Stories from Tuesday, December 20, 2011

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Neelyville R-IV board members chose a finance investment company and ballot language for funding renovations at the Neelyville campus. The renovations will bring all district students to the Neelyville campus and do away with the Hillview campus. District voters will decide on the project April 3, 2012...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Poplar Bluff City Council approved a $20,161,277 budget Monday night for city government expenses in 2012. This budget is an increase of $141,203 or only 7/10ths of 1 percent more than the 2011 budget (See the graphic for a breakdown and the accompanying story on the Municipal Utilities budget)...

By PATRICK T. SULLIVAN SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Five people believed to be the masterminds behind a recent Southeast Missouri counterfeiting ring were indicted on federal charges last month, according to federal court documents unsealed Friday...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer When Clark Ridenour took a job 14 years ago at the mail processing center in Cape Girardeau, Mo., he thought it was a position he would have until he retired. Now the 50-year-old Puxico, Mo., resident and 70 other area employees find work there called into question as the U.S. Postal Service discusses closing the location as part of a cost cutting measure expected to save $3.8 million annually...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer A contract with Dille and Traxel architects was approved at Neelyville's Monday night meeting, and Ben Traxel presented potential building plans to bring all district students to the Neelyville campus. Site Plan A would include 15 new elementary classrooms at Neelyville, doubling the size of the current junior high gym so it could also be used as a cafeteria and expanding and reorienting the high school gym. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Higher costs for Municipal Utilities to purchase electricity from its suppliers will result in an average 10 percent hike in electric bills for Poplar Bluff customers in January, but city officials are hopeful the purchased power adjustment can be reduced or eliminated in 2013...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer A contract with Dille and Traxel architects was approved at Neelyville's Monday night meeting, and Ben Traxel presented potential building plans to bring all district students to the Neelyville campus. Site Plan A would include 15 new elementary classrooms at Neelyville, doubling the size of the current junior high gym so it could also be used as a cafeteria and expanding and reorienting the high school gym. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer When Clark Ridenour took a job 14 years ago at the mail processing center in Cape Girardeau, Mo., he thought it was a position he would have until he retired. Now the 50-year-old Puxico, Mo., resident and 70 other area employees find work there called into question as the U.S. Postal Service discusses closing the location as part of a cost cutting measure expected to save $3.8 million annually...

DONIPHAN -- Derek Hutchins had 16 points to lead Doniphan over Bloomfield on Monday, 68-47. Brian Patterson added 13 points along with James Moore who had 13 in the win. The Dons (7-0) outscored the Wildcats by 12 after the first quarter and cruised to the 21-point win. Adam Vandiver had 15 points for the Wildcats (4-3) in the loss...

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Orange or black. Or gray, or white. Those colors make up the basis of a uniform policy that may take effect at the beginning of the next school year for students in the Cape Girardeau School District...

By MONA CHAREN A few months ago, tooling along in my brand new Honda (aka "cute car"), I came to a stop at a red light. On my right, a police cruiser with lights flashing was investigating a fender bender. A total of three cars, the two that were in the accident plus the police car, were off on the shoulder. ...

By ANN McFEATTERS Scripps Howard News Service Folks, it's getting even nastier. Thousands of people who have been voting for years and college students eager to vote will find themselves shut out next year. Even as Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich resemble jousting mastodons, clumsily trying to knock each other down, more than a dozen state legislatures in such key battleground states as Florida have been kicking aside eased voting procedures...

WASHINGTON -- They are coming home. For the first time since March 19, 2003, there are no U.S. combat or combat support troops in Iraq. There is still a contingent of U.S. Marines guarding the biggest American embassy in the world and the largest military attache's office at any diplomatic mission. But there is no doubt in anyone's mind -- ally or enemy -- that the war in Iraq is over. The only uncertainty now: Who won?...

By BILL O'REILLY Talk about an excruciating experience. The media research company Experian Simmons spent an entire year surveying diehard Republicans and Democrats regarding what they watch on TV, and the results are now in. The top non-auction Republican shows are: "This Old House" on PBS, "The 700 Club" on CBN, "Swamp Loggers" on the Discovery Channel, "Top Shot" on the History Channel and "The Bachelor" on ABC...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN For the Army and Marines who lost 4,500 dead and more than 30,000 wounded, many of them amputees, the second-longest war in U.S. history is over. America is coming home from Iraq. On May 1, 2003, on the carrier Abraham Lincoln, the huge banner behind President George W. Bush proclaimed, "Mission Accomplished!"...

Why doesn't Mo. matter? Isn't it nice? Just the other evening, one, though I'm not going to mention the name, of the Republican primary candidates dissed Missouri by saying Missouri doesn't matter. Their primary doesn't count, so I'm not even going to go and list myself in the state of Missouri. ...

