Stories from Thursday, December 8, 2011

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Participation by the Butler County Highway Department in a five-year buy back program for road graders continues to be a financial benefit for the county. Butler County commissioners have accepted the low bid for two 2012 John Deere road graders from Erb Equipment Co. of Cape Girardeau, Mo...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Dexter, Mo., man pleaded guilty Wednesday to a lesser charge in connection with the recent assault of a Dexter police officer. Austin Mace pleaded guilty to the Class C felony of second-degree assault before Presiding Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp, according to Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer With the completion this week of a major portion of a nearly $248 million rehabilitation, Clearwater Dam is on schedule to be the first DSAC 1 rated dam project completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the nation...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service Eighth District candidate Bob Parker wants to debate U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson before next year's Republican primary, but a statement released Wednesday by Emerson's campaign makes that look like a long shot. The statement says that no declared candidates have personally asked the 15-year incumbent or anyone in her organization for a debate...

Conservative Republican Doug Libla today confirmed his intention to seek his party's nomination for the Missouri State Senate in the newly drawn 33rd Senatorial District. Libla, co-owner of Poplar Bluff-based Mid Continent Nail Corp., has extensive real-world business experience. Mid Continent Nail, which has been in business since 1987, has more than 300 employees and continues to grow despite a sluggish economy...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON New Editor Poplar Bluffian Miranda Fickert's decision to run her first half marathon in 2009 has kept her and six others going the distance for a charity that's become near and dear to them. Not only do they run, they wash cars, shoot arrows and wrap Christmas gifts to be heroes to help sick children...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service Eighth District candidate Bob Parker wants to debate U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson before next year's Republican primary, but a statement released Wednesday by Emerson's campaign makes that look like a long shot. The statement says that no declared candidates have personally asked the 15-year incumbent or anyone in her organization for a debate...

Two of my four children were born in my "advanced maternal age" years -- that is, over age 35. Though the babies I carried were at higher risk for several conditions, the one we hear about most being Down syndrome, I did not do any recommended prenatal testing of the babies besides a sonogram...

It's a long way from South Carolina to Las Vegas. My sister doesn't get to visit us often. So when I heard she was coming for 10 days, I began to plan. The first five days were easy. We spent Thanksgiving in California with my children and grandchildren, fighting over who got to hold which baby for how long. Then we flew to Vegas and she settled into our guest room for five more days...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, in his New York Times column titled "Free to Die" (9/15/2011), pointed out that back in 1980, his late fellow Nobel laureate Milton Friedman lent his voice to the nation's shift to the political right in his famous 10-part TV series, "Free To Choose." Nowadays, Krugman says, "'free to choose' has become 'free to die.'" He was referring to a GOP presidential debate in which Rep. ...

Jeremy and Jacy Lindsey of Blytheville, Ark., have chosen the name Kooper Wade for their 8-pound, 3-ounce son born Saturday, June 10, 2011, at St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro, Ark He has one sibling, Rylee Nelson, 12. Grandparents include Gary and Donease Nelson and Joe Lindsey, all of Blytheville, and Tom and Jeanie Burns of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; great-grandparents, Edithia Boothe of Blytheville, Lucille Nelson of Gosnell, Ark., and Regina Wright of Poplar Bluff...

Russell Smith DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Russell Karl Smith, 71, of Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, at his residence. The son of Vernie and Mabel (Hawkins) Smith, he was born March 18, 1940, in Oates, Mo. Mr. Smith was self-employed as a contractor. He was a member of the Doniphan Masonic Lodge No. 369 and enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening and quilting. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served two tours of duty in Vietnam as a captain. He was also associated with the CIA...

Helen Gipson DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Helen Francis Gipson, 73, of Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, at the Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Ms. Gipson, daughter of Charles Floyd and Faye Marie (Welker) Oakley, was born Dec. 13, 1937, in Poynor, Mo.. She enjoyed traveling, fishing and spending time with her children. Ms. Gipson was a member of the Poynor Sugartree Freewill Baptist Church...

