Stories from Wednesday, October 30, 2013

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Tom Wright and his nephew, Heath Smith, expressed an interest in flight instruction during the first annual Aviation Day at the Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport Saturday. "We want to learn about flying," said Wright following his first helicopter ride...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The city of Greenville could have as much as $750,000 to spend on a new community center and emergency shelter, with a little help from area residents. Mayor Don Scowden said he will accept $250,000 today from the Missouri Department of Economic Development in the form of a Community Block Development Grant...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor PATTERSON, Mo. -- Wayne County authorities are expected to return today to a Patterson area home as they continue to investigate the shooting death of the home's occupant. "We did have a homicide in the Lake Creek community of Patterson," located southeast of Patterson, off of County Road 371, according to Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Failing students at the junior high are required to get extra help, even if it means giving up electives and gym, as the campus embarks on an intervention program designed to hold the building accountable for the most at risk students...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Although seeded fifth this year, the defending MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 champion Twin Rivers Lady Royals pulled an upset Monday night. The Lady Royals played a close opening set with No. 4 Senath-Hornersville and cruised in the second for a 25-21, 25-11 win...

Linn State Technical College announces its summer semester honor students. Honor Roll: (GPA 3.0-3.499): Jacqulin Bradshaw of Bloomfield, Mo. Dean's List (GPA 3.5-4.0): Penni Wolfenden of Bernie; Crystal Fortner of Dexter; Natalie Monahan of Doniphan; Jacob Slusher of Dudley, Mo.; Joyce White of Greenville; Joann Cowley and Holland Eakins of Harviell; and Mark Merchant of Poplar Bluff...

By MIKE McCOY SEMO News Service BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Stoddard County Commissioner Greg Mathis says there is an increasing amount of kudzu appearing in the county and that an eradication program should be started before the plant causes problems in drainage ditches and croplands...

To the Editor: As we prepare for the upcoming Christmas mail campaign, Mail for Our Military would like to extend special thanks to AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Post 29 of Poplar Bluff, which participated in the most recent campaign. Led by Mary Linda Anderson, they were the top AMVETS Auxiliary in Missouri...

Trouble should be a red flag I know a young couple who are engaged and contemplating marriage and already having issues to the point of seeing a counselor. Would this not be a red flag flying around to you? Because when you get married, it doesn't any easier. Think about it, kids, before it's too late...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat The massively flawed rollout of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, should come as no surprise given the unanswered questions that have plagued the federal monstrosity from the very beginning...

Barbara Daggett PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Barbara G. Daggett, 67, of Des Arc, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at her residence. Visitation will be held at noon Wednesday at Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Funeral services will follow beginning at 2 p.m. at the chapel with the Rev. Jerry Montgomery officiating. Burial will be in Mt. View Cemetery in Des Arc...

To the Editor: Have you ever seen a more lovely fall? Could use a bit more rain, but still lovely. Fall is my favorite time of the year. That started when I was growing up on this lovely farm. We all worked hard on this farm, which I have never minded one bit. I was happy to see fall arrive...

Helen Gaines DEXTER, Mo. -- Helen Gaines, 94, of Dexter died on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing in Dexter. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the the chapel with Pastor John Carney officiating. Burial will follow in the Hagy Cemetery...

Neelyville Elementary announces its first quarter honor roll for the 2013-2014 school year. A Honor Roll Third Grade: Ryan Brown, James Buffington, J.D. Burton, Brock Davis, Keith Donnell, Preston Goodnight, Jonathon Hall, Tanner Kelsey, Lucas Scott, Jayden Thomas; Fourth Grade: Ryley Cage Armes, Anastasia Bell, Morgan Day, David Freeman, Lexus Hagood, Hunter Robinson; Fifth Grade: Tyler Anderson, Payton Cates, Lane Crosswhite, Courtney Crowder, Makenzi Davis, Alexandria Hill, Derek Izquierdo, Parker Jeffries, Payton Reinbott, Cole Wells; Sixth Grade: Jacob Abner, Taylor Asher, Noah Burton, Emily Dollins, Trent Kelsey, Bailey McGruder, A.J. ...

Darrel Reed DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Darrel Ray Reed, 56, of Doniphan passed away peacefully on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Darrel was born in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on Oct. 21, 1957. He was the only child of Dwight and Dathine (Baty) Reed. ...

John Clayton Jr. NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- John N. Clayton Jr., 90, of Naylor, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at Westwood Hills Health Care. Mr. Clayton was born March 15, 1923, in Gatewood, Mo. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II on the USS Pensacola. He was a blacksmith who enjoyed Cardinal baseball and going to the coffee shop. He also coached girl's softball teams...

JACKSON -- Poplar Bluff jumped out to an early 6-point advantage Monday in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 semifinal but in a blink of an eye it was gone. Jackson scored six straight to start a 13-1 run then used a late run in the second game to knock off the Mules 25-16, 25-21...

John Clayton Jr. PHOTO FLAG NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- John N. Clayton Jr., 90, of Naylor, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at Westwood Hills Health Care. Mr. Clayton was born March 15, 1923, in Gatewood, Mo. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II on the USS Pensacola. He was a blacksmith who enjoyed Cardinal baseball and going to the coffee shop. He also coached girl's softball teams...

Sharon Davis Sharon Gayle Davis, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Davis was born March 18, 1947, in Poplar Bluff. She was a member of the First Baptist Church and had retired as a teacher with the Poplar Bluff R-1 Schools. Mrs. Davis enjoyed spending time with her children, especially her grandchildren, interior decorating, horses, bowling and playing bridge and golf...

SIKESTON - Consecutive goals by Poplar Bluff's Omar Gomez put the Sikeston Bulldogs against a wall Monday as Sikeston fell to the Mules 2-1 at the Sikeston Sports Complex. The win was Poplar Bluff's sixth straight. Gomez scored both of his goals right before halftime with five minutes between them giving the Bulldogs a two-goal deficit to look up to...

BERNIE -- The two schools starting with the letter 'B' did the job of eliminating the two schools that start with 'C' Monday night in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 2 semifinals. First, last year's state runner-up and top-seeded Bernie defeated No. 6 Clarkton 25-9, 25-9 and No. 2 Bloomfield followed with a 25-15, 25-14 win over No. 3 Campbell...