Stories from Friday, January 18, 2019

Gardening is a way of life for 91-year-old Wanda Sanders and her son Jim, both of Fisk. Wanda learned to garden from her parents and she and Jim are sharing her knowledge with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Wanda began gardening as a “young girl at home,” she said. “Mom and dad farmed. We raised a garden. We did all our canning and putting up meat.”...

Following last summer’s removal of the invasive Callery (Bradford) pear trees in the U.S. Highways 60 and 67 cloverleaf area at the north edge of Poplar Bluff, volunteers coordinated by the Missouri Department of Conservation have completed replacement plantings of native flowering trees on the sites...

BROSELEY — The Twin Rivers R-X School Board in closed session Thursday rehired Superintendent Jeremy Siebert and extended his contract until July 30, 2021. Also in closed session, the board hired Mary Atchison as a speech pathologist at Fisk and Ashley Welty as an aid at the high school. The board also approved sick leave days may be donated to a non-certified employee...

DEXTER — The Stoddard County Senate Bill 40 board ended a chaotic 2018 in the black, despite controversy over how funds are managed and what programs should be supported by the entity that was created to help disabled residents. The board saw revenues of just over $405,000 and expenses at approximately $401,000, according to a report given to board members Thursday evening...

Parents will have choice for students to attend elementary or middle school.

Poplar Bluff is making changes to strengthen enforcement and improve regulations designed to help clean up neighborhoods, city manager Mark Massingham said this week. Some members of an advisory board created to help come up with ideas to improve the city recently questioned why the process isn’t stronger already...

City firefighters responded at 9:35 a.m. Thursday to an assist at 641 Lindsay Street. According to the report, firefighters were requested by Medic One to help get a wheelchair bound patient up a flight of stairs. Firefighters assisted EMS then cleared the scene...

James Joseph ‘Jim’ Rickman, age 90, Joplin, passed away at 6:05 a.m. Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at Spring River Christian Village. Jim was born April 9, 1928 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri to the late Joseph Edward Rickman and Maud Lee Mowery Rickman and had lived in Joplin since 2015...

PIEDMONT, Mo. ­— Virgie L. Hughes, 95, of Piedmont, died Jan. 18, 2019 at Clark’s Mountain Nursing Center. Visitation will be at noon, Sunday, Jan. 20 at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m., also at the Piedmont chapel. Burial will be in the Masonic Cemetery, Piedmont. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

QULIN, Mo. — Francis ‘Wayne-O’ Arnold, 59, died January 17, 2019 in Springfield, Mo. A graveside service will be at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 19 at Qulin Cemetery. Arrangements are through Fitch-Hillis Funeral Home of Poplar Bluff. Online condolences: www.fitchhillisfh.com...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Harold D. Griffin, 94, formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, January 14, 2019 at Crystal Oaks Skilled Nursing Facility. Harold was born May 27, 1924. He is survived by his wife of 72 years; Georgie Griffin, his sons; Donald (Liz) Griffin of San Antonio, Texas, Ronald (Jane) Griffin of Pevely and Rocky (Sandy) Griffin of Imperial, a sister; Mildred Skinner, eight grandchildren; Donald (Chris) Griffin, Kathleen (Tim) Connor, Tim Griffin, Kim (Dustin) Manning, Brandi (Dan) Herron, Jeff (Jenni) Griffin, Kevin (Jackie) Griffin, Mike (Erin) Griffin and thirteen great-grandchildren.. ...

The week of New Year’s was stressful. I won’t lie. The weeks since then haven’t been quite as stressful, but they’ve still had some fairly challenging moments. We made major changes that impacted every department in the building, in an effort to become stronger, more efficient and provide the best and most local news coverage we can...

Chief Danny Whiteley of the Poplar Bluff Police Department wants to remind area citizens of the dangers posed by winter weather. He offers the following tips to ensure your safety, as well as your pets, during the cold days ahead. Clothes should fit properly, especially footwear. If footwear is to tight it can restrict blood flow making your feet colder. Layer clothing using wind and waterproof items. Remember the scarves, mittens and sock hats...

PUXICO, Mo. — Mary Emma Wells of Puxico, daughter of the late Bland and Gertie Bell Menley Dennington, was born in Dexter, Mo. on June 1, 1922, passed away at the Puxico Nursing Center in Puxico on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019, at the age of 96 years, 7 months and 16 days. Mary had lived in Poplar Bluff for 50 years before moving to Puxico in 2012. She enjoyed nursing home bingo, gardening, quilting, crocheting and spending time with her family. She was first married to Cecil McRoy and he preceded her in death in 1972. She then married Floyd Wells and he preceded her in death in 1992. Surviving are two daughters, Wanda Miller of Puxico and Brenda Drowns of Poplar Bluff; six grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; several great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Ruth Tippen of Puxico; one brother, James Dennington of Malden. Other relatives and friends also survive. She was preceded in death by one brother, Robert Dennington; and two sisters, Maxine Steward and June Patterson. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 21, at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Puxico with the Rev. Justin Miller of Puxico officiating. Interment will follow in the Brown Cemetery near Puxico with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico in charge of arrangements. Paid