Stories from Monday, September 8, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Inspired by his father, a business owner, Neelyville senior Justin Parker wants to go to college to earn a business degree. Classmate BreAndrea Hampton knows it will take many years of schooling, but has her heart's set on a doctorate in neonatology...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor The Butler County Fair will kickoff at 3 p.m. Wednesday in downtown Poplar Bluff, Mo., at the Black River Coliseum with officials accepting entries in a variety of categories. The fair will continue through a 8 p.m. Friday. Admission is free and the activities will entertain all age groups...

By EMILY PRIDDY SEMO News Service A federal appeals court likely will have a new issue to consider next week as it weighs whether convicted murderer Russell Bucklew can be executed without violating his Eighth Amendment rights, his lawyer said Friday...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Leaders of the African-American community are working on the possibility of having a special election to remove Poplar Bluff Ward 5 Councilman Peter Tinsley from office. Since Tinsley refused to resign at the council meeting Tuesday night, the black leaders have been researching the recall process as outlined in the Missouri Revised Statutes...

Photos/Corey Matthews

Tony and Caroline Brodell of Jonesboro, Ark., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachael Lynn Brodell to Matthew C. Morrison, of Springfield, Mo. The bridegroom-to-be is the son of Willard and Terri Morrison of Donaldson, Ark...

Willis and Patricia Smith of rural Poplar Bluff, Mo., will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at the New Hope General Baptist Church in Silva, Mo. They are inviting their friends and family to join in celebrating their special day. The event will be hosted by their sons and daughters-in-law, Wesley and Ginger Smith and Eric and Marie Smith. They have five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren...

Saint Francis Medical Center is seeking volunteers for its new Hospice Services Program, which will be offered in Stoddard County. Volunteers in Southeast Missouri are needed to help assist patients in their homes. "Volunteers are a vital role in the hospice program," says Claire Kneer, hospice services program manager. "They are needed to provide companionship to patients in their final stages of life and offer much needed support to family members and caregivers."...

When Missouri's legislature convenes Wednesday for a veto session, one topic on its agenda will be Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of Senate Bill 506 and House Bill 1326. Those are the agriculture bills in which certain ranking legislators inserted language to transfer regulatory control of captive deer in the state from the Missouri Department of Conservation to the Department of Agriculture. Technically speaking, the bills would reclassify captive deer from wildlife to livestock...

Help the Red Cross prepare for emergencies Disasters can strike at any time, and the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to help their communities prepare for emergencies by giving blood during National Preparedness Month. The mission of the Red Cross is to help the public prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. ...

Agnes Riggs MALDEN, Mo. -- Agnes Lorene Riggs, 95, of Malden died Friday, Sept. 5, 2014, at the Gideon Care Center in Gideon, Mo. Visitation will begin at noon today at Landess Funeral Home in Malden, followed by the funeral at 1 p.m. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery at Malden...

By MONA CHAREN The clearest expression of a foreign policy doctrine President Obama has articulated came in 2012 when he announced that the "tide of war in Afghanistan" had "turned" and that this was lucky because it was "now time to focus on nation building here at home." Al-Qaida, defined so narrowly as to exclude everyone save Osama bin Laden and his closest friends, was declared "defeated," and a satisfied commander in chief confidently turned to domestic matters...

By SHARON RANDALL McClatchy-Tribune News Service Three long years had passed since my sister's last visit to our home in Las Vegas. Three years, I guess, is long enough to make even old things look new. "Sissy," she said last week, "where did you get that picture of daddy in the guest room?"...

Jerry Robinson Jerry Kenneth Robinson, 73, of Corning, Ark., formerly of Doniphan, Mo., died Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. A graveside service with full military honors will be at 9 a.m. Friday at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Joseph Davis Born Christmas Eve, 1926, Joseph A. "Abbie" Davis, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died at St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo., on Sept.3, 2014. He is survived by one sister, Betty Lowe of Monticello, Ind., a son, Mike Davis of Tempe, Ariz., two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren...

Emma Lou Thompson CAMPBELL, Mo.-- Emma Lou Thompson, 73, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Thompson, daughter of Elisha and Floye Dudley Davis, was born on Oct. 21, 1940 in Pollard, Ark...

Robert Smith Robert "Bob" Smith, 73, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Smith was born Jan. 22, 1941 in Dexter, Mo. He attended Bluff City Apostolic Worship Center and was the owner/operator of R&J Auto Body for 45 years. He was an auto enthusiast and enjoyed drag racing and auto body work...

DEXTER -- The Bearcats took what they wanted against Charleston. They could have taken more. After forcing a three-and-out to start the game, Dexter offensive coordinator Brice Beck looked at what the defense was giving him and promptly reached into his bag of tricks...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Malden junior Nick Thompson had a front-row seat on a water bucket right on the sideline during the second half Friday night. No, Thompson wasn't injured. No, he wasn't benched by his coach. He just happened to have the best seat in the house after he and his teammates did a job well done in the first half...

Kameron Misner took the snap and headed to the goal line. He and the Poplar Bluff Mules were down 10-0 but 2 yards shy of the end zone facing third down in the second quarter. Farmington stopped the quarterback for no gain then upended Briar Alford on fourth down to complete the goal-line stand...

JACKSON -- Poplar Bluff's cross country runners made their season debut with varying success Saturday morning at the Jackson Invitational. Isaiah Williams won first place in the junior class division on the 2.35-mile Jackson City Park course while Katie Sliger was the winner in the freshman division on a 1.95-mile course...