Stories from Thursday, December 4, 2014

By MIKE McCOY SEMO News Service A farm worker died Tuesday afternoon after being buried in a grain bin on property north of Idalia in Stoddard County. Kenneth Wayne Hurley, 54, of Bloomfield was pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Kenny Pope at 1:32 p.m. The death was ruled an accident...

By TYLER GRAEF SEMO News Service They'd all seen it plenty of times before -- but never like this. Jerry Kinnaman and a handful of fellow hunters stood staring in the cold, captivated by the strange beauty. "Son of a buck," Don Palmer said. "He is incredible."...

By SAMANTHA RINEHART SEMO News Service A day after he joined a group of U.S. senators in sending a letter to the postmaster general, U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt said he believes more time and consideration are needed before the U.S. Postal Service moves forward with its consolidation plan for mail processing facilities...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Police say a report of a shot fired on Saturday near Three Rivers Community College was likely a poacher since they found no evidence of a firearm related crime. "We found no indication of shots being fired anywhere in the area between Shelby Road and the college," said Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley. "An educated guess is that somebody probably saw a deer, fired one shot from a small caliber handgun and left the area."...

Persons interested in becoming city or school board candidates in the April 7 election need to be aware of new filing requirements. Dec. 16 is the first day to file. The last day is Jan. 20. The Missouri School Board Association has sent new policies to school districts regarding the changes and the Missouri Municipal League has done the same for cities...

Farrell Grubbs Farrell Grubbs, 65, of Puxico, Mo. died Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014. Services were held Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014 at the Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxcio. Burial followed in New Hope Cemetery in McGee.

Family Fun-the whole family or a single individual can dance as long as they can walk and follow direction. Good exercise-at a typical dance you can walk between two and three miles. Keep the mind active and alert-by learning the calls and performing them quickly...

The writer of Proverbs describes the lazy, idolent person well, saying "The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets." 26:13. It borders on the ridiculous, but he makes the point. The man who does not want to work or assume any responsibility fabricates excuses that he passes off as reasons why he doesn't. ...

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service One of the busiest shopping places in Southeast Missouri on a weekend leading up to the holidays isn't in any mall. It's down a country road outside Jackson, where the Meier family takes their customers by horse-drawn wagon up a hill to pick a Christmas tree...

The Iron Mountain Market's second annual Christmas at the Depot will be a four-day event, beginning Thursday, inside the Poplar Bluff Historic Train Depot (Amtrak Station). It will be open 4-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday...

WAPPAPELLO LAKE, Mo. - It's starting to look and feel a lot like Christmas in southeast Missouri! The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello Lake and the Wappapello Lions Club announce the 22nd Annual Festival of Lights Christmas Auto Tour started Friday. This event will take place in the east Redman Creek Campground located on Highway T from dusk until 9 p.m. on weekends only until Sunday, Dec. 14. It will be open nightly from Friday, Dec. 19 to Sunday, Dec. 28...

By MIKE MCCOY SEMO News Service BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Wreaths Across America will be held for the seventh consecutive year at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield beginning at 11 a.m. Dec. 13 to coincide with program at Arlington National Cemetery at noon. All events in every state and some foreign countries are held at the exact time of the Arlington ceremony...

HOLCOMB -- Zack Tucker's last two buckets of the night proved to be the biggest of his 28-point performance Monday. The 6-foot-3 Puxico senior cushioned his team's lead with two buckets with under a minute to play as the fourth-seeded Indians averted an upset by Campbell, 55-50, in the first round of the Holcomb Invitational...

From Staff Reports Victims of domestic violence will benefit from the fundraising event Christmas Kickoff Friday, Dec. 5, at Black River Gallery, 502 Vine St., Poplar Bluff, Mo. The Christmas Kickoff is being hosted jointly by Cape Arrowhead and Haven House. Haven House serves domestic violence victims living in Stoddard, Wayne, Butler, Ripley, Carter and Dunklin counties...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Filing for candidacy for the April 7, 2015, municipal election will open at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Puxico City Hall. Offices that will be vacant and up for re-election for a term of two years include Mayor, Municipal Judge, Ward I Alderman and Ward II Alderman...

By RUTH CAMPBELL SEMO News Service Efforts to help boost Southeast Missouri State University's position in the academic marketplace are progressing, but officials are not offering details yet. Southeast board of regents president Doyle Privett said an update is on the board's agenda for Dec. 18 and 19. Privett said he hadn't seen very much about the rebranding so far...

The Patrons of the Arts Society at Three Rivers College continues its 2014-2015 season with the return of a world-renowned troupe of high-flying, death-defying Chinese Acrobats to the Tinnin Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12. This will be the second performance of The National Acrobats of the People's Republic of China at the Tinnin Center in the past five years. ...

USDA Rural Development Missouri State Director Anita J. (Janie) Dunning visited Trailwood Apartments to recognize the efforts of the management company, MACO Management Co., Inc., for providing affordable multi-family housing for the community. A certificate of recognition was presented to Betty Pool, the site manager, in recognition of her extraordinary effort and dedication to the tenants...

The Butler County Farm Service Agency and The University of Missouri Extension are hosting a Farm Bill Meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Holiday Inn, 2781 N. Westwood Blvd. The meeting will end at approximately noon. The meeting is free and open to the public, however, extension does anticipate seating may be limited, so please call the Butler County University of Missouri Extension Center at (573) 686-8064 to register...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Briggs and Stratton recently received a 2014 International Die Casting Design Award for a new engine base design that will be manufactured at the Poplar Bluff facility. "Our design engineers did extensive structural and solidification computer modeling on the part and die design that contributed to the overall success of this product. ...

