Stories from Saturday, September 28, 2013

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The one thing Cade White wanted when Greenville choir members were invited to perform the national anthem for the first time prior to a St. Louis Cardinals' game was to meet third baseman David Freese. The fourth grader's parents tried to explain it might not be possible, but the little boy's dream not only came true Wednesday afternoon, he got a high five as well. And hasn't washed his right hand since, using tape and a plastic bag to protect it in the shower...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man died Thursday afternoon after a lake bank partially collapsed, causing the excavator he was operating to overturn and pin him under the water. Authorities report Gregory "Keith" Robertson, 29, was pronounced dead at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center...

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service About 200 calls per year asking about food assistance come in to Denise Wimp as she works the lines at the United Way of Southeast Missouri. She is the director of the agency's First Call for Help program, and she said she often hears of situations where people can't make ends meet. They are people seeking help to pay for rent, utilities and food. She refers them to local social service agencies...

Poplar Bluff schools have spent the week battling a stomach bug that has sent staff and students home. Hardest hit this week have been Eugene Field and Oak Grove elementary schools, said school officials. Attendance at Eugene Field dropped to 71 percent Wednesday, from 94 percent the day before. Although students seemed to be rebounding today, with attendance back to 92 percent, Principal Jennifer Taylor said the building was still struggling...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Before recording his first studio album in 1956, an up-and-coming rock 'n roller named Elvis Presley performed at the Poplar Bluff Armory on March 9, 1955. Sisters Jo Ann Lansford, 75, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and Barbara Lancaster Nail, 72, of Qulin, Mo., were able to take the stage with him...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Nearly 200 individuals, including 35 veterans, received free services and information Thursday as part of the third annual Poplar Bluff Area Homeless Coalition Outreach and Veteran Stand Down at the Black River Coliseum...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN In the fall of 1956, Nikita Khrushchev threatened to rain rockets down on London for the British invasion of Suez and sent his tanks into Budapest to drown the Hungarian Revolution in blood. He blew up the Paris summit in 1960, banged his shoe at the U.N., and warned Americans, "We will bury you!"...

By BILL O'REILLY While writing my latest book, "Killing Jesus," I knew I would catch hell once it hit the marketplace. Your mom was right when she told you never to discuss politics and religion, because emotions run so high in those arenas. Especially religion...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- When Dwight Eisenhower asked Gen. Georgy Zhukov how the Red Army cleared minefields, Zhukov replied: "We march through them." Being profligate with lives is a perquisite of command and a luxury of those with an abundance of lives at their command. ...

Three Rivers College has earned a spot on the G.I. Jobs Military Friendly Schools List, putting the college among the top 15 percent of institutions nationwide noted for offering high-value education and a welcoming environment for veterans. The Military Friendly Schools list is compiled by Victory Media and uses extensive research and a data-driven survey to find which among 12,000 colleges, universities and trade schools are doing the most to embrace America's military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus, according to a press release.. ...

Opal Miller MALDEN, Mo. -- Opal Morrison Miller, 93, of Kennett, Mo., died Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013, at Twin Rivers Medical Center in Kennett. Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Landess Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral service will follow beginning at 2 p.m. at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Johnny Bogle officiating...

Lela Crusoe Lela Mae Crusoe was born May 26, 1932, in Webster County, Miss., to Obediah Marshall and Vera Hardy. On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013, at 12:20 p.m. at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff Missouri, Lela departed this life for eternal life with the Lord at the age of 81...

Mark Twain National Forest's Eleven Point and Poplar Bluff Ranger Districts hosted six college interns summer 2013. Missouri interns included Melissa Johnson and William Cato, Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff; Joe Sellers, University of Missouri; and Austin Coats, University of Central Missouri. Other interns included Ben Asmus, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Illinois, and Ben Walker, Clemson University in South Carolina...

Bill Milner DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Bill Milner, 87, of Doniphan died Friday, Sept. 27, 2013, at Southeast Health Center of Ripley County. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion.

Morgan Whittington Morgan J. Whittington, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013 at his home. Mr. Whittington was born Aug. 24, 1937, in Poplar Bluff, to the late Frank and Pauline (Phelps) Whittington. He was a truck driver and enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, spending time with family, telling stories and St. Louis Cardinal Baseball. He also worked at McDonnell Douglas. He was a member of the American Legion...

The next meeting of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group will be held at noon Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the First Presbyterian Church, 301 N. Main Street. Free on site childcare will be provided by the Family and Community Education members who support this program...

Laveta Gentle Laveta Gentle, 72, of Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013, at her residence. Mrs. Gentle was born February 25, 1941, in Kirksville, Mo. On March 5, 1958, she married Howard B. Gentle Jr. in Edina, Mo. He survives of the home. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff, and volunteered with VBS and in the Nursery and Friends. ...

The game-winning goal came during some chaos. But that's no surprise to those who watched Poplar Bluff play Sikeston in soccer Thursday evening at Whiteley Park. A game filled with physical play ended exactly 7 minutes into overtime as the Bulldogs came away with a loose ball on a crowded situation in front of the net for a 2-1 win...

Poplar Bluff had the tying run at second and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday, but the Mules were left stranded. Cape Central's Kadie Orenstein made a 4-run inning hold up, wiggling out of the jam to beat the Mules 6-3 at Bacon Park...

The members of the Three Rivers rodeo team are easy to spot around town. They move as a small herd of Raiders, a half dozen or more at a time. They'll go to practice and dinner together. When they're waiting for one another, there's a good chance somebody is roping somebody else...