Stories from Wednesday, May 30, 2012

SEMO News Service A wildfire burned about 200 acres of a rural Scott County wheat field early Tuesday afternoon, causing up to $120,000 in damage, firefighters said. The blaze ignited about 12:45 p.m. along Scott County Road 420, near Route CC, said Scott County Rural Fire Protection District firefighter Curtis Arnold. The cause remained under investigation...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NAYLOR, Mo. -- Mark Woodard defeated Wayne Joplin 44-39 in Tuesday's special election to win a seat on the Naylor School District Board of Education. Both men tied with 42 votes during the April 3 election and did not want to have a drawing to break the tie...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Robertson Contractors, Inc. is the apparent low bidder for creating an additional five miles of four-lane U.S. 67 southwest of Poplar Bluff, Mo. "Construction is expected to begin in August and should be completed in the summer of 2014," said Eric Krapf, project manager with the Missouri Department of Transportation...

It's only been a small sampling from the Poplar Bluff Thunder but so far, so good for the Senior Babe Ruth team. In their first home contests of the season Tuesday evening at Strenfel Memorial Field, the Thunder beat Jackson Senior Babe Ruth 11-0 in five innings and then walked it off in the night cap with a 3-2 come-from-behind in the seventh inning...

Once again this summer, Rib City will turn into Basketball City in Dexter. In addition to the booming growth of the Rib City Shootout organized by Dexter girls coach Chad Allen, a basketball skills camp will open up the action Thursday. Renowned basketball skills teacher Ryan Goodson of Goodson Basketball Services will be putting on a clinic for area basketball players from sixth grade through 12th...

Part 1 of 3 The Missouri General Assembly wrapped up the 2012 legislative session bringing an end to a challenging -- yet productive year in the Legislature. This will be the first of a three part end of session report. In this report, I will focus on the state budget. ...

Angela Hale PUXICO, Mo. -- Angela Marie Hale, 53, of Wappapello, Mo., died Tuesday, May 29, 2012, at her residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico, Mo.

Esther Wisdom ELLINGTON, Mo. -- Esther Wisdom, 88, of Ellington, Mo., died Tuesday, May 29, 2012, at Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellington.

Helen Figgins Helen Pauline Figgins, 66, of Poplar Bluff, died Tuesday, May 29, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel. Funeral services will begin at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel with Rev. Brian Sharp officiating. Burial will be at Kerns Chapel Cemetery...

Sacred Heart Catholic School 4th Quarter: A Honor Roll 1st Grade: Roddy Baz, Kathryne Bryne, Olivia Carda-Smith, Liam Elliott, Breanna Kanell, Simran Khanuja, Sydney Kramer, Sha're Phelps, Ashley Rivera, River Rowland, Andrew Rubi 2nd Grade: Reed Beis, Madalyn Berry, Ashton Clark, Sydney Faltys, Tristan Gillihan, Paul Innes, Sean Kirby, Joden Kirkman, Pamela Lagura, Adeeti Mishra, Carson Nagy, Emma Papanicolaou, Hayden Pinderski, Kennedy Ray, Patrick Ryan, Tristyn Savat, Michael Scott, Lukas Tinsley, Tyler Tompkins, Ella Zgaynor. ...

TOPS 347 elects officers MO TOPS ( Take Off Pounds Sensibly) 347 have chosen the following officers for the 2012 year: Brenda Williamson, leader; Helen Vick, co-leader and assistant weight recorder; Linda Nelson, secretary; Katie Wood, treasurer; Peggy Wood, weight recorder; and Loretta Wood, scrapbook...

Maudie Hickman IRONTON, Mo. -- Maudie Corine Hickman, 83, of Ironton, Mo., died Monday, May 28, 2012, at her residence. Mrs. Hickman was born Oct. 24, 1928, in Black, Mo. She was a member of Walker Branch United Baptist Church. In June of 1951, she was married to Don Rodney Rhine. He preceded her in death on Dec. 12, 1958...

Ronna DuBois MALDEN, Mo. -- Ronna Gail DuBois, 60, of Malden, Mo., died Saturday, May 26, 2012, at her residence. Ms. DuBois was born July 3, 1951, in Risco, Mo. She was a homemaker. Survivors include her mother, Mary Martin of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; two daughters, Tonya Stockton of Poplar Bluff and Shonna Salinas of Malden; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two brothers, Don McLain of Boise, Idaho, and Tim DuBois of Risco; and two sisters, Terry Greene of Dexter, Mo., and Mickey DuBois of Norwood, Mo.. ...

