Stories from Monday, January 5, 2015

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Butler County commissioners heard from public safety organizations Friday on a proposed city/county 9-1-1 dispatch combo, essentially opening negotiations toward a possible move. No official action was taken, but consolidation would place the 9-1-1 communications center on the campus of Three Rivers College. ...

By PHYLLIS FLANIGAN County Program Director The University Of Missouri Extension Council Of Butler County will elect six people for a two-year term according to County Program Director Phyllis Flanigan. Twelve candidates have filed for the six two-year terms. Voting begins today and continues through Jan. 31...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff R-I Board of Education will spend an additional $1.1 to $1.4 million in improvements at the new high school gymnasium. Members met in special session Friday to hash out the details of the additions which will include an indoor walking/running track, more storage, an option for a center-hung scoreboard and an overhead door...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Butler County is getting hit hard by the flu bug this season, mirroring an upward trend in reports of the virus across the state and setting the stage for what could be the worst influenza season in years. The flu season generally begins in October and ends in May, peaking in the late fall and winter months. ...

Kenneth Hardin Kenneth Ray Hardin, 74, of Qulin, Mo., died Thursday, January 1, 2015 at his residence. He was born January 12, 1940, at Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was a mechanic and had worked at Vandover Motor Company, Childress Chevrolet, and Morris Motors. He had also owned and operated Qulin Service Center until retiring in 1990...

Elsie Hastings MALDEN, Mo.--Elsie Hastings, 93, of Malden, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014, at Golden Living Center in Malden. Visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. Monday at the Landess Chapel in Malden. Funeral will follow at 2 p.m. in Landess Chapel...

Leonette Fryer Leonette Marie Heck Fryer, 90, of Algiers, La., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Mothe Funeral Home, 1300 Vallette St., Algiers, La. followed with the Funeral Mass at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Hauser Funeral Home, Calvary Cemetery, Charles City, Iowa...

Janet K. Miller PIEDMONT, Mo.--Janet K. Miller, 60, of Piedmont, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015 at her home near Piedmont. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Saturday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Carson Hill Cemetery...

Register now for the Ag Expo Beauty Pageant to be held at the 29th annual Ag Expo 2015 on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff. The divisions include: 9:30 a.m., Baby Girl, birth to 12 months; 10 a.m., Toddler Girl, first birthday to 23 months; 10:30 a.m., Petite Miss, 2 to 4 years; 11 a.m., Tiny Miss, 5 to 7 years; 11:30 a.m., Little Miss, 8 to 12 years; noon, Junior Miss, 13 to 15 years; and 12:30 p.m., Miss Ag Expo, 16 to 20 years...

Jesse Collins Jesse Allen Collins, 56, of Kennett, Mo., passed away Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. There are no services planned for Mr. Collins. Online condolences: cotrellfuneralservice.com

Celesta Wise Celesta Wise, 80, of Dexter, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, at her residence. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5 at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Bernie. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Monday in the funeral home chapel...

Booths are still available to purchase for the largest farm trade shows in the region, Ag Expo 2015 scheduled for Jan. 30 - 31 at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, Mo. This is the 29th year of Ag Expo, sponsored by Butler County University of Missouri Extension Council and the Ag Club of Three Rivers College, said Phyllis Flanigan of the University of Missouri Extension...

Today is Sunday, Jan. 4, the fourth day of 2015. There are 361 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On Jan. 4, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered his State of the Union address in which he outlined the goals of his "Great Society." American-born British poet T.S. Eliot died in London at age 76...

Helen Hufstedler FISK -- Helen Ollie Taylor Tippen Hufstedler, 93, of Poplar Bluff died Friday, Jan. 2, 2015 at Mark Twain Caring Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Hufstedler was born Jan. 25, 1921. She was married on Nov. 7, 1936 to Charlie Tippen. She later married Harry Hufstedler. They both preceded her in death along with her parents George and Grace Taylor; two children: Carol Adams and John Tippen; two grandchildren: John Adams and D.R. Tippen; two sisters and four brothers...

Dorothy Nevada Doty Dorothy Nevada Doty, 86, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, Jan. 2, 2015. She was born July 5, 1928, in Rombauer to the late Eddie and Lela Ham. She was a member of Grace Christian Fellowship Church. ...

Cathy Jane Fox Cathy Jane Fox, 59, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, Jan. 2, 2015 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Ms. Fox was born April 11, 1955 in Wynnewood, Okla. She was a member of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as church pianist and Sunday School teacher for many years and had worked for 40 years at US Bank as operations manager for the South East Missouri District, Vice President...

Oreste Sigillito Oreste "Sig" Sigillito, Jr, 89, of Plantation, FL, went home to the Lord on Dec 23, 2014. He was born in St. Louis, Mo., June 5, 1925, to Angeline and Oreste Sigillito. Oreste worked with his father in Poplar Bluff, Mo., before entering the Army and serving during the Korean conflict. ...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Standing at the intersection of three foreign policy crises and a perennial constitutional tension, Bob Corker, R-Tenn., incoming chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, may be the senator who matters most in 2015. ...

PIEDMONT -- With every game played this season, Lexi Morris just keeps adding and adding to her legacy. The Clearwater senior reached yet another milestone Friday night in front of a home crowd. Morris reached the 2,500-point plateau as a part of a 33-point game against Bismarck...

Haylee Dragon wanted to cross off another race Friday when she asked to swim the 500-yard freestyle. "I never had a time on it before so I just told coach, 'hey can I swim the 500?' She was like, "yeah, no one ever volunteers for this,'" said Dragon who ended up winning the race in 6 minutes, 25 seconds...

Saxony Lutheran coach Sam Sides knows Kirk Chronister pretty well having coached against his Poplar Bluff teams over the years. "I wanted to go full court, trap and press on because he runs a pretty good half-court man (offense) and causes trouble," said Sides who also coached at Jackson and Meadow Heights...

PARK HILLS -- The Raiders nearly fought all the way back. Three Rivers was down by 17 in the first half and struggled with 32 turnovers that delayed a comeback until the final 10 minutes. The Raiders got within four points in the final minutes, but missed several 3s late and lost 57-52 on Saturday at Mineral Area...

PARK HILLS -- The Lady Raiders picked their poison and got killed by it. With seven active Lady Raiders bunkering into a soft zone, Mineral Area went 5-for-9 on 3-pointers to take a 20-point halftime lead. The Lady Cardinals eventually won 72-42 on Saturday at home to sweep Three Rivers for the season...