Stories from Friday, March 2, 2012

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Shakespeare fans and families looking for free fun Saturday afternoon can check out a Shakespeare festival 1 to 3 p.m. at the Poplar Bluff Public Library. The festival comes just a week before the debut of the Stage Company's "Romeo and Juliet" at the Rodgers Theatre...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Eight-year-old Sierra Gaines was flung under a washer and dryer when an F-3 tornado ripped her Puxico, Mo., mobile home apart early Wednesday morning. This was moments after it struck a family member's residence less than a half a mile away, causing injuries that would leave one man dead...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor The Butler County Sheriff's Department has partnered with a nationwide alert system to provide area residents with pertinent information, including severe weather conditions and other emergency situations. As an active member of the Nixle message system, the sheriff's department is one of about 4,600 public safety agencies nationwide enrolled in the system, according to Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs...

The Poplar Bluff Ministerial Association elected new officers at its Feb. 14 meething at Grace Christian Fellowship. They are: Keith Frye, president; Annette Joseph, vice president; Brian Sharp, treasurer; and the recording and correspondence secretarial positions were combined into one and will be shared by Dilday and Altman...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs a repair, I'll fix it." Thus did Mitt Romney supposedly commit the gaffe of the month -- for we are not to speak of the poor without unctuous empathy...

Disappointed in Neelyville Board I am disappointed that the Neelyville school board just dismissed concerns by a fellow member about the school lunches. The cafeteria does not serve enough food for the kids. I know that there are government regulations on the lunch program, I also know this outfit is there to make money. ...

Poplar Bluff High School has named its Students of the Month. Abby Simpson, daughter of James and Teresa Simpson and Laura and Kelly Williams, has been involved in Beta Club, Drama Club and the Teenage Republicans Club for four years. She has also been in theSHO-ME Marching Band, Jazz band and symphonic band for four years and is the secretary of the National Honor Society and Future Teachers of America Club...

Oak Grove Elementary School announces its Students of the Month as: First grader Kayson King, son of Chad and Jessica King, was nominated by his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Pratt, because he is a fantastic reader, speller and excels in math. Kayson is a pleasure to have in class, she said...

Charlie Ezell DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Charlie Ezell, 56, of Doniphan, Mo., died Thursday, March 1, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan.

Opal Sims DEXTER, Mo. -- Opal Sims of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, March 1, 2012, at The Manor in Poplar Bluff on March 1, 2012. Funeral services are pending with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter, Mo. Call 573-624-9600 for funeral information or go to www.watkinsfuneralhome.com...

Ralph Ward Ralph Ward, 73, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, March 1, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

Lewis Lawson PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Lewis F. Lawson, 76, of Mill Spring, Mo., died Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, at his home. He was born Sept. 1, 1935 at Brushy Creek, Mo., and had lived at Mill Spring for many years. He was saved and baptized on Sept. 1, 2009...

The quarterly Scleroderma/Lupus Support Group meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 10, in the Perkins Restaurant meeting room Guest speaker will be Mindy Mathews, physical therapist.

Linda Morgan, leader, opened the TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Mo 734 at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22. In attendance were 23 TOPS and three KOPS, as well as one guest: Evelyn Rankin, Ruth Whitaker's cousin. Lou Ann Wrather read the secretary's report, which was approved...

Lola LeGrand PIEDMONT, MO. -- Lola F. LeGrand, 84, formerly of Williamsville, Mo., died March 1, 2012, in Waterloo, Ill. Funeral arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, Mo. Online condolences may be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Thelma Allen PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Thelma Allen of Piedmont, Mo.,died Friday, March 2, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Online condolences may be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Shawn Gilliam and Cheryl Ricks, both of Williamsville, Mo., have chosen the name Damian Kyle Gilliam for their 6-pound, 9-ounce son born at 8:02 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012, at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in Farmington, Mo. Damian was 20 1/2 inches in length...

VAN BUREN -- Last March there were a lot of tears as one of Neelyville's most successful group of senior basketball players had their season end in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 championship game. This year in a rematch, the younger Lady Tigers stood up in their honor...

Margaret Harwell Art Museum will hold an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. Saturday at the museum for its newest show, "Earth: In, Out and Beyond." The March exhibit is by mixed media artist Janice Schoultz Mudd of St. Louis, Mo. Schoultz Mudd says she draws inspiration for her work from ancient navigational maps and today's satellite imagery to redefine the perspective of landscape art...

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. -- The Three Rivers' offense was in full swing Thursday. The Raiders had 27 hits in two wins at Williams Baptist, 14-0 and 13-1. "Twenty seven hits on the day was good to see," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said. "Especially after stranding 16 runners in a game last weekend...

HAYTI -- Bernie's district title run ended in a double-overime thriller Thursday night. The Mules lost their first MSHSAA District playoff game since 2008 as the Holcomb Hornets advanced to the Class 2 District 1 championship game with a 55-49 double-overtime win...