Stories from Monday, August 18, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer WAPPAPELLO LAKE, Mo. -- Signs were taken down Friday afternoon at a Wappapello Lake beach warning residents of possible high levels of E. coli. The signs were first placed at Peoples Creek beach late Wednesday, when an E. coli test came back at 380 units per 100 milliliters, said park ranger Doug Nichols...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer From his home, Navy veteran Marvin Clark can see Wappapello Lake and likes to watch deer occasionally wander by. A little more than a year ago, Clark didn't know where he would lay his head at night. Among the services responsible for the turn his life has taken in the past year, according to Clark, is the annual Stand Down. This event brings together in one place, for one day, many types of help for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor School is in session, summer vacations are ending and it is time to lighten up. Re-energize by taking a personal day to attend the 27th annual Women Aware conference Thursday, Sept. 25 at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, Mo...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Ozark National Scenic Riverways easily has seen more than 70 million visitors since it was created 50 years ago, an anniversary the National Park will celebrate Saturday. A ceremony recognizing the creation of the park, and the first federally protected rivers, will be held at 6 p.m. at the Depression Era cabin at Big Spring...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer More than 80 area youth participated recently in a special mission trip. Rather than go away for the opportunity to help those in need, the teens were asked to serve those in their own backyard during the second year of 2PB...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Former city manager Doug Bagby was honored during a surprise appreciation reception Friday evening. Councilman Ed DeGaris presented Bagby with a key to the city and a set of St. Louis Cardinals pool balls. "You have been a fantastic person to work for," said DeGaris, a former Poplar Bluff policeman. "You are the most dedicated employee Poplar Bluff has ever had."...

Betty J. Bailey MALDEN, Mo. -- Betty Jean Bailey, 91, of Dexter, Mo., formerly of Malden, died Friday, Aug. 15, 2014 at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing in Dexter. Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at Landess Funeral Home chapel in Malden followed by the funeral at 2 p.m. in the chapel with Rev. Dave Fowler officiating, Burial will be in the Rosewood Cemetery in Malden...

Mark Ray Allen PUXICO, Mo. -- Mark Ray Allen, 64, of Clever, Mo., died Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014, at the Cox South Medical Center in Springfield, Mo. Visitation, followed by the funeral, with the Rev. Ray Placher of Puxico officiating, were held Saturday at Brown General Baptist Church near Puxico...

Larry and Brenda (Cooley) Robards of Broseley, Mo., will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23 at the Elk General Baptist Church in Broseley. They were married Aug. 22, 1964 at the home of Oden Coats. The Robards have lived all their married lives in Butler County. They have two sons, Terry Robards and wife, Carey, of Campbell, Mo., and David Robards and wife, Cheri, of Malden, Mo. They also have four grandchildren...

Hattie Bilbrey Hattie A. Bilbrey, 105, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Aug. 15, 2014 at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel. A graveside service will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Woodlawn section of Poplar Bluff City Cemetery with Rev. Donnie Emmons officiating...

Condemn Israel but... Isn't it strange how the U. S. can immediately condemn Israel for the attacks against Hamas and they are totally silent for the growing genocide within Iraq. Does no one find it odd that all of these nations so willing to condemn Israel are abjectly silent on the matter within Iran. ...

Mary Hartsock Mary Hartsock, 79, of Sebring, Fla., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, at The Somer Hospice House in Sebring. The arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service.

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Butler County will hold a special Luminaria ceremony to remember those who lost their lives to cancer and to honor those who have won the battle. The luminaria candle lighting to represent these individuals will be held at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19 at the Black River Coliseum...

Paul Haynes PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Paul E. Haynes, 70, died Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will begin at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont, followed by the funeral at 2 p.m. Burial will be in the Mt. View Cemetery at Des Arc, Mo...

