Stories from Friday, April 4, 2014

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor After more than 27 years of protecting the citizens of Poplar Bluff, Mo., John Russell hung up his fire gear for the last time Monday morning when his shift ended. Having started at the Poplar Bluff Fire Department on Jan. 26, 1987, "it was really kind of part of my life," said Russell, who was promoted to captain in December 1996. "It's going to be a little bit hard to give up."...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Wayne County Associate Circuit Judge Randy Schuller has granted Robert and Robin Whelan's motion to dismiss the city land condemnation case against their Wealth Management business property at the southwest corner of Oak Grove Road and Westwood Boulevard, but he stayed the dismissal until April 21 to allow the city to seek an extraordinary writ...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Although their run on NBC's "The Voice" ended last month, things are definitely looking up for Bernie, Mo., based Brothers Walker. Twins Clinton and Coty Walker auditioned for the show in St. Louis, Mo., and were eventually chosen for team Usher. They attempted to audition for the show last year, but auditions were in Chicago and the duo could not make the trip...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The walls in 9-year-old Myles Stark's classroom at O'Neal Elementary aren't real walls. They're the kind of 2-inch thick temporary room dividers normally found in church basements and reception halls. On the other side is another fourth grade classroom -- out of sight, but not out of mind...

One of my favorite veggies is sweet corn. It usually is ready to harvest around the Fourth of July. You can plant sweet corn anytime between April 15 and August 15 according to the University of Missouri's Vegetable Planting Calendar. Early yellow varieties you might want to plant include: Legend, Sweet Riser, Challenger, and Saturn. ...

By MONA CHAREN The defamation of Paul Ryan as a racist for noting the multigenerational persistence of joblessness in troubled neighborhoods is more than just another episode of hysterical name-calling by the left. The episode represents, in microcosm, the left's intellectual bankruptcy...

Many times true heroes fly under the radar of attention. He was one of those -- quiet and unassuming. His actions in combat, however, were anything but that. Like many men of the Vietnam War era, Warren Whitworth went into the Army shortly after graduating from Poplar Bluff High School in 1962...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN A week ago, in the St. George's Hall in the Kremlin, Russia's elite cheered and wept as Vladimir Putin announced the re-annexation of Crimea. Seven in 10 Russians approve of Putin's rule. In Crimea, the Russian majority has not ceased celebrating. The re-conquest nears completion. In Eastern Ukraine, Russians have now begun to agitate for annexation by Moscow...

Sylvia Stilley Sylvia L. Stilley, 94, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Ruble Ladymon MALDEN, Mo. -- Ruble Irene Ladymon, 90, of St. Clair, Mo., formerly of Clarkton, Mo., died Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at St. Clair Nursing Home. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel with burial following in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton...

Dorothy Lazzaro PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Dorothy Lazzaro, 87, of Annapolis, Mo., died Monday, March 31, 2014, at her residence. Visitation will begin at 2:30 p.m. for the family and 3 p.m. for the public Friday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. Services will follow at 7 p.m...

Alta L. Mansfield Alta L. Mansfield, 98, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at Oakdale Assisted Living of natural causes. She was a life-long resident of the Bay Springs, Pike Slough and Harviell areas in Butler County, except for a brief residency in St. Louis, Mo...

Youth movements are overrated. The four Lady Royal seniors came through in the biggest moments Wednesday to come back from three runs down in the final two innings and beat Naylor 12-10 to win Twin Rivers' first Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament since 2009...

BONNE TERRE -- In her very first career meet, Lexi Hafford matched Poplar Bluff's high jump record. The freshman cleared 5-feet, 5-inches to win the event Wednesday at the North County Raider Relays. She matched Tierra Johnson's school mark set in 2005. Vicky Barton (1991) and Becky Hansmann (1984) are the only other Lady Mules to clear 5-4...

Steve Fitting VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Stephen "Steve" Edward Fitting, 74, of Van Buren, formerly of Florissant, Mo., died Tuesday, April 1, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. A visitation will be held for the public at 6 p.m. today at McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. George Catholic Church in Van Buren with Pastor Shoby Chettiyath officiating. Burial to follow at the Silliman Family Cemetery...

John McKittrick Jr. GREENVILLE, Mo. -- John L. McKittrick Jr., 68, of Omaha, Neb., died Monday, March 31, 2014, at Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday for the family and 11 a.m. for the public at Evangel Baptist Church in Silva, Mo. The service will follow at 1:30 p.m...

Floyd Duffey DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Floyd Henderson Duffey, 87, of Doniphan passed away April 2, 2014, at his home in rural Ripley County surrounded by his family. Floyd was born May 19, 1926, in Jackson, Tenn., to Othello and Bertha Mae (Glenn) Duffey. He was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Doniphan...

BERNIE -- The Bernie Mules got ahead of district rival Chaffee Wednesday afternoon but couldn't hang on. The Red Devils scored in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 3-1 win. The Mules (2-1) brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh but Chaffee pitcher Cody Payne got out of it...