Stories from Thursday, January 2, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The first person visitors had to get past Wednesday to hold Butler County's first baby of 2014, Mackenzie Lee McNeary, was 2-year-old Isabella. Wearing a white T-shirt with pink letters that read "I'm a Big Sister," Bella took her duties seriously...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff firefighter Jeremy Downing and wife, Zuleika, had never tried ballroom dancing when they started preparing for the annual Dancing with PB Stars competition. It's been hard to find time to practice, but for a good cause, the couple decided to take the stage against four other pairs with a swing dance routine they created...

PBHS student fans were rude As a member of the older generation, one of my lifelong passions has been watching spirited basketball games, especially high school. Over the years the definition of sportsmanship has evolved. When I was in high school when the opposing team shot a free throw it was considered rude to make a sound. ...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS Here's a question that I've asked in the past that needs to be revisited. Unless one wishes to obfuscate, it has a simple yes or no answer. If one group of people prefers strong government control and management of people's lives while another group prefers liberty and desires to be left alone, should they be required to enter into conflict with one another and risk bloodshed and loss of life in order to impose their preferences on the other group? Yes or no. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN When President Richard Nixon arrived in Beijing in 1972, Chairman Mao Zedong -- with his Marxist revolution, Great Leap Forward and Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution -- had achieved an equality unrivaled anywhere. That is, until Pol Pot came along...

Gerald Massey DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Gerald Massey, 63, of Doniphan, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014 at Southeast Health of Ripley County in Doniphan. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion...

Wendell Warren DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Wendell Warren of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, at his residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion.

James Beckwith DONIPHAN, Mo. -- James Beckwith of Doniphan, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion...

Joe Albert Tarno DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Joe Albert Tarno, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Tarno, son of Odis and Rachel (Jackson) Tarno, was born Jan. 22, 1930, in Kennett, Mo. ...

Dorothy Harlow DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Dorothy Harlow 91, of Doniphan, died Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Dorothy was born May 22, 1922 in Bowling Green, Mo. She has been a long time resident of Doniphan. She was a home health care giver, and a member of the Emanuel Baptist Church. She enjoyed spending time with her family...

Jack Thomas PALATKA, Fla. -- Jack Thomas, 75, of Palatka passed away peacefully, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, at Haven Hospice in Palatka. A native of Batesville, Miss., Jack resided in Putnam County since 2003 moving from Lake Wales, Fla. He was a 1957 graduate of Qulin High School and served honorably in the U.S. ...

Did you have a few leftovers during the holidays? Some people define leftovers as "planned-overs" where they cook with the idea to have another meal from the effort. To others, leftovers are containers of stuff that get shoved to the back of the refrigerator...

Rodie Rainey of Lowndes is just 18 years old, but the Missouri Lottery has already played a big role in her life. The rodeo rider and student uncovered a $100,000 prize on a ticket she purchased last week. Rainey said she "had a feeling" when passing Arab Station, Highway 51, in Zalma...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation It seems that this winter is shaping up to be colder than normal. If we continue to get moisture, this means we can expect to see more frozen precipitation. Usually, bad weather times create some concern for wildlife...

Terry Watson Sr. PUXICO, Mo. -- Terry Watson Sr., 59, of Puxico died Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013, in Midlothian, Texas. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 2, at the Morgan Sifford Funeral Home Chapel in Puxico. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Puxico City Cemetery...

MEMPHIS -- The Three Rivers Lady Raiders shot as well from the charity stripe as Wallace State did from everywhere else. Even still, Tuesday's game came down to the final seconds. Wallace State ended the Three Rivers' 9-game winning streak Tuesday with a late 3, cancelling out a furious comeback by the Lady Raiders and winning 87-82 in the Southwest Tennessee Classic...

Lula Loucks PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Lula Belle Loucks, 77, of Piedmont died Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, in Piedmont. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the Meador Flatwoods Cemetery near Piedmont...

Tim Jenkins DEXTER, Mo. -- Tim Lee Jenkins, 51, of Hermitage, Tenn., died Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013. Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m. Saturday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday in the funeral chapel. Burial will follow in the Armstead-Dowdy Cemetery...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The second segment of the youth deer season is set for this weekend in Missouri. So far, the weather forecast looks favorable for hunters to be out. The second youth season typically doesn't have nearly as much participation as the early portion, but at least the opportunity is there...