Stories from Monday, February 10, 2014

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Repeated winter storms have led to a national salt shortage, but local maintenance officials are confident in their ability to weather the storm. The most recent dropped between one-half and three-quarters of an inch of snow fell across the region Friday night into Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service at Paducah, Ky. Similar amounts of snow are expected Sunday night into Monday, the NWS reported Saturday afternoon...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The nearly three-year legal battle between Poplar Bluff Internet, Inc. and the city of Poplar Bluff, Mo., continues in Southern District Appellate Court and in Butler County Circuit Court. Attorney Derrick Kirby of Doniphan, Mo., filed the appellant's brief on Jan. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Butler County Commission awarded a $681,005 contract Friday to Robertson Inc. of Poplar Bluff, Mo., for the construction of a new County Road 408 bridge over Cane Creek in the northwestern part of the county...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer For 16-year-old Zachary Cambron, his first time behind the wheel without his father in the passenger seat came at the controls of a 1940s Cessna 120. Cambron celebrated his birthday on Thursday with his first solo flight. He took off from the same runway at Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport that his father and flight instructor, Kevin Cambron, used for his first solo flight in 1991...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor GREENVILLE, Mo. -- A Patterson, Mo., man was charged Friday afternoon with multiple felonies, including assaulting two men by shooting them when they stepped in to intervene after he allegedly beat his pregnant wife...

By PAT DAMEWOOD MSSDAR chapter vice regent Area veteran Lex Donaldson will be honored as February Patriot of the Month by the Missouri State Society Daughters of the American Revolution announces Poplar Bluff Chapter NSDAR regent Brenda Yarbro. A young nurse met Donaldson while he was recently hospitalized and with his permission she contacted The Daughters of the American Revolution asking us to hear his story...

Jim and Anne Cornell of Broseley, Mo. recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The couple was married Jan. 25, 1964 at the Black River General Baptist Church where they were and still are members. They have made their home in Broseley where they raised three children: Jr. Cornell, Gina Blue and Christine Oberkramer. They have seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren with two more expected in the near future...

Mike and Jonetta Shaver of Grovespring, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Amy Benae Shaver, also of Grovespring, to Zachary Kaleb Baugus of Ellsinore, Mo. The bridegroom-to-be is the son of Mike and Myrna Baugus, also of Ellsinore. The couple will be married at 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014 at the Palace of Praise...

The Poplar Bluff Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution hosted a reception for the DAR chapter winners on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the West Side Church of God. Twenty-three students were recognized as chapter winners in the Junior American Citizens contest, and three chapter winners were honored in the American History Essay contest...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer While young girls are bombarded on a daily basis with images selling sex and unattainable beauty, a group visiting First Baptist Church in Dexter, Mo., on Thursday hopes to offer a healthy alternative. The Secret Keeper Girl Crazy Hair Tour "helps moms cultivate God-crazy daughters who embrace inner beauty, biblical modesty and vibrant purity," according to church financial secretary Jaime Stevens...

Meredith Denton, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. and Justin Rines, of Arnold, Mo. were united in marriage on Saturday, Nov. 2nd, 2013 in Springfield, Mo. The double ring ceremony and reception were held at the Savoy Ballroom in downtown Springfield. The bride is the daughter of Genise and Dairel Denton, Jr., of Poplar Bluff, Mo. The bridegroom is the son of Leon and Lisa Rines of Arnold, Mo...

Where's that global warming? Yeah, they talk about Al Gore and his global warning. Where's that global warming at right now? I wish some of that Chinese fog or coal dust from one of them factories would pass over Butler County for a few days warm a little of this frigid weather up. ...

Monday, 11 a.m., the Citizenship Club will meet in the Altrusa Room. Then at 11:30 a.m. Tommy Swindle will sing gospel songs for all having lunch in the dining room. From 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Alliance In- Home will be in the Twin Towers dining room for free blood pressure test...

