Stories from Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Climate change is real. Most of the negative impact on our climate is man-made. And mankind can and should make changes to reduce the potential harm that climate change brings. We can all agree on these points. The Fourth National Climate Assessment was released last week and indeed painted a dismal forecast for the doomsday prediction if something is not done to address this critical issue...

There's an old saying that Wall Street economists have predicted eight of the last two recessions. The bears in the economics profession keep getting paid a lot of money misreading the nation's economic weather vanes -- whether it was the power and durability of the Reagan expansion in the 1980s, the ferocious bull market of the late 1990s, the after-effects of the 9/11 attacks, or most recently the phenomenal revival of growth in President Donald Trump's first years in office...

BERNIE -- Stoddard County authorities will have to wait for toxicology results to determine how a Bernie woman, whose body was found in the trunk of her car, died. Dr. Russell Deidiker performed an autopsy Nov. 20 on Holly Kirkman, 38, in Farmington...

Mass migration "lit the flame" of the right-wing populism that is burning up the Old Continent, she said. Europe must "get a handle on it." "Europe must send a very clear message -- 'we are not going to be able to continue to provide refuge and support.'" Should Europe fail to toughen up, illegal migration will never cease to "roil the body politic."...

The Dexter Board of Education expects to hold a special workshop meeting in December to determine how much to ask the public for in a school bond issue that could pay for district-wide improvements. The board is considering projects that could cost, $15 million, $16 million or $17.5 million, according to discussion Tuesday at their regular meeting...

Staff Reports Gamma Healthcare, Inc. of Poplar Bluff announced recently it had signed an agreement to acquire the long-term care division of Boyce and Bynum Pathology Laboratories. This transaction between BBPL and Gamma will result in a broader menu of diagnostic services available to long-term care clients throughout the region...

Stoddard County commissioners unanimously approved to hire Dale Rogers of Robert Stearns and Associates, Inc., to prepare request for bids for the demolition of the old Methodist Church in Bloomfield during Monday morning's meeting. Documents for the demolition of the church, located at 201 E. Court Street, will be available in the county clerk's office once the request for bids is published in the newspaper...

You can find him at the Huddle House restaurant in Dexter Tuesday mornings having coffee with his friends. His family will tell you he is a pretty good domino player as well, as he regularly plays with his daughter, Lee Hufford, and boyfriend. It may be difficult to catch him at home because he prefers to be out and about...

GIDEON, Mo. - Peggy Yvonne Gilkey, 83, of Gideon, died Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 at her residence. Visitation will be at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 29 at Bradshaw Funeral Homes, Inc. in Gideon. The funeral will be at 11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 30 at Bethel Assembly of God Church in Gideon with Rev. Greg Mullins and Rev. Jerry Martin officiating. Burial will be in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton, Mo...

Veda House, 82, of Harviell, Mo. died Friday, Nov. 23, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center after an extended illness. Veda is survived by her daughter, Ramona Wilson of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; two grandchildren, Shanna (Thomas) Barker of Harviell, Mo. and Frank Wilson of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Three Rivers College and Patrons of the Arts presented The Imaginary Theatre Company production of "The Christmas Skates" to a number of schools. The theater group traveled throughout Southeast Missouri performing the musical for elementary school children...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Charlotte Eugina Pinkard, 68, of Doniphan, died Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018, at the Evelyn House Hospice Center in Creve Coeur, Mo. A Memorial Service will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, . at the Victory Christian Fellowship Church in Doniphan. The officiant will be Brother Jason Anderson...

Betty Jean Harris, 72, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center She was born on July 29, 1946 to Delbert and Joyce (Jones) DeMent in Pocohontas, Ark. Betty enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, but most of all, she loved being around her grandchildren...

Alberta M. Suttle, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Mo, entered Heaven Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018 at St. Louis University Hospital. Mrs. Suttle, the daughter of the late Frank Edward and Hilda Marie McGilton Babbs, was born June 4, 1942 in Conway, Mich. She was of the Baptist faith and had retired as a Certified Nurse's Assistant. She loved to spend time with her family, sewing, reading and crafts...

Betty Beardsley, 86, of Valley Park, Mo., died at her granddaughter's home in Sullivan, Mo. Friday, Nov. 23, 2018. Visitation will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, after 11 a.m. until time of services at 1 p.m. at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter, Missouri. Burial will follow in the Triplett Cemetery near Dexter, Mo. with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Clark Allen Chrisman, 70-year-old resident of Doniphan, died Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018 in the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. A memorial visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018, in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel...

SIKESTON -- Dexter's Natalie Sitze scored 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting from long range against Saxony Lutheran on Tuesday, in the quarterfinals of the SEMO Conference Tournament championship bracket, at the Sikeston Field House. Dexter won 60-32, but it was not as easy as it looked...

The Lady Raiders could've stopped scoring after the first quarter and still won. After leading 30-11 after the first quarter, Three Rivers allowed a combined 11 points throughout the remainder of the game Tuesday at the Bess Activity Center as it dismantled Arkansas State Mid-South 104-28, its largest margin of victory since a 113-41 win over Missouri Baptist JV on Dec. 1, 2017...

VAN BUREN -- Van Buren kept its game close against Alton, but slow points in the second and third quarters would cost the Lady Dawgs. The hosts were outscored 21-15 and 20-15 in the second and third and wound up falling 64-58 in the semifinal of the Lady Dawg Classic...

BONNE TERRE, Mo. -- In a pair of freshmen, Gatlin Taylor picked up Poplar Bluff's first win of the season and Grace Kearby got the first win for the new girls wrestling event. Poplar Bluff went 2-1 in its season opener at the North County Quad, beating North County 48-27 and Chaminade 66-12 while losing to Hillsboro 36-33...

DEXTER -- The Dexter Bearcats went on the attack early, but Charleston pulled it together late for a 51-46 victory Tuesday at the Bearcat Event Center. The Bearcats led by as many as 11 points in the first half of the SEMO Conference matchup before Charleston rallied in the fourth quarter to earn its first win of the season...

Carrying an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter, Poplar Bluff looked to be on the verge of pulling off an upset over the second-seeded Jackson Lady Indians. Jackson, though, responded well, as it outscored the Lady Mules 20-6 in the fourth quarter to win 48-42 Tuesday, and advance to the championship game of the SEMO Conference Tournament to face top-seeded Dexter on Thursday at the Sikeston Field House...

More than $160,000 missing from the city of Greenville's funds were detailed in an audit report released Tuesday by Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway. The audit was initiated as a part of a law enforcement investigation after the board of aldermen identified concerns regarding the former city clerk's job performance in 2016...

Early on Nov. 2, 2018, Georgia Rose Ruble passed through Heaven's pearly gates. Almost 99 years ago, on Jan. 24, 1920, she was born into the Hawkins family, a farming family in Ripley County Missouri. She grew up in a Christian family with 15 brothers and sisters. ...