Stories from Thursday, February 6, 2014

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Leather chaps and jackets. Countless tattoos. Loud bikes. These image of bikers once elicited stereotypes of violent outlaws bent on wild living. Now, however, organizations like the Christian Motorcycle Association seek to show a love of bikes and a love of Christ can coexist...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer An effort by Poplar Bluff schools that annually raises more than $50,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has entered its largest fundraising effort of the campaign. Much of the money raised is generated during Math-A-Thon, which R-I children have participated in since 1989...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Icy roads kept schools closed for a third day and continue to cause problems for area drivers. With the temperature hovering at 32 Tuesday afternoon and road crews spreading salt, the main roads were slushy, but as temperatures dropped to 26 this morning, numerous slick spots are making for hazardous travel...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man was killed and three others seriously injured in a head-on collision Tuesday afternoon on Business 67, just south of the city limits. The crash, which is being investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and its Major Crash Investigation Unit, left 26-year-old Joshua A. Anderson dead...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- The Days Inn at Current River on Saturday became the Rocky River Inn. Motel manager Jason Seter said, "only the name will be changing: The ownership, management and friendly staff will all remain exactly the same. Our visitors can expect to enjoy exactly the same good services and quality rooms as they have in the past."...

By AMITY SHEDD SEMO News Service Bob Reeves, weather forecaster and meteorologist for KFVS12 television, on Thursday announced he will retire in late February after more than 40 years at the station. Reeves began his career with KFVS12 in 1970 when Oscar Hirsch, founder of the CBS affiliate, hired him to anchor the 10 p.m. news along with covering weather and sports, according to a news release from the station...

Halen Smith FLAG PUXICO, Mo. -- Halen S. Smith, 95, of Puxico died Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, at Puxico Nursing Center in Puxico. Mr. Smith was born Nov. 3, 1918, the son of the late John Tyler and Anna Mayberry Smith, in Leora, Mo.on November 3, 1918. He had lived in the Puxico area all of his life. ...

Poplar Bluff Junior High School has released its A and B honor rolls for the second quarter of the 2013-2014 school year. Students named to the honor roll are listed below: A Honor Roll: SEVENTH GRADE Logan Jacob Wayne Anderson, Kaylee Rhiannon Barbour, Calli Jo Barker, Cara Lynn Bubanovich, Coby Layne Campbell, Tyler Andrew Cline, Hays Nathaniel Coleman, Lauren Mattie Lenee' Courtney, Cody Lee Daughertee, Kaitlin Christina Deken, Shawna Duguran Estencion, Jacob Benjamin Eubanks, Brittany Grace Evans, Hunter David Ferguson, Julia Grace Fox, Devon Allen Gholson, Keaira Lynn Harrison, Arianna Nichole Hatley, Breeanna Heather Glynn Helton, Taylor Merinda Hicks, Sara Gabriella Holland, Damian D'Juan Hood, Kaitlyn Nicole Hoon, Destinee Danielle Howell, Alivia Celeste Jenson, Ethan Wade Johnson, Brett Douglas Keele, Cali Marie King, Tucker Chase King, Megan Elysse Kirby, Abigail Grace Lawrence, Holley Deann Lutes, Catarina Marie MacEra, Raegan Caroline McAtee, Carlton Keneith Mcdonald-Jordan, Lauren Grace McDonough, Courtney Lynn McGee, Katelyn Cheyenne Moeller, Samantha Victoria Nelson, Thomas Alexander Nickerson, Alexi McKenzie Nippe, Ethan Conner Noles, Benjamin P. ...

By LEE H. HAMILTON Of all the numbers thrown at us over the course of last year, one stands out for me. I hope we can avoid repeating it this year. That number is 12. It's the percentage of Americans in a December Quinnipiac poll who said they trust the government in Washington to do what is right most or all of the time. ...

The nation listened as President Obama laid out his vision for America in the annual State of the Union Address. After listening to President Obama's speech, it is obvious he believes more government and executive actions are the solution to every problem facing our country. When I talk to folks back home in Missouri, they tell me big government is the problem, not the solution...

