Stories from Wednesday, August 21, 2013

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Groups for and against a proposed smoke-free ordinance are planning to attend the Poplar Bluff City Council meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall. City Clerk Pam Kearbey said the meeting was changed from the usual Monday night due to not having a quorum...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer After years of neglecting his health, in 2009 Bill Moore found himself in a sad state. Weighing in at 318 pounds, the Southeast Missouri man awoke one morning to find he could not move his legs, knees or hands. After visiting his local doctor, he was sent to a rheumatologist in Springfield, Mo., to learn more about the arthritis he was developing...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A day of floating on Current River ended tragically Saturday afternoon when an Illinois man drowned after being knocked off his raft. Christopher M. Retzloff, 52, of Harrisburg, Ill., was among a group of several rafts floating the river when the accident happened at about 5:40 p.m. Saturday, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Area rice farmers are encouraged to attend the 21st Annual Rice Field Day from 8 a.m. to noon Thursday at the Rice Research Farm west of Malden, Mo., on Highway J. The event will feature field tours, demonstrations and various guest speakers. Topics include rice pest control, a precision agriculture technology update, soil nutrients, grain market perspectives and rice breeding program developments...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Nearly 30 employers will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday for the 16th Annual Job Fair to be held at Three Rivers College. The event is sponsored by the Butler County Community Resource Council's Parents Working Committee...

By DAVID A. LIEB The Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- After meeting privately as a caucus, House Republicans said Monday that a veto override appears likely for a high-profile gun bill, but the odds remain uncertain for an income-tax cut that was spiked by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon...

The Poplar Bluff Municipal Library will be open 1-5 p.m. Sundays, beginning Sept. 8. "This is a first for our library. Our public now has greater access to library services and resources seven days a week," said Sue Crites Szostak, director of the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library District. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A county tax rate of 13.37 cents per $100 of valuation -- unchanged for the ninth consecutive year -- was approved by the Butler County Commission Monday. Tax rates will remain at 9.95 cents for the general fund and 3.42 cents for the road and bridge fund, according to Butler County Clerk Tonyi Deffendall...

The Missouri Rural Water Association (MRWA) brought its Bootheel Expo to southeast Missouri in 2008, and the event has become a popular tradition ever since. When it returns to the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, Mo., Aug. 27 - 28, attendees will find the conference bigger than ever...

Give a little for dining pleasure I'm calling about the person that called in and the topic was "Eliminating Beautification." First of all, it's not PP Highway, it's Kanell Boulevard--named after a Poplar Bluff Medal of Honor recipient and that corner was basically empty. ...

Mo TOPS 347 met Thursday, Aug. 8 at the Palace of Praise and called to order by the chairperson. Attendees recited the Pledge of Allegiance, the TOPS pledge and sang "The More We Get Together." Each member answered roll call with their weight loss or gain. Best loser was Loretta Wood. This was no gain meeting...

Students named to the Chancellor's and Deans' lists for summer 2013 at Arkansas State University from this area include: Andrewniquis Perkins, Malden, Mo., Deans' List; Chris Ellsworth, Poplar Bluff, Mo., Chancellor's list; and Kyle Murray, Poplar Bluff, Deans' List...

By GEORGE F. WILL "The capacity to blunder slightly is the real marvel of DNA. Without this special attribute, we would still be anaerobic bacteria and there would be no music." -- Lewis Thomas BETHESDA, Md. -- The pedigree of human beings, Thomas wrote, probably traces to a single cell fertilized by a lightning bolt as the Earth was cooling. ...

Winners of $1,000 or more in June include the following: $2 million Lotto winners: Amanda Richardson, both of Dexter Pick 4 winners: Dianna Damron, Poplar Bluff, $3,125 Club Keno winners: Rebecca Nely, Poplar Bluff, $6,036 $50,000 Scratchers winners:...

Co-leader Cindy Bishop called the weekly meeting of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Mo 734 to order at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, with 13 TOPS and one KOPS members in attendance. The weekly secretary's report and the monthly treasurer's reports were read and approved...

By CLIFFORD D. MAY Scripps Howard News Service At Fort Hood, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2009, 13 American military men and women were killed and more than 30 wounded by a man who proudly regarded himself as a "soldier of Allah," and shouted "Allahu Akbar" -- "God is greatest" -- as he pulled the trigger over and over...

Mary Martin MALDEN, Mo. -- Mary DuBois Martin, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013, at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Park in Malden. Landess Funeral Home of Malden is in charge of arrangements...

By REG HENRY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Everybody and his mother assumes that Hillary Clinton will run for president. This is especially true of everybody's mother, because this nation has never had a female president and, arguably, Clinton has earned this historic honor more than anyone...

Mariam Bennett Mariam I. Bennett, 80, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sat. Aug. 17, 2013, at her residence. A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Woodlawn Cemetery. Cotrell Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- The fourth annual Classic Amphibious Triathlon will be held at Wappapello Lake Saturday, Aug. 24 in the Redman Creek Recreation Area. This event is sponsored by the SEMO Regional Water Safety Council and will challenge participants with a 400-meter swim, 16-mile bike ride, and a 3.1-mile run...

