Stories from Wednesday, September 17, 2014

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Noranda filed a motion with the Missouri Public Service Commission Friday requesting that the PSC reconsider its Aug. 20 order denying Noranda's request for a lower power rate at the company's aluminum smelter in New Madrid, Mo. The Missouri Office of Public Counsel, which represents all consumers in matters before the PSC, has filed a similar request...

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- It takes a small army to make a movie When the production crews for "Gone Girl" landed in Cape Girardeau, it was obvious. Caravans of people and tractor-trailer loads of props and camera equipment filled half a city block on Independence Street for weeks, where the crew was based, and numerous shooting locations were taken over for days at a time. ...

City files motion in debt case of Becker Internet By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Interim City Attorney Robert Smith has filed a motion for examination of judgment debtor against Poplar Bluff Internet, Inc., which has not made any payments on the more than $200,000 owed to the city of Poplar Bluff...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Teachers at Fisk and Qulin elementary schools knew they had students who came to school hungry Monday mornings. While most children look forward to the two days of weekend, it can be a long time between lunch Friday and breakfast Monday for needy families that rely on school meals, according to Kristie Bagwell, fifth and sixth grade math teacher...

By TOM UHLENBROCK Missouri State Parks PILOT KNOB, Mo. - With 1,300 soldiers, 20 cannons and an explosion planned that will echo through the Arcadia Valley, the re-enactment of the Battle of Pilot Knob promises to re-create the drama of 150 years ago...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Butler County Commission has decided to change its health insurance provider for county employees. Presiding Commissioner Ed Strenfel, Western District Commissioner Jeff Darnell and Eastern District Commissioner Butch Anderson decided to switch from United Healthcare to Blue Cross Blue Shield...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer In the wake of the failure of April's bond proposal, the Neelyville R-IV Board of Education on Monday agreed to borrow funds to make facility repairs including roof replacements that administrators say are desperately needed at three different facilities...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor An appellate court denied Rocky Kingree's request to dismiss one of the civil suits filed against him that challenge his qualifications to become Division II associate circuit judge in Butler County. Kingree filed two petitions for "writ of mandamus" Friday with the Court of Appeals, Southern District, against Presiding Circuit Judge Fred Copeland of New Madrid in cases brought against him by Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour on behalf of the State of Missouri and attorney Chris Yarbro on behalf of Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth.. ...

To Editor: I am all for paving gravel roads in Poplar Bluff. As was mentioned during a recent Council meeting, they are a blight on our City's image. I'm not sure what this would cost, or where the money would from. But it is a worthwhile project. With that said, I disagree with some of the arguments raised by the Mayor and the new City Manager...

By PATRICK J. Buchannan "I say to the people of Estonia and the people of the Baltics, today we are bound by our treaty alliance. ... Article 5 is crystal clear: An attack on one is an attack on all. So if ... you ever ask again, 'who'll come to help,' you'll know the answer -- the NATO alliance, including the armed forces of the United States of America."...

Mildred Donica photo FISK, Mo.--Mildred Margaret Donica, 91, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Qulin, Mo. died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at the Sikeston Convalescent Center. Mrs. Donica was born Dec. 26, 1922, at Neelyville, Mo. She was a homemaker and a member of Highland Drive Church of Christ. ...

Kurt Luecke Photo Kurt G. Luecke, 58, prominent businessman of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, at his residence. Kurt was born Oct. 9, 1955, in St. Louis, Mo. After graduating from St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis, he attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. ...

Rose Heskett DEXTER, Mo.--Rose Annetta Heskett, 94, of Advance, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at her home. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m today at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, Mo. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter...

By MONA CHAREN It has been over a month since Michael Brown was shot and killed in Ferguson, Mo., and we have yet to hear the police officer's version of events. Was Officer Darren Wilson badly injured in his scuffle with Brown? Did Brown attempt to seize the officer's weapon? Did Wilson have reason to fear for his own life?...

Deborah Isbell WAPPAPELLO, Mo.--Deborah "Debbie" J. Isbell, 53, of Williamsville, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Wappapello...

Cane Creek Club meets Glenda Phillips was hostess for the Cane Creek Community Club's Wednesday meeting at the Twin Towers with seven members present. The thought for the day was "Life is the act of drawing without an eraser." After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, the members answered roll call with a school memory...

About 70 dogs brought their owners and families to "Doggie Swim Day" at the Poplar Bluff city pool on Sunday, Sept. 7, for an afternoon filled with sunshine, splashes and laughter. The event marked the end of the swim season at Hillcrest Park and was co-sponsored by the Poplar Bluff Parks & Recreation Dept. and the Animal Welfare Alliance (AWA). The city pool now will be winterized until next spring...

