Stories from Saturday, March 22, 2014

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Kajacs Contractors Inc. of Poplar Bluff, Mo., submitted the low bid of $2,424,198 for the Oak Grove Road Phase III project, which includes a loop road on the north side of the Oak Grove Elementary School. Bob Summers and John Burgelin of the Horner & Shifrin, Inc. engineering firm in Poplar Bluff opened three bids at City Hall Thursday...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Booth space is still available for the 35th Annual Merchants Showcase to be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at Three Rivers College. Last year, the event drew 1,500 to 2,000 prospective customers to the Bess Activity Center...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Seven Dexter, Mo., residents were charged Thursday afternoon with drug possession charges after authorities seized suspected methamphetamine during the execution of three search warrants. The Stoddard County Sheriff's Department, with assistance from SEMO Drug Task Force, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Dexter Police Department, reportedly executed the warrants Wednesday...

Hurlen Wilson DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Hurlen L. Wilson, 88, of Ash Flat, Ark., formerly of Doniphan died Wednesday, March 19, 2014, in Ash Flat. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. today at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. A graveside service will follow at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Doniphan City Cemetery...

Lockie Morgan Lockie Jane Morgan, 60, of Wappapello, Mo., died Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital. A gathering is going to be held at the Patterson Community Center (the Old Patterson School) on Saturday at 1 p.m. Online condolences: www.cotrellfuneralservice.com...

National Boys & Girls Club Week, March 23rd - 29th, is the time each year when some 4,000 communities across the nation, including Poplar Bluff, celebrate the important work of their local Boys & Girls Clubs - saving and changing young lives, every day, every week - all year long...

Area students get SEMO St. scholarships The following local students have been awarded scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2014-2015 academic year: Hunter Placher of Puxico, Mo., has been awarded the University Scholarship. Placher is the son of Jeff and Kelly Placher of Puxico, Mo., and will be a 2014 graduate of Puxico High School...

Veteran NASCAR driver Ken Schrader is expected to be kicking up the dirt Friday and Saturday at the seventh annual Bootheel 200 at the Poplar Bluff Speedway. Schrader will compete in the USCS Outlaw Modified Series at the 3/8-mile red clay oval after winning two of the first three events this season...

Poker run at Campbell A Poker Run benefit ride hosted by the Faulkner County, Ark., Roughnecks M.C. will be held for John Daniel Bishop Saturday, March 29, at the Jim Morris - Walker McCutchen Park in Campbell, Mo. The run will begin at 10 a.m. The cost is $20/ person and $5 for all additional hands. The ride begins and ends at the park...

By MICHELLE MALKIN This may be the first and last time I ever write these words: America, follow Canada. Our neighbors to the north finally have wised up to the international cash-for-visas scam. Last week, the country ended its foreign investor program that put residency up for sale to the highest bidder. We should have done the same a long time ago...

Letter to Editor: I believe that Sen. Libla, Rep Richardson and other State politicians should keep their noses out of the affairs of MDC. I also believe that they should have the guts to says what they really believe....yes or no! Why try to fix something that isn't broken? I can think of many other state agencies that need oversight but NOT MDC...

The Clearwater softball team finished second in the district tournament in 2011 and then again in 2012. When senior Hannah Rowold found out she wouldn't have a chance to win it all in 2013, she started crying. "(Coach Shannon England) just said we're not having a fall season anymore. Of course, I started to ask him if we were still going to have districts and I couldn't, I just started crying," she said...

Margie Cox CORNING, Ark. -- Margie O. Cox, 82, of Corning passed away Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at home. Survivors are daughters, Judy Phelan of Corning and Ellen Morphew of Little Rock, Ark.; two brothers; two sisters; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren...

COTTLEVILLE -- The Three Rivers Raiders seem to be having a little trouble winning the close ones. Three Rivers split with Region XVI foe St. Charles on Thursday, winning 7-1 and losing 9-8, to stay .500 both overall and within the region, but are now 2-5 in 1-run games and are 1-3 in extra-inning games...

William South Jr. FISK, Mo. -- William H. South Jr., 88, of Fisk died Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Born April 8, 1925, at Leighton, Ala., Mr. South was the son of the late William and Bertha (Buser) South. He made his living as a farmer. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII and was a POW having been captured at the Battle of The Bulge...

Savanna Ayers' batting average has been down this season, but on Thursday she was the hero. After Taylor Friend pitched her second complete-game shutout in a row for a 3-0 win over East Central in the opener, Ayers scored to tie it up in the bottom of the 7th and then had a walk-off hit in the eighth to secure a 5-4 win at Rains Field...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer A film chronicling one college student's challenge to prove God exists will open at the AMC Showplace 8 Poplar Bluff tonight, after local youth and church leaders worked to rally support. "God's Not Dead" stars Shane Harper ("Good Luck Charlie," "Awkward") as Josh Wheaton, a devout college freshman facing off against philosophy Professor Radisson, who requires all students to proclaim "God is Dead" or face failure. ...