Stories from Sunday, October 2, 2011

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- It sounds like a horror movie: Biting ants invade by the millions. A camper's metal walls bulge from the pressure of ants nesting behind them. A circle of poison stops them for only a day, and then a fresh horde shows up, bringing babies. Stand in the yard, and in seconds ants cover your shoes...

By JOHN WILLEY Staff Writer Quick response by county, city and state law enforcement officers led to the arrest of a 42-year-old Wappapello, Mo., man who was jailed in connection with the alleged armed robbery of a Burch Food Co., delivery driver. The robbery was reported at 11:38 a.m. Friday and occurred at a storage building behind John's Mini-Mart, across from the Briggs & Stratton Plant on Highway 142, at the south edge of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor The City of Poplar Bluff, Mo., hosted what one attendee described as a "big block party" Saturday as hundreds flocked to the downtown streets to enjoy a wide variety of music, food and activities. Sponsored by Downtown Poplar Bluff Inc., with the assistance of many community organizations, the second annual Iron Horse Festival celebrated the railroad, river, historical and cultural heritage of the 162-year-old city...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer "There are jobs out there," Gov. Jay Nixon told a classroom of Three Rivers College nursing students Friday afternoon, as he toured the institution's new high tech training facility before a press conference to discuss a $20 million grant that will retrain 4,600 unemployed Missourians to enter in-demand fields...

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- It sounds like a horror movie: Biting ants invade by the millions. A camper's metal walls bulge from the pressure of ants nesting behind them. A circle of poison stops them for only a day, and then a fresh horde shows up, bringing babies. Stand in the yard, and in seconds ants cover your shoes...

By JOHN WILLEY Staff Writer Quick response by county, city and state law enforcement officers led to the arrest of a 42-year-old Wappapello, Mo., man who was jailed in connection with the alleged armed robbery of a Burch Food Co., delivery driver. The robbery was reported at 11:38 a.m. Friday and occurred at a storage building behind John's Mini-Mart, across from the Briggs & Stratton Plant on Highway 142, at the south edge of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor The City of Poplar Bluff, Mo., hosted what one attendee described as a "big block party" Saturday as hundreds flocked to the downtown streets to enjoy a wide variety of music, food and activities. Sponsored by Downtown Poplar Bluff Inc., with the assistance of many community organizations, the second annual Iron Horse Festival celebrated the railroad, river, historical and cultural heritage of the 162-year-old city...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer "There are jobs out there," Gov. Jay Nixon told a classroom of Three Rivers College nursing students Friday afternoon, as he toured the institution's new high tech training facility before a press conference to discuss a $20 million grant that will retrain 4,600 unemployed Missourians to enter in-demand fields...

Joyce Hemby PUXICO, MO. -- Joyce Hemby, a lifetime resident of Puxico, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 1, 2003, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico.

Jack Wilson DEXTER, Mo. -- Jack David Wilson, 80, of Circle City, Mo., died Friday, Sept. 30, 2011, at his residence. Mr. Wilson was born on Feb. 13, 1931, in St. Louis, Mo. He had lived in St. Louis before moving to the Circle City community 20 years ago. He had worked as an electrician and was a member of the I.B.E.W. He was of the Christian faith and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy...

L.B. Williams BERNIE, Mo. -- L.B. Williams, 81, of Bernie, Mo. died Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011, at the Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center in Dexter. Mr. Williams was born on March 21, 1930, in Bernie. He was a member of the Bernie General Baptist Church...

Lola Wiley NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Lola Ethel Wiley, 94, of Fairdealing, Mo., died at her residence at 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011. She was born on Jan. 16, 1917, at Piedmont, Mo. She was a homemaker and a member of the Naylor Pentecostal Church. She loved her family, church and enjoyed her roses...

Carol Means DEXTER, Mo. -- Carols Means, 70, of Dexter, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, at her residence. She was born on Nov. 24, 1940, in St. Louis, Mo. She had lived in the Dexter area most of her life. She was of the Christian faith. On Oct. 5, 1978, she was married to Oscar Edward Means in Bernie, Mo. He preceded her in death on July 23, 2001...

Sharyn L. Howe (Boatner) WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Heaven's Very Special Child A meeting was held far from earth, "It's time again for another birth" said the angels to the Lord above. This special child will need much love, her progress may seem very slow. ...

Jerry Ray Clark MALDEN, Mo. -- Jerry Ray Clark, 74, of Campbell, Mo., died Friday, Sept. 30, 2011, in Campbell. Mr. Clark was born Sept. 7, 1937, in Frisbee, Mo. He was a member of the Spoonerville Baptist Church in Malden. He married Juanita Broglin Oct. 11, 1956, in Friendship, Mo. She survives...

Betty Evans DEXTER, Mo. -- Betty Evans, 80 of Bloomfield, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, at her residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter.

The children and family of John and Mary (Guess) Lewis of Malden, Mo., invite family and friends to share in their 50th wedding anniversary celebration. A "drop-in" reception honoring the couple who were married Oct. 21, 1961, will be held from 1- 4 p. m., Saturday, Oct. 15, in the Fellowship Hall of the Fellowship General Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff, Mo...

At a time of night in which the Three Rivers College campus is winding down, it was buzzing Friday night. The men's and women's basketball teams had their first practices of the season just after midnight. "It is good for the kids," Three Rivers women's coach Jeff Walk said. "It is good for the community to get out and watch them play."...

FARMINGTON -- Trailing by 10 points at the start of the fourth quarter, the Poplar Bluff football team was gaining momentum and poised to get the ball back. Farmington faced a third-and-9 deep in its own territory, but senior quarterback Chase Busenbark lofted a pass between two Mules and into the hands of Connor Davault for a 50-yard gain...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Poplar Bluff cross country team saw a big drop in their times Saturday at the Notre Dame Invitational. Bailey Davidson set a personal-best time of 16 minutes, 51.24 seconds while Allison Huskey led the Lady Mules with a PR of 20:06 as both finished ninth and both teams placed fourth...

