Stories from Wednesday, August 3, 2011

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor What began as an early morning investigation into a vehicle stolen at gunpoint led local authorities to solving an earlier armed home invasion with the arrest of the car owner's boyfriend and his brother. At 5:20 a.m. today, Crystal Insco of the 1000 block of Stella Street reported her 2003 Chevrolet Impala had been stolen from her residence at gunpoint by two black males, according to Poplar Bluff Deputy Police Chief Jeff Rolland...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor What began as an early morning investigation into a vehicle stolen at gunpoint led local authorities to solving an earlier armed home invasion with the arrest of the car owner's boyfriend and his brother. At 5:20 a.m. today, Crystal Insco of the 1000 block of Stella Street reported her 2003 Chevrolet Impala had been stolen from her residence at gunpoint by two black males, according to Poplar Bluff Deputy Police Chief Jeff Rolland...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff R-I high school coach who faced termination for swearing during practices will keep his teaching job, but not as a tenured employee. The Board of Education voted 4-3 to terminate Lance Bell, who held a tenured position as health teacher after five years in the district. Bell also served as head track coach and assistant football coach...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer About 2,000 tons of concrete, the weight of nearly 1,200 mid-sized cars, will be removed from the former Pear Tree Inn site as the building is demolished, contractors said today as work began. The property is owned by Three Rivers College, which received it in 2009 as a donation from Drury Southwest. College officials have not determined what will happen with the site next...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer With a photograph-like precision, the stroke of Malden, Mo., artist Sali Ware's colored pencils capture more than just the detail of a nicked and weathered porch post or the warm glow of a sunset reflected in the water surrounding a stand of gnarled trees...

E. Carter kindergarten screening East Carter R-II School District will hold a Kindergarten Screening/Registration on Wednesday, Aug. 10, for those students entering kindergarten for the 2011-2012 school year. All parents are asked to contact the elementary office to sign up for a time slot prior to Aug. ...

N'ville HS important dates set The Neelyville High School Office will be open for students to pick up schedules and locker assignments beginning Wednesday, Aug. 10. The scheduled hours are 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. The office will be closed from noon - 1 p.m. during the lunch hour...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Poplar Bluff native Ben Brumitt has a share of the lead headed into the final round of the U.S. Amateur Championship qualifier tournament played Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club. Brumitt is tied with Justin Bryant of Clayton, Mo. at 1-under par. He shot a 36 on the front nine and a 34 on the back nine for his 70...

Bettye Sample Bettye Sample, 64, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Arrangements will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Carrie LeBeau DEXTER, Mo. -- Carrie LeBeau, 91, of Dexter, Mo., died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011, at her residence. She was born Nov. 12, 1919. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

Louise Brown PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Louise W. Brown, 94, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011, at Mark Twain Nursing Center in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont, Mo.

From now through Sept. 5 all those who attempt to donate blood at an American Red Cross blood drive or blood donation center will receive an opportunity to purchase discounted Rams tickets ($10-$15.00 savings) at the Rams website https://www.stlouisrams.com/redcross, and be entered to win a weekly $250 gas card drawing...

Marie Gilbert SUNNYSIDE, WASH. - Melva Marie Gilbert, 83, of Kennewick, Wash., died Wednesday, July 13, 2011, at Life Care Center in Kennewick. Mrs. Gilbert was born on April 3, 1928, in Puxico, Mo. On July 7, 1945 she married John (Jack) Olen Gilbert in Poplar Bluff, Mo. ...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. - Virgle Brake, the son of Thomas Brake and Nancy Miller Brake, was born on Sept. 2, 1914, at Harviell, Mo. He passed away on July 31, 2011. He lived 96 years. On March 8, 1938, he was united in marriage to Helen Dollins in Poplar Bluff, Mo. ...

Photo and story By JOHN WILLEY Staff Writer Express Employment Professionals, 1450 Rowe Parkway, has reached a milestone. It is celebrating its 10th anniversary -- 10 years of providing temporary jobs for people in local businesses. Tyler Lance who owns the local franchise is proud of that growth. The business is operated locally, but has national support...

By ANN McFEATTERS Scripps Howard News Service WASHINGTON -- The rest of the world, still reeling from the American-caused recession in 2008, is rapidly losing confidence that the United States knows what it is doing. Even leaving aside the unnerving mess over whether the United States will pay the debt it already has racked up, the most recent evidence is the failure of Congress to extend funding for the Federal Aviation Administration. ...

Family is important to all of us¸ and we would risk life or limb to protect them. This is particularly true when it comes to our children. We worked hard in the Missouri House last session to protect families and children, in particular, by strengthening our laws on human trafficking and partial birth abortion. Two weeks ago, these bills officially became law as the deadline for the governor to sign bills passed...

