Stories from Monday, April 2, 2012

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Voters will decide eight issues in six area counties in Tuesday's election A countywide half cent sales tax for six years coupled with a property tax reduction is on the ballot in Wayne County. Malden voters will decide on a fourth cent sales tax for the Malden Fire Department...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Fourteen school districts in six area counties have school board contests in Tuesday's election. Two winners in each district will be elected to three-year terms. DONIPHAN -- Keith Elliott, Jerry Lynxwiler, Mark Boswell, Darrin Tackett...

By SHAY ALDERMAN SEMO News Service PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perryville's fire chief has now lost his job in the fallout from the investigation into stolen city property. The city's board of aldermen made a unanimous decision March 20 to dismiss fire chief Charlie LaRose...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Ten contests and two school construction issues will be decided in Tuesday's election in Butler County. Polling places in all 25 precincts will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The polling places will be in the same places as they were for the Feb. 7 presidential primary election with the exception of Fisk. Voters in the Fisk precinct will cast ballots in the Fisk City Hall instead of going to the Civic Center...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Twelve cities in four area counties have contests in Tuesday's election. One winner per race will be elected to a two-year term. Cities in Ripley and Wayne counties did not have any contests. VAN BUREN Ward 1 Alderman -- Wayne Lunyou, Heath Hogan, Brian Keathley...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Voters will decide eight issues in six area counties in Tuesday's election A countywide half cent sales tax for six years coupled with a property tax reduction is on the ballot in Wayne County. Malden voters will decide on a fourth cent sales tax for the Malden Fire Department...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Fourteen school districts in six area counties have school board contests in Tuesday's election. Two winners in each district will be elected to three-year terms. DONIPHAN -- Keith Elliott, Jerry Lynxwiler, Mark Boswell, Darrin Tackett...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Ten contests and two school construction issues will be decided in Tuesday's election in Butler County. Polling places in all 25 precincts will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The polling places will be in the same places as they were for the Feb. 7 presidential primary election with the exception of Fisk. Voters in the Fisk precinct will cast ballots in the Fisk City Hall instead of going to the Civic Center...

ST. LOUIS -- Hard to believe, but losing Albert Pujols might just end up being a plus for the St. Louis hitters. A bigger barrier toward the Cardinals repeating could be a rotation that got one big arm back yet has another on the shelf. The money the World Series champions would have devoted to Pujols, who signed a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels, paid for rejuvenated veterans Carlos Beltran and Rafael Furcal...

Bertha Mooney PARMA, Mo. -- Bertha Mooney, 83, of Bernie, Mo., died Saturday, March 31, 2012, at Missouri Southern Health Care in Dexter, Mo. Mrs. Mooney was born July 29, 1928, in Clinton, Ark. She lived in Clinton before moving to Bernie. She was of the Pentecostal Faith. She had worked as a cook for workers on the river barges...

Dusty Baker would like a do-over. He's still pained by what happened his first year as a big league manager. His San Francisco Giants finished with a whopping 103 wins -- yet missed the playoffs. "I went to the ballpark every day for 10 days to watch on TV," he recalled this spring. "Finally, my wife told me I had to let it go. I was hurting."...

George Blufoes George Blufoes, 95, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, April 1, 2012, at his home. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

Marzella Skelton PUXICO, Mo. -- Marzella Skelton, 97, of Puxico, Mo., died Sunday, April 1, 2012, at Puxico Nursing and Rehab Center. Funeral arrangements are pending with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service in Puxico.

TRENTON -- The Three Rivers Lady Raiders were putting in overtime over the weekend. The Lady Raiders had three of four games go into extra innings as they picked up four wins over North Central, 2-1 in eight innings and 3-1 Saturday before winning 4-3 in 12 innings and 3-0 in 10 innings on Sunday...

WEST PLAINS -- The Neelyville Tigers reversed their fortunes and then some at the West Plains Tournament over the weekend. Coming in on a two-game losing streak, Neelyville won all three of its games in five innings to improve to 7-2 on the spring. On Friday night, the Tigers defeated Ava 11-1...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Barack Obama's statement that the death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy that cries out for a more thorough investigation was the right and necessary thing to say. But it fell far short of what was needed: a presidential call for a halt to the rhetoric that is stirring up racial rage and inflaming the nation. The incendiary language being deployed is both divisive and dangerous...

By BETSY HART Scripps Howard News Service Discussions about the difference between "needs" and "wants." Bring back memories? My mother liked to help me distinguish between the two when I was a kid. "You do not need Calvin Klein jeans." "You do need to brush your teeth." That kind of thing...

Take me out to the Ballgame By BILL O'REILLY The urchins were startled. "Hey, let's go outside and play some baseball," I said. Outside? Are you kidding me? Inside, the two 8-year-old boys have an Xbox, iPads and personal computers at the ready. Outside?...

Locked out of GOP caucus So today was the caucus, It was supposed to be at the Tinnin Center by 10 o'clock. But if you arrived to the doors at 10 a.m., you were locked out. In trusting that we send our troops over to other countries to supervise elections, but in this country we can't even get our elections right. So, it was a primary caucus, I understand that. But at the same time it's important the right presidential candidate up against Barack Obama...

To the Editor: I was awaken early Sunday morning by a police officer's text stating I should purchase a Daily American Republic and read the article by Mr. Doug Bagby criticizing my campaign flyer. I drove to the local Daily American Republic office and purchased a paper from the workers. I read the editorial and was shocked to find it was more a campaign letter than an editorial...