Velta Franklin NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Velta Cox Franklin, 81, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, May 28, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Franklin was born Dec. 8, 1930, in Parma, Mo. She was a homemaker and member of Lone Hill Missionary Baptist Church for 38 years. Mrs. Franklin enjoyed quilting, sewing, going to yard sales, gardening, going to Branson, Mo., and celebrating with family...

Janette Glenn-May PUXICO, Mo. -- On Oct. 8, 1932, in Puxico, Mo., Janette Louise May, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Hodge) Glenn, was born as the last of 11 children. Janette passed away at her home in Elsah, Ill., on May 27, 2012, at the age of 79 years...

Fayrene Smith MALDEN, Mo. -- Fayrene Glendola Smith, 83, of Campbell, Mo., died Monday, May 28, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mrs. Smith was born Feb. 19, 1929, in Bernie, Mo. She was a member of First Assembly of God in Malden, Mo...

Benita Wilson Benita Bernice Wilson, 61, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, May 26, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Ms. Wilson was born May 2, 1951, in Poplar Bluff and had been a lifelong resident of Butler County. She was a member of Grace Christian Fellowship and worked for Butler County In-Home Healthcare as a CNA. Ms. Wilson enjoyed reading, spending time with her grandchildren and music...

Rex Haney Rex Haney, 69, of Jonesboro, Ark., died Friday, May 25,2012, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House. He was born in Doniphan, Mo., and had lived in Memphis, Tenn, Wirth and Southhaven, Miss., before moving to Jonesboro in 1999. He attended school in Doniphan where he was named Mr. DHS in 1960...

MoDOT work in Ripley Co. Highway J from Route K in Carter County to U.S. 160 in Ripley County will be reduced to one lane from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews partially overlay the roadway...

By MELISSA MILLER SEMO News Service A combination of record-breaking heat and below-normal rainfall has Southeast Missouri in the throes of a devastating drought. "We've just had a lot of high pressure riding over this part of the country, and that's caused very few fronts and very little rainfall to come through the area," said David Humphrey, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky...

By MONA CHAREN If you were a child in the District of Columbia school system (51st in state rankings for academic achievement, first for school violence), you and your parents probably greeted the election of Barack Obama with great joy. If someone had suggested to you then that the president would attempt to torpedo the scholarship program that permits some District kids to attend the private schools of their choice, you might have thought you were hearing racist smears...

Ray Whitaker DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Rhydon Joy "Ray" Whitaker, 62, of Doniphan, Mo., died Monday, May 28, 2012, at Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Mr. Whitaker was born July 6, 1949, in Sacramento, Calif. He had worked on farms. Mr. Whitaker enjoyed going camping where he would hunt and fish...

Velta Franklin -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Ronna DuBois -- Malden, Mo. Janette May -- Elsha, Ill. Benita Wilson -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Rex Haney -- Jonesboro, Ark. Fayrene Smith -- Campbell, Mo. Marvin Hood -- Puxico, Mo. Esther Wisdom -- Ellington, Mo. Angela Hale...

MoDOT work in Ripley Co. Highway J from Route K in Carter County to U.S. 160 in Ripley County will be reduced to one lane from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews partially overlay the roadway...

I don't get it. Sheriff's candidate and current presiding commissioner Ed Strenfel doesn't seem to understand he's not running against the Daily American Republic newspaper. Let me remind him! Ed, you're running against two-term incumbent Sheriff Mark Dobbs...

MoDOT work in Ripley Co. Highway J from Route K in Carter County to U.S. 160 in Ripley County will be reduced to one lane from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews partially overlay the roadway...

MoDOT work in Ripley Co. Highway J from Route K in Carter County to U.S. 160 in Ripley County will be reduced to one lane from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews partially overlay the roadway...

MoDOT work in Ripley Co. Highway J from Route K in Carter County to U.S. 160 in Ripley County will be reduced to one lane from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews partially overlay the roadway...

MoDOT work in Ripley Co. Highway J from Route K in Carter County to U.S. 160 in Ripley County will be reduced to one lane from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews partially overlay the roadway...

MoDOT work in Ripley Co. Highway J from Route K in Carter County to U.S. 160 in Ripley County will be reduced to one lane from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews partially overlay the roadway...