Jennie Caswell, a 2013 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School, was selected to receive the Mary Lynn Wolpers Scholarship, administered by the Ozark Foothills Regional Community Foundation. Caswell, the daughter of Bob and Michelle Caswell, graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 2013 and is attending College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo., where she plans to study public relations or elementary education...

Georgia Simpson PUXICO, Mo. -- Georgia M. Simpson, daughter of the late Ray and Ethel Wimbeley Wood, was born in Jefferson, Texas on Oct. 19, 1930, and passed away at her home near Puxico on Aug. 17, 2013, at the age of 82 years, nine months and 29 days...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS Sometimes I wonder when black people will reject the patronizing insults of white progressives and their black handmaidens. After CNN's Piers Morgan's interview with the key witness in the George Zimmerman trial, he said: "Rachel Jeantel is not uneducated. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Sire, clear the square with gunfire or abdicate." That was the message one of his generals gave the young czar Nicholas I in December of 1825, as thousands of civilians and soldiers massed in Senate Square to challenge his claim to the throne...

PBHS open house Thurs. Poplar Bluff Senior High School open house will be from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday. Parents should meet in the gym. They will be dismissed from the gym to follow their student's schedule (10 minutes per period). Parents should bring a copy of their student's schedule with them...

Mo. State summer graduates Missouri State University conferred 585 degrees to students at its 2013 summer commencement. Local students earning degrees were Ana K. Tapia of Holcomb, Mo.; and Jenifer D. George of Doniphan, Mo.

JUNEAU, Alaska -- Up here, many folks don't much like President Obama's vision of a big government colossus dictating health care, doling out entitlements and generally meddling in the affairs of the citizenry. Alaska voted against Obama by 14 percentage points in 2012, and if another election were held today, the anti-Obama vote would most likely be higher...

Phil Atwood Phillip "Phil" Leo Atwood of St. Louis, Mo., son of George Atwood of Parks, Neb., and the late Betty Bellm Aue, was born Dec. 21, 1968, in Fort Morgan, Colo., and departed this life on Aug. 1, 2013, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Phil lived several years in Ellsinore, Mo., Mill Springs, Mo., Piedmont, Mo., and Vulcan, Mo., before moving to St. Louis for work...

After adding two more Twin Rivers baseball players to its roster last week, the Crowley's Ridge College Pioneers will definitely be given the Royal treatment this coming season. Twin Rivers graduate Blake Moore signed to play for CRC in late July. His high school teammates Matt Cagle and Michael Snider joined him last week after signing their national letters of intent...

Wanda Tilman Wanda L. Tilman, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013, at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Larry Hood ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Larry Wayne Hood, 57, son of R.M. and Betty (Asher) Hood, was born June 26, 1956, in Mobile, Ala., and died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013, in the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Hood had resided in Ellsinore for the past 20 years and was formerly of St. ...

Mariam Bennett Mariam I. Bennett, 80, of Doniphan, Mo., passed away Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013, at her residence. Mrs. Bennett was born June 21, 1933 in Metropolis, Ill. She was of the Protestant faith and had retired in 2009 as a nurse in the medical office of Dr. James W. Gieselmann. Mrs. Bennett had previously worked at Lucy Lee Hospital. Her greatest joy in life was to spend time with her children, and especially her grandchildren, taking care of others and working outside on the farm...

Dennis Hays Dennis Hays, 55, of Wappapello, Mo., died Monday, Aug. 19, 2013, at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Wappapello.

Jerry Cuneio PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Jerry Lee Cuneio, 63, of Vulcan, Mo., died Monday, Aug. 19, 2013, at his residence. Visitation will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Vulcan Assembly of God Church. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Sutton Cemetery in Vulcan. Donations can be made to Vulcan Assembly of God Church or Serenity Hospice...

Michelle Zoern ANTIGO, Wis. -- Michelle "Squirrel" Zoern of Antigo died at her home on Monday, Aug. 19, 2013, under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice. She was 48 years old. She was born June 24, 1965, in Owensboro, Ky., to Patricia (Embry) and Jimmy Bruner. ...

Marguerite Burke DEXTER, Mo. -- Marguerite R. Burke, 84, of Dexter died Monday, Aug. 19, 2013, at Golden Living Center in Dexter. Visitation will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel with the Revs. Roger Wooten and Kenneth Biggs officiating. Burial will follow in the Dexter Cemetery...

Council to have closed meeting 7 p.m. Tues. Poplar Bluff City Council members will have a closed session following the regular council meeting at 7 tonight. Litigation, real estate, personnel and negotiations could be discussed or other items exempted under the Open Meetings Act...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Butler County judge ordered a Poplar Bluff, Mo., man to stand trial in connection with a May assault after hearing testimony Monday as to a hospital-bed identification made by his alleged victim. Accompanied by Jemia Steele with the Public Defender's Office, Ryan Harvey again appeared Monday afternoon before Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth for the presentation of additional evidence in his case...

The 38th annual Gideon Homecoming will be held on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 30-31. The 2013 theme is "The Best of Times." Hosted by the Gideon Alumni Association, the festivities commence at 7 p.m. Friday in the school cafeteria with the Miss Gideon Contest with a street dance sponsored by the Gideon Park Board following...