Wendell Farley SIKESTON, Mo. -- Oliver Wendell Farley, 81, of Sikeston, Mo., died at 7:10 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 2012, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 1, 1931, in Charleston, Mo., to the late Oliver and Edith Cruson Farley, he was a self-employed sign painter and electrical technician and had owned and operated Farley Sign Shop. ...

Corning man dies in wreck A 21-year-old Corning, Ark., man was killed in a two-vehicle crash at 5 p.m. Friday on Highway AC, three miles southwest of Cardwell, Mo. According to the report, Glenn D. Hurst, 46, of Kennett, Mo., was operating a southbound 2003 GVM Prowler, described as a large fertilize spreader, which had bypassed a field entrance and had stopped in the road...

Dinner at Qulin Oakes The Qulin Oakes Nutrition Center will hold a lasagna and chicken alfredo dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 14. The meal includes lasagna, chicken alfredo, salad, garlic bread, dessert and drink. Tickets are $10.

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer On Monday, April 16, Virgie (Howard) Diamond will be 100 years old. Her grandchildren, of whom there are many, will celebrate this milestone with an open house to will be held from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at the West Side Church of God, located on Barron Road and Channon Road. Friends and family are invited to stop by and to wish her well...

Bertha Mooney PARMA, Mo. -- Bertha Mooney, 83, of Bernie, Mo., died Saturday, March 31, 2012, at Missouri Southern Health Care in Dexter, Mo. Mrs. Mooney was born July 29, 1928, in Clinton, Ark. She lived in Clinton before moving to Bernie. She was of the Pentecostal Faith. She had worked as a cook for workers on the river barges...

George Blufoes George Blufoes, 95, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, April 1, 2012, at his home. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

Marzella Skelton PUXICO, Mo. -- Marzella Skelton, 97, of Puxico, Mo., died Sunday, April 1, 2012, at Puxico Nursing and Rehab Center. Funeral arrangements are pending with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service in Puxico.

Dusty Baker would like a do-over. He's still pained by what happened his first year as a big league manager. His San Francisco Giants finished with a whopping 103 wins -- yet missed the playoffs. "I went to the ballpark every day for 10 days to watch on TV," he recalled this spring. "Finally, my wife told me I had to let it go. I was hurting."...

WEST PLAINS -- The Neelyville Tigers reversed their fortunes and then some at the West Plains Tournament over the weekend. Coming in on a two-game losing streak, Neelyville won all three of its games in five innings to improve to 7-2 on the spring. On Friday night, the Tigers defeated Ava 11-1...

Take me out to the Ballgame By BILL O'REILLY The urchins were startled. "Hey, let's go outside and play some baseball," I said. Outside? Are you kidding me? Inside, the two 8-year-old boys have an Xbox, iPads and personal computers at the ready. Outside?...

By BETSY HART Scripps Howard News Service Discussions about the difference between "needs" and "wants." Bring back memories? My mother liked to help me distinguish between the two when I was a kid. "You do not need Calvin Klein jeans." "You do need to brush your teeth." That kind of thing...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Barack Obama's statement that the death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy that cries out for a more thorough investigation was the right and necessary thing to say. But it fell far short of what was needed: a presidential call for a halt to the rhetoric that is stirring up racial rage and inflaming the nation. The incendiary language being deployed is both divisive and dangerous...

TRENTON -- The Three Rivers Lady Raiders were putting in overtime over the weekend. The Lady Raiders had three of four games go into extra innings as they picked up four wins over North Central, 2-1 in eight innings and 3-1 Saturday before winning 4-3 in 12 innings and 3-0 in 10 innings on Sunday...

To the Editor: I was awaken early Sunday morning by a police officer's text stating I should purchase a Daily American Republic and read the article by Mr. Doug Bagby criticizing my campaign flyer. I drove to the local Daily American Republic office and purchased a paper from the workers. I read the editorial and was shocked to find it was more a campaign letter than an editorial...

Wendell Farley SIKESTON, Mo. -- Oliver Wendell Farley, 81, of Sikeston, Mo., died at 7:10 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 2012, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born March 1, 1931, in Charleston, Mo., to the late Oliver and Edith Cruson Farley, he was a self-employed sign painter and electrical technician and had owned and operated Farley Sign Shop. ...

Corning man dies in wreck A 21-year-old Corning, Ark., man was killed in a two-vehicle crash at 5 p.m. Friday on Highway AC, three miles southwest of Cardwell, Mo. According to the report, Glenn D. Hurst, 46, of Kennett, Mo., was operating a southbound 2003 GVM Prowler, described as a large fertilize spreader, which had bypassed a field entrance and had stopped in the road...

Locked out of GOP caucus So today was the caucus, It was supposed to be at the Tinnin Center by 10 o'clock. But if you arrived to the doors at 10 a.m., you were locked out. In trusting that we send our troops over to other countries to supervise elections, but in this country we can't even get our elections right. So, it was a primary caucus, I understand that. But at the same time it's important the right presidential candidate up against Barack Obama...

Dinner at Qulin Oakes The Qulin Oakes Nutrition Center will hold a lasagna and chicken alfredo dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, April 14. The meal includes lasagna, chicken alfredo, salad, garlic bread, dessert and drink. Tickets are $10.