Stories from Thursday, June 26, 2014

By SAMANTHA KLUESNER SEMO News Service A March 2012 crash on Interstate 55 in Scott County soon could be among several reaching the national spotlight. Kelly Irvin, 26, of Cape Girardeau was traveling in her 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt on March 27, 2012, when the engine shut off and the car began skidding sideways, crossing the center of the road and coming to a rest on the east side of the interstate, according to court documents filed in her lawsuit against General Motors...

By SAMANTHA KLUESNER SEMO News Service BENTON, Mo. -- An outpouring of support is being shown for the victim of an accidental shooting in the parking lot of Kelly High School. Prayer vigils, makeshift memorials, social media posts and signs throughout the rural community sent thoughts and prayers to the friends and family of 15-year-old sophomore Kaden Robert, remembered by many as always smiling and as a giving and caring person...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The basement of the Vine Street apartment building where St. Vincent de Paul distributed 9,000 bags of groceries to needy residents last year is cramped. At only 900 square feet, every inch of space has to be used. The ceiling is so low in some areas, the mostly senior-citizen group of volunteers cannot stand up straight...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Aided by a June 19 appellate court ruling in another case, Rocky Kingree of Van Buren, Mo., was successful Tuesday in getting his name placed on the Aug. 5 primary election ballot as the only Republican candidate for Division II associate circuit judge in Butler County...

By AMITY SHEDD SEMO News Service The Better Business Bureau is expanding operations to Cape Girardeau and will open an office in October in the Auburn Park Place office building at 3065 William St. The bureau chose a location on the west side of the city because of heavier traffic flow and the need to be accessible to residents, said Michelle Corey, president and CEO of the St. Louis BBB...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation A time honored tradition will be begin soon at the end of this month. That's right, it occurs at dusk on the last night in June each year. Can you guess what it is? Frog season opens. Missouri has two frogs that are legal game, the bullfrog and the green frog. Bullfrogs are much larger and therefore more sought after. In my opinion, these tasty little critters have a unique flavor somewhere between fish and chicken, but slightly sweeter...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The Missouri Department of Conservation has approved the season dates for early migratory birds this fall. As always, dove season will open Sept. 1 and run through Nov. 9, with a limit of 15 birds daily and 45 in possession...

Tops MO 734 was called to order at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 11. Ten Tops and five Kops were present as leader Linda Morgan called the meeting. The following reports were read and approved: the secretary's report by Lou Ann Wrather, the treasurer's report by Pam Kane and the exercise report by Ruth Fisher...

Daniel Watson NEELYVILLE, Mo.- Daniel C. Watson, 63, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Monday, June 23, 2014 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Fowler Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville. Funeral Services will begin at 11 a.m. Friday with Bro. Danny Helton officiating...

To the Editor: Reading the newspaper during the past few months has encouraged me to write in reference to our political movements. Not only have our politicians been voting to put the bill of the road and bridge repairs on the backs of the people of Missouri by a sales tax instead of taxing the people that use the roads especially with heavy loads and equipment, but also have voted to give a good tax break to big business and private business thus placing another burden on the backs of people of the state, the people they swore to protect and listen to.. ...

Everett Delaney CAMPBELL, Mo.- Everett Warren Delaney, 65, of Clarkton, Mo. died Monday, June 23, 2014 at Gideon Care Center in Gideon, Mo. Graveside services will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Kennett, Mo. with Rev. Tom Zych officiating. Landess Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

Bobby King FISK, Mo. - Bobby Dean King, 78, of Broseley, Mo., died Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at his residence. He was born March 11, 1936 at St. Francis, Ark. He enjoyed auctions, hunting and spending time with family and friends. On March 12, 1966 he married Sharon Kay Thompson...

They grew up on opposite coasts, have never met and most likely never will. But they share something in common (aside from the fact that they're both 18, seriously good-looking and recently graduated from high school) that I hope they'll remember. It's simple. They are much loved by an aunt and uncle who weren't often present in their lives but delighted in watching them grow up from afar...

