Stories from Wednesday, March 7, 2018

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A Van Buren man is to make his first appearance in court next week after he recently was charged with sexual-related offenses and child pornography involving a teenage girl. Barnaby Jonathan Carey, 39, is to appear Tuesday before Associate Circuit Judge Michael Ligons on the Class C felony of third-degree child molestation, two Class D felonies of second-degree statutory sodomy and the Class D felony of possession of child pornography...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A new aluminum smelter will open in New Madrid County, Missouri, at the site of the former Noranda Aluminum plant, state and federal officials said Tuesday. State Rep. Don Rone, R-Portageville, and U.S. Rep. Jason Smith welcomed the jobs the new Magnitude 7 Metals plant will create...

The Poplar Bluff City Council will vote March 19 on whether or not to allow a paintball business to operate on Main Street, after discussing the safety concerns of two council members Monday. Barb Horton of Ward 3 and Robert Smith of Ward 5 are worried toy guns could be mistaken for real weapons on the streets outside the proposed business...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- A friendly challenge between Neelyville Elementary Principal Aaron Burton and baseball Coach Tyler Thompson in 2016 sparked an idea that resulted in a published piece of work for the school. "Tyler had to cover for a fourth grade class one day and sent a student to my office asking me to write a one page story," Burton said...

The American Agri-Women (AAW) Foundation announces the opening of the window to submit applications for Daughters of American Agriculture Scholarships. Daughters of American Agriculture Scholarship was created to honor the memory of courageous and adventuresome pioneer women who played such an important role in the founding of this nation and encourage the present generation to continue their education in agricultural pursuits. ...

The staff of the Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation Head Start/Early Head Start is hosting its annual book drive. It will take place during the month of March to recognize National Literacy Month. If you have new or gently used books for children ages birth-5 years old, please donate them. You may drop books off at Central Office or your local Head Start Center at any time...

Mary Helen Mays, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 in Poplar Bluff. Helen, the daughter of the late Roscoe and Flora Griffith White, was born Feb. 10, 1935 in Chaonia, Mo. She was a homemaker and attended Faith Baptist Church. ...

Robert Bert Rogers, 71, of Wappapello died Feb. 21, 2018 at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Services were held February 25, 2018 at the Community Church of Christ in Lowndes, Missouri. Bro. Jack Rogers, Bro. Dale Rogers and Bro. Jeremy Rogers officiated. Burial followed in the Community Church of Christ Cemetery...

Lucille Irene Gamble, 86, of Poplar Bluff died Monday, February 26, 2018 at the Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Services were held Friday, March 2, 2018 at the Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. Rev. Jim Schremp officiated. Burial followed in the Woodlawn Section of the Poplar Bluff City Cemetery...

Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson is seeking nominations for the 2018 Lieutenant Governor's Senior Service Award. The Lieutenant Governor's Senior Service Award was enacted in 2005 to promote and highlight the positive accomplishments that Missouri's senior citizens continually provide to their local communities...

Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation delivered meals to four local food pantries on Saturday, March 3. A student led on center group, Youth 2 Youth: Partners 4 Peace (Y2Y), packed 8,000 meals Feb. 24. A small group of students traveled throughout the local area delivering the packaged meals to local area food pantries. ...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Puxico ran through every defense to try and stop Oran's Leah Cauble. They didn't work. Cauble finished with 34 points, 26 of them in the first half, as the Eagles beat Puxico 75-24 in the MSHSAA Class 2 sectional playoff Wednesday night...

Sheriff Carl Hefner reported to commissioners he met with Dale Rogers, President of Robert Stearns and Associates, Inc., of Sikeston, Mo., last week to work on a revised potential jail rendering. During the Feb. 13 commission meeting, it was decided between Hefner and the three county commissioners to try and reduce the size of the proposed jail from 120 beds to 80 beds...

ROLLA, Mo. -- Spring fire season is upon us, and the USDA Forest Service - Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) will be working to make this another successful season of prescribed burning. As weather allows in 2018, MTNF employees plan to burn approximately 40,000 acres across Missouri to promote healthy forests and glades...