Twin Rivers baseball coach Denver Stuckey and assistant coach Nathan Walk recently accomplished winning their 100th game since the duo took over the Royals in the fall of 2008. Win No. 102 has the potential to be a special one for the two. The Royals received the first-round bye for the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament for the second straight year and will await the winner of Naylor and East Carter in the semifinals. ...

KENNETT -- Romello McCoy had 24 points while fellow juniors Tanner Murphy added 18 and Mitchell Coleman chipped in with 12 as the Malden Green Wave rolled over Kennett, 75-59. Wait is that a basketball score? Some fans afterwards felt like they were looking at a final score of a game played in January and not on a brisk fall Friday night...

CHARLESTON -- Dexter's Bearcats delivered a dominating performance in a 47-0 win over Charleston Friday night on the Bluejays' home field. Dexter scored on its first seven possessions of the game, six in the first half, as the Bearcats put up 40 points in the first two quarters to bring the mercy clock into play with the second-half kickoff...

By GEORGE F. WILL Obama Gives States a Voice In 'No Child' -- New York Times, Sept. 24 WASHINGTON -- Many Americans, having grown accustomed to Caesarism, probably see magnanimity in that front-page headline. Others, however, read it as redundant evidence of how distorted American governance has become. ...

By OLIVER NORTH WASHINGTON -- When the U.S. State Department announced this week that it finally is going to designate the Haqqani network as a foreign terrorist organization, it was a nonevent for most of our countrymen. That's because few Americans know how deadly the organization is. ...

Steve and Sheliah Reece of Malden, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Jordan, to Scottie Lindsay, both of Poplar Bluff, Mo. Lindsay is the son of Louis and Carol Lindsay of Broseley, Mo. The bride-elect is a 2004 graduate of Campbell High School. She graduated from Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Ark. with a bachelor's degree in physical education. Currently she is employed by the Puxico School District as a physical educator and girls' basketball coach...

Peck and Dee West of Lowndes, Mo., celebrated 62 years of marriage on Saturday, June 18, 2011. The couple have two children, Rose Helton of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Herman West of Lowndes, Mo. They also have six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren...

Roland and Sharon Medrano of Poplar Bluff, Mo., observed their 25th wedding anniversary with quiet family gathering on Saturday, Oct. 1. The couple was married Oct. 3, 1986, at First Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. He is an independent self-employed building contractor and she is a bookkeeper...

L.B. Williams -- Bernie, Mo. Sharyn Howe (Boatner) -- Wappapello, Mo. Betty Evans -- Bloomfield, Mo. Lola Wiley -- Fairdealing, Mo. Jack Wilson -- Circle City, Mo. Joyce Hemby -- Puxico, Mo. Jerry Clark -- Campbell, Mo. Carol Means -- Dexter, Mo...

Peck and Dee West of Lowndes, Mo., celebrated 62 years of marriage on Saturday, June 18, 2011. The couple have two children, Rose Helton of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Herman West of Lowndes, Mo. They also have six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren...

CHARLESTON -- Dexter's Bearcats delivered a dominating performance in a 47-0 win over Charleston Friday night on the Bluejays' home field. Dexter scored on its first seven possessions of the game, six in the first half, as the Bearcats put up 40 points in the first two quarters to bring the mercy clock into play with the second-half kickoff...

KENNETT -- Romello McCoy had 24 points while fellow juniors Tanner Murphy added 18 and Mitchell Coleman chipped in with 12 as the Malden Green Wave rolled over Kennett, 75-59. Wait is that a basketball score? Some fans afterwards felt like they were looking at a final score of a game played in January and not on a brisk fall Friday night...

Twin Rivers baseball coach Denver Stuckey and assistant coach Nathan Walk recently accomplished winning their 100th game since the duo took over the Royals in the fall of 2008. Win No. 102 has the potential to be a special one for the two. The Royals received the first-round bye for the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament for the second straight year and will await the winner of Naylor and East Carter in the semifinals. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Poplar Bluff cross country team saw a big drop in their times Saturday at the Notre Dame Invitational. Bailey Davidson set a personal-best time of 16 minutes, 51.24 seconds while Allison Huskey led the Lady Mules with a PR of 20:06 as both finished ninth and both teams placed fourth...

FARMINGTON -- Trailing by 10 points at the start of the fourth quarter, the Poplar Bluff football team was gaining momentum and poised to get the ball back. Farmington faced a third-and-9 deep in its own territory, but senior quarterback Chase Busenbark lofted a pass between two Mules and into the hands of Connor Davault for a 50-yard gain...

At a time of night in which the Three Rivers College campus is winding down, it was buzzing Friday night. The men's and women's basketball teams had their first practices of the season just after midnight. "It is good for the kids," Three Rivers women's coach Jeff Walk said. "It is good for the community to get out and watch them play."...

The children and family of John and Mary (Guess) Lewis of Malden, Mo., invite family and friends to share in their 50th wedding anniversary celebration. A "drop-in" reception honoring the couple who were married Oct. 21, 1961, will be held from 1- 4 p. m., Saturday, Oct. 15, in the Fellowship Hall of the Fellowship General Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff, Mo...

L.B. Williams -- Bernie, Mo. Sharyn Howe (Boatner) -- Wappapello, Mo. Betty Evans -- Bloomfield, Mo. Lola Wiley -- Fairdealing, Mo. Jack Wilson -- Circle City, Mo. Joyce Hemby -- Puxico, Mo. Jerry Clark -- Campbell, Mo. Carol Means -- Dexter, Mo...