Bonnie Chaffin FISK, Mo. - Bonnie J. Chaffin, 55, of Rombauer, Mo., died Sunday, July 31, 2011, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Chaffin was born Jan. 13, 1956, in Davenport, Iowa. She had lived at Rombauer for about 20 years. Mrs. Chaffin was a member of Rombauer General Baptist Church. She had formerly been a teacher and a School Bus Driver. She enjoyed doing genealogy research and crochetting...

Helen Powers LESTERVILLE, Mo. -- Helen Frances Powers, 80, of Lesterville, Mo., died Monday, Aug. 1, 2011, in Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Powers was born Oct. 15, 1930, in Low Wassie, Mo. She was a retired bookkeeper and a member of Lesterville First Baptist Church. She enjoyed genealogy, gardening, reading and playing cards...

Joseph Ringstaff VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Joseph Ray Ringstaff, 38, of Houston, Texas, died Sunday, July 31, 2011, in East Houston Regional Medical Center in Houston, Texas from injuries he received in a hit and run motorcycle crash. Mr. Ringstaff was born Sept. 6, 1972, in Silvis, Ill. The former Van Buren, Mo., resident had lived in Houston, Texas, for the past year. He graduated from Van Buren High School in 1992...

Verda Woolverton MALDEN, Mo. -- Verda Mae Woolverton, 97, of Conway, Ark., died Sunday, July 31, 2011, in Salem Nursing Center in Conway. Mrs. Woolverton was born May 21, 1914, in Damascus, Ark. She formerly lived in Gideon, Mo. On July 18, 1934, she married Woodrow Woolverton in Formosa, Ark. He preceded her in death on Jan. 30, 1990...

Christine Stephens PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Christine Stephens, 96, of Piedmont, Mo., died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011, at Piedmont. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Friday in the Ruegg Funeral Home at Piedmont with the funeral service following at 11 a.m. A full obituary will appear in Thursday's newspaper...

Lianne Bates PUXICO, Mo. - Lianne Bates, 49, of Wappapello, Mo., formerly of Tulsa, Okla. died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011. Mrs. Bates was born March 8, 1962, in Tulsa. She was married to Robert Bates and he survives. She was a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witness in Poplar Bluff. She was a taxidermist. Her hobby was riding horses...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Vernon "Pee Wee" Rhodes always dreamed of starting his own business and succeeded by transforming a hand-operated carwash into Plaza Tire Service, a retail business with 49 stores throughout Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Arkansas...

Leslie Bailey BLACKFOOT, Idaho -- Leslie Owen Bailey, 65, of Blackfoot, Idaho, died Saturday, July 30, 2011, at Portneuf Regional Medical Center in Pocatello, Idaho, after suffering a major heart attack. Mr. Bailey was born Sept. 1, 1945, in Van Buren, Mo., and was raised there. ...

Express Employment Professionals, 1450 Rowe Parkway, has reached a milestone. It is celebrating its 10th anniversary -- 10 years of providing temporary jobs for people in local businesses. Tyler Lance who owns the local franchise is proud of that growth. The business is operated locally, but has national support...

What began as an early morning investigation into a vehicle stolen at gunpoint led local authorities to solving an earlier armed home invasion with the arrest of the car owner's boyfriend and his brother. At 5:20 a.m. today, Crystal Insco of the 1000 block of Stella Street reported her 2003 Chevrolet Impala had been stolen from her residence at gunpoint by two black males, according to Poplar Bluff Deputy Police Chief Jeff Rolland...

About 2,000 tons of concrete, the weight of nearly 1,200 mid-sized cars, will be removed from the former Pear Tree Inn site as the building is demolished, contractors said today as work began. The property is owned by Three Rivers College, which received it in 2009 as a donation from Drury Southwest. College officials have not determined what will happen with the site next...

Classes at Neelyville R-IV schools will dismiss at 3:30 p.m. for the 2011-12 school year, 25 minutes later than last year. The change was decided after the school board voted Tuesday night to approve a new calendar. Board member John Hogan was absent...

With a photograph-like precision, the stroke of Malden, Mo., artist Sali Ware's colored pencils capture more than just the detail of a nicked and weathered porch post or the warm glow of a sunset reflected in the water surrounding a stand of gnarled trees...

A Poplar Bluff R-I high school coach who faced termination for swearing during practices will keep his teaching job, but not as a tenured employee. The Board of Education voted 4-3 to terminate Lance Bell, who held a tenured position as health teacher after five years in the district. Bell also served as head track coach and assistant football coach...