Stories from Monday, March 31, 2014

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer Recognizing her years of service to the Democratic Party, as well as her community, Karen Slicer of Poplar Bluff, Mo. was named the 2014 Democratic Woman of the Year at the 8th Congressional District Democratic Women's Convention Friday in Poplar Bluff, Mo. ...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man sits in the Butler County jail on charges of felonious restraint and armed criminal action after an incident Friday night, according to Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley. Officers responded at 7:32 p.m. to the 1100 block of North Main Street to a report of a man holding several people at knife point...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Carter County voters again are being asked to pass a half-cent sales tax to benefit its sheriff's department, so it can provide more modernized services. If the tax measure passes by a simple majosrity of voters on April 8, the county's sales tax would increase from 5.225 to 5.725 percent, with the revenue being used only to support the county's law enforcement...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Daily American Republic asked City Manager Doug Bagby to respond to questions about the Cable TV sale, relocation of the Municipal Utilities office, growth of the city and the April 8 election. Bagby criticized "a few people" who are trying "to discredit the existing City Council" on the way the sale was handled...

From Staff Reports David Huck, a Vietnam War veteran who served with the U.S. Marine Corps, was the keynote speaker for the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans ceremony at the Veterans Wall in front of the Black River Coliseum Friday. Larry Kimbrow, who is retired from the U.S. Navy and is president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1056, welcomed all the veterans and guests to the event...

Editor's Note: This is the first of two article about a Poplar Bluff mother's campaign to learn why her adult son serving in the military died after a routine procedure at a military medical facility. By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer On Sept 19, 2013, Air Force Master Sgt. ...

The Missouri Department of Conservation will offer a Discover Nature Girls Camp in Southeast Missouri July 15-17 at Camp SEMO in Wappapello, MO. According to the camp organizer, Conservation Agent Christa Cox, this camp is a free, three-day, two-night experience aimed at introducing girls ages 11 to 15 to outdoor skills in a supportive learning environment...

The Animal Welfare Alliance (AWA) has opened a booth at Somewhere In Time Antiques & More. The AWA sales space will be featured during an April 5 open house event at the resale shop, which is located in Poplar Bluff Square shopping center in the old Hancock Fabrics store...

Join the PB Kiwanis Club and U.S. Forest Service as they host their 1st Wolf Creek Trail Run. Enjoy the newly created bike/running trail and raise money to help save the children of the world; which is the mission of Kiwanis. The event, which will become an annual event, is scheduled at 9 a.m., Saturday, April 19, however runners are asked to be there between 8 a.m.-8:30 a.m...

The March meeting of the Missouri Star Quilters' Guild was called to order by President Dori Caldwell with 21 members present. The minutes from the February 2014 meeting were approved as published. Cheryl Maples presented the treasurer's report. Dian Reno reported 25 members had paid the 2014 dues and everyone should be paid before the April meeting...

Reader: plane will resurface While the news cycle in this moment is focusing on the disappearance of Flight 370, nobody within the administration is willing to call the act what it really is, which is an act of terrorism! And the reason why I say that is--let's connect a few dots. ...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor The Butler County recipient for the 2014 Frank Graham 4-H Volunteer Leadership Award Betty Schalk goes about life quietly giving back to the community. The rural Poplar Bluff, Mo. woman doesn't seek recognition as she volunteers with 4-H, Butler County Fair and Family and Community Education (FCE) Club. Yet others, who see her commitment to the 4-H youth development program, sent her nomination to the Missouri 4-H Foundation...

Mildred Clark Mildred A. Clark, 85, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, March 29, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

By SHARON RANDALL McClatchy-Tribune News Service Sometimes life turns in a circle like a beacon to show you something old in a new light. Yesterday I flew from my home in Las Vegas to the Monterey Peninsula in California, where I raised my children. Two of them still live here, teaching school and raising families of their own...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- "Andre Dawson," Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully once said, "has a bruised knee and is listed as day-to-day. Aren't we all?" Yes, so use some of your remaining time constructively by identifying the player or players who:...

