Stories from Thursday, May 10, 2012

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Construction of the $173 million Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center has required 2,440 tons or nearly 4.9 million pounds of steel, according to an official from Health Management Associates which owns the hospital...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A new date for completing construction of the $173 million Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center was announced during the Topping Out Celebration Wednesday. "We are very excited to announce we will open the doors and begin operations in January 2013," said Charles Stewart, market chief executive officer for PBRMC and the Missouri Region. "This is more than a year earlier than originally announced."...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service House Speaker Steve Tilley has appointed Rod Jetton to help lead a citizens transportation committee, a selection that marks the former Missouri lawmaker's first attempt at public service since he pleaded guilty to an assault charge last May...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Construction of the $173 million Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center has required 2,440 tons or nearly 4.9 million pounds of steel, according to an official from Health Management Associates which owns the hospital...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service House Speaker Steve Tilley has appointed Rod Jetton to help lead a citizens transportation committee, a selection that marks the former Missouri lawmaker's first attempt at public service since he pleaded guilty to an assault charge last May...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A new date for completing construction of the $173 million Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center was announced during the Topping Out Celebration Wednesday. "We are very excited to announce we will open the doors and begin operations in January 2013," said Charles Stewart, market chief executive officer for PBRMC and the Missouri Region. "This is more than a year earlier than originally announced."...

Now is the time to start planting your pepper plants. According to the Vegetable Planting Calendar, you can plant pepper plants anytime between May 1 and 25. Sweet and hot peppers originated in Latin America around 5,000 B.C. and are cousins of the eggplant, potato, and tomato. ...

Poplar Bluff High School Drama Department placed second at the state drama competition held at the University of Missouri-Columbia for their production of Greater Tuna and Austin McWilliams, son of Paul and Tammy McWilliams won Best Actor for his role in this production...

A fundraising dinner and auction to benefit the upkeep of the Ash Hill Cemeteries near Fisk will be held from 4-7 p.m. Saturday at the Fisk School cafeteria. The dinner will cost $7 for adults and $3 for children 12 years old and younger. The dinner and auction are volunteer efforts to raise funds to pay for the upkeep and mowing of the cemeteries...

Compliment & complaint I would like to compliment, yet complain, about this year's Merchants' Showcase. I'd like to compliment the vendors who brought things you could actually purchase and the ice cream place --that was really good. But I'd like to complain that there was too many things --the food there was for the vendors, not to be sold to the general public. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN How Europe's crisis resolves itself as yet remains unknown. But with Sunday's returns from France and Greece, the mega-trends on the Old Continent are unmistakable. And for the European Union, they are ominous. Nationalism -- be it economic nationalism or ethnic nationalism -- is ascendant. Transnationalism and multiculturalism are in headlong if not irreversible retreat. The European project is itself imperiled...

By BILL O'REILLY In just about six months, the nation will vote for a president. But if things continue the way they're going, I don't know how I'll make it. The campaign blather is unbelievable. And even worse, it's boring. Tedious. Painfully insipid...

By GEORGE F. WILL BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Bill Hewlett and David Packard, tinkering in a California garage, began what became Hewlett-Packard. Steve Jobs and a friend built a computer in the California garage that became Apple's birthplace. Bill Cook had no garage, so he launched Cook Medical in a spare bedroom in an apartment in this university town. ...

Gale Breckenridge and Randy Jackson won Angler's Choice's first tournament at Lake Wappapello last weekend. They, along with 32 other teams, brought their five-fish limit to the weigh-in station. They had 16 pounds, which earned them $1,865. Three boats had big bass that weighed 5 pounds or more. Oddly enough, of the 36 boats that fished, there were no 4-pounders weighed in...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation This is the time of the year a lot of people take an interest in fishing. Fishing is a sport that can be relaxing and gives the participant an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Fishing allows the participant the pleasure of enjoying it throughout his/her entire life. It doesn't take a lot of physical abilities to enjoy fishing. The reason I am mentioning the virtues of fishing is because of a special event coming up in May...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Another Missouri spring turkey season has come and gone, hardly noticed by those who don't hunt our biggest game bird. The three-week season flew by, and for hard-core turkey hunters, it wasn't nearly long enough. Now, nearly a week after the season's closure, I'm trying to figure out what to do until fall. You could say I'm having withdrawal symptoms...

