Stories from Monday, May 14, 2012

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor A decade ago, the thought of wild elk roaming Missouri's Ozark hills was just a dream for many. Sometimes, though, dreams come true. With strong private conservation organization and citizen support, including the backing of Missouri Gov. ...

For 19 years, the Poplar Bluff Community Betterment Council has completed numerous improvement and beautification projects. "The CBC recently decided to disband due primarily to the age of the members," said Robin Till, one of the few remaining members. "We are not able to continue in service as we had planned."...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Fagus, Mo., native Jamie Teachenor thanked his friends and family for their support with a hometown show at the Rodgers Theatre Saturday night. About 600 came out for the show. Teachenor now lives in Nashville, Tenn., and has had songs recorded by top country artists. After years of writing songs for other acts, he recently released his debut album, "The Departure."...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor A decade ago, the thought of wild elk roaming Missouri's Ozark hills was just a dream for many. Sometimes, though, dreams come true. With strong private conservation organization and citizen support, including the backing of Missouri Gov. ...

Poplar Bluff Public Library's Tech Talk Thursday is about to get personal: The library is prepared to offer one-on-one assistance from 4 to 7 p.m. at its Bring Your Own Device program on Thursday, May 18. If you have questions about how your new tablet connects to WiFi or how you can do more than make calls with your smartphone, now's the time to ask!...

SAPPINGTON -- The Poplar Bluff tennis team concluded its season Friday at the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 individual tournament at Lindbergh High School. It was the final event for four players. "They will be greatly missed next year," Mules coach Charlie Harper said. "Besides leaving big holes to fill on the team they have been an inspirational group of student athletes to be around."...

Longtime Wayne County Clerk and well known gospel singer, Glendell "Booge" Twidwell will be honored posthumously as an "Alumnist Of The Year" by the Greenville Alumni Association at its 87th annual banquet to be held on Saturday, May 26. The "Alumnist of The Year" award was developed in 2008 by the officers of the Greenville Alumni Association to honor those individuals who have shown long-time dedication, commitment and leadership to the Greenville Almuni Association. ...

Markham Springs, on Black River, will be the site of the 12th Annual Old Tyme Country Festival on Saturday, June 2. Festivities will begin at 9 a.m. There will be crafters, food, antique cars, antique tractors, a water slide, a bounce house, children's games, rail splitting and a watermelon eating contest!...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN It took Joe Biden's public embrace of same-sex marriage to smoke him out. But after Joe told David Gregory of "Meet the Press" he was "absolutely comfortable" with homosexuals marrying, Barack Obama could not maintain his credibility with the cultural elite if he stuck with the biblical view that God ordained marriage as solely between a man and woman. The biblical view had to go...

By BILL O'REILLY Quick question: What is the most enduring American pop group of all time? Has to be The Beach Boys, right? They are currently on their 50th anniversary tour across the country, if you can believe it. I saw the boys the other night, and they can still bring it. Lead singer Mike Love is 71, musical genius Brian Wilson is nearly 70, as is keyboardist Bruce Johnston...

Treatment of our elderly I want to say a few things about the older people nowadays. If they are over 70 years old, the hospitals, the nursing homes, they don't try to help 'em. All they try to do is make 'em comfortable. Even in the hospitals now all they do is let them sit there or lay there and they try to keep them comfortable. ...

By OLIVER NORTH WASHINGTON -- Last week, this column described a deadly suicide attack by the Haqqani network on a secure compound outside Kabul, Afghanistan, and the failure of NATO officials to heed human intelligence that might have saved lives. I wrote, "The intel provided included information on how to precisely locate the terrorists. When I asked why the attack wasn't prevented, I was told: 'It was HUMINT. Nobody pays attention to HUMINT.'"...

Lavon Martins Lavon Martins, 82, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012, at her son's residence in Foristell, Mo. Funeral arrangements will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Mary Powell Mary Ann Powell, 51, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012, in St. Louis University Hospital at St. Louis, Mo. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. A graveside service and burial will follow at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Coon Island Cemetery in Butler County with the Rev. Jim Schremp officiating...

Rt. Z east of Bernie closed Tues. BERNIE, Mo. -- Route Z between Highway 153 and Stoddard County Road 779 will be closed from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace the culvert pipe under the roadway. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area...

4th in state math finals Humza Siddiqui of Poplar Bluff placed fourth for 7th grade at the MCTM state finals math contest held in Springfield, Mo., recently. He also will represent the area at the annual BETA convention in North Carolina this summer where he will compete in math competitions...

SAPPINGTON -- The Poplar Bluff tennis team concluded its season Friday at the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 individual tournament at Lindbergh High School. It was the final event for four players. "They will be greatly missed next year," Mules coach Charlie Harper said. "Besides leaving big holes to fill on the team they have been an inspirational group of student athletes to be around."...

By BILL O'REILLY Quick question: What is the most enduring American pop group of all time? Has to be The Beach Boys, right? They are currently on their 50th anniversary tour across the country, if you can believe it. I saw the boys the other night, and they can still bring it. Lead singer Mike Love is 71, musical genius Brian Wilson is nearly 70, as is keyboardist Bruce Johnston...