Stories from Thursday, October 2, 2014

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Entertainers, food booths, shows, demonstrations, contests, a Kids Zone and historic places are expected to attract thousands of people to Downtown Poplar Bluff for the fifth annual Iron Horse Festival from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Sheila McGath got good news Tuesday from the doctors who are treating her for breast cancer. They said her white blood cell count -- the number that measures the strength of her immune system -- was in the normal range. The news comes just weeks after that count fell so low, doctors had to treat the Qulin, Mo., resident with the same antibiotics used to treat anthrax exposure...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A suspected fuel drive-off Tuesday morning at a convenience store on Highway 67 North led to an alleged pursuit, that ended about 10 miles farther south when the suspect vehicle crashed into a utility pole. At about 11:25 a.m., employees with the Minit Mart convenience store in the 3900 block of Highway 67 North, which is just outside the city limits, reported a fuel drive off involving a white Chrysler van, according to a press release from Poplar Bluff Police Capt. ...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL It was a day of friendly competition, fun and food for three residents of Puxico Nursing & Rehab Center when they attended the Missouri Health Care Association District V Golden Age Games Sept. 26 at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau...

"Wouldn't you hate to have to wear glasses all the time?" asked a boy of his playmate. "No," answered the playmate, "not if they were my Grandma's kind. For she sees when folks are tired or sighing and what will make them feel better. And she sees what you mean to do, even if you haven't gotten things just right. She told me it was the way she looked at things since she has grown older so it must be her spectacles."...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL The Puxico High School Indians played three home games this past week. In their first match up Tuesday, Sept. 23, the Indians faced Bell City, where Puxico lost 7-1. "We only had three hits," said Coach John Simpher. "Pitching was good in the beginning, but Bell City continued to put the ball in play and found ways to score."...

E. R. "Sonny" Newsom PUXICO, Mo. -- E. R. "Sonny" Newsom, 73, of Puxico, son of Lucille Sittner Newsom and the late Elam Remel Newsom, Sr., was born on Oct. 12, 1940, in Gideon, Mo. and passed away at the Puxico Nursing and Rehab Center in Puxico Monday, Sept. 29, 2014...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL The Puxico Lady Indians junior varsity and varsity teams fought hard against the Advance Lady Hornets Sept. 25 at home but fell short of claiming the victory. The JV lost in two sets, 19-25 and 16-25. "They've really come a long way since the beginning of the season," said Coach Sara Holloway of the JV team. ...

Brittany Hager, the granddaughter of Clyde and Sandy Doublin of Puxico, a freshman at Three Rivers College was one of four Lady Raiders named to the 2014 Academic All-American Team. Taylor Friedn and Hager of the softball team and Anna Vogt and Whitney Welker of the basketball teams achieved All-American status. Each of them had a grade point average exceeding 3.6 and earned the Exemplary Academic Achievement Award...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL The 23rd Annual Old Greenville Days provided a fun, family-like atmosphere to attendees and participants Sept. 20-21 at the Old Greenville Recreation Area. The two-day event combined arts and crafts; candlelight tours; bluegrass, country and gospel music; living history featuring Civil War encampments; old-fashioned children's games; and contemporary and old-fashioned foods and was the perfect blend of old and new. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Once war is forced upon us, there is no other alternative than to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end. "War's very object is victory, not prolonged indecision." So said Gen. MacArthur in some of the wisest counsel the old soldier ever gave his countrymen...

The median American household saw its net worth decline by 36 percent during the Great Recession. That is a hard reality. A Republican held the White House when the crash hit, and voters, in no mood to be charitable, blamed the GOP. Besides, Democrats were ready with an explanation that slid right into an existing groove of American thinking: The financial crisis was caused by Republicans going easy on their big banker friends...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Southeast Missouri pizza lovers have reason to "rejoice, rejoice" as Little Caesars, the iconic brand that has become an international favorite and the largest carryout pizza chain in the world, is now open in Poplar Bluff...