Coy Lee Jackson Coy Lee Jackson, 61, of Wappapello, Mo., died Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born Dec. 12, 1950, in Cairo, Ill. Mr. Jackson had lived at Wappapello for the past several years. He was of the Baptist faith and a member of VFW Post 3416 in Wappapello. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and had retired from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He enjoyed caring for animals, meat shoots, and being with family and friends...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Missouri's spring turkey hunters killed 40,447 birds during the three-week season, which closed Sunday, topping last year's harvest of 38,329 by about 5.5 percent. Missouri spring turkey season harvest record was set in 2004, when 56,882 birds were taken...

Naylor used a big fourth inning to advance to the title game of the Ozark Foothills Conference tournament. The Lady Eagles scored three in the fourth to break a tie and held off Twin Rivers 8-4 in the semifinals Wednesday at Rains Field. "We looked a little on the rusty side especially on defense," Naylor coach Gene Deckard said. "It is survive and advance...

Down to their final out, the Poplar Bluff Mules rallied again and again Wednesday afternoon. After overcoming a 1-run deficit in a wild bottom of the seventh and a 2-run hole in the 10th, both with two outs, Jeffery Rowland completed the comeback in the 11th inning. The junior's third game-winning hit of the season lifted the Mules past Oran 6-5 at Strenfel Memorial Field...

JOPLIN -- The Three Rivers Raiders had 16 hits but stranded 16 runners and it cost them. Three Rivers jumped out to a 5-run lead on Mineral Area before the Cardinals battled back and outlasted the Raiders 12-10 in the opening round of the Region XVI tournament Wednesday at Joplin Athletic Complex...

Billy Acord BERNIE, Mo. -- William Leroy Acord, 56, of Campbell, Mo., died Saturday, May 5, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born on Aug. 25, 1955. Mr. Acord was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He formerly lived in Dexter, Mo., and Malden, Mo...

Evelyn Nichols Evelyn Laura Nichols, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Nichols was born Oct. 1, 1927, in La Crosse, Wis. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Poplar Bluff, and had retired from the housekeeping department at St. Anthony's Hospital in Rockford, Ill. Mrs. Nichols enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, fishing, playing bingo and staying on the go...

Michael Stracener Michael G. Stracener, 64, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, May 10, 2012, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff, Mo.SClB

Bill Dusza DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Billy Earl Dusza, 71, of Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Dusza, the son of John and Mary (Kovach) Dusza, was born in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on Sept. 7, 1940. He graduated from Naylor High School and moved back to Doniphan from St. ...

The Neelyville Lady Tigers finally broke through against East Carter. After losing to the Lady Redbirds four times throughout the year, the Lady Tigers finally got a win Wednesday, 3-1 in the semifinals of the Ozark Foothills Conference tournament at Rains Field...

Billy Acord -- Bernie, Mo. Coy Lee Jackson -- Wappapello, Mo. Evelyn Nichols -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Michael Stracener -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Bill Dusza -- Doniphan, Mo.

BERNIE -- Blake Trover punched a two-out grounder past the Malden shortstop Wednesday afternoon, lifting the Bernie Mules 4-3 in the bottom of eighth. "This was a really good game to be a part of," Bernie coach Darrin Shipman said. "We were able to beat a really good Malden team and I am proud of our kids' effort."...

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Mitt Romney on Wednesday reaffirmed his view that marriage should be restricted to one man and one woman, highlighting a sharp contrast with President Barack Obama. Obama declared his unequivocal personal support for same-sex marriage during an interview with ABC News. Reporters asked Romney about the issue after a campaign event in Oklahoma City...

Now is the time to start planting your pepper plants. According to the Vegetable Planting Calendar, you can plant pepper plants anytime between May 1 and 25. Sweet and hot peppers originated in Latin America around 5,000 B.C. and are cousins of the eggplant, potato, and tomato. ...

A fundraising dinner and auction to benefit the upkeep of the Ash Hill Cemeteries near Fisk will be held from 4-7 p.m. Saturday at the Fisk School cafeteria. The dinner will cost $7 for adults and $3 for children 12 years old and younger. The dinner and auction are volunteer efforts to raise funds to pay for the upkeep and mowing of the cemeteries...

Poplar Bluff High School Drama Department placed second at the state drama competition held at the University of Missouri-Columbia for their production of Greater Tuna and Austin McWilliams, son of Paul and Tammy McWilliams won Best Actor for his role in this production...

Compliment & complaint I would like to compliment, yet complain, about this year's Merchants' Showcase. I'd like to compliment the vendors who brought things you could actually purchase and the ice cream place --that was really good. But I'd like to complain that there was too many things --the food there was for the vendors, not to be sold to the general public. ...