ROLLA, Mo. - Mark Twain National Forest needs your help to stop forest arson. The Forest established an anonymous tip line for the public and is offering a reward for usable information. Recently, the Rozell Fire burned more than 2,000 acres and destroyed a person's home. ...

"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation: which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that hear him? God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and the gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will." Hebrews 2:1-4.. ...

During Red Cross Month in March, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to join in its lifesaving mission by giving blood. Make an appointment to become a hero to patients in need by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)...

With regular waterfowl season and dark goose season being closed, that means that our light goose conservation order season is in full swing. During the conservation order season, hunters can use unplugged shotguns, electronic callers and there is no daily limit on snow geese, blue geese and Ross's geese...

Need to call a killer a killer Yes, I see they've had another school shooting. When is people gonna wake up and turn to God like they need to be? When are they gonna quit callin' these people suspects when other people see them do it and they say "yes, I pulled the trigger, I, I did this, I killed them" and yet on TV they say they are a suspect. ...

The South Central Empowered Women Conference, an inter-denominational event, will be held April 27-28 at First Baptist Church in Mountain View, Mo. Keynote speakers will be Angela Thomas, author and Bible teacher, and Sara Forhetz, news anchor/reporter. ...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Open government isn't just good government. It's the public's right. In Florida, the Broward County Sheriff's office and Broward County school district are fighting to keep exterior surveillance video from the day of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School hidden from view. ...

To the Editor, Well another senseless act of violence at another school full of innocent children. Another reason for gun haters to start bellowing about gun control and how it is needed so badly to help curb the problems. I really would be at fault if I did not speak up and tell everyone to shut up. ...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Loretta Faye Holland, 80, of Gerald, Mo., died at home on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, March 9, 2018, at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel and burial will take place in the Grandin Cemetery in Grandin, Mo...

CAMPBELL, Mo. - Donald Cleveland, 62, of Kennett, Mo., died Sunday, March 4, 2018, at his residence. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Oak Ridge Cemetery in Kennett. There will be no visitation. Landess Funeral Home of Campbell is in charge of arrangements...

A Celebration of Life Memorial will be held for Peggy Sue Brannum Warren from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m., Saturday, March 10 at The Claudia House Poplar Bluff, Mo. Please come share your memories of Peggy on this day. We look forward to seeing you there. Paid...

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Billy Ray Beshears of Piedmont, Mo., died Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, Mo. Memorial Visitation will be held from 1 -2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8, 2018, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, Mo. Funeral service will follow at 2:30 p.m. at the chapel. Burial will take place at a later date at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery, Bloomfield, Mo...

Olive Yvonne Whittom, 80, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Sunday, March 4, 2018 at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born on Dec. 28, 1937 in Callaway, Neb. On July 31, 1955 she was united in marriage to David Whittom in Kearney, Neb. He survives...

Gertrude Newton, 87, of Matthews, N.C., died Friday, March 2, 2018 at Carolinas Hospice House. She was born June 12, 1930 in Lake City, Ark. to the late William Henry Parnell and Katie Miranda Fields Parnell. She was a member of the Faith Tabernacle Pentecost Church...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- The Bearcats nearly matched their season-best for fewest points allowed in a game Tuesday night in the MSHSAA Class 4 sectional playoff. The Bearcats crushed North County 61-23 to advance to the state quarterfinals for the third straight season and the sixth time in seven years...

Years ago, Neelyville senior J'Kayla Fowler got into a fight with a teammate on the bus. As punishment, coach Becky Hale made the two of them run laps around the gym for an entire practice, holding hands while carrying a weight ball with their other hand. The faster Fowler kept getting in trouble again because the other girl was running slow, so she kept running without her. She'd get yelled at, have to wait for the girl to catch up, and hold her hand again...

Dr. Richard Secor, 73, of Terre du Lac, passed away Monday, March 5, 2018. He was born Dec. 3, 1944, in Ste. Genevieve, to the late Richard M. and Martha (Reynolds) Secor, Sr. Richard was a 1962 graduate of Farmington High School, and then served his country in The United States Army. ...

CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Clara Mae Lewis, 98, of Campbell died Monday, March 5, 2018 at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Friday at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Woodlawn Cemetery in Campbell. Landess Funeral Home, Campbell, is in charge of arrangements...