Stories from Tuesday, May 15, 2012

CHARLESTON, Mo. (SMNS) -- Two men were hospitalized with gunshot wounds after an incident in Charleston late Monday morning. City police responding to reports of gunfire near the intersection of Vine and Lee streets about 10:30 a.m. found Eric Dowell, 31, and Dwight Robinson, 56, both suffering from gunshot wounds, police said. Both were taken to a hospital for treatment...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor While city officials opened bids for new sirens, the Poplar Bluff Severe Weather Response Team made plans for members to be at Walmart Friday to help residents program weather alert radios. The old sirens have provided tornado warnings to Poplar Bluff residents for 40 years, but they need to be replaced...

By LEONNA HEURING SEMO News Service SIKESTON, Mo. -- Sporadic and scarce rainfall across Southeast Missouri this spring has forced the region into abnormally dry and even drought-like conditions. Poplar Bluff has recorded 12.68 inches this year -- 5.13 inches below the average rainfall of 17.81 inches. The last major rainfall was 3.5 inches on March 16. Only 1.8 inches have fallen in the past two months...

By SHAY ALDERMAN SEMO News Service Rural post offices that were threatened with closure instead may have their hours reduced over the next two years, but the fate of the mail processing facility in Cape Girardeau is still in question unless the U.S. House of Representatives acts by Tuesday...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The harassment like that which takes place in the documentary "Bully" can often go unnoticed by students, according to Poplar Bluff Junior High eighth-grader Courtney Peck, not because it is so rare, but because it is so common...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Testimony began Monday afternoon in the case of a Qulin, Mo., woman accused of conspiring with other family members to kill her stepmother, whose remains were found scattered in a secluded area near Qulin more than 12 years ago...

Standing over their first shot at Silo Ridge Golf Club in Bolivar the Poplar Bluff Mules have plenty to worry about at the start of the MSHSAA Class 4 state tournament. There's the wind, the trees lining the left side of the Bermuda fairway, the 394 yards to the bent-grass green, the people watching and the four teammates counting on a good score on the par-4 hole...

R-1 OKs action on personnel The Poplar Bluff R-I Board of Education met in closed session Thursday. The board voted to: • Accepted resignation (effective end of current contract) from: Aaron Lamont Frazier, director of the Graduation Center/At-Risk and varsity boys basketball coach; Rachel Martin, Oak Grove Elementary music; Brice Matson, O'Neal Elementary special education; Kay Stevenson, 5th & 6th Grade Center fifth grade; and Nancy Timmons - Technical Career Center, licensed practical nurse instructor.. ...

To the Editor: In reading the opinion page in May 1 in the D.A.R. concerning the power and unfairness of city hall, mainly the city manager's office Doug Bagby, I can relate to Mr. Becker's concerns. My name is Delmar Giles, I own and operate the Bluff City Shows a carnival organization. ...

What trumps food stamps? I'd like to comment on the "GOP Cutting Food Stamps." You turn the page and it seems like we're still offering aid to foreign countries. What's that all about? I think we need to take care of our own backyard before we tend somebody else's backyard. ...

By MONA CHAREN Now that President Obama has "evolved" on the matter of same-sex marriage to the position favored by "enlightened" Americans, this would seem to be a good time for some rhetorical hygiene. There are modest and civil proponents of same-sex marriage. ...

Edward Jones VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Edward Roy Jones, 80, of Fremont, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012, at his residence. Mr. Jones was born on Aug. 10, 1931, in Fremont, Mo. He lived in Fremont his entire life and was a self- employed timber worker. He joined the 37th Infantry Division of the Army, stationed in Camp Polk, La. ...

Peggy Yarbro Peggy Yarbro, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, May 14, 2012, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Hand, foot mouth disease reported here Area pediatricians are reporting seeing several cases of hand, foot and mouth disease among their patients, said a representative of the Butler County Health Department in a press release. Hand, foot and mouth disease is very common among young children. It is spread from person to person through direct contact with someone who has it...

Sparkman Cemetery annual meeting The Sparkman Cemetery Annual Meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 29. All interested persons are encouraged to attend.

Black River Cemetery annual meeting Black River Cemetery, located on JJ Highway, will hold its annual basket dinner and meeting at noon Saturday, May 26. Everyone interested in the cemetery is invited to attend. Donations may be made at the meeting or mailed to: Black River Cemetery, c/o Jimmy Moore, Treasurer, 2657 Crestwood Dr., Poplar Bluff, Mo 63901...

The District Eight Conference, which was held in Hot Springs, Ark., April 26-28, was quite a success for the Poplar Bluff Club. Nine Altrusans from the local club attended the conference. District Eight is composed of Altrusa Clubs from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Workshops were conducted and awards were given to various clubs...

BOLIVAR -- After shaking off a rough start to the MSHSAA Class 4 state tournament, the Poplar Bluff Mules still have some catching up to do. Poplar Bluff enters the final round of the 36-hole tournament trailing Rockhurst by 16 strokes after the Mules fired a first-round 317 Monday at Silo Ridge Golf Course...

JACKSON -- The Poplar Bluff offense just couldn't find an opening to attack against Jackson in the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 semifinals Monday evening. The top-seeded Lady Indians were defensive-minded all over the field and executed when they needed to on defense to advance 3-0...

VAN BUREN -- After a solid start by Taylor Davis, ace Dalton Woodard shut the door for Naylor. The third-seeded Eagles got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning and held on for a 7-3 win over Van Buren in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 4 semifinals Monday...

