Stories from Monday, October 17, 2011

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Business owners, Poplar Bluff Fire Department officials and insurance agents continued to assess damages to the Dairy Queen today after an early morning fire resulted in extensive interior smoke damage. Those on scene were unavailable for comment, but PBFD Capt. Roy Lane was on duty when the department received the call at 1:32 a.m. A heat sensor in the kitchen alerted the department. Three trucks responded...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Several thousand Southeast Missouri students are expected to once again converge on the Fred M. Morrow football stadium Wednesday as part of the fourth annual Fields of Faith. The event begins at 7 p.m. Fellowship of Christian Athletes Three Rivers Area representative Bill Ray said the event has grown each year from 1,000 students the first year to 2,500 last year. Various other communities across the country will participate as well...

KENNETT, Mo. -- The wife of a Dunklin County man accused of killing his 3-year-old neighbor has been granted a divorce. Early in September, following the arrest of Shawn Morgan, 43, of Senath, Mo., a petition for divorce and a request for a temporary restraining order were filed by his wife, also of Senath...

Stand up for Jesus Yes, as a Christian, I think it is so wrong the way the government has taken away our prayer out of school. They will not let us pray at any of our ball games. They will not let us say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. What is this world coming to? Where are the real Christian people that we are supposed to stand up for God for Jesus Christ? He said if we were ashamed of Him, He'd be ashamed of us. ...

By OLIVER NORTH WASHINGTON -- Official Washington -- meaning the Obama administration, fellow travelers in Congress and their allies in the so-called mainstream media -- here's a quick peek at some recent events, the lead stories they generated and the response by the O-Team. Let me know if you think I'm wrong, but it looks to me as if they have the collective attention span of a fruit fly...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN With Greece on the precipice of default, and Portugal and Italy approaching the ledge, the European monetary union appears in peril. Should it collapse, the European Union itself could be in danger, for economic nationalism is rising in Europe. Which raises a larger question...

TOPS MO 734 meets Linda Morgan, leader, called TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) MO 734 meeting to order Wednesday mroning. In attendance were 18 TOPS and two KOPS members. Lou Ann Wrather read the secretary's report which was approved. Best losers were: Wanda Flurry and Vonda Norden, TOPS, and Millie McClannahan, KOPS. Happy birthday greetings to Bonnie Hill and Jackie Staggs...

Cherokee Nation to meet here Western Cherokee Nation of Arkansas and Missouri will met in the lobby of the Black River Coliseum at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. Seating is limited so call 501-499-6418 to let the organizer know you are coming. There is no cost involved. Coffee will be served and there will be drawings. For those wishing to stay overnight, the Drury Inn has made special arrangements if you let them know you are attending Western Cherokee Nation...

Schuerger receives doctor of medicine Joseph Benjamin Schuerger, a native of Poplar Bluff, Mo., recently was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine at the annual commencement ceremony at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. Dr. Schuerger was elected into the only national medical honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha, prior to his graduation...

The Butler County Retired Teachers and School Personnel will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Altrusa Room at Twin Towers. A representative from the backpack program for schools will explain the goals of the program. All members are reminded to bring can goods to the meeting for a group donation to a local charity. A report will be given about the remarks made by MRTA executive director Jim Krieder at the September picnic...

The Butler County SWCD, in cooperation with Boyers Farm, recently held a local grassland workshop for the Butler County Poplar Bluff FFA students for the upcoming area competition. Each team consisted of a least four students. The teams cycled through the four segments of the competition: Grassland Condition, Soil Interpretation, Wildlife Habitat and Plant Identification. ...

Janet Pratt PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Janet L. Pratt, 61, of St.Charles, Mo., died Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011, in Missouri Baptist Medical Center at St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Pratt was born Aug. 10, 1950, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She worked for the insurance industry as a saleswoman...

Larry Street PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Larry Street, 59, of Jackson, Mo., formerly of Piedmont, died Friday, Oct. 14, 2011, in Paducah, Ky. Mr. Street was born Jan. 18, 1952, in Piedmont. He was employed by Brown Shoe in Piedmont for 24 years and then as a die cutter for Rapco in Fruitland, Mo. He loved sports and played basketball, baseball and softball for many years. He also served as an umpire for baseball games. He loved going to his grandchildren's sporting events and hunting with his son...

Muriel Wiseman PUXICO, Mo. -- Muriel K. Wiseman, 90, of Farmington, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, at Parkland Health Center in Farmington. Mrs. Wiseman was born Feb. 3, 1921, in Brownwood, Mo. She had formerly lived in Duck Creek, Mo. and Advance, Mo. She attended Egypt Church. She owned Wiseman's Store in Duck Creek for 30 years...

Patricia O'Neal DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Patricia Leverne O'Neal, 52, of Doniphan, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, at her residence. Mrs. O'Neal was born July 19, 1959, in El Monte, Calif. She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of Christ. On June 15, 2002, she married Jim O'Neal in Doniphan, and he survives...

Eufa Martin PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Eufa N. Martin, 91, of Patterson, Mo., died Saturday Oct. 15, 2011, at Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont, Mo. Visitation will begin at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the Centerville, Mo., Cemetery...

John Steele John Edwin Steele, 82, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, at his residence. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Linda Howard PUXICO, Mo. -- Linda "Hodge" Howard, 63, of Puxico, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011, in St. Francis Medical Center at Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico.

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN With Greece on the precipice of default, and Portugal and Italy approaching the ledge, the European monetary union appears in peril. Should it collapse, the European Union itself could be in danger, for economic nationalism is rising in Europe. Which raises a larger question...