Stories from Thursday, January 16, 2014

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perry County Coroner Herbert Miller faces felony charges after an investigation by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services found he allegedly spent the money of a 94-year-old woman over whom he had power of attorney...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Meteorologists and other observers are amazed at the major weather changes from year to year. "It was a huge turnaround in 2013," said Michael York, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky. "A hot and dry 2012 was followed by a wet and cooler 2013."...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Country music star Darryl Worley will headline the fourth annual "VAlentines for Veterans" concert Feb. 14 at the Black River Coliseum, John J. Pershing VA Medical Center announced today. Ticket distribution will begin Thursday for the concert, which honors veterans each year by providing the event at no charge...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man is to be sentenced next week after pleading guilty Tuesday afternoon to a lesser assault charge in connection with a box-cutter attack of another man. William Fanter, 34, of the 700 block of Cynthia entered a guilty plea for the second time in connection with the June 22, 2012, assault of Timothy Hartwick...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A federal jury deliberated about an hour Tuesday in convicting a Wappapello, Mo., man of illegally possessing firearms after he called authorities to report one of them had been stolen. A.C. Jackson, 65, was convicted of two counts of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell...

Genevieve Hart NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Genevieve Hart, 90, of Neelyville died Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, at 4:45 p.m. at West Vue Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in West Plains, Mo. Mrs. Hart was born May 19, 1923, in Knoble, Ark. She was a homemaker who enjoyed playing the piano, reading and crocheting. She was a member of Mo-Ark Baptist Church where she had served as secretary and treasurer and played piano...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation Recently there have been several mountain lion reports in Southeast Missouri. There have been reports of sightings in this area. I will try to respond to some of the questions people may have concerning mountain lions in Missouri...

Herbert Lorentz DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Herbert Elibe-Lafayette Lorentz, 84, of Doniphan succumbed to death while surrounded by love on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014. He was born March 29, 1929, in Annapolis, Mo. Herbert is survived by one sister, Kathleen Neighbors; one brother, Alfred Lorentz; and three daughters, Sharon Lorentz and Zerelda Gaye Lucia, both of Doniphan, and Cynthia Lorentz of Bernie, Mo. ...

By MONA CHAREN The New York Times brings us the "next frontier in fertility treatment." It's about dissolving the prejudice against transgender people having children. "Andy Inkster, a transgender man, had always wanted biological children. So when he embarked on the transition from female to male at age 18 -- changing his name, taking testosterone and eventually undergoing surgery to remove his breasts -- he left his female reproductive organs intact. ...

By LYNN ELBER AP Television Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Keith Urban was wrapping up a recent interview about "American Idol" when Harry Connick Jr. breezed into a backstage room, ready for his turn. "He talks and talks and talks," Connick said, gleefully needling his fellow "Idol" judge. "Get out."...

The Three Rivers Raiders and Lady Raiders will play St. Louis Community College at the Bess Activity Center today after a last minute schedule change. The Lady Raiders will tipoff at 5:30 p.m. and the men will play at 7:30 p.m. Both will travel to St. Louis on Feb. 4...

PIEDMONT -- Clearwater's Austin Ayers got his first dunk of the season Tuesday against those other Tigers from Neelyville, but by the time he threw it down, the energy boost wasn't relly needed. "He's had a couple of opportunities and couldn't get his feet right or something. It got the crowd excited a little bit," Clearwater coach Louis Bell said. "We'll take the two points any way we can get them."...

NAYLOR -- Stainless steel, gold, platinum. The East Carter Redbirds are just like these metals. Apparently they don't rust. After not playing a game in 23 straight days, the Redbirds returned to the hardwood Tuesday night and didn't show any signs of basketball corrosion...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Mallory Dye become Poplar Bluff's first diver to earn a point in a meet Tuesday as the Lady Mules placed second. Morgan McAtee won the 100-yard breaststroke for Poplar Bluff, which finished 77 points behind host Cape Central. Dye completed six dives for a score of 110.8 to place third...

DONIPHAN -- Poplar Bluff turned up the pressure to knock off some rust Tuesday night. The Mules scored 18 straight points in the second quarter -- 14 off turnovers -- to turn a 1-point game into a 72-49 win over the Doniphan Dons. "If you cough the ball up that's exactly what happens," Doniphan coach Adam Carpenter said. "Everything kind of snowballed off of our turnovers."...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Missouri's archery deer and turkey season comes to a close one-half hour after sunset today, marking the conclusion of the state's longest hunting season. Of course, I couldn't get the official number of deer taken yet, but overall, the harvest looks strong, though I don't think hunters matched last year's record...

Cassidy Harris and Courtney Raulston combined to outscore South Iron in the first half Tuesday but the Poplar Bluff pair weren't needed in the second half of a 57-31 win. The Lady Mules won their fourth straight to pull even for the season at 7-7. "It is a good feeling," Poplar Bluff coach Kirk Chronister said. "We started out awful rough, got those four kids back that were out early...

Qulin Middle School has released its second quarter honor and merit rolls for the 2013-2014 school year. Students named to that list follow: Honor roll 5th Grade: Gage Barton, Brandon Grayson, Hannah Jones, Blake Jordan, Ashley Langley, Drew Love, Karson Null and Tyler Suiter...

By DAR STAFF NAYLOR -- Shayna Tharp was once again sharp from long range Tuesday night. The Naylor junior broke the single-game school record for 3-pointers made as she drained 10 in the Lady Eagles' 76-12 Ozark Foothills Conference win over East Carter...

Thomas Ray FLAG FISK, Mo. -- Thomas Michael Ray, 61, of Wappapello, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, at Lakeview Residential Care at Wappapello. Mr. Ray was born Dec. 2, 1952 at Broseley, Mo., and had lived most of his life there. He served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War...

BLOOMFIELD -- The Dexter Bearcats basketball team recorded more 3-point field goals than 2-pointers Tuesday night but were unable to connect from downtown after falling behind the Bloomfield Wildcats by three points in the final minute of regulation...