The Oak Grove Homemakers Club met Wednesday, Dec. 14, at the home of Wilma Ward. Her home was decorated for the Christmas season as were the dining tables. Mary Thurman gave the invocation. Betty Stroud, president, presided over the meeting. For the devotional, Clara Freeman read the Bible passage of Luke 2:1-7 and the selection, "An Extraordinary Night,",from the book Grace for the Moment...

Fairy Kinsey NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Fairy LaRose Kinsey, 99, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mrs. Kinsey was born Aug. 29, 1912, in Mattoon, Ill. She was a homemaker and enjoyed sewing, quilting, gardening, cooking and enjoyed her grandchildren. She was a member of the Lone Hill Southern Baptist Church...

George Huber Jr. CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- George Everett Huber, Jr., 79, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at the home of his daughter in Sikeston, Mo. Mr. Huber was born April 1, 1932, in Silver Lake, Mo. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving in the U.S. ...

PUXICO, Mo. -- John Arnold, 68, a long-time resident of Puxico, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 19, 2011, at his home. Funeral arrangements are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico.

"Jim" Mann James Parker "Jim" Mann, 68, of Fairdealing, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 19, 2011 at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Paul Carter LEACHVILLE, Ark. -- Paul Wayne Carter, 74, of Cardwell, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at his home. Mr. Carter was born in Cardwell. He graduated in 1955 from Cardwell High School, and went on to serve in the U.S. Army. He retired as a manager from MFA Agri Service in Bernie, Mo. He was a longtime member of Antioch Church of Christ near Cardwell...

DEXTER, MO. -- Raymona Elizabeth Duke, 52, of Chaffee, Mo., died on Monday, Dec. 19, 2011 at her residence. She was born on Oct. 2, 1959 in Bellville, Ill. and She was a homemaker. For the past six years she had been married to Ronnie Mouser. Mr. Mouser survives of the home in Chaffee...

George E. Huber Jr., 79, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at the home of his daughter in Sikeston, Mo. Mr. Huber was a resident of Cape Girardeau, Mo. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel in Cape Girardeau. Burial will be at 1 p.m. in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Debi Reed Davis Debi Reed Davis, 62, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011 at St. Joseph's Hospital West, in Lake St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Davis was born June 16, 1949 in Poplar Bluff. She was owner and operator of The Beauty Hut and Kidz-Kutz Salons, and was a former Girl Scout Troop Leader. Mrs. Davis enjoyed reading, drawing, painting, restoring old homes, gardening and watching the Black River...

Charmane Politte Charmane Politte, 54, of Silva, Mo., died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mrs. Politte was born July 30, 1957, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She enjoyed being a homemaker and mother and spending time with family and friends. ...

GIDEON, MO. -- Charles Walker, 82, of Gideon died Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, at his residence. Bradshaw Funeral Home of Malden is in charge of arrangements.

David Hanner David Hanner, 87, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Cotrell Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday...

David Hanner David Hanner, 87, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Hanner was born Jan. 31, 1924, in Harviell, Mo. He was of the Church of Christ faith. Before moving to Poplar Bluff in 1959, he was a farmer and sawmill owner. ...

Georgia Lourance Georgia Lourance, 73, of Sturdivant, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at her home. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Home of Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Pearl McSpadden Pearl Mae McSpadden, 82, of Van Buren, Mo., died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, at the Riverways Manor Nursing Home in Van Buren. Mrs. McSpadden was born Sept. 22, 1929, in Van Buren. Previously a resident of Festus, Mo., she had resided in Van Buren since March of 2009. She was a retired assembly line worker for the Lipic Pen Company and was of the Baptist faith. She was homemaker who enjoyed keeping her home clean, cooking and spending time with her family...

Scottie Hopper Scottie Lee Hopper, 46, of Puxico, Mo., died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, near Puxico. Mr. Hopper was born March 12, 1965, in Kennett, Mo. He had lived in Texas and Florida before moving to Puxico five years ago. He enjoyed spending time with his family...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team got off to the kind of start it was looking for. If only the Redhawks could have ended Monday's game after about 15 minutes. Southeast led SMU most of the first half, including by 10 points, but the visiting Mustangs remained undaunted...

BROSELEY -- The Twin Rivers Lady Royals had another upset in their sight line Monday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Lady Royals Classic. No. 10-seeded Twin Rivers went wild on No. 7 Charleston in a 35-point blowout Saturday in the first round and against No. 2 Kennett, four quarters wasn't enough...

BROSELEY -- The Neelyville Lady Tigers came out determined to start the final quarter and decisively seized control. The Lady Tigers went on a 11-3 run to begin the fourth quarter and held on to beat Naylor in the quarterfinals of the Lady Royal Classic, 56-48, Monday night...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- For nearly a decade Poplar Bluff swimmers have been chasing after an elusive barrier, the state cut. Cassidy Harris became the first to break that barrier Monday afternoon as the freshman qualified in the 50-yard freestyle. "It's about time," Poplar Bluff coach Beth Lewis-Muse said...

