Stories from Wednesday, December 12, 2018

The Stars and Stripes Museum in Bloomfield received special visitors over the Thanksgiving weekend. Their family has a direct connection to the Stars And Stripes newspaper. They include the descendants of three German sisters who met their husbands through the paper after World War II...

The eulogies for George H.W. Bush keep rolling in, and a great American hero's life has been given proper tribute. But there has also been a rewriting of history about the Bush presidency that needs to be cleared up. Liberals love Bush for the very tax increase betrayal that destroyed his presidency. This was the official end of the Reagan era. This was not just the political blunder of the half-century, it was a fiscal policy catastrophe...

If Donald Trump told Michael Cohen to pay hush money to Stormy Daniels about a one-night stand a decade ago, that, says Jerome Nadler, incoming chair of House Judiciary, would be an "impeachable offense." This tells you what social media, cable TV and the great herd of talking heads will be consumed with for the next two years -- the peccadillos and misdeeds of Trump, almost all of which occurred before being chosen as president of the United States...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Kennett fell behind 14 points in the first quarter but still rallied for a double-digit win. Malden led 16-2 late in the first-quarter but by just a point at halftime. Kennett moved ahead 44-36 by the start of the fourth quarter as it rallied past the Green Wave for a 67-52 win...

DEXTER -- The Jackson Indians strung together 16 straight points in the first half Tuesday night and handed Dexter its third straight loss. Jackson's run began late in the first quarter and continued deep into the second of a 60-47 SEMO Conference victory at the Bearcat Event Center...

With two open weight classes and two of their leaders injured, Poplar Bluff wasn't able to overcome district foe Farmington. Quinten Bell and Jake Lawrinenko were out with injuries and the Mules couldn't fill 113 pounds and 126 pounds as they lost 47-27 on Tuesday at Farmington...

PIEDMONT -- East Carter won four games in 22 tries last season. Through four games this year, the Lady Redbirds have won three. East Carter continued its upward trend with a dominant 62-18 victory on the road against Clearwater. The Lady Redbirds were all over the glass throughout the game, pulling down 21 offensive rebounds and 40 in all...

CLARKTON -- Dalton Rudd poured it on for East Carter in the consolation semifinal of the Clarkton Christmas Tournament Tuesday. Rudd scored a game-high 31 points on 12 made shots as the Redbirds (2-4) defeated Naylor (2-3) 81-65. The Redbirds earned the win after erasing what was a seven-point halftime deficit with a 23-6 run in the third quarter to reach the consolation final. Zeke Ward scored 28 points to lead the Eagles...

Staff Reports The University of Missouri Extension and the Ag Club at Three Rivers College want to thank the vendors who help support the Ag Expo in 2019, said Stephanie Milner of the University of Missouri Extension. While several area businesses and organizations are registered, Milner added, the early registration ends Dec. 31...

Staff Reports The 84-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott opened in Poplar Bluff on December 5. Located at 3109 Oak Grove Road, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Poplar Bluff will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by PB Hospitality LLC and managed by Premier Management Inc. of Farmington, Mo...

Billy (Bill) Roy Ice, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away on Dec. 8, 2018. Bill was born on March 20, 1930 to Roy and Bertha (Smith) Ice at Holcomb, Mo. Bill owned and operated Bills Auto sales in Poplar Bluff for several years and was employed by area dealerships. Bill was the tire manager at Montgomery Ward where he worked several years until they closed. On June 10, 1949 he married Lucille Ice in Van Buren, Ark. Bill was a loving husband and caretaker for 69 years to Lucille Ice...

GREENVILLE, Mo. - Deloris Evelyn (Eads) Ramsey, 82, of Viburnum, Mo., formerly of Clubb, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 10, 2018 at Stonecrest Health Care, Viburnum. Visitation will be at 4:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 14 at Ruegg Funeral Home, Greenville. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m., Sat., Dec. 15 in the Greenville chapel. Burial will be at Camp Eight Cemetery, Greenville. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Jerry Hester, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Nov. 23, 1935 to Paul and Beatrice (Faulkner) Hester in Bloomfield, Mo. He graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1953. Jerry was self-employed as an agricultural land surveyor. On Feb. 6, 1960 he married Betty J. Burton in Poplar Bluff...

FCC Behavioral Health celebrated the groundbreaking of a new building Tuesday morning which will help expand services to youth in the area. "What we have currently is a wonderful space for the kiddos, but is limited in the size, so we are limited in the amount of children that we can serve," Director of Youth Services Racheal Ward said. "When this new construction happens, the sky will be the limit in the number of children we can serve."...

Verlina Middleton, 78, of Piedmont, Mo., died Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at her residence. Arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com

Carol Swain Lewis, 68, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on December 10, 2018 at Westwood Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center. Carol was born on December 1, 1950 in Poplar Bluff to Donald "Doc" and Irene Swain. After being graduated from PBHS in 1968, she attended Stephens College, earning a baccalaureate degree in broadcast journalism. ...

There's something about the atmosphere when good friends are together. Laughter and talking, talking and laughter, sharing memories and moments that only they can appreciate. A long-time group of Dexter friends has been ringing in the Christmas season together for at least 25 years. No one can recall exactly when the tradition began, but they all agree on how it started...

Area children now have another opportunity to attend Head Start thanks to a $1.4 million grant from the Office of Head Start awarded to the South Central Missouri Community Action Agency. The newest Poplar Bluff Head Start location at 1150 Herschel Bess Blvd., an extension of the Karen West location, opened its doors in September with 66 slots available...

Staff Reports GREENVILLE -- Wayne County residents celebrated a bicentennial birthday Tuesday. The county, which has been celebrating its Bicentennial all year, was organized on Dec. 11, 1818. Members of the community, the Wayne County Bicentennial Committee and the Historic Greenville Community Center, Library and Museum co-hosted the historic birthday celebration at the county courthouse...

County commissioners opened jail expansion financial bids during Monday morning's meeting from nine different institutions. While the commission did not award a bid Monday, Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis said someone will review the documents for the county and he expects a decision to be made "quickly."...

Few contests have developed after one day of filing for the school and municipal offices that will be decided in the April 2 election. Two Poplar Bluff City Council seats are open, for Ward 1 and Ward 3, but no one has filed yet, according to the city clerk...