Stories from Thursday, September 19, 2013

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man accused of cutting another man with a box cutter wasn't sentenced Tuesday afternoon as expected, but instead withdrew his guilty plea. William Fanter, 33, of the 700 block of Cynthia Street was supposed to appear Tuesday before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett for sentencing after having pleaded guilty in June to the Class B felony of first-degree assault. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Individuals interested in participating in various events during the 4th annual Iron Horse Festival in Downtown Poplar Bluff, Mo., on Saturday, Oct. 5 must submit their entry forms soon. Entries for the cupcake baking contest must be postmarked no later than Friday. There are two divisions -- professional amateur (for those who sell baked goods to the public) and amateur. The entry fee is $20...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The public will have the opportunity Tuesday to share with legislators their thoughts on how to improve the state's education system. An interim House education committee will meet at 7 p.m. at Three Rivers College. The committee is chaired by state Rep. Steve Cookson, R-Poplar Bluff...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Students who fall behind in core subjects would trade a summer of sleeping in for more time in the classroom under a bill a Poplar Bluff state representative plans to introduce. Republican Steve Cookson, a former school superintendent, believes a uniform school calendar and mandatory summer school for students who fail to achieve proficiency in their grade level for math, communication arts, science and social studies is needed...

Rev. Sonny Floyd DEXTER, Mo. -- The Rev. Sonny Floyd, 74, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., died Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home with the Rev. Gail Lambert of Dupo, Ill., officiating. Burial will be in the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter...

By ALEX WEST Staff Writer "Printing is printing. You've got to have ink and paper." Very few people are more qualified to make that statement than Vern Elder, of Poplar Bluff, who is celebrating 50 years as a pressman with the Daily American Republic...

By COREY NOLES SEMO News Service DEXTER, Mo. -- SoutheastHEALTH Center of Stoddard County in Dexter is expanding its facility. The Dexter board of aldermen and the Stoddard County Commission announced at recent meetings the hospital plans to sell $20 million in bonds for the expansion...

DEXTER, Mo. (SMNS) -- Saint Francis Healthcare System on Thursday announced it has purchased 18 acres at U.S. 60 Outer Road and Harris Drive in Dexter, and plans to build an outreach health-care facility on the site. "We are very excited about this opportunity in Dexter," Steven C. ...

Ryan Stoll, a Poplar Bluff High School graduate, was selected to serve a summer internship at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He was assigned to the Chicago office and worked in the investigative division where agents investigate fraud cases that have been presented to the agency. His assignment included insider trading and embezzlement cases. Selection to intern at the SEC is very limited with only 150 student applicants being accepted each year...

Richard Yoebstel of Poplar Bluff is the Missouri State Society Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot of the Month for September, announces Chapter Regent Brenda Yarbro.  Yoebstel grew up in Puxico, Mo. With little prospects for employment in the area, he found out about a program the United State Navy was beginning. ...

Benefit and auction at Naylor Naylor American Legion Post 643, Highway 142, Naylor, Mo., will sponsor a Memorial Benefit and Auction for Dave Sinsabaugh, at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. Items to be auctioned include: 1994 Lincoln town car, Wizard lawn mower, 2 sets of golf clubs, more than 1,000 golf balls, old USMC ball glove, pocket knives, American Legion Freedom car No. 76, misc. furniture, old tools and lots of extra items...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN This summer produced a triumph of American patriotism. A grassroots coalition arose to demand Congress veto any war on Syria. Congress got the message and was ready to vote no to war, when President Obama seized upon Vladimir Putin's offer to work together to disarm Syria of chemical weapons...

By ANN McFEATTERS Poor President Barack Obama. Days before a key element of "Obamacare" takes effect, only 39 percent of Americans say they approve of it. Despite the president's many burdens, notably the mess in Syria, the Affordable Care Act is his signature act in office -- his legacy. And it isn't looking as if many more big accomplishments are ahead...

Betty Aslin BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Betty L. Aslin, 80, of Bloomfield died on Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, at the Golden Living Center in Bloomfield. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. today at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the Rev. Kenneth Lambert of Bloomfield and the Rev. Travis Lambert of Lilbourn, Mo., officiating. Burial will be in the Hobbs Chapel Cemetery near Puxico, Mo...

