Stories from Friday, October 25, 2013

By DAVE SILVERBERG Associate Editor The first annual Aviation Day at the Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday. "This will be a good opportunity to learn about flight instruction, visit with instructors and go on a flight with an instructor over Poplar Bluff," Airport Manager Mike Smith said...

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- One recent Wednesday afternoon in Cape Girardeau, nearly 140 members of the media and public tried to chase down a North Carthage Police Department cruiser, hoping for a photo, or better yet, a few words from the person inside...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Dana Lepold Beckwith of Poplar Bluff is a two-time cancer survivor who knows the emotional, physical and financial toll treatment takes. When agencies like the American Cancer Society reach out a helping hand, the relief they offer goes far beyond gas cards that funded five times a week trips to Cape Girardeau for two months as she wrapped up treatment for stage 3 cervical cancer. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff 5th & 6th Grade Center's new Principal Charles Brown offered an unflinching evaluation of the campus's annual performance on state assessments when administrators met recently with the Board of Education to discuss each building's strengths and weaknesses...

Make Halloween a safe holiday that is enjoyed by all the family members. Halloween traditions like dressing up in costumes, carving jack o'lanterns, and trick-or-treating have been around for centuries. There's really no trick to making Halloween a treat for the whole family. This Halloween my grandchildren are going parading dressed as a lamb and Nemo the fish. I can hardly wait to see their pictures...

Eugene Field Elementary School has released its A and B Honor Rolls for the 1st Quarter. A Honor Roll Second Grade Trell Amos, Emma Degaris, Emily Elliott, Abigail Gardner, Darius Graham, Leara Hopson, Brennan White, Karli Wilkerson, Havyn Willis-King...

Mo Tops 347 met Thursday, Oct. 10 ,at the Palace of Praise. Eight members answered roll call with their weight loss or gain. Best loser was Connie Sandus. The club had a net gain for the week. Peggy Wood was best loser for September. Sandus received the mystery prize which she will keep for the week. If she has no weight gain she will continues with the prize for another week...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS As I've documented in the past, many leftist teachers teach our youngsters to hate our country. For example, University of Hawaii Professor Haunani-Kay Trask counseled her students, "We need to think very, very clearly about who the enemy is. ...

To the Editor: The Ripley County Retired Teachers would like to express our thanks to the area businesses and individuals who donated door prizes and hospitality bag items to the MRTA Region 12 Annual Meeting. Door prizes were donated by: Coach Gene Bess - Three Rivers, Phis Tavis - Three Rivers Trustee, Carolyn Gatlin, Doniphan Flowers and Gifts, Plaza Flowers, Current River Ford, Three Rivers College, Current River Marine (Gift Shop), Southeast Health Center of Ripley County...

To the Editor: October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Many have heard the national statistics, such as one in five women in our country will find herself in an abusive relationship at some time in her teen or adult years. It is fairly easy for most of us to say, "Gee, that must be awful for all those poor women who grew up so differently from me and mine." And it is. ...

To the Editor, The drama has ended with the Federal shutdown, but there are some things that are glaringly obvious in the aftermath. The first thing is that this wasn't a last minute, principled stand by the Republican House members to make a point about the ACA. ...

Wappapello Civic Center Halloween dance will be held Saturday, Oct. 26. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Admission charge, $5. Dance features the Redlight Band, 7-10 p.m. Costumes are optional, but prizes for the best costume will be awarded for first, second and third place...

Band booster fundraiser at Simply Swirled Monday, No. 4, 5-8 p.m. Show-Me Band Boosters will hold a fundraiser from 5-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4, with FROYO. It will be held at at Simply Swirled, 1115 W. Vine St. Band boosters will receive 20 percent of the total sales between those hours...

