Stories from Friday, September 12, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Early this week, Poplar Bluff, Mo., junior high teacher Melinda Moncier won the tug-of-war for students' attention by pairing traditional textbooks with a new techbook program accessed through the eighth graders' laptops...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Kajacs Contractors, Inc. was awarded a contract by Hillis Development for extending Barron Road back to Highway W on a new alignment. The Poplar Bluff firm submitted the low bid of $474,475 for the project during a bid opening at the Smith & Co. engineering firm Wednesday...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Local medical professionals have not seen signs locally of a respiratory infection that has hit children especially hard in other parts of the state and across the nation. Butler County has had no confirmed cases of Enterovirus D68, according to Sherri Dodson, a nurse and clinic manager at Butler County Health Department...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer East Carter School Districts officials expect to learn today if classes can resume following a precautionary boil water order which shut the campus down for two days. The order was issued by Ellsinore city officials around noon Tuesday, Superintendent Richard Sullivan said. It occurred after lunch was served and bottled water was provided to students for the remainder of the day...

Michael D. Whitley, Sr. DEXTER, Mo.-- Michael D. Whitley, Sr., 61, of Dexter, died Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, in the Emergency Department of Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County in Dexter . Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Friday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. Tim Russell officiating...

Grace Williams CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Grace Williams, 94, of Campbell, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014 at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. Mrs. Williams, daughter of William and Grace Lowry Thornburg, was born on Jan. 21, 1920 in Campbell...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN By releasing the grisly videos of the beheadings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, ISIS has altered the political landscape here and across the Middle East. America is on fire. "This is beyond anything that we've seen," said Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, "ISIL is as sophisticated and well-funded as any group that we have seen. ... They marry ideology, a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess."...

Mary Ann Hurley PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Mary Ann Hurley, 57, of Piedmont died at her residence on Monday, Sept. 8, 2014. There are no services scheduled at this time. Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhome.com...

Clarence "Archie" Rommel Clarence "Archie" Rommel, 87, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014, at his home. Fowler Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff is in charge of arrangements.

Charles V. Orr DEXTER, Mo. -- Charles Victor Orr, 91, of Dudley, Mo. died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014 at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Visitation will be from 9-10 a.m. Saturday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter with the funeral service following at 11 a.m. ...

Billy Simpson FREDERICKTON, Mo. -- Billy Simpson, 86, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, at a Poplar Bluff hospital. Visitation will be at 5 p.m. Thursday at Follis & Sons Funeral Home Fredericktown, Mo. The funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Follis & Sons Funeral with the Rev. Bob Thebeau officiating. Burial will be in Christian Cemetery in Fredericktown...

The leaves are starting to turn, combines are running, football teams are taking the field - all signs that summer is coming to an end and fall is just around the corner. It's also just about time to harvest fall pears. Pears are members of the large rose family and are the cousins of the apple, almond, and apricot? The deer back home have been enjoying this tasty fruit for a few months...

Poplar Bluff will not have quarterback Kameron Misner taking snaps when the Mules face a state-ranked opponent in their next two games. The junior suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of Friday's 13-0 loss to Farmington and Mules coach Mark Barousse said Misner will miss multiple games...

To the Editor, We are writing to offer our kudos to the City Council and their associates who selected the new City Manager Heath Kaplan. Our community is fortunate to have found someone with his credentials and willingness to direct all of his energy to improving Poplar Bluff. He has made a great start with his decision to pave streets instead of building a bridge. We are sure, if given the time and support needed, he will promote real change and growth in Poplar Bluff...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Black caliphate flags flap in the open air. Islamic head-choppers wreak bloody havoc around the world. Nearly a dozen commercial airliners disappear in Libya. And America's immigration and entrance systems remain in shambles. Now is a good time to ask a question I first posed 10 summers ago: Where is Adnan Shukrijumah? A decade later, the question is still unanswered. The FBI has yet to track down this homicidal plotter. Have you forgotten?...