DONIPHAN -- Derek Hutchins had 16 points to lead Doniphan over Bloomfield on Monday, 68-47. Brian Patterson added 13 points along with James Moore who had 13 in the win. The Dons (7-0) outscored the Wildcats by 12 after the first quarter and cruised to the 21-point win. Adam Vandiver had 15 points for the Wildcats (4-3) in the loss...

By BILL O'REILLY Talk about an excruciating experience. The media research company Experian Simmons spent an entire year surveying diehard Republicans and Democrats regarding what they watch on TV, and the results are now in. The top non-auction Republican shows are: "This Old House" on PBS, "The 700 Club" on CBN, "Swamp Loggers" on the Discovery Channel, "Top Shot" on the History Channel and "The Bachelor" on ABC...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN For the Army and Marines who lost 4,500 dead and more than 30,000 wounded, many of them amputees, the second-longest war in U.S. history is over. America is coming home from Iraq. On May 1, 2003, on the carrier Abraham Lincoln, the huge banner behind President George W. Bush proclaimed, "Mission Accomplished!"...

Why doesn't Mo. matter? Isn't it nice? Just the other evening, one, though I'm not going to mention the name, of the Republican primary candidates dissed Missouri by saying Missouri doesn't matter. Their primary doesn't count, so I'm not even going to go and list myself in the state of Missouri. ...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service When Rep. Ellen Brandom launched her candidacy for the Missouri Senate six months ago, she did so in Cape Girardeau. Now, if the Sikeston, Mo., Republican wins next November, she won't even represent that city. On Monday, Brandom said she has decided to stay close to home in light of the redistricting shake-up and run in the new state 25th Senate District -- not the new 3rd District...

Fairy Kinsey NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Fairy LaRose Kinsey, 99, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Friday, Dec. 16, 2011, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mrs. Kinsey was born Aug. 29, 1912, in Mattoon, Ill. She was a homemaker and enjoyed sewing, quilting, gardening, cooking and enjoyed her grandchildren. She was a member of the Lone Hill Southern Baptist Church...

"Jim" Mann James Parker "Jim" Mann, 68, of Fairdealing, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 19, 2011 at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

DEXTER, MO. -- Raymona Elizabeth Duke, 52, of Chaffee, Mo., died on Monday, Dec. 19, 2011 at her residence. She was born on Oct. 2, 1959 in Bellville, Ill. and She was a homemaker. For the past six years she had been married to Ronnie Mouser. Mr. Mouser survives of the home in Chaffee...

Paul Carter LEACHVILLE, Ark. -- Paul Wayne Carter, 74, of Cardwell, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at his home. Mr. Carter was born in Cardwell. He graduated in 1955 from Cardwell High School, and went on to serve in the U.S. Army. He retired as a manager from MFA Agri Service in Bernie, Mo. He was a longtime member of Antioch Church of Christ near Cardwell...

George E. Huber Jr., 79, died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at the home of his daughter in Sikeston, Mo. Mr. Huber was a resident of Cape Girardeau, Mo. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Ford and Sons Sprigg Street Chapel in Cape Girardeau. Burial will be at 1 p.m. in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Charmane Politte Charmane Politte, 54, of Silva, Mo., died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mrs. Politte was born July 30, 1957, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She enjoyed being a homemaker and mother and spending time with family and friends. ...

David Hanner David Hanner, 87, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Cotrell Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. Funeral services will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday...

BROSELEY -- The Neelyville Lady Tigers came out determined to start the final quarter and decisively seized control. The Lady Tigers went on a 11-3 run to begin the fourth quarter and held on to beat Naylor in the quarterfinals of the Lady Royal Classic, 56-48, Monday night...

BROSELEY -- The Twin Rivers Lady Royals had another upset in their sight line Monday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Lady Royals Classic. No. 10-seeded Twin Rivers went wild on No. 7 Charleston in a 35-point blowout Saturday in the first round and against No. 2 Kennett, four quarters wasn't enough...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team got off to the kind of start it was looking for. If only the Redhawks could have ended Monday's game after about 15 minutes. Southeast led SMU most of the first half, including by 10 points, but the visiting Mustangs remained undaunted...

Georgia Lourance Georgia Lourance, 73, of Sturdivant, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at her home. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Home of Poplar Bluff, Mo.

David Hanner David Hanner, 87, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Hanner was born Jan. 31, 1924, in Harviell, Mo. He was of the Church of Christ faith. Before moving to Poplar Bluff in 1959, he was a farmer and sawmill owner. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- For nearly a decade Poplar Bluff swimmers have been chasing after an elusive barrier, the state cut. Cassidy Harris became the first to break that barrier Monday afternoon as the freshman qualified in the 50-yard freestyle. "It's about time," Poplar Bluff coach Beth Lewis-Muse said...