Darryl Smith Darryl Steven Smith, 62, of Lakeland, Fla., passed away May 29, 2014, at the V.A. Hospital in Tampa, Fla. Mr. Smith was born Oct. 12, 1951, in Aurora, Ill., to J.T. and Marilyn Petersen Smith, and was an Army Medic. He is survived by his wife, Deirdre; two daughters: Lindsay and Ashley, and his mother Marilyn Smith, of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

DeWayne Rogers DeWayne LeRoy Rogers, 50, of Wappapello, Mo., passed away Monday, June 23, 2014, at his residence. Mr. Rogers was born Aug. 17, 1963, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. to Ronald and Zelma Currie Rogers. On May 26, 1986, he married Linda May Bennett in Lowndes, Mo. She survives of the home...

Mildred Tucker DEXTER, Mo. -- Mildred Marie Tucker, 93, died Sunday, June 22, 2014, at the Cypress Point Care Center in Dexter, Mo. Burial was in the Essex Cemetery in Essex, Mo. with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

Ralph Pennington FISK, Mo. - Ralph "Shorty" Junior Pennington, 69, of Qulin, Mo., died Saturday, June 7, 2014 at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He was born Jan. 16, 1945 at Qulin. Mr. Pennington is survived by one daughter: Judy Carpenter Hayes of McConnells, S.C.; two sons: Kenneth "David" Pennington of Purdy, Mo. and Cody Pennington of Fisk; one brother: Leroy Pennington of Bloomfield, Mo.; and one sister: Joyce Watkins of Cape Girardeau, Mo....

Falling in VA cracks The reason the VA in Poplar Bluff has no wait time is because they will not allow a patient to make a future appointment. Also even mental patients with PTSD are not made future appointments, therefore they fall through the cracks. This is a concerned veteran...

By TRUDY RUBIN The Philadelphia Inquirer When President Obama went on TV last week to outline his response to terrorist advances in Iraq, he missed a chance to do something essential: convey how serious the threat is to the Mideast - and to us. The practical steps he proposed made sense in the short run (although they should have been taken at least a year earlier): Increase U.S. ...

Area Mo. State graduates Several area students were among the 2,381 receiving degrees from Missouri State University during its three spring commencement ceremonies in Springfield, Mo. The following local students graduated: Poplar Bluff, Mo. Staci N. Callahan, Entrepreneurship-BS, James G. Spurgeon, Biology-BS, Samuel A. Stewart, Natural Resources-BS;...

ST. LOUIS -- Chance Holden was among 14 players to finish under par Tuesday in the opening round of the 107th Missouri Amateur Championship. The Dexter golfer shot 1-under-par 70 by carding four birdies and 12 pars at Norwood Hills Country Club. He is tied for 12th heading into the final round of stroke play today...

Retired teachers met June 18 The Butler County Retired Teachers and School Personnel met June 18 at Twin Towers. In attendance were 27 members and guests. Rep. Todd Richardson and Rep. Steve Cookson spoke and answered questions pertaining to issues of interest...

Mabel Waters FISK, Mo.- Mabel Louise Waters, 82, of Fisk, died Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at her residence. Mabel was born Sept. 2, 1931 at Fisk. She was a member of Walnut Grove General Baptist Church. Mabel devoted her life to caring for her family and is survived by her children: Robert Dale Morgan, Louise Waters, Tina Schumer and Niki Barks; grandchildren: Wyatt, Lane, Lexi and Bailey; and one sister, Gladys Morgan. ...

were at a special education conference in Lake of the Ozarks. The conversation, as it had in the past, drifted toward getting matching tattoos. They say they were just "hee-hawing" around. They had thought about it more than once and wanted one, but never came up with the right idea or design. One afternoon at the conference, Lori Vaughan, the daughter, just started doodling and came up with a heart that is both the color of a softball and has those trademark stitches running across it...

Sherry Ketcherside FISK, Mo.- Sherry Ketcherside, 56, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, June 23, 2014 at her daughter's residence. She was born Sept. 16, 1957 in St. Louis, Mo. She married Gary Ketcherside in April, 2002. He preceded her in death...