Dr. Dodson Cravens will be the speaker at the September meeting of the Diabetic Support Group which meets at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center at 6 p.m. Thursday in Educational Meeting Room 3. This group meets the third Thursday of each month in this same location. For information, call Merle Ann Caldwell at 870-324-2216...

Catherine Garner LEXINGTON, Ky.-- Catherine Dawson Garner, 86, of Lexington, wife of Rev. Dr. Allen C. Garner, Sr., died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014. She was a native of Poplar Bluff, Mo. Besides her husband, survivors include one son, Allen C. (Ann Whitney) Garner, Lexington; two daughters, Grace (Benson) Miller, Lexington, and Virginia (Don) Cullison, Bonita Springs, Fla.; eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Martha Garner (David) Albers and family of Poplar Bluff...

Jo Alyce (Jody) Mason, 89, of Dexter, Mo. died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. today at the funeral home. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Memphis Memory Gardens Cemetery in Memphis, Tenn...

BY WALTER E. WILLIAMS At a July fundraising event in Chicago, Mrs. Michelle Obama remarked, "So, yeah, there's too much money in politics. There's (sic) special interests that have too much influence." Sen. John McCain has been complaining for years that "there is too much money washing around political campaigns today." According to a 2012 Reuters poll, "Seventy-five percent of Americans feel there is too much money in politics." Let's think about money in politics, but first a few facts...

Mary Cummings Mary Cummings, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Sept. 15, 2014 at The Manor in Poplar Bluff. A graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo., with Pastor Keith Luke officiating...

Debbie Jo Isbell Debbie Jo Isbell, 53, of Williamsville, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mrs. Isbell was born Dec. 31, 1960 in St. Louis, Mo. She was a member of Little Brushy Missionary Baptist Church in Wappapello, Mo. and was an assistant to the Commercial Loan Officer at Commerce Bank, West Pine St. branch in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Isbell enjoyed spending time with her family, especially with her grandchildren, scrap booking and knitting...

Katheline Whitney Katheline "Kathy" Whitney, 61, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Monday, Sept. 15, 2014, at her residence. Mrs. Whitney was born Sept. 11, 1953, in Poplar Bluff, to the late Jim Smith and Mary D. Burden. Mrs. Whitney enjoyed sewing, crafts, cooking, spending time with family and grandchildren, and yard sales. She attended the Palace of Praise. On Oct. 14, 1969, she was united in marriage to Jimmy Whitney...

Cliston C. Porter NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Cliston C. Porter, 89, of Naylor, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan, Mo. He was born July 4, 1925. He married Mabel Hardin May 12, 1951, in Piggott, Ark. She preceded him in death Jan. 25, 2001...

Donald Manetz PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Donald E. Manetz, 88, of Piedmont, Mo., died Monday, Sept. 15, 2014, at his residence. Services are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, Mo.

PIEDMONT -- Playing with a much more inexperienced roster this fall, the Twin Rivers Royals started off with eight consecutive losses. But by jumping on their opponents early, the Royals have reeled off two straight wins. Twin Rivers took advantage of first-inning errors by Clearwater and never trailed for a 5-3 Ozark Foothills Conference win Monday afternoon...

The Lady Raiders are going to have a difficult time winning 20 games for the third year in a row, and that says nothing about the quality of this year's team. After playing 30 games two years ago and 28 last year, including the Region XVI Tournament, that number might decrease again...

BERNIE -- The Battle of the Mules was a real barn burner Monday night. Poplar Bluff and Bernie quickly split the first two games and each had two match points foiled before the Mules wearing blue won 25-12, 11-25, 29-27. Bernie's Addie Shelton and Megan Craft each sent a spike into the opposite back corner on consecutive points to end the match...

FARMINGTON -- Kristen Shelton's first-inning infield hit accounted for Poplar Bluff's lone runner Monday. Farmington's Kaila Nash retired the final 20 hitters in order as the Knightettes beat Poplar Bluff 8-0. "She made some good pitches where we didn't hit the ball well," Mules coach Lisa Boyer said. "They played defense, hit the ball hard."...

ELLSINORE -- The East Carter Redbirds held off a late surge by the Neelyville Tigers in a district final rematch from last spring. The Tigers scored three times in the top of the seventh but came up short in the Ozark Foothills Conference matchup Monday as East Carter took a 7-5 decision...