Bill Womack Bill G. Womack, 84, died Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in Jonesboro, Ark. Mr. Womack was born in Poplar Bluff, Mo., on June 4, 1929. He was a longtime resident of Butler County. Mr. Womack was an insurance salesman. He married Lillian Hill in Piggott, Ark., on July 12, 1947. She preceded him in death in April of 2010...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- Swedish researchers report that antioxidants make cancers worse in mice. It's already known that the antioxidant beta-carotene exacerbates lung cancers in humans. Not exactly what you'd expect given the extravagant -- and incessant -- claims you hear made about the miraculous effects of antioxidants...

Joshua Anderson Joshua Aaron Anderson, 26, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014. Joshua was born Jan. 25, 1988 in Paragould, Ark. He worked construction and heavy equipment repair. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and spending time with family...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer Jim and Sue Schremp of Poplar Bluff, Mo. have devoted their lives to God's service. After 21 years as pastor of Rombauer General Baptist Church, Jim Schremp retired, believing his work as a pastor was over. After all, he had pastored a total of 52 years. ...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama, the first president shaped by the celebratory culture in which every child who plays soccer gets a trophy, and the first whose campaign speeches were his qualification for the office, perhaps should not be blamed for thinking that saying things is tantamount to accomplishing things, and that good intentions (BEG ITAL)are(END ITAL) good deeds. ...

Gregory Bost Gregory Thomas Bost, 51, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Bost was born Oct. 12, 1962, in Columbus, Ind. He loved anything outdoors, soda, cars, collecting momma and baby items and watching birds...

James Walters WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- James "Jack" Roy Walters, 86, of Wappapello, Mo., formerly of St. Louis, Mo. died Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, at Charlevoix Healthcare Center in St. Charles, Mo. Mr. Walters was born April 28, 1927, to the late George W. ...

Perry Morgan DEXTER, Mo. -- Perry Paul Morgan, 72, of Dexter died Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, at his residence. Memorial services will be held at 5 p.m. Monday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter with Pastor Josh Carpenter of Dexter officiating and Watkins and Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

Marjorie McCarver DEXTER, Mo. -- Marjorie McCarver, 94, of Dexter died Friday, Feb. 7, 2014, at the Cypress Point Nursing Center in Dexter. Visitation will begin at noon Monday at the Watkins and Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home with the Rev. Tom Bass of Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Steve Moody of Clarkton, Mo., officiating. Burial will be in the Stanfield Cemetery near Clarkton...

Hazel Hodo Hazel Ruth Hodo died Thursday, Feb. 6th at The Manor in Poplar Bluff after 98 loving and joyful years. She was born June 3, 1915, to the late Jess and Zetta Ponder Featherston. On Dec. 25, 1932, she married Vester Hodo in Doniphan, Mo. She worked for Jim Hogg's Market and Kneibert Clinic for many years...

Bernie Ijames PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Bernie Don Ijames, 80, of Piedmont died Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will begin at 11: 30 a.m. Sunday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. at the chapel. Burial will follow at Carson Hill Cemetery...

Leonard Gage WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Leonard Wesley Gage, 61, of Greenville, Mo., died Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, at his home. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Wappapello.

At some point Friday night at the Sikeston Field House, a basketball game was played. Most of the time it seemed the students from Poplar Bluff and Sikeston were more concerned with one-upping each other with chants, cheers and flipping cheerleaders...

SIKESTON -- After cutting a double-digit deficit down to four in the third quarter, the Poplar Bluff Mules couldn't get over the hump Friday night. Sikeston scored seven straight points midway through the second half and kept the Mules at bay down the stretch to beat Poplar Bluff 73-62 in SEMO Conference play...

For the second consecutive day, more adjustments were made to the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament schedule Friday afternoon. The tournament was to begin Saturday morning but was postponed Thursday evening due to icy road conditions and a little more snow falling on the region...

The harsh winter weather even had an impact on the pool at the Black River Aquatic Center on Friday. Poplar Bluff junior Cassidy Harris splits her time between swimming and basketball this time of year. Typically, it means she is only able to attend the beginning or the end of swim season. It also means, because of scheduling conflicts, that she has never competed in a Poplar Bluff home swim meet...

DEXTER -- Advance Hornets boys basketball coach Bubba Wheetley wasn't sure what to expect from his varsity squad following a week layoff. Advance entered Friday night's road contest at Dexter having not played since it beat Puxico 75-64 in a third-place game of the SCAA Tournament Jan. 31...