Lena Powell Lena Powell, 89, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, May 14, 2012 at The Cedargate in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be from 1 to 1:45 a.m. Thursday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. A graveside service and burial will follow at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Woodlawn section of the Poplar Bluff City Cemetery...

SIKESTON -- The Poplar Bluff baseball team ran out of comebacks in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 semifinal. After falling behind early for a third straight game, the Mules cut a 6-run deficit in half only to fall short against top-seeded Farmington 8-4. Monday afternoon...

Becky Decker VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Eva Rebecca "Becky" Decker, 67, of Van Buren, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012. She was born Oct. 19, 1944, in Longview, Texas Ms. Decker had lived in Van Buren most of her life and was formerly of Little Rock, Ark. She was a homemaker and a member of Souls Harbor Church...

Maxine Hochart DEXTER, Mo. -- Etter "Maxine" Beasley Hochart, 85, of Dexter, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012, at her residence. Mrs. Hochart was born on June 16, 1926, in Booneville, Miss. She had lived in Dexter, Missouri all of her life. She was of the Pentecost faith...

Harvis Grammer QULIN, Mo. -- Harvis "Duck" Grammer, 74, of Qulin, Mo., died Friday, May 11, 2012, at Malden Nursing Center. Mr. Grammer was born June 19, 1937 in Blytheville, Ark. He had lived in the Qulin area for the past 15 years and had formerly lived in Lakeland, Fla. He was a former truck driver and owner of Duck's Truck & Trailer in Lakeland, Fla. He enjoyed doing yard work and working on big trucks...

Dale Sowells NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Dorris Dale Sowells, 72, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, May 12, 2012, at John J. Pershing V.A. Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Sowells was born Feb. 4, 1940, in Kennett, Mo., to Marvin Sowells and Ina Breedon Sowells. He enjoyed his church, walking, and his wife's cooking. He had served in the U.S. Army between the Korean and Vietnam wars. He had worked at Muncie Gear making military equipment...

Mary Powell Mary Ann Powell, 51, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Powell was born Aug. 3, 1960 in Paw Paw, Mich. She was of the Baptist faith, and was a homemaker. Mrs. Powell previously worked at The Cedargate Care Center in Poplar Bluff as dietary manager. She enjoyed spending time with her family, and collecting Wizard of Oz memorabilia...

James Edwards PIEDMONT, Mo. -- James A. Edwards, 85, of Piedmont, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012, at St. Francis Medical Center, Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Edwards was born on June 21, 1926, in Datto, Ark., to the late James Edwards and the late Lucinda (Pierce) Edwards. He attended school in Datto and Flatwoods, Mo. He was of the Missionary Baptist faith...

Dennis McDonald DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Dennis Alfred McDonald, 70, of Doniphan, Mo., died Monday, May 14, 2012, at Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan.

Margaret Gamblin MALDEN, Mo. -- Margaret Gamblin, 52, of Malden, Mo., died Monday, May 14, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden.

Lucille Evans DEXTER, Mo. -- Lucille Evans, 90, of Dexter, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012 in the Golden Living Center in Dexter. Mrs. Evans was born on March 3, 1922, in Dexter. She was a homemaker. On Feb. 20, 1945, she was married to Carl Evans in Malden, Mo. He preceded her in death on Nov. 20, 2002...

Thompson, Hicks reunion The Thompson and Hicks Reunion will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Lone Hill School house. Bring a covered dish. For more information, call Bob at 686-2214.

Paul E. Cunningham PARMA, Mo. -- Paul E. Cunningham, 83, of Sikeston, Mo., died Sunday, May 13, 2012, at his residence. Mr. Cunningham was born on April 5, 1929, near Parma, Mo. He moved to Parma in 1972, and moved to Sikeston four years ago. He was a retired Command Sgt. Major of the U.S. Army, serving 23 years. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Parma...

Tips for UCAN tonight at Bread Co. Southern Bank employees will be waiting tables Bread Company from 5:30-7:30 p.m. today to raise money for UCAN. They will wait on customers, bus tables, make sure customer's drinks are full, and to wow them with service - all for tips that will be donated to UCAN. The Bread Company will be donating a portion of the proceeds too...

Maxine Hochart -- Dexter, Mo. Mary Powell -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. James Edwards -- Piedmont, Mo. Edward Jones -- Fremont, Mo. Harvis Grammer -- Qulin, Mo. Dale Sowells -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Lucille Evans -- Dexter, Mo. Paul Cunningham -- Sikeston, Mo. Dennis McDonald...

MALDEN -- Top-seeded Twin Rivers and No. 2 Malden survived scares Monday afternoon in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 semifinal games. The Royals needed a run in the bottom of the seventh to advance past South Pemiscot 3-2 while the host Green Wave needed 11 innings in order to put down Portageville 5-4...

By OLIVER NORTH WASHINGTON -- My old American Heritage Dictionary defines the word "theater," inter alia, as "a large geographic area in which military operations are coordinated." Throughout World War II, official dispatches and press reports described military action and events in the European, Pacific and China-Burma-India "theaters of war." We now have a new definition, courtesy of our present commander in chief: a place to remind everyone that Osama bin Laden is still dead...

To the Editor: In reading the opinion page in May 1 in the D.A.R. concerning the power and unfairness of city hall, mainly the city manager's office Doug Bagby, I can relate to Mr. Becker's concerns. My name is Delmar Giles, I own and operate the Bluff City Shows a carnival organization. ...