Activities at the Twin Towers for the coming week includes: Monday at 1 p.m. in the Altrusa Room, Dr. Dodson Cravens, pharmacist and certified Diabetic educator, will speak about the latest treatments for diabeties. Everyone in the community is invited. There will be time for questions...

Lula Davis Lula Davis, 69, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, March 22, 2014, at her residence. The memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff with the Rev. Gary McCain officiating. Burial will follow in City Cemetery...

Lake Road Elementary School students of the month are: 1st Grade: Samantha Ruiz is Lake Road's first grade student of the month. She is in Ms. Gray's class. Her parents are Bertha Martinez and Oziel Ruiz. She has a little brother named Jr. Samantha loves to read. Her favorite class is reading, and she has lots of books at home to read. She likes to read funny books the best...

Nancy Jackson DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Nancy Ann Jackson, 78, of Doniphan departed this life Thursday, March 27, 2014, at Westwood Hills Rehabilitation Nursing Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mrs. Jackson, daughter of Milton and Inez (Randolph) Cole, was born Feb. 9, 1936, in Desloge, Mo. She had been a homemaker. Mrs. Jackson was an accomplished organist and pianist and an active church member. She loved gardening and especially enjoyed spring flowers...

Fred Lewis DONIPHAN, Mo.--Fred "Bob" James Lewis, 73, of Gatewood, Mo. departed this life on Thursday, March 20, 2014, at the Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Mr. Lewis, son of the late William Elvis and Lillie Mae (Branccum) Lewis, was born March 30, 1940, in Floral, Ark. He had retired as a construction worker. Mr. Lewis was a veteran of the U. S. Army...

David Ray DONIPHAN, Mo. -- David Wilbur Lee Ray, 51, of Doniphan died Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. A graveside service will take place at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Brakebill Cemetery in Middlebrook, Ark., with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan in charge of arrangements...

Robert Brake CORNING, Ark. -- Robert "Bob" Brake, 75, of Bonne Terre, Mo., passed away Friday, March 28, 2014, at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Brake was born in Neelyville, Mo., Sept. 27, 1938. He was a retired shipping department foreman at Southwest Steel. He enjoyed fishing, deer hunting and traveling...

From Staff Reports "God's Not Dead" is the No. 1 box office hit in Poplar Bluff, Mo., this week and is being held over until Thursday, April 4 at the AMC Showplace 8, announced Bill Ray, area representative for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes...

JONESBORO, Ark. -- Poplar Bluff got more clutch hitting Saturday. Logan Misner broke a scoreless tie in the fourth with an RBI groundout and Wesley Pyles followed with a two-out RBI. Lucas Tibbs drove in an insurance run with two outs in the fifth as Poplar Bluff beat Nettleton (Ark.) 3-1...

The seeding meeting for the Ozark Foothills Conference softball tournament this year was a chorus of shoulder shrugging and guessing. The top two seeds hadn't played since October. Clearwater and Greenville had just played their first games since last year's OFC tourney and nobody had been in uniform for more than a week...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules soccer team finally put a couple goals on the scoreboard Saturday morning. The Lady Mules, however, still remain out of the win column though after a pair of one-goal losses at the Noon Optimist Tournament...

PIEDMONT-- Of all the ways to end a game, Clearwater scored the winning run on a walk-off strikeout to win 1-0 Friday. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Kiareu Grimes hit a double into deep center field and then took third base on a wild pitch. With two outs, McKenzie Brinkley swung and missed at strike three but the ball sailed high over the catcher's glove and into the backstop. ...

ELLSINORE -- In an unusual twist, the losing coach was happy with their team's performance and the winning coach wasn't. Naylor got the better of a young East Carter lineup with a 6-4 win Friday, but afterwards, Naylor coach Gene Deckard took much more time to talk to his team than East Carter's Teresa Kearbey did...

TRENTON -- The Raiders used a pair of timely home runs Friday to sweep North Central. Alec Pender had a 2-run home run in the first game, the first of his college career, for the Raiders that marked a momentum shift and gave pitcher Dylan Slayton (3-0) some breathing room in the 3-1 win. Similarly, Alex Heuring had a 2-run shot in the nightcap to help Matt Ulrich (2-1) and Three Rivers get the 5-3 win...