Albert Jones PUXICO, Mo. -- Albert Lee Jones, 71, died Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, at the Sells Nursing Home in Matthews, Mo. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Dale Jones Jr. of Oklahoma officiating. Burial will follow at the Rogers Cemetery in Lowndes, Mo...

Gladys Tarrants DEXTER, Mo. -- Gladys Louise Tarrants, 95, of Clermont, Fla., formerly of Gray Ridge, Mo., and Sikeston, Mo., died Friday, Aug. 2, 2013. A graveside memorial service and burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the Dexter Cemetery in Dexter with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS The new college academic year has begun, and unfortunately, so has student indoctrination. Let's look at some of it. William Penn, Michigan State University professor of creative writing, greeted his first day of class with an anti-Republican rant. ...

Linda Gilliam Linda Gilliam, 60, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013, at her residence. Visitation was held at 10:30 a.m. today at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. The graveside funeral followed at 11:30 a.m. at Black Creek Cemetery...

Juvata Powell PUXICO, Mo. -- Juvata Ruth Powell, 87, of Puxico, formerly of Cape Girardeau, Mo., died Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, at the Puxico Nursing and Rehab Center in Puxico. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Puxico. The funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home chapel with Bro. Herman Morse of Dexter, Mo., officiating. Burial will follow in the Puxico Cemetery...

WARRIOR BASE, South Korea - Packing up equipment, strapping on gear, and heading out for a road march is no new concept for soldiers, but when it comes to a three-week exercise in the field with a 20-mile daily round trip commute to their work location, sometimes the help of transportation is necessary...

Mildred Barks Mildred Barks, 91, died Friday, Sept. 13, 2013. Mildred was born Jan. 12, 1922, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She was a longtime resident of Poplar Bluff and was a member of the Second Baptist Church and Eastern Star. She was a homemaker who enjoyed gardening, sewing, fishing and traveling...

Otis Martin VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Otis Ray Joseph Martin, 74, of Van Buren, formerly of St. Louis, Mo., died Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, at his residence. Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Friday in the McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. James Gore officiating. Burial will be in the Ellington Memorial Cemetery...

Maci Coleman threw strikes, the Poplar Bluff defense made plays while Lexi Hafford and Katelynn Bratcher provided key hits Thursday. It was a perfect formula for a 2-0 win over Jackson at Bacon Park. "We actually were really good today and we kept each other up after (we) made a couple of errors," said Coleman of the defense...

Russell Richard, Sr. MALDEN, Mo.--Russell Lee Richard, Sr., 81, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Malden, died Monday, Sept. 16, 2013 at his residence. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Bradshaw Funeral Home. The funeral will be at 12:30 p.m. Friday at Bradshaw Chapel. Burial with military rites in Missouri Veterans Cemetery, Bloomfield, Mo...

Donna Turner NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Donna Joyce Turner, 66, of Doniphan, Mo., died Monday, Sept. 16, 2013, at her residence. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. today at Woodland Cemetery in Rector, Ark., with Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville in charge of arrangements...

BROSELEY -- It was just one of those nights where all things were clicking on the volleyball court for the Greenville Lady Bears. Greenville trailed just once and by one point Tuesday in winning 25-10, 25-20 at Twin Rivers The Lady Bears were down 3-2 early in the first set and were on fire from the service line after that...

PERRYVILLE -- For the second time this season, the Poplar Bluff just didn't have an offensive answer to a strong Perryville Pirates team. On the road Tuesday night, the Mules were shutout 4-0 over two weeks after losing to the Pirates 7-0 at Notre Dame Soccerfest...

DONIPHAN -- A three-run fifth inning by the East Carter Redbirds broke open a tie game Tuesday afternoon. Doniphan rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh but couldn't get that tying run in as the Redbirds won the Ozark Foothills Conference affair, 5-4...

Poplar Bluff R-I Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Central Office. Items on the agenda include in the 2012-13 audit report; program evaluations of the English language learners program and food service; Oak Grove loop road; a Race to the Top grant; district vehicles; Capturing Kids Hearts training; board and administrator Christmas dinner; and a closed session to discuss real estate and personnel matters...