Stories from Wednesday, July 16, 2014

By MARK BLANTON SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- More than 300 cars were on display Friday and Saturday at Smith Auction Co.'s Classic Car Auction at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. "It's almost all classic cars," Sherm Smith, founder of Smith Auction Co. in Dexter, Mo., said Friday...

By EMILY PRIDDY and MARK BLANTON SEMO News Service SIKESTON, MO. --A Sikeston, Missouri, woman has been charged with murder after police say she deliberately ran over 57-year-old John Sharber in a discount store parking lot. Savannah R. Davis, 27, faces charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action, court records show...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Nearly 500 people participated in Saturday's grand opening festivities for the Downtown Poplar Bluff Farmers Market, according to DPB Executive Director Penny McGath. "We had 15 vendors on the Black River Coliseum parking lot," McGath said. "It was wonderful to see the great turnout."...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor QULIN, Mo. -- The new City Hall, which was dedicated Saturday, is the new, permanent polling place for Qulin Precinct voters. "We will use the council room," Butler County Clerk Tonyi Deffendall said Monday. "The new city hall is handicapped accessible and the parking is better."...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Advisory Search Committee has selected five finalists for the position of Poplar Bluff city manager. "We interviewed 11 applicants before recommending five to the council," said Mayor Pro Tem Jack Rushin, who is the committee chairman...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Schools don't need a new state law to arm staff members, according to area superintendents. The legislation vetoed Monday by Gov. Jay Nixon could have created a template for school security programs, allowing teachers to carry guns and establishing rules regarding training, Poplar Bluff Superintendent Chris Hon said...

By EMILY PRIDDY SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A federal jury Thursday awarded $250,000 to a federal agent who sued a state trooper, alleging false arrest and false imprisonment, the agent's attorney reported Friday. Ryan Becker of Jackson, Mo., a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, sued trooper D.W. Crank of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, claiming Crank violated his civil rights by arresting him without probable cause...

Salute to the band Great parade! Great parade, but two faults. I think the kids did an excellent job on playing music and stuff, but one more poor passed out even before she got to make the trip. And some others got kinda sick. I think it's too long to have them march that far, play in the band on a hot day like July 4th. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN One question I am asked while on tour for my new book, "The Greatest Comeback," on the resurrection of Richard Nixon, is: Does Nixon's rise, from crushing defeats in 1960 and 1962, and the debacle his party suffered in 1964, to capturing the White House and beginning a string of five victories in six presidential elections, have relevance for today's GOP?...

Upcoming blood donation opportunities: Butler County July 17 from 12 - 4 p.m. at John J Pershing VA Medical Center, 1500 N. Westwood, Highway 67 N in Poplar Bluff, Mo; July 25 from 1 - 5 p.m. at Walgreens, 110 N. Westwood Blvd. in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Dunklin County...

Leatha White GREENVILLE, Mo.- Leatha Mae White, 95, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, July 13, 2014, at the de Greeff Hospice House at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis. Visitation will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Greenville. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel...

Thelma Yandell Thelma G. "Geri" Yandell, 63, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, July 12, 2014, at her residence. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Elaine McConnell MALDEN, Mo. - Elaine F. McConnell, 90, of Malden, died Saturday, July 12, 2014, at the Golden Living Center in Malden. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. today at the Landess Funeral Home in Malden. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday with the Rev. Stewart Clark officiating...

To the Editor: The Board of Directors of Recycling Grace Women's Center, Inc. would like to formally extend their appreciation to members of our community who have graciously contributed their support for the development and recent opening of the Women's Center in Poplar Bluff. ...

Gerald Reed CORNING, Ark.- Gerald "Jerry" Reed, 68, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Saturday, July 12, 2014, at his home. Mr. Reed was born Feb. 10, 1946 in Joliet, Ill. He was a retired police officer, and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He is survived by his wife, Donna (Price) Reed, of Poplar Bluff; his sister, Debra Lynn Glass; adopted brothers, Ron and Jack; adopted sister, Pat; niece Destiny, her husband, Eddie, and son Alex; several brother and sister-in-laws; nephews and nieces...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Two 5-4 decisions on the final decision day of the Supreme Court's term dealt with issues that illustrate the legal consequences of political tactics by today's progressives. One case demonstrated how progressivism's achievement, the regulatory state, manufactures social strife, and can do so in ways politically useful to progressives. The other case arose from government coercion used to conscript unwilling citizens into funding the progressives' party...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Some sore losers just don't know when to pick up their billion-dollar marbles and go away. Far, far away. I'm looking at you, Michael Bloomberg. The former New York City mayor mouthed off about my adopted hometown of Colorado Springs and my friends in nearby Pueblo in Rolling Stone magazine this month. He snidely bashed our neighborhoods as backwater holes "where I don't think there's roads. It's as far rural as you can get."...

The U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 2012 losses because of personal identity theft totaled $24.7 billion. The money losses from identity theft pale in comparison with the costs of paperwork, time and inconvenience imposed on the larger society in an effort to protect ourselves. ...

Kelsey Sumrall, a senior from Poplar Bluff, Mo., was named to the Harding University dean's list for the spring semester. To be eligible, a student must be carrying 12 or more hours with a 3.65 or higher grade-point average and no incompletes.

Tops Mo 734 Take Of Pound Sensibly was caled to order at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 9. 12 TOPS and four KOPS were present as Leader Linda Morgan called the roll. Following roll call Lou Ann Wrather read the secretary's report which was approved. The best weekly losers were Sonya Steele for Tops and Lou Roach for KOPS...

CarMart employees in Poplar Bluff, Mo., have been collecting fans from area residents who wish to help less fortunate neighbors keep cool this summer. The Visiting Nurse Association of Southeast Missouri has agreed to distribute the fans to Southeast Missouri residents who are without air conditioning and are in need of a means to avoid the heat. ...

The Missouri Peach Fair in Campbell, Mo., will host the annual Youth Talent Contest. There will be a junior division for ages 12 and under and a senior division for ages 13 to 21. The contest will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, in the Campbell Community Center. The contest is a preliminary for the Mid-South Fair, where the contestants can win a bid or recieve an invitation to compete for a prize up to $3000...

Jerry James Jerry James, 75, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, July 13, 2014 at his residence. He was born July 19, 1938 to Carl B. and Lottie Lorene Gabriel James in Risco, Mo. April 17, 1959, he married Barbara Bagwell in Poplar Bluff. She survives of the home...

Pearl Melton QULIN, Mo.- c, 92, passed away Monday, July 14, 2014, at her home in Qulin. Pearl was born Nov. 15, 1921 in Campbell, Mo., to Eunice Tucker Pride and Louis Pride. In Dec. 23, 1943, she married Louis S. Melton in Piggott, Ark. He preceded her in death Jan. ...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Tanner McKinney qualified for the 114th U.S. Amateur by taking one of three qualifying spots Monday at Jefferson City Country Club. The Piedmont native shot even-par 142, tying for second place with four others then winning a playoff to advance with medalist Joe Migdal of Ballwin and Jack Comstock of Jacksonville, Fla...

Strike Zone pitcher and leadoff hitter Kaylee Payne put the kind of exclamation point on the Park Department Junior League Tournament championship that only happens in movies. After a dominant third inning where Strike Zone had already scored nine runs, including one by Payne, she stepped up to the plate and smoked a 1-0 fastball to the fence for a 3-run, inside-the-park home run...

Clara Vancil QULIN, Mo. - Clara Mae "Pierce" Vancil, 93, of Qulin, died Friday, July 11, 2014 at Mark Twain Caring Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She was born Jan. 14, 1921. On Nov. 22, 1941 she married Homer Vancil. He preceded her in death on July 15, 1981. She was a member of the Qulin Church of Christ...

Clara Vancil -- Qulin, Mo. Jerry James -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Pearl Melton -- Qulin, Mo.