Toni Gillette QULIN, Mo. -- Getona "Toni" Gillette, 84, of Qulin, Mo., died Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, at her residence. Mrs. Gillette was born Feb. 23, 1927 in New Madrid, Mo. She had lived most of her life in St. Louis, Mo., before moving to Qulin seven years ago. She attended Oglesville General Baptist Church and supported the DVA, and law enforcement...

Claude Hemby PUXICO, Mo. -- Claude E. Hemby, 58, of Zalma, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Hemby was born Oct. 11, 1953, at Puxico. He was a timber worker and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Surviving are his children, Serina Cagle of Dexter, Ronnie Moody and Jason Moody, both of Zalma, and Tommy Moody of Chaffee, Mo.; his siblings, Lester Hemby and Louise Conners, both of Puxico, Flora Buttry of O'Fallon, Mo...

Charles Baney Charles Vernon Baney, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Baney was born Dec. 23, 1934, in Alicia, Ark. He had lived in Poplar Bluff for the past 20 years and formerly lived in the Coon Island -- Neelyville area. He was of the Christian faith...

Harold Taylor MALDEN, Mo. -- Harold "Hank" C. Taylor of Malden died Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at his residence. Visitation will begin at noon Friday followed by the funeral service at 2 p.m. in the Landess Funeral Home chapel in Malden. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden.2...

Myrul Pullum DEXTER, Mo. -- Myrul Jean Pullum, 75, of Essex, Mo. died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, in Sikeston, Mo. Mrs. Pullum was born on Jan. 24, 1936, in Bernie, Mo. She had lived in Essex most all of her life. She enjoyed reading her Bible, spending time with her family and working in her garden...

Joyce Reed Joyce Marie Reed, 78, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, at her residence. Mrs. Reed was born Aug. 1, 1933 in St. Louis County, Mo. She was of the Lutheran faith, and had retired after 30 years as owner and secretary of Bluff Trash Service. Mrs. Reed enjoyed spending time with her family, collecting birdhouses, bowling and the watching the St. Louis Cardinals...

L.V. Marler MALDEN, Mo. -- L.V. Marler, 77, of House Springs, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Marler was born Nov. 24, 1934, in Gideon, Mo. He had served in the U.S. Army. On Aug. 10, 1957, he was married to Joan Marler at Hernando, Miss...

Parties and gatherings are great places to catch-up on family news, share favorite recipes, and just enjoy everyone's company. However, food safety is another ingredient for a safe family party. This time of year often means sharing food at the office party, family holiday party, or the church potluck. ...

By CANDICE DAVIS Mo. Dept. of Conservation CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.-- Conservation agents in Missouri's Southeast region issued 225 citations and 238 written warnings for Wildlife Code violations during Firearms Deer Season. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the cited violations included hunting without a deer permit, refusing inspection by an agent, attempting to take deer from a public roadway or motor vehicle, baiting, failure to wear hunter orange and other violations. ...

Bass fishing tournaments are over for Lake Wappapello this year and the report from the Wappapello Bassmasters showed a successful year, although they had to cancel their tournament in early June. The report handed to me at the club's annual banquet showed there were 177 bass weighed in at the club's tournaments from July 2010 to June 2011. There were only two dead fish in the total, and the fish weighed a total of 293 pounds, 3 ounces...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation Tis the season to be busy! Firearms deer season was recently completed, muzzleloading season is just ahead, waterfowl seasons are in full swing, squirrel season is still open, and there is always crappie fishing...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor PUXICO, Mo. -- Hunters participating in the annual managed muzzleloader hunt at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge killed 59 deer during this year's event, which was held last weekend. Last year, 98 deer were taken over the same weekend...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation Tis the season to be busy! Firearms deer season was recently completed, muzzleloading season is just ahead, waterfowl seasons are in full swing, squirrel season is still open, and there is always crappie fishing...