James White photo James "Jim" G. White, 80, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. White was born Oct. 10, 1933 in Bloomington, Ill. to the late Dillard and Inez White. He moved to Poplar Bluff in 1974 and was a retired farmer and an independent truck driver. Mr. White attended Westwood Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. He enjoyed spending time with his family, all types of sports, coaching, hunting and fishing...

Evelyn Harmon PUXICO, Mo. -- Evelyn Harmon, 82, of Puxico died Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born March 6, 1931, in Springfield, Mo. A homemaker, Mrs. Harmon was a member of Duck Creek Baptist Church. Her hobbies were knitting, gardening and her family. She married Junior Lee Harmon Feb. 4, 2012...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Another week has passed, and once again, Mother Nature has thumbed her nose at outdoorsmen. A guy or gal who wants to hunt or fish just can't catch a break. Just when it looked like fishing could really pick up, cold winter weather moved in to keep anglers off the water, and with more sleet or even heavy rain expected this week, lake levels might rise, giving fishermen a double-whammy...

James White James "Jim" G. White, 80, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. White was born Oct. 10, 1933 in Bloomington, Ill. to the late Dillard and Inez White. He moved to Poplar Bluff in 1974 and was a retired farmer and an independent truck driver. Mr. White attended Westwood Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff. He enjoyed spending time with his family, all types of sports, coaching, hunting and fishing...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz offered Caruthersville running back Darrell Monroe a significant, if not traditional, compliment during a recruiting visit. Matukewicz told Monroe he's not normal. And he meant that in the best possible way...

Halen Smith PUXICO, Mo. -- Halen S. Smith, 95, of Puxico died Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, at Puxico Nursing Center in Puxico. Mr. Smith was born Nov. 3, 1918, the son of the late John Tyler and Anna Mayberry Smith, in Leora, Mo.on November 3, 1918. He had lived in the Puxico area all of his life. ...

Georgia Taylor DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Georgia E. Taylor, 84 year old resident of Doniphan, Mo., died Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014, at the Southeast Health Care of Ripley County. Mrs. Taylor was born Feb. 9, 1929, in Ripley County. Mrs. Taylor was of the Missionary Baptist faith and enjoyed spending time with her family and writing poetry...

Alma Ward Million Alma F. Ward Million, 85, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014 at Bethesda Dilworth Memorial Home in St. Louis, Mo. Mrs. Million was born Oct. 27, 1928 in Waverly, Tenn. to the late A.R. and Della E. Warren Trull. She was a member of Fellowship General Baptist Church and was a member of the Poplar Bluff Garden Club. ...

Nikki Iden Nikki Jan Iden, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Nikki was born April 10, 1947, in Boise, Idaho, to John Harold Iden Jr. and Doris Laurine Barstow. Nikki is survived by her mother, Doris Wallace (Pastor David Wallace) of Winslow, Ariz.; daughter, Francie Ewing of West Valley City, Utah; son, Gene Ewing of West Jordan, Utah; and brothers, Scott (Susie) Iden of Wickenburg, Ariz., and Randy (Jenny) Iden Mead of San Diego, Calif. ...

Earnest Reece Earnest Reece, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014, at John J. Pershing V.A. Medical center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Kinsey Cemetery...

Leo E. Hayes Jr. FISK, Mo. -- Leo E. Hayes Jr., 68 of Wappapello, Mo. died Monday, Feb. 3, 2014 at his residence. Mr. Hayes was born Aug. 11, 1945 at Poplar Bluff, son of the late Leo and Hazel Spurlock Hayes. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy having served during the Vietnam War. Mr. Hayes was a retired riverboat captain having worked on riverboats for 42 years...

Alan Flannigan (Dexter HS) came off the bench for Lafayette and contributed two assists, a steal and a rebound in a 72-54 win against Navy on Saturday. Miranda Burroughs (Poplar Bluff HS) finished with three points, two rebounds and two assists for University of Alabama-Birmingham in a 66-58 loss to North Texas on Saturday...

TOPS MO 734 (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) met Wednesday, Jan. 22, with leader Linda Morgan calling the meeting to order with 14 TOPS and three KOPS present. Following roll call, Lou Ann Wrather read the secretary's report, which was approved. Best losers for the week were Morgan for TOPS and Lou Roach for KOPS. The exchange chart drawing was won by Roach and the Gotcha Box drawing went to Morgan...