Fisk Middle School has released its Honor and Merit Rolls for the 1st Quarter. Honor Roll 5th Grade Andrea Arnold, Johnna Bagwell, Leann Besher, Elizabeth Clark, Alexis Cobb, Zachary Deken, Hannah Eddy, Abbey Hester, Erin Inman, Madison Inman, Avery Clark, Bryce Johnson, Allison Kacynski, Jacob Logan, Wysteria Oetjen, Ayden Wilkerson...

The 21st Annual Festival of Lights Christmas Auto Tour will be held in the Redman Creek East Campground at Wappapello Lake. The event is scheduled to begin Friday, Nov. 29, and will run through Sunday, Dec. 29. The Festival of Lights will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from dusk until 9 p.m. ...

Stephanie Brant FISK, Mo. -- Stephanie Faith Brant, 54, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, at her residence. Stephanie was born March 22, 1959, at Sikeston, Mo. She had been an LPN for 30 years working in area hospitals and nursing homes...

Sue Weatherford MALDEN, Mo. -- Sarah "Sue" Weatherford, 79, of Malden died Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, at Golden Living Center in Malden. Visitation will begin at noon Friday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral service will follow beginning at 2 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden...

The Poplar Bluff football team can clinch its first winning season since 2009 on Friday night but will need lots of help to earn the following week off. Technically, the Mules can pick up the No. 2 seed in the district -- and a first-round bye -- with a win Friday at Chaminade (4-4) to end the regular season and a loss by Vianney, but it's not that simple...

Jerry Bess PUXICO, Mo. -- Jerry Bess, 70, died Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Bess was born in Advance, Mo., on Aug. 8, 1943. He had lived in the Puxico, Mo., area all his life. He was a row crop farmer and had served in the Missouri National Guard...

Kenneth Richter DEXTER, Mo. -- Kenneth Edward Richter, 86, of Lebanon, Mo., formerly of Steelville, Mo., and Poplar Bluff., Mo., died Monday, Oct. 21, 2013, at Christian Health and Rehab Center in Lebanon. There are no services scheduled at this time. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden, Mo., with Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

Pearlie Lawson Rogers NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Pearlie B. Lawson Rogers, 69 of North Little Rock, Ark., transitioned to her new home with the Lord on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013. Pearl taught in Poplar Bluff, Mo., in the R-1 School District for 25 years which includes the historic Wheatley School and W-K School, later moving back to North Little Rock where she taught at St. Augustine Catholic School for 15 additional years. She retired from teaching in 2009...

James Crews LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- James R. Crews, 83, of Maumelle, Ark., passed away on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013. He proudly served as a hospital administrator for 40 years in the states of Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee. He also served as C.E.O of Regional Medical Center...

Ella Belle Bodkin DONIPHAN, Mo.-- Ella Belle Bodkin, 86, of Doniphan died Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mrs. Bodkin, daughter of Charlie and Mary (Warren) Tillman, was born Feb. 11, 1927, in Doniphan. She was a homemaker. Mrs. Bodkin enjoyed cooking and attended First Christian Church...

Louie Holmes DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Louie Holmes of Doniphan died today at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion.

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Neelyville and Hillview Elementary teachers went "above and beyond" in showing their support on Boss's Day last week, according to principal Aaron Burton and assistant principal Debra Parish. (See photos on 8A) At Neelyville, teachers dressed in camouflage in honor of "Duck Dynasty," one of Burton's favorite shows. ...

Jimmy Ward NELLYVILLE, Mo. -- Jimmy Lyndel Wade Ward, 67, of Oxly, Mo., died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, at his home. Mr. Ward was born Sept. 2, 1946, in Fairdealing, Mo. He was a lifelong resident of the area and was of the Christian faith. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1966-1970 during the Vietnam War. He was a member of the VFW in Doniphan and the NRA...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor KENNETT, Mo. -- A Marble Hill, Mo., man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday after earlier pleading guilty to second-degree murder in connection with a fatal crash in May 2012 in Stoddard County. Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Mayer followed the recommendation made by Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver in sentencing Donald Smith Jr., 36, to 15 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, according to a press release from Oliver...