Stories from Thursday, December 12, 2013

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Robertson Contractors Inc. of Poplar Bluff, Mo., submitted the apparent low bid of $1,343,800 for the construction of the new entrance into Three Rivers College from Shelby Road. Billy Cobb of Smith and Co. engineers of Poplar Bluff and City Clerk Pam Kearbey opened five bids Tuesday in City Hall...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer With every bit of careful concentration a kindergartner can muster, Grayer Goings added stickers to a gingerbread house for the "Hansel and Gretel" Christmas tree his school contributed this year to the Poplar Bluff History Museum annual holiday contest...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Recommendations to grant conditional use permits for a drive-thru window at two businesses were approved by the Poplar Bluff Planning and Zoning Commission Monday night. The Bank of Missouri plans to move from 2016 N. Westwood Blvd. to the former Super D building at 1465 N. Westwood Blvd...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor RL Persons Construction of Poplar Bluff, Mo., is the apparent low bidder for the construction of six detention basins in Poplar Bluff. Project Manager Jacob Ortega of Smith and Co. engineers of Poplar Bluff recommends the $183,634 bid submitted by Randy Persons be accepted...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Despite an increase in the number of weather-related injuries, neither Poplar Bluff, Mo., hospital experienced a dramatic increase in patients during the recent winter storm. "We saw an increase in ambulance patients, an increase in motor vehicle crashes, an increase in falls, but we had a decrease in our walk-in clientele," said Laura Murrell, nurse manager for the emergency room at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. ...

During the $10,000 Chamber Checks Giveaway event, sponsored by the Poplar Bluff Chamber of Commerce, Daily American Republic, City of Poplar Bluff and Butler County Commission, four area winners will be receiving $500 in Chamber Checks. Each Monday, merchants will draw a finalist. From the finalists four winners will be announced in the Daily American Republic business section. Drawings are Nov. 24, Dec. 2, Dec. 9, Dec. 16 and Dec. 23. These week's winners are pictured below:...

Ora Boshell CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Ora Boshell, 88, of Campbell, Mo., died Friday, Dec. 6, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. Thursday at the Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home chapel with Allen Massey officiating. Burial will be in the Landess addition of Woodlawn Cemetery in Campbell...

David Harkey DONIPHAN, Mo. -- John David Harkey, 57, of Doniphan died Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, at his residence in rural Ripley County. Mr. Harkey, son of the late David and Beulah (Kennedy) Harkey, was born Aug. 29, 1956, in Ripley County. He had been a forklift driver for Darling Manufacturing. Mr. Harkey loved to hunt and fish...

Jimmy Moore Jimmy Moore, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 9, 2013, at his residence. Mr. Moore was born July 27, 1937, in Clay County, Ark. He was a member of Oak Grove New Beginning Church and had served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1955-1959. He retired from Crown Cork and Seal in St. Louis, Mo...

ANGUILLA, British West Indies -- So here's the setting: the warm azure water of Maundy's Bay sliding up and down bright soft sand. In the distance, the islands of St. Maarten and Saba can be seen. The blue sky above is dotted with huge white clouds that bob along propelled by a warm breeze. It doesn't get any better than this...

Naylor church Christmas sale The Naylor First Christian Church will be holding an "Everything Christmas Sale" at the Church Fellowship Hall on Jackson Street in Naylor, Mo. There will be lots of inventory, lightly used, decorations and many gift items. The event will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday...

SIKESTON -- By the time the Poplar Bluff Mules had knocked off the rust Tuesday night, they found themselves behind the eight ball. Jackson scored the first eight points and used a 9-1 second-quarter run before holding on to beat the Mules 55-50 in the opening round of the SEMO Conference Tournament...

Tamra Gean Stievenart and Justin Victor Stievenart, both of Fisk, Mo., have chosen the name Jayson Victor Stievenart for their 2-pound, 1-ounce son born at 5:04 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Jayson was 12 inches long...

Leona Woodworth DEXTER, Mo. -- Leona Virginia Woodworth, 87, died Monday, Dec. 9, 2013, at Cedargate Nursing Home in Poplar Bluff. Graveside services will be conducted at 2 p.m. today at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo., with the Rev. Steve Kirkpatrick officiating...

Justin and Samantha Armes of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Spencer James Armes for their 7-pound, 7-ounce son born Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, at St. Bernard's Hospital Birthcare Center in Jonesboro, Ark. Grandparents are Ron Spencer of Illinois and Julie Spencer, Donny and Florence Armes, and Doug and Jan Bennett, all of Poplar Bluff...

Susan Woodard DEXTER, Mo. -- Susan Kay Woodard, 40, of Dexter died Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, at her residence. Visitation was held Tuesday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The funeral service was held at 11 a.m. today at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Charles Woodard of Advance, Mo., officiating. Burial will be in the Links Chapel near Bloomfield, Mo...

By LEE H. HAMILTON Congressional budget negotiators are moving to meet a December 13 deadline to produce, well, something. For weeks, we've been told to keep expectations low. There'll be no "grand bargain," negotiators say. Commentators believe that even the narrowest agreement will be a signal achievement. So here's my question: Doesn't that seem like an awfully low bar to you?...

Kenneth Green Kenneth R. Green, 78, of Dudley, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 9, 2013, at his daughter's home in Alton, Ill. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The funeral service will follow beginning at 2 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Oscar Casinger Oscar E. Casinger, 83, of Fairdealing, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 9, 2013. Oscar was born Jan. 30, 1930, in Coon Island Township in Neelyville, Mo., to Charles and Lula D. Butler Casinger. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War. On Aug. 23, 1952, Oscar married Lois Nelson. She survives...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor For all intents and purposes, outdoor activities over the last several days have been pretty much limited to snow shoveling. Mother Nature put a real smackdown on hunting and fishing with the winter storm, which came through beginning Thursday...

The Designing Women Foundation (DWF) has awarded $1,000 Brenda Barker Memorial Scholarships to two women preparing for careers in cosmetology. Rhonda Grogan, 36, of Doniphan, Mo., received one of the $1,000 scholarships. The mother of four is a student at Black River Beauty Academy...

ROBINSON, Ill. -- The Three Rivers Raiders got their win streak snapped Tuesday by the last team that beat them. They had their chances in the rematch against Lincoln Trail, this time on the road, but the shots didn't fall in the final minutes and Three Rivers lost 83-80...

Carpenter Cemetery meeting Sat. Due to inclement weather the annual meeting of The Carpenter Cemetery Association has been rescheduled for at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Vanduser City Hall. All interested individuals are welcome to join us in this annual event. Call 573-820-7936 for more information...

By ALEX WEST Staff Writer Ozark OB/GYN cares for its patients in Poplar Bluff and surrounding areas through the practice's dedication to trained and skilled staff and its commitment to advancements in the field of gynecology and obstetrics. Dr. Donald Jones III, M.D., founded the practice, which is located at suite 300 at Physicians Park Health Center. ...