By CANDICE DAVIS Mo. Dept. of Conservation CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces Jeff Skaggs, owner of Skaggs Logging in Wayne County, as the 2014 Southeast Region Logger of the Year. Skaggs is certified as a Professional Timber Harvester and a Missouri Master Logger. According to Regional Forestry Supervisor Joe Garvey, Skaggs' nomination is due to his professionalism and high quality results in the logging woods...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Missouri's early Canada goose season opens Saturday. This season doesn't get a lot of attention, but I do know several folks who will make an effort to find some. There never are big numbers of Canadas (don't call them Canadians ... they don't carry passports!) around this area of the state, but we do have enough local birds to make things interesting...

Why? It's a question we've been hearing a lot lately. While there were whispers early on after the new city manager hit town, those quiet asides among friends have turned into rumbling. The rumbling began after the city council, on the recommendation of the city manager, turned down a $17,000 cheaper health insurance bid from a Poplar Bluff business in favor of a firm headquartered in London, whose closest branch office is in St. Louis...

Poplar Bluff kicked more balls into the woods than it allowed shots. The Mules put together their most dominating performance of the season and comfortably beat Fredericktown 8-0 on Tuesday at Whiteley Park. Poplar Bluff, which lost 3-2 at Fredericktown nearly a month ago, was rarely without possession of the ball...

The Visiting Nurses Association will be giving flu shots and fluzone quad from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at the Broseley Senior Center. The shots for anyone 60 years and older and who is a Butler County resident may be billed directory to the Butler County Senior Tax Fund. Medicare may be billed directly. Anyone under 60 years of age or paying will be charged $20. Medicaid cannot be billed...

BENTON -- Poplar Bluff teed off on one of the top area pitchers but struggled in the field Tuesday. Stephanie Worth double in the go-ahead run as Kelly scored five times in the bottom of the sixth to beat the Mules 11-6. Poplar Bluff (12-11) had 15 hits but left nine runners stranded and committed five errors...

ELLSINORE -- It was an ugly defensive day for the Greenville Bears. But maybe they got it out of their system before next week's Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament. With the potential top seed on the line, the Bears committed eight errors and East Carter took advantage with a 9-2 victory Tuesday afternoon...

CAMPBELL -- After three upsets in six games in the first two days of the September Showdown the seedings finally held true in the championship semifinals of the Tuesday evening. Top-seeded Cooter secured a 10-0 six-inning victory against fifth-seeded Puxico in the first semifinal Tuesday. The top four hitters in Bernie's lineup combined for eight hits and seven RBIs to help the second-seeded Mules beat the sixth-seeded Campbell Camels 7-0 in the nightcap...

Duel "Duane" Davis Duel "Duane" Davis, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, Sept. 29, 2014, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Davis' body will be cremated and his family will scatter his ashes. Condolences may be sent to 1300 S. 13th St., Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Donna McKnight Donna Lou McKnight, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014, at her residence. Mrs. McKnight was born Sept. 7, 1930 in Senath, Mo., to William "Bill" Hastings and Robbie L. Tyler Hastings. On Dec. 12, 1948, she married James K. McKnight in Poplar Bluff. He preceded her in death in 2013...

Robert Alan "Bob" Moffitt AURORA, Mo.-- Robert Alan "Bob" Moffitt, 55, of Aurora, died Thursday, Sept. 25, 2104. A celebration of Bob's life will be held from 4 - 7 p.m. Saturday at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Fellowship Hall. Memorial donations may be made to National Scoliosis Foundation in care of the funeral home...

George Michel DONIPHAN, Mo.-- George Michel, 94, of Fairdealing, Mo. departed this life Monday, Sept. 29, 2014, at Southeast Health Center of Ripley County in Doniphan. Mr. Michel, son of the late Peter and Katharina (Bender) Michel, was born Dec. 25, 1919, in Neudorf, Yugoslavia. He had been a sheet metal worker in the construction field. Mr. Michel was a bee-keeper and herbalist...

Don Robertson Don Robertson, 77, of Jonesboro, Ark., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014 at de Greeff's Hospice Care Center in St. Louis, Mo. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff...