Stories from Saturday, February 22, 2014

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor High wind ripped off the black sheeting of a flat roof of a building on Big Bend Road just east of North Westwood Boulevard Thursday evening. It may have been initially damaged during the fast-moving thunderstorm Thursday afternoon...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff schools will look more closely at employees who were hired before laws required every new worker undergo a background check, administrators determined Thursday during the monthly meeting. The decision came in response to discussion of a seventh grade football coach in Springfield, Mo., accused of kidnapping and killing an elementary student...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Since state funding cuts, the Poplar Bluff Parents As Teachers has gone from serving 750 children to only 165, Board of Education members learned Thursday during the monthly meeting. More than 60 percent of funding has been lost from PAT, which serves youth birth to age five and their families, according to the report from JoAnne Westbrook, Early Childhood and Title 1 director. ...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer On May 13, 2010, after two years of bullying, Ty Smalley of Perkins, Okla., had had enough. That morning he stood up for himself, leading to a three-day suspension from school. After his mother brought him home and returned to the school, where she worked, Ty went into his parents' bedroom and shot himself. He was 11 years old...

To the Editor: This past Saturday we had our 21st Annual TV/Internet Auction. It was a great success! Thanks to the donations of our local merchants and professionals, our local Lion's Club was able to raise funds that will improve the sight and hearing of the underprivileged through 2014...

To the Editor, East Carter R-2 Schools would like to thank the following sponsors for donations made to help support the 2014 Ozark Foothills Conference tournament: Buffalo Wild Wings, Coltons Steakhouse, Coke, Dominos, Donut House, LeerJack Travel Center, Papa Johns, Pizza Inn, Popeyes, Rowland Stollan, Simmons Grocery, Van Dykes and Wal-Mart...

To the Editor: Friends of Linda Leone would like to thank all who made her benefit on Sunday, Feb. 16, a success: all who donated, attended and generously bid at the auction, and to the Board of the Broseley Senior Center who allowed us to use the facilities...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- This year's most important election will not occur in November, when more than 90 million votes will be cast for governors and national legislators. The most important election, crucial to an entire region's economic well-being and to the balance of the nation's political competition, has already occurred...

The Feb. 13 meeting of the Missouri Star Quilters' Guild was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by President Dori Caldwell with 22 members and one guest present. The minutes from the December meeting were approved. Cheryl Maples presented the treasurer's report...

CHICAGO (AP) -- The attorney for an Indiana church says its free speech rights were violated when a federal judge blocked the city of Evansville from allowing 31 crosses decorated by vacation Bible school students to be erected along the city's public riverfront...

There are many reasons President Barack Obama's presidency has proven so ineffectual even by its own standards -- boosting economic growth, improving health care, preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction, enhancing America's world reputation. One reason is that Obama is the most ideologically rigid president in American history. He believes in all the wrong ideas, and holds to them with mulish tenacity...

COLUMBIA -- Aaron Vincent won his debut at the MSHSAA state wrestling championships Thursday but Poplar Bluff teammate Matt King had his season end. Vincent advanced to the 132-pound quarterfinal with a pin at the 3:11 mark against Warrenton's Drake Meine at Mizzou Arena...

By crashing the boards, the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules were able to overcome an off night of shooting Thursday. Courtney Raulston and Kaitlyn Slaughter each finished with double-digit rebound totals, helping score 21 second-chance points in a 56-44 win over Doniphan at Peters Gym...

When Jaysa Jenkins describes her friendship with Lexi Morris, there's lots of talk about living. When she describes their rivalry on the basketball court, there's lots of talk about death. "If she gets it in the paint you are basically dead and if you foul her you are dead," Jenkins said. "I try to stay as close to her as possible because if you give her space, you're dead."...

Heading into the Region XVI Tournament, Three Rivers put together one of its strongest performances of the season. The Raiders opened their home and regular-season finale in grand fashion, jumping out to a 9-0 lead on Arkansas Baptist and eventually winning comfortably, 80-57 on Thursday...

Anna Dial DEXTER, Mo. -- Anna Ruth Dial, 78, of Granite City, Ill., formerly of Dexter died Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, at her residence. Visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m. today at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 3 p.m. at the funeral home with the Rev. Kenneth Biggs of Dexter officiating. Burial will be in the Hagy Cemetery in Dexter with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

Roy Chambers NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Roy C. Chambers, 79, of Doniphan, Mo., died Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation was held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. today at Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville. The graveside service followed at 2 p.m. at New Hope Cemetery near Doniphan...

The Logan Creek Church will host a benefit for Roby and Charlene Stephens at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 1. The church is located five miles east of Doniphan. The Stephens family lost their home to a fire in late January. Gospel groups include Touched By The Master, Jennifer Krepps and Lighthouse Missions. A chili/soup dinner will also be held. A love offering will be taken for the family...

AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary to Post 29 met at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17, at the post. Ethel Johnson opened the meeting with prayer. Chaplain Shirley Clark was ill and unable to attend. New member, Helen Hicks was welcomed to the group. Minutes were read by the secretary and approved...

Eva Snodgrass DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Eva Louise Drane Snodgrass, 85, passed on to Jesus on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, at Mercy Hospital in Hot Springs, Ark. Eva was born April 17, 1928, in Pine, Mo., daughter of Clifford and Naomia Drew Drane. She was married to Elvin "Windy" Snodgrass on June 3, 1950, who preceded her in death. ...

Norma Ezell Norma J. Ezell, 84, of Dexter, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 17, 2014, in Springfield, Mo. Norma was born Sept. 14, 1929, in St. Louis, Mo., to the late Walter Trotter and Mamie Richardson Trotter. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Poplar Bluff and had worked in sales before retiring as assistant manager from Libson and Jean Marie's. She enjoyed reading her Bible and watching television...

Dewey Larmie DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Dewey Grant Larmie, 82, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., died Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, at the Life Care Nursing Home in Cape Girardeau. Mr. Larmie was born March 20, 1931, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force having served in the Korean Conflict and was also a pipefitter and had been a member of the Pipefitter's Local 562 of St. ...

Mary Johnson DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Mary L. Johnson, nee Rongey, 84, of Swansea, Ill. died Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, in Mar-Ka Community Care Center in Mascoutah, Ill. Mary was born July 15, 1929, in St. Louis, Mo., and was retired as a school psychologist from Belleville School District 118. ...

Twin Rivers student gets scholarship A Twin Rivers High School student has been awarded a scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2014-2015 academic year: Josie Pijanowski of Poplar Bluff, Mo., has been awarded the University Scholarship and Residence Life Leadership Award. Pijanowski is the daughter of Joe and Bobbie Pijanowski of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and will be a 2014 graduate of Twin Rivers High School...

Michelle Bollinger DEXTER, Mo. -- Michelle Bollinger, a resident of Dexter, died Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, in the Saint Francis Medical Center at Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter...

All through the summer, Puxico was the hot team on local basketball fans' radar. The Indians put together a strong run in the summer camps they played in and it warranted a lot of optimism to coming into the season. Puxico opened the year by beating Van Buren at the Current River Challenge by 18 points...

DONIPHAN -- Austin Ayers had a game-high 27 points as the Clearwater Tigers finished the Ozark Foothills Conference regular season a perfect 6-0 after defeating Doniphan 52-42 Thursday night. Ayers made 11 2-pointers, more than the rest of the Tigers (18-3) combined. Junior Haden Clak added six points...