By BILL O'REILLY In just about six months, the nation will vote for a president. But if things continue the way they're going, I don't know how I'll make it. The campaign blather is unbelievable. And even worse, it's boring. Tedious. Painfully insipid...

By GEORGE F. WILL BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Bill Hewlett and David Packard, tinkering in a California garage, began what became Hewlett-Packard. Steve Jobs and a friend built a computer in the California garage that became Apple's birthplace. Bill Cook had no garage, so he launched Cook Medical in a spare bedroom in an apartment in this university town. ...

Gale Breckenridge and Randy Jackson won Angler's Choice's first tournament at Lake Wappapello last weekend. They, along with 32 other teams, brought their five-fish limit to the weigh-in station. They had 16 pounds, which earned them $1,865. Three boats had big bass that weighed 5 pounds or more. Oddly enough, of the 36 boats that fished, there were no 4-pounders weighed in...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Another Missouri spring turkey season has come and gone, hardly noticed by those who don't hunt our biggest game bird. The three-week season flew by, and for hard-core turkey hunters, it wasn't nearly long enough. Now, nearly a week after the season's closure, I'm trying to figure out what to do until fall. You could say I'm having withdrawal symptoms...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation This is the time of the year a lot of people take an interest in fishing. Fishing is a sport that can be relaxing and gives the participant an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Fishing allows the participant the pleasure of enjoying it throughout his/her entire life. It doesn't take a lot of physical abilities to enjoy fishing. The reason I am mentioning the virtues of fishing is because of a special event coming up in May...

Billy Acord BERNIE, Mo. -- William Leroy Acord, 56, of Campbell, Mo., died Saturday, May 5, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born on Aug. 25, 1955. Mr. Acord was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He formerly lived in Dexter, Mo., and Malden, Mo...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Missouri's spring turkey hunters killed 40,447 birds during the three-week season, which closed Sunday, topping last year's harvest of 38,329 by about 5.5 percent. Missouri spring turkey season harvest record was set in 2004, when 56,882 birds were taken...

Evelyn Nichols Evelyn Laura Nichols, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Nichols was born Oct. 1, 1927, in La Crosse, Wis. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Poplar Bluff, and had retired from the housekeeping department at St. Anthony's Hospital in Rockford, Ill. Mrs. Nichols enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, fishing, playing bingo and staying on the go...

Naylor used a big fourth inning to advance to the title game of the Ozark Foothills Conference tournament. The Lady Eagles scored three in the fourth to break a tie and held off Twin Rivers 8-4 in the semifinals Wednesday at Rains Field. "We looked a little on the rusty side especially on defense," Naylor coach Gene Deckard said. "It is survive and advance...

Bill Dusza DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Billy Earl Dusza, 71, of Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Dusza, the son of John and Mary (Kovach) Dusza, was born in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on Sept. 7, 1940. He graduated from Naylor High School and moved back to Doniphan from St. ...

JOPLIN -- The Three Rivers Raiders had 16 hits but stranded 16 runners and it cost them. Three Rivers jumped out to a 5-run lead on Mineral Area before the Cardinals battled back and outlasted the Raiders 12-10 in the opening round of the Region XVI tournament Wednesday at Joplin Athletic Complex...

The Neelyville Lady Tigers finally broke through against East Carter. After losing to the Lady Redbirds four times throughout the year, the Lady Tigers finally got a win Wednesday, 3-1 in the semifinals of the Ozark Foothills Conference tournament at Rains Field...

Down to their final out, the Poplar Bluff Mules rallied again and again Wednesday afternoon. After overcoming a 1-run deficit in a wild bottom of the seventh and a 2-run hole in the 10th, both with two outs, Jeffery Rowland completed the comeback in the 11th inning. The junior's third game-winning hit of the season lifted the Mules past Oran 6-5 at Strenfel Memorial Field...

BERNIE -- Blake Trover punched a two-out grounder past the Malden shortstop Wednesday afternoon, lifting the Bernie Mules 4-3 in the bottom of eighth. "This was a really good game to be a part of," Bernie coach Darrin Shipman said. "We were able to beat a really good Malden team and I am proud of our kids' effort."...

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Mitt Romney on Wednesday reaffirmed his view that marriage should be restricted to one man and one woman, highlighting a sharp contrast with President Barack Obama. Obama declared his unequivocal personal support for same-sex marriage during an interview with ABC News. Reporters asked Romney about the issue after a campaign event in Oklahoma City...