Stories from Wednesday, February 15, 2012

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer More than 50 years after graduating from Wheatley School, Clarence Jones, 72, Edith Lampkin, 71, William Turner, 72, and Edward Coursey gathered at the school recently to share stories about their time in Poplar Bluff R-I's segregated school district...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man was sentenced to 13 years in prison Tuesday for possessing methamphetamine with intentions of distributing it in Stoddard County. Hershel B. Deaton, aka Hershel Huff, 57, was convicted in January by a Butler County jury of the Class B felony of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and Class C felony of possession of a chemical (pseudoephedrine) with intent to manufacture methamphetamine...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Missouri Transportation Finance Corporation has approved Poplar Bluff's loan request of $8,929,525 to cover the cost of an interchange at Bypass 67 and Oak Grove Road and major improvements to the intersection of Westwood Boulevard, Oak Grove Road and Katy Lane, according to City Manager Doug Bagby...

Jan Powell MALDEN, Mo. -- Jan Powell, 72, of Malden, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2012, at Malden. Funeral arrangements are pending with Bradshaw Funeral Home of Malden, Mo.

Robert Stevens Robert W. Stevens, 67, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Stevens was born Jan. 30, 1945, in Paragould, Ark. He was pastor at Leora Baptist Church and a former member of Temple Baptist Church. He was also a member of Cardiac Cowboys. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he retired from the Navy and the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center. Mr. Stevens enjoyed riding horses and mission work...

The Three Rivers baseball team is hoping its youth can provide solid production this season. The Raiders have just six sophomores on the roster as they open the year at 12 noon Thursday at Williams Baptist. "Our region is going to be very good," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said. "We feel like we are going to have a good team but we are going to have to be really good to compete in our region...

DEXTER -- Just about everybody got in on the fun Tuesday night for the Poplar Bluff Mules. With 10 players scoring and just as many forcing turnovers on the other end, the Mules blitzed Dexter for a 52-28 win in SEMO Conference play. "I think they're starting to buy into how much fun it really is when everybody plays well and everybody contributes," said Poplar Bluff coach Lamont Frazier, who didn't get to enjoy all 32 minutes of the wire-to-wire win...

DEXTER -- The race for the SEMO Conference title had a bittersweet ending for both Poplar Bluff and Dexter. While the Lady Mules won it for a 12th time, they'll have to share it with district-rival Jackson after losing Tuesday night to the Lady Bearcats 70-59...

Persons interested in starting their own business or giving their current business that needed boost might be interested in the no-charge training opportunity that will be offered soon in Piedmont, courtesy of the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Southeast Missouri State University...

Kitty Sims LMT has moved her therapy business to The Salon, 958 S. Westwood Blvd., located behind Maya's Restaurant. She previously was located at 319 S. 11th St. As a Licensed Massage Therapist, a certified Polarity Therapist and a Reiki Master, she combines all three forms of therapy to meet the needs of her customers -- "Whatever a person needs," she said...

By MONA CHAREN Planned Parenthood would appear to have won this latest skirmish in the abortion wars. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation having first decided to withdraw future grants to the world's largest abortion provider, quickly retreated under a barrage of accusations, complaints and threats...

Be careful the next time Yeah, DAR, you've got a fine newspaper, but reading today's paper dated Feb. 1, 2012, column one down toward the bottom area, a man-- area teen guilty of sodomizing a 21-month old baby and then right beside of it you put this little Anderson girl's picture or boy or girl, whatever it is picture from Brownie's Child Care. ...

This year, I've sponsored Senate Bill 439 that would go a long way to making sure taxpayers aren't being fleeced when it comes to the rates they have to pay contractors on public building projects. Currently in Missouri, we have what is called prevailing wage. ...

Arlene Schimweg Arlene M. Schimweg, 75, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mrs. Schimweg was born Sept. 27, 1936, in St. Louis, Mo. She was a homemaker. Mrs. Schimweg enjoyed spending time with her family, crocheting and reading...

Barbara Parnell Barbara Parnell, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012, at her residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

Robyn Wright DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Robyn Leann Wright, 36, of Jacksonville, Ark., died Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, in Jacksonville. Ms. Wright, daughter of David and Maxine (Evans) Wallar, was born March 2, 1974, in Scott City, Kan. She was a manager of an apartment complex and was of the Mormon faith...

Beatrice Williams FISK, Mo. -- Beatrice "Bea" Adelia Williams, 91, of Fisk, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, at her residence. Mrs. Williams was born July 30, 1920, in Fisk, and had lived around Fisk all of her life. She was a homemaker and had helped her husband farm and raise livestock. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, sewing and spending time with her family. She had formerly been a member of Landreth Chapel General Baptist Church...

Dolis Smith SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Dolis Marie Smith, 90, of Springfield, Mo., passed away Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, at Christian Health Care East. She was born Aug. 27, 1921, in St. Francis, Ark., to Ed and Blanche (Posgrove) Henderson. She was a member of the Twin Springs Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She lived her life for God and her family, and continued to witness up until her prayers were answered, and her work here on earth was complete...

Sarah Clay PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Sarah Bernice Betty (Austin) Clay, 90, of Kimberling City, Mo., died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, at Table Rock Nursing Center in Kimberling City. Mrs. Clay was born on Feb. 26, 1921, in Leeper, Mo. Mrs. Clay retired from Barnes Hospital in 1974 where she was a member of the nursing staff in the cardio-thoracic surgery department. ...

Michael Radosh Michael S. Radosh, 53, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 6, 2012, at St. Clare Hospital in Fenton, Mo., following a lengthy illness. Mr. Radosh was born Feb. 10, 1958, in St. Joseph, Mo. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served on the ship, Turner Joy. He went on to graduate from Missouri State University in Springfield with a bachelor's degree in business...

Helen Bennett GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Helen R. Bennett, 89, of Greenville, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. A memorial service will be held at Ruegg Funeral Home Chapel in Greenville, Mo., at 11 a.m. Saturday. Visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m. A full obituary will follow...

Donnie Lewis PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Donnie Ray Lewis, 55, of Piedmont, Mo., died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Lewis was born Oct. 16, 1956, in St. Louis, Mo. He grew up in St. Louis until the age of 16. Donnie was the fifth of eight children...

Kimberly Clark PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Kimberly Ann (Rainwater) Clark, 39, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, at Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Clark was born March 19, 1972 in Memphis, Tenn., to Donna Marie (Pyle) Rainwater and Floyd Rainwater. She was a member of the New Home General Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff...

Lake Road A Honor Roll 2nd Grade: Zarek DeWitt, Trista Judd, James Martin, Braedynn Fiske, Skylar Hennen, Joseph Magill, Emandra Parks, Rylan Roach, Jeri Davidson, Dustin Ramsey, Breann Williams 3rd Grade: Maliah Blackburn, Adrianna Graham, Kailey Wyatt, Johnna Bagwell, Brayden Cochran, Emily Nely, Davon Ready, Kiley Roach, Eston Stearns, Constance Taylor, ,Jordyn Shearrer...

KENNETT --The Kennett Indians added a final quality win to its resume before Wednesday afternoon's MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 seed meeting. Kennett (16-8) defeated the state-ranked Doniphan Dons 70-67 Tuesday evening to improve its record against teams within its district to 4-2...

LESTERVILLE -- After leading by just four at halftime, the Van Buren Lady Dawgs picked it up defensively in the third quarter Tuesday night against Bunker in the first round of the Black River League Tournament. The Lady Dawgs held Bunker to just four points in the quarter and moved on to a 56-47 win...

Amber Renae Berry and Brandon LaShawn Johnson of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name of Malik Warren Johnson for their 7-pound, 4-ounce son born at 6:16 p.m., on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau, Mo...