Stories from Tuesday, April 3, 2012

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer With a contested city council race, more than 60 Poplar Bluff Ward 4 voters cast their ballots by 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at Temple Baptist Church. "We've had a fantastic turnout," said supervisory judge Aline Vincent. "Ever since we opened up, we've been like this," she added, as a handful of voters waited in line...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Poplar Bluff officials and the Butler County Commission have reached an agreement on new storm warning sirens for the city. City Manager Doug Bagby and Fire Chief Ralph Stucker met with Commissioners Ed Strenfel, Jeff Darnell and Don Anderson, Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Rick Sliger and Butler County Clerk Tonyi Deffendall Monday morning...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The low bid of $2,975,000 from KAJACS Contractors of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for expanding Oak Grove Road to five lanes between Bypass 67 and Westwood Boulevard was accepted by the Poplar Bluff City Council Monday night...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Downtown Strategic Plan, developed through the city's participation in the Missouri DREAM program and recommended by the Downtown Poplar Bluff Board, was accepted by the Poplar Bluff City Council Monday night...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The low bid of $2,975,000 from KAJACS Contractors of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for expanding Oak Grove Road to five lanes between Bypass 67 and Westwood Boulevard was accepted by the Poplar Bluff City Council Monday night...

James Poole NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- James Patrick Poole, 64, of Harviell, Mo., died Tuesday, March 27, 2012, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Poole was born April 22, 1947, in Orange County, Calif. Previously of Greenup, Ky., and Greenville, Mo., he had lived in Butler County for three years. He enjoyed fishing and watching television. He was of the Catholic faith. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he had been stationed in Germany in field artillery...

By SHARON RANDALL Scripps Howard News Service A jury summons is not something most people are thrilled to find in the mail. The prospect of taking a few days (or, God forbid, weeks) out of your life to sit in judgment on matters that may seem of little importance is disheartening, to say the least -- especially if you happen to be someone who doesn't get paid unless you actually show up for work...

How about Eminence girls Yes, I was wondering why we never seen anything in the paper about the young Eminence girls' basketball team that managed to go to Columbia and play for the State? I would like to have seen some information, some pictures of them. ...

To The Editor: It is very gratifying to see that so many patrons in the Neelyville R-IV School District have our students' educational progress and well-being as a priority even amongst the throng of differing opinions. My greatest hope is that, whatever the outcome of the voting on April 3, that we can accomplish in the future the ability to work together to continue to make improvements for the benefits of our students; and ultimately, for our community and society in general...

Thelma Boatwright PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Thelma Boatwright, 90, of Piedmont, Mo., died Monday, April 2, 2012, at her residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home of Piedmont. Condolences: www.rueggfuneralhomes.com.

Roger Powell Roger Powell, 68, of Corning, Ark., died Sunday, April 1, 2012, at St. Bernard's Medical Center in Jonesboro, Ark. Born Nov. 5, 1943 in Paragould, Ark., Mr. Powell was a retired sawmill operator. He enjoyed riding four-wheelers and was of the Baptist faith...

Betty Grissom MALDEN, Mo. -- Nellie Elizabeth "Betty" Grissom, 79, of Sikeston, Mo., died Sunday, April 1, 2012, at her home. Mrs. Grissom was born April 3, 1932, in Sikeston. She was of the Methodist faith. On Nov. 17, 1974, she married Orville Kenneth Grissom. He preceded her in death Sept. 4, 2009...

Eugene Hessling Sr. DEXTER, Mo. -- Ralph "Eugene" Hessling Sr., 94, of Dexter, Mo., died Saturday, March 31, 2012, at his residence. Mr. Hessling was born June 30, 1917, in Lilbourn, Mo. Mr. Hessling had worked as a heavy equipment operator. On Dec. 26, 1936, he married Freddie Pearl Hessling at New Madrid, Mo. She preceded him in death Jan. 26, 2006...

Robert Coleman Sr. MALDEN, Mo. -- Robert Coleman Sr., of Malden died Tuesday, April 3, 2012, at Golden Living Center in Malden. Funeral arrangements are pending with Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden.

With a pair of pitchers dueling in near 90-degree heat, it looked and felt like the postseason Monday at Strenfel Memorial Field. Poplar Bluff's Hunter Pratt and Logan Faith combined for a one-hit shutout as the Mules edged Malden and ace Tanner Murphy 1-0...

Carr Vernon shot a 1-over-par 36 on the front side of Ozark Ridge Golf Course to lead the Poplar Bluff Mules to a 152-160 win Monday over Sikeston. Hunter Pyland shot 37, Jake Russell added a 39 while John Gilmore and Nick Woolard each shot 40 for the Mules. Collin Davis (42) and Davis Caldwell (48) did not score...

The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules might be content with the rest of this season's games played at home inside of Whiteley Park. Poplar Bluff stayed undefeated on its home field after topping Jonesboro, Ark., 3-1, Monday. Arguably, the schedule has been tougher on the road so far this season, but Poplar Bluff coach Jamie Waddell can't put a thumb on why his team is 3-0 at home and outscoring opponents 12-2 while they are 0-3 on the road and have been outscored 11-2...

BROSELEY -- East Carter busted open the game late Monday afternoon at Twin Rivers. The Redbirds led 5-3 heading into the final inning when they rallied for six runs and won, 11-4. "That last inning was pretty big," East Carter coach Brock Crowley said...

The Three Rivers Lady Raiders got a two-for-one Monday afternoon. After winning the first game over Arkansas Baptist 8-0, the Lady Raiders earned a win in the second game as Arkansas Baptist had a player ejection result in a forfeit at Rains Field. Three Rivers has now won 10 straight games. Cindy Nippe was the leading hitter for the Lady Raiders (27-11, 6-2 XVI) with two home runs and three RBIs while Lauren Reinagel had two hits and Teighlor Williams had a home run...

How about Eminence girls Yes, I was wondering why we never seen anything in the paper about the young Eminence girls' basketball team that managed to go to Columbia and play for the State? I would like to have seen some information, some pictures of them. ...

Thelma Boatwright PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Thelma Boatwright, 90, of Piedmont, Mo., died Monday, April 2, 2012, at her residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home of Piedmont. Condolences: www.rueggfuneralhomes.com.

Betty Grissom MALDEN, Mo. -- Nellie Elizabeth "Betty" Grissom, 79, of Sikeston, Mo., died Sunday, April 1, 2012, at her home. Mrs. Grissom was born April 3, 1932, in Sikeston. She was of the Methodist faith. On Nov. 17, 1974, she married Orville Kenneth Grissom. He preceded her in death Sept. 4, 2009...

Eugene Hessling Sr. DEXTER, Mo. -- Ralph "Eugene" Hessling Sr., 94, of Dexter, Mo., died Saturday, March 31, 2012, at his residence. Mr. Hessling was born June 30, 1917, in Lilbourn, Mo. Mr. Hessling had worked as a heavy equipment operator. On Dec. 26, 1936, he married Freddie Pearl Hessling at New Madrid, Mo. She preceded him in death Jan. 26, 2006...

Robert Coleman Sr. MALDEN, Mo. -- Robert Coleman Sr., of Malden died Tuesday, April 3, 2012, at Golden Living Center in Malden. Funeral arrangements are pending with Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden.