Stories from Monday, April 8, 2019

Alex Ogburn has been named the new Vice President of Saint Francis Medical Partners. He will focus on Saint Francis Healthcare System’s Clinically Integrated Network, Accountable Care Organization and continue his work with the provider network, Saint Francis Medical Partners...

DEXTER, Mo. — Inez Holder, 97, of Columbus, Ga., formerly of Dexter, died Friday, April 5, 2019 at Magnolia Manor Nursing Home in Columbus, Ga. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, April 11 at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, April 12 at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter with the Rev. Mike Williams of Dexter officiating...

ELLSINORE, Mo. — Marjorie Marirose (Leach) Garrett, of Glendale, Ariz., formerly of Poplar Bluff, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 11, at noon, at Assembly of God Church, Ellsinore with dinner at the church to follow inurnment at Carson Hill Cemetery.

Greenville R-II High School in Greenville, Mo., has named Kendra Hemmerlein and Cynthia Porter as its high school students of the month for April. Kendra Aislynn Hemmerlein is a senior and the daughter of Shannon and Lee Hemmerlein of Williamsville, Mo. She is active in Beta Club, Art Club, A-Plus, choir and National Honor Society...

As we approach the 100-day mark of new Democrat leadership in the United States House of Representatives, I am disappointed by how the People’s House under Speaker Pelosi’s leadership has spent the last three months. In their first 100 days in power, the new majority showed it is less concerned with responsibly conducting the people’s business and more concerned with opposing the President of the United States. ...

The library staff and I are excited about the growth and expansion of our services to teens. We are opening the Teen Nook on the main floor of the library. Keeping our teens engaged and involved in the library builds habits of reading, community participation, and personal growth...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Margaret Evelyn Clark Whitmer, 91, of Nixa, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, April 6, 2019 in Springfield, Mo. Visitation will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 10 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church celebrated by Father Simon Enudu. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.

Creative and innovative immediately came to mind for staff, students and their parents when describing the Poplar Bluff Middle School 2019-20 Teacher of the Year and Middle School grade level Teacher of the Year. James Hunt has transformed his classroom with “Harry Potter,” “Jurassic Park” and a diner complete with him serving as a chef...

Members of the Poplar Bluff City Council plan to move forward with the hiring of a new city clerk, despite unresolved residency issues with the selected candidate. A final vote on the matter is expected at 6 p.m. April 15, during a special meeting scheduled to take place immediately before a new Ward 1 representative is seated...

Members of the Poplar Bluff City Council declined Monday to hear in open session the concerns of a local contractor regarding a bid for more than $18 million in upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment plant. Questions also remain regarding whether the item was an appropriate closed session matter, or if it should have remained in an open meeting as it was on three prior occasions...

Visitation was from 6-7 p.m., Monday, April 8 at Fowler & Sons Funeral Home in Neelyville. The funeral followed at 7 p.m. at the funeral home with Bro. David Grubb and Bro. Ken Johnson officiating.