Area students, who were among the 685 named to the summer 2014 Dean's List at Southeast Missouri State University, include Dana Burgess. Brittany Clevenger, Shalyn Copas, Joshua Freeman, Kenny Johnson, Nicholas Michel, Quentin Michel, Caroline Penney and Kriston Reeder, all of Poplar Bluff; Wesley Garner and Collin Ritter, both of Advance; Alexandra Eakin, Lauren Matlock and Zachary Weeks, all of Bell City; Lindsay Beaird, Nancy Gracia, Krystal Santos and John White, all of Bernie; Alexander Collier, William Forkum, Ashley Overstreet and Ellen Yates, all of Bloomfield; Chelsea Bledsoe, Vicki Burks, Tiffany Morgan and Alexi Vincent, all of Campbell; Jason Bolin, Rebecca Brooks, and Merinda Smith of Clarkton; Emily Hutchcraft, Daniel McCoy, Samantha Midgett, Erika Mouser, Tejay Riddle, Jocelyn Smith and April Wamble, all of Dexter; Chelsey Cosgrove, Charlene Mills, Hannah Netherland and Derek Saffle, all of Doniphan; Daniel Phillips of Ellsinore; Skye Ginn of Fisk;. ...

The American Red Cross continues to have an urgent need for blood donors of all blood types to give before the Labor Day holiday, even after many more donors stepped up to give following an urgent call issued in late July. Donors with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood are especially needed...

By ELEANOR HASENBECK Staff Writer A bit of local history is on display in the Missouri State Capital, thanks to Beth Bangert, an incoming freshman at Greenville High School. Bangert recently competed in the Missouri State National History Day Competition, and was awarded the annual Missouri History Prize. Her exhibit is on display through mid-August in the History Hall of the Missouri State Museum located in the state capital...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama, presiding over an unusually dismal post-recession economy, might make matters worse with a distracting crusade against the minor and sensible business practice called "inversion," more about which anon. So, consider his credentials as an economic thinker...

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Luke Voyles of Broseley, Mo. recently received a Howard Nemerov Writing Scholarship from Washington University in St. Louis. Voyles, a 2014 graduate of Twin Rivers High School, will be a freshman in the university's College of Arts & Sciences when the fall semester begins Aug. 25...

"You do not need to be an expert or interested in Ag related matters only to be involved in 4-H," said Stephanie Milner, Regional 4-H Youth Development Specialist with University of Missouri Extension. "4-H has something for everyone with project opportunities in photography, robotics, foods and nutrition, gardening, animals and much more."...

Le Roy Cunningham PUXICO, Mo. -- Le Roy Cunningham, 83, died Sept. 23, 2012, in Michigan. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield where his ashes will be buried with the Rev. Wayne Burchett officiating...

Tommy Hayes FISK, Mo. -- Tommy Dale Hayes, 72, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Hayes was born June 22, 1942, at Fisk. He had owned and operated Hayes Tire in Poplar Bluff for several years...

Harry Silvy PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Harry Silvy, 94, of Des Arc, Mo., died Saturday, Aug. 16, 2014, at his home. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. Monday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the Mt. View Cemetery at Des Arc...

As engines pushing out NASCAR worthy power and noise warped around the tight track at Brick's Off Road Park, I couldn't help but watch the safety crew, particularly the handful of them standing on an island in the middle of the track. They stood on this particular races' version of an infield, occasionally getting soaked with a wall of water kicked up by 1,000 horsepower boats banking through turns at five Gs...

ST. CLAIR -- After eight carries during the preseason jamboree Friday night, Poplar Bluff's single-season rushing record holder had negative yardage but a positive attitude about the upcoming season. Given the choice of another 1,000-yard season -- last year he ran for 1,785 -- or a winning season, senior Bi Nguyen didn't hesitate...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Southeast Missouri State football coach Tom Matukewicz made it clear that he'd decide on his team's starting quarterback when one of the candidates showed that they were deserving of the job of leading the team. Following the Redhawks' final scrimmage of fall camp, Matukewicz said he had made his decision but did not want to announce his choice until after he'd spoken to his team...