie Warren, 51, of rural Greenville, Mo, died Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at de Greeff Hospice House, St. Louis, MO. Arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home, Williamsville.

JACKSON, Mo. - Jennifer Ann Cope Webber, 72, of Jackson passed away Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, at home, following several years of declining health. She was born April 1, 1945, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., to the late Jack and Leone Martin Cope. She was married to her best friend, Paul Webber Jr., for 32 years, until his death in October 1998...

Ada (Shirrell) Tripp, age 95, died after a long illness on December 18, 2017. Ada was a wonderful example of faith, service and love. A longtime member of Little Brushy Baptist Church in Wappapello, MO, a charter member of Faith Baptist Church in Wappapello, MO, and most recently a member of Black River Baptist Church in Broseley, MO...

DEXTER, Mo. - E. F. "Chuck" Asberry, son of the late Earnest F. Asberry, Sr. and Carrie Lee Asberry was born on Jan. 23, 1923 in Detroit, Mich. and departed this life on Jan. 27, 2018 at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter, Mo. at the age of 95 years...

DEXTER -- Saxony Lutheran used a 17-4 game-closing run Tuesday night to finish off the state-ranked Dexter Bearcats. Chaylea Mosby scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to close the Bearcats' deficit to five before the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders pulled away for a 71-54 SEMO Conference victory over the sixth-ranked team in Class 4 of the state's coaches poll...

Three Rivers College picked up a much needed win after a prolific night of offense. The Raiders beat North Arkansas 109-96, which was the second most points they have scored in a game this season. "The win feels great. We are going to celebrate it, but we are not going to celebrate it too much because we have eight games left," Three Rivers sophomore Aidan Saunders said. "We are still trying to finish out the season as best we can. The win feels great but we still have more to do."...

The last unbeaten team left in SEMO Conference play? That would be the Poplar Bluff Mules following a 76-36 win over New Madrid County Central on Tuesday night. But there's a long road ahead to claim the first conference title since 2006. "We don't take any win or any game in the SEMO Conference for granted because on any given night it doesn't matter what a record is or who you're playing, you're in for a battle," Mules coach William Durden said...

PIEDMONT, Mo. - Esther A. Simmons, 77, of Patterson, MO, died Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at her residence. Visitation will be at 5 p.m., Thursday, February 1 at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. The funeral will follow at noon, Friday, February 2 at the Piedmont Chapel. Burial will follow at Linville Barrett Cemetery near Coldwater. Online condolences may be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Kendrick Gordon got an overtime win against an opponent he had split two previous matches with Tuesday night as the Poplar Bluff wrestling team won a pair of matches. The Mules had 11 pins and were put on their back just once while losing one other match in beating host New Madrid Central 51-18 and Cape Central 53-22...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A Doniphan, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday afternoon to kidnapping the mother of his child, who he brought through Arkansas to Missouri where he is accused of sexually assaulting her. Heath Brandon Miller, 36, pleaded guilty as charged to the felonies of kidnapping and felon in possession of a firearm before U.S. District Judge Stephen Limbaugh Jr., according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell...

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- The Malden boys basketball team trailed by as much as 14 points in the opening quarter of play but rallied to play in the championship of the Bootheel Conference Tournament. The fourth-seeded Malden outscored top-seeded Hayti by double digits in the second and third quarters to move ahead and win 69-56 in the semifinal Tuesday...