Stories from Thursday, September 27, 2018

I remember the spectacle of watching Anita Hill testifying regarding sexual harassment in the 90s. Sadly not much seems to have changed. Women continue to be disbelieved, humiliated, taunted, threatened and denied a full and complete hearing. Today Dr. ...

KENNETT -- Poplar Bluff was swept on the road at Kennett with the Mules not winning more than four games in any match. Mya White and Clarissa Varner lost in No. 2 doubles 8-4 while the other two doubles teams were swept. Kennett also swept No. 5 and No. 6 singles...

I'm thankful that increasing attention is being paid to the dire state of higher education in our country. Heather Mac Donald, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, has just published "The Diversity Delusion." Its subtitle captures much of the book's content: "How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture." Part of the gender pandering at our universities is seen in the effort to satisfy the diversity-obsessed National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, each of which gives millions of dollars of grant money to universities. ...

WASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats seeking to derail Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination knew they had a problem. In other prominent cases of the #MeToo era, multiple victims had come forward to corroborate each other's stories and present a pattern of predatory behavior. But in Kavanaugh's case, not only was there no corroboration for Christine Blasey Ford's accusations, no other women had come forward to accuse him of misconduct...

MALDEN, Mo.-- Ronnie Lee Wagoner, 65, Malden died Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, at his residence. Visitation will be from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will begin at 11 a.m. Monday,Oct. 1 at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo. with full military honors...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and The Nature Conservancy partner to present a Forest Stand Improvement Workshop and Tour from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Sept. 29, in Van Buren...

MOUND CITY, Mo. - Inez VanOrman, 102, of Mound City, passed away Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 at a Mound City care center. She was born on Oct. 25, 1915 in Obion County, Tenn. Inez was one of five children of Fred Kirby and Olive Ruth (Ridings) Taft. She graduated from Poplar Bluff, Mo. high school in 1934. On May 9, 1937 she married John Edwin VanOrman. They moved to Mound City in 1947. John preceded her in death on June 21, 1996 after 59 years of marriage...

Paul Woods, 84, of Ellsinore, Mo., died Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, at Westwood Hills Care Center. Arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service.

Monday is the opener for Missouri's fall firearms turkey season, and it looks like hunters will have a lot of work to do to find success. "I wish I had better news," said Department of Conservation Resource Scientist Jason Isabelle, "but the statewide poult-to-hen ratio was 0.9, on par with last year."...

After a pair of SEMO North Conference losses to Sikeston and Farmington and a loss to the ultra-athletic Ritenour in between, the Mules are spending the fourth straight week searching for four quarters of clean football. Poplar Bluff (2-3) has largely gotten the strong start coach David Sievers wants recently. ...

Three Rivers College has helped open the door to the future for many of its alumni. To recognize the achievements and accomplishments of its former students and graduates, TRC is accepting nominations for the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award. "Our Distinguished Alumni Award has become a highly anticipated honor to recognize outstanding former Three Rivers students," Three Rivers Director of Development Michelle Reynolds said. ...

Linda Kay Hutter, 58, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018 at her home in Poplar Bluff surrounded by her family. She was born on March 30, 1960 to Rick Nicolini and Carolyn (Epps) Easley in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1978. On Oct. 2, 2004 she married Keith Hutter in Poplar Bluff. Linda worked as a design consultant for Hefner's Furniture in Poplar Bluff for over 20 years...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Melissa "Missy Bug" Gail Gaines Haines, 49, of Dexter died Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 in Dexter. Visitation will be from 5:30 -8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, 2018, at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will beat 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018 at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter with Bro. Steve Fitzpatrick of Bernie, Missouri officiating. Burial will follow in the Sadler Chapel Cemetery near Dexter, with Watkins & Sons Funeral Services in charge of arrangements...

A unique watercolor show will visit the Margaret Harwell Art Museum in October and November, with an opening reception to be held Oct. 6. The 2018 exhibit of the Watercolor USA Honor Society will only be seen in Poplar Bluff, explained MHAM Director Steve Whitworth. This event offers a cross section of work by watercolor artists from around the country...

Standard Democrat NEW MADRID, Mo. -- A New Madrid County Central High School band director is facing charges after being accused with inappropriately touching female students. Ryan Blocker, 34, of Lilbourn, Mo., is charged with five counts of felony sexual contact with a student and sexual contact with a student by a teacher...

By MARYBETH NIEDERKORN Southeast Missourian A suspect in a homicide in rural Cape Girardeau County has died after a standoff with law enforcement in New Madrid County, according to a news release issued late Wednesday by the Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Major Case Squad...