The Patrons of the Arts Society at Three Rivers College continues its 2014-2015 season with the return of a world-renowned troupe of high-flying, death-defying Chinese Acrobats to the Tinnin Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12. This will be the second performance of The National Acrobats of the People's Republic of China at the Tinnin Center in the past five years. ...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation There is no doubt that this time of year deer get the spotlight as far as our hunting seasons go, but make no mistake about it, there is a tremendous amount of people who are waterfowl hunting junkies - those folks who fill their garages and basements with decoys and prepare for their waterfowl hunting all year long...

Recycling Center taking cardboard Boxing days are back during this holiday season. The Ozark Foothills Recycyling Center will have a cardboard collection at Wal-Mart from Monday, Dec. 22, through Friday, Jan. 1. Take advantage of this opportunity to dispose of your cardboard items....

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Sitting in the middle of the Mississippi Flyway, at the top of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Missouri is an important stopping point for migrating waterfowl. The state also has a long, storied history of waterfowling and wetland management, both the topics of a new, hardback book being offered by the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The wallets of a couple local hunters got a little heavier recently, after two winners emerged from the Daily American Republic's inaugural big buck contest, which ran the duration of the firearms deer season. The contest was judged in three categories - the most points, the widest outside spread and the combined length of the two longest tines on each side - with the winner of each earning $500 in Chamber Bucks...

DeSOTO -- In less than 24 hours the Poplar Bluff Mules became master Dragon slayers using defense as their best offensive weapon. Having already dispatched host DeSoto the previous night, the Mules took down the Ste. Genevieve Dragons with a 16-4 run to start the second half Tuesday afternoon and won 77-59...

HOLCOMB -- The defense was good all night, and it was perfect late. Twin Rivers didn't give up a point in the final 3 minutes, 40 seconds of the game and beat Holcomb 44-33 in the first round of the Holcomb Invitational on Tuesday. "I love looking up at the scoreboard at the end of the game and seeing 33 by my opponent's name. ...

Recalling Rockefeller By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Seen through the prism of subsequent national experience, Nelson Rockefeller resembles a swollen post-war automobile -- a land yacht with tail fins, a period piece, bemusing and embarrassing. He remains, however, instructive...

Like millions of other Americans, I appreciate the plight of billions of people throughout the world who would like nothing more than to find themselves in the United States, where they could enjoy a much higher standard of living and wonderful opportunities for advancement...

VAN BUREN -- The defending Lady Dawg Classic champs advanced with ease Tuesday. The top-seeded Neelyville Lady Tigers outscored No. 8 Ellington 22-2 in the first quarter and moved on to a 58-25 win. Neelyville (1-0) got a game-high 20 points by junior Chelsea Petty. Fellow juniors Maggie Eaker and Shelby Moon followed with 10 and eight points respectively...

In his tirade to close Monday's City Council meeting, City Manager Heath Kaplan called the Daily American Republic's reporting of city issues "shameful," "disgraceful," and "dishonest." Hummm. Let's start with dishonest. It seems Mr. Kaplan has selective memory when it comes to this subject...

Mary Ann Moss Mary Ann Moss, 73, of Reno, Nev., formerly of St. Louis, Mo. and Atlanta Ga., passed away Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center in Reno. Mrs. Moss was born on Aug. 7, 1941 in St. Louis to the late Lucille and Edward Whiteside. On Dec. 6, 1958, she married Kennett Eugene Moss. He preceded her in death in 1995...

Delores Krauss CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Delores Krauss, 75, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Tuesday, Dec. 13, 1938 in Advance, Mo. to the late Pyrtle and Ruth (Masters) Seabaugh. ...

Frances Lee Goodrum Frances Lee Goodrum (nee Cherry), 65, of Imperial, Mo. went home to meet her Lord and Savior after a long battle with cancer Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014 in Tampa, Fla. She was a beloved wife, daughter, mother, sister, grandmother, and aunt. ...

Billy G. Cunningham Billy George Cunningham, 75, of Wappapello, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Dec. 02, 2014, at Southeast Health in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Cunningham was born Dec. 5, 1938 in Parma, Mo., to the late Charles Asa and Pearl Reynolds Cunningham. On Feb. 10, 1958, he and Betty Brown were married in Malden, Mo. She survives of the home...

Amy Bonifield Galloway FISK, Mo. -- Amy Bonifield Galloway, 44, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away on Monday, Dec. 1, 2104, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born Jan. 10, 1970 at Poplar Bluff, the daughter of John Bonifield and the late Martha Forbes Bonifield...

Araceli "Shelly" Kuhnell DEXTER, Mo.--Araceli "Shelly" Kuhnell, 56, of Sikeston, Mo., daughter of the late Carlos Bustos and Maria Cabello Bustos, was born on April 18, 1958 in Laredo, Texas and departed this life on Dec. 1, 2014 at her residence in Sikeston...

Joyce Chandler Copple SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Joyce Chandler Copple was born in Trenton, Mo. on Nov. 26, 1930. She died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014, at Maranatha Village in Springfield, Mo. Her parents were Wilbur and Beulah (Stottlemyre) Chandler. Joyce has two sisters, Joan Offield and Donna Chandler. ...

Vivian Adkins DEXTER, Mo. -- Vivian Nadine Adkins, 97, of Dexter, Mo. died Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Visitation will be after 11 a.m. Thursday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter followed by the funeral service at 1 p.m. ...

Mary McKillips Mary Pauline McKillips, 65, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Ms. McKillips was born Feb. 14, 1949 in Gideon, Mo. to the late Morris and Caroline Meriedith McKillips. She was of the Catholic Faith and she enjoyed spending time with her family, sewing, and making quilt tops and doing jigsaw puzzles...

George David Greer George David Greer, 62, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014 at his residence. A memorial service will begin at 1 p.m. Friday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff with Rev. Jim Schremp officiating. Online condolences: www.cotrellfuneralservice.con...