Stories from Friday, August 15, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer When junior high teacher Anita Frey's students returned to class Thursday, she greeted each one at the door with a handshake and few friendly words. This activity wasn't meant to ease first day nerves. It will be part of Frey's every day routine in the next school year, just as it was last year...

My favorite veggie is finally ripe! There's nothing better than fresh, delicious tomatoes. Did you know that the first tomatoes came from Mexico and Central America? They were about the size of a cherry tomato. Today we have more than 1,000 different varieties of tomatoes. ...

Kristen Lynn Ploetze of Nashville,Tenn. recently graduated with a medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She recieved the Orthopedic Surgery Clerkship Award and Surgical Clerkship Award at the graduation ceremony. The American Medical Women's Association presented Dr. Ploetze the Glasgow-Rubin Citation for Academic Achievement...

By MICHELLE MALKIN The voice on the other end of the line is exasperated. "It's insane," he wants America to know. "We're in a war zone." And there's no room for apathy. "This is coming to a town near you," he warns. The man on the phone is a veteran of the Department of Homeland Security who works in South Texas. ...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat The Republican weekly radio address summed up the prevailing national attitude in one short phrase - Something is wrong in Washington. Now the liberals are anxious to label the problem as a resistant GOP House, unwilling to embrace the Obama agenda...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN At the end of the Cold War, Francis Fukuyama famously wrote that our world may be at the "end of history" where "Western liberal democracy" becomes "the final form of human government." A quarter century on, such optimism seems naive...

Terry Fanning Terry Wayne Fanning, 57, of St. Louis, Mo., died Monday, Aug. 4, 2014, at the Oak Park Care Facility in St. Louis. A graveside memorial will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at Pleasant Valley Cemetery with the Rev. Bob Smith officiating...

Larry Ray Stricklin Larry Ray Stricklin, 61, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital. Mr. Stricklin was born Oct. 13, 1952 in Caruthersville, Mo., to the late Ray and Cassie Pearl Bowen Stricklin. He was of the Baptist faith and enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren...

The Poplar Bluff football team will get ready for the upcoming season Friday when the Mules travel to St. Clair for the annual jamboree. The Mules will play 12 offensive and 12 defensive snaps against three teams starting at 7 p.m. against Ritenour. Rolla and host St. Clair will also line up against the Mules, who open the season a week later, Aug. 22, at home against Fox...

Mary Sue Copas Kruse Mary Sue Copas Kruse, 69, of Doniphan, Mo., passed away Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014, at her residence. Mrs. Kruse was born Sept. 20, 1944 in Rockford, Ill., to the late Leslie and Phyllis Estes Copas. On March 28, 1969, she and Robert J. ...

The Three Rivers Raiders have added All-State guard Lane Below of Advance. Below averaged 27.3 points and 5.2 assists his senior season while shooting 54 percent from the field, 43 percent on 3-pointers and 85 percent on free throws. "We're happy to have Lane, we think he's got a great attitude and a lot of upside," Three Rivers coach Gene Bess said...