Stories from Thursday, January 8, 2015

As part of a Christmas gift, Charlotte Aldridge received some Missouri Lottery holiday Scratchers tickets from her husband, Mike. When those tickets returned more than $20 in prizes, Aldridge decided to buy additional tickets on Dec. 26. Out of the additional tickets she purchased, a "$100,000 Crossword Doubler" returned a belated Christmas gift to the couple in the form of a $100,000 top prize...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Much needed soccer fields will be added to Whiteley Park with the finalization Monday of the purchase of adjoining property. The city of Poplar Bluff and Poplar Bluff Park Department have partnered to spend $125,000 on 3.25 acres to the west of the park's northern border...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A contest has developed for the Ward 4 seat on the Poplar Bluff City Council during the April 7 city election. David Lourwood filed Monday, according to City Clerk Pamela Kearbey. The other Ward 4 candidate is Philip Crocker...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Two Poplar Bluff, Mo., men may face charges after they allegedly stole a FedEx box containing saltwater fish from the porch of a local home Tuesday afternoon. Frankie J. Romaine of the 1800 block of North 14th Street had ordered the saltwater fish online, and he received notification from FedEx that his order had been delivered at 12:20 p.m. Tuesday and left on his front porch, according to Poplar Bluff Police Patrolman Brandon Hopper's report...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- By history's frequently brutal dialectic, the good that we call progress often comes spasmodically, in lurches propelled by tragedies caused by callousness, folly or ignorance. With the grand jury's as yet inexplicable and probably inexcusable refusal to find criminal culpability in Eric Garner's death on a Staten Island sidewalk, the nation might have experienced sufficient affronts to its sense of decency. ...

Southern Missouri Bancorp, Inc. ("Company") (NASDAQ: SMBC), the parent corporation of Southern Bank ("Bank"), announced that the company's Board of Directors declared a 2-for-1 split in the form of a 100 percent stock dividend, payable on or about Jan. 30 to stockholders of record as of Jan. 16...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- The lone wolf is the new national nightmare, dramatized and amplified by the hostage-taking attack in Sydney, Australia. But there are two kinds of lone wolves -- the crazy and the evil -- and the distinction is important...

As 2014 and the 113th Congress came to a close, I would like to take some time to look back and reflect on the 18 months I have been able to serve you in Missouri's Eighth Congressional District. This time last year I wrote a column outlining five goals I had for the year. ...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The second segment of Missouri's youth deer season never sees much participation, and it's easy to see why - the weather is generally pretty crummy. This year was no different. Young hunters, at least in the southern half of the state, were greeted Saturday with several inches of rain, which pretty much put the brakes on their hunting. That was followed Sunday by cold and windy conditions...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation It seems this winter is shaping up to be colder than normal. If we get moisture at the right time, we can expect to see frozen precipitation. Usually, prolonged bad weather creates some concern for wildlife. Many times, I get telephone calls from people wondering if Missouri Department of Conservation provides feed for wildlife. The answer is no. During my career, I have not been aware of the department ever providing food for wildlife...

Parker Millar Parker Charles Millar, 70, of Poplar Bluff, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Larry Payton PIEDMONT, Mo.-- Larry Payton of Piedmont, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. The arrangements are pending at this time with Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhome.com.

ELLSINORE -- Coming off an overtime loss to Campbell, the Neelyville Tigers found themselves in the heat of things once again Tuesday night in an Ozark Foothills Conference game at East Carter. The Tigers survived an unbelievably back-and-forth third quarter and got rolling in the fourth quarter to create separation...

The Mules made out like Robin Hood and his band of merry men against the Knights on Tuesday night. Malik Metcalf had seven steals as Poplar Bluff pillaged Farmington to the tune of 38 points off turnovers in a 77-39 win at Peters Gym. "We played good (defense) after that first three minutes of the half," Mules coach William Durden said. "The guys locked in and we forced a couple of turnovers...

Jewell McFadden PIEDMONT, Mo.--Jewell E. McFadden, 92, of Piedmont, died Monday, Jan. 5, 2015 at the Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Visitation will be held at 10: 30 a.m. Thursday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the Mill Spring Cemetery...

Patricia Rowe Patricia Mae Rowe, 56 , of Lebanon, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014 at Christian Healthcare South in Lebanon. She was born May 19, 1958 in St. Louis to the late Douglas Craig Addis and Stella Ima Jean Addis. A stay-at-home mother, she loved to sing, dance, shop flea markets, bake and spend time with friends. She was of the Catholic faith...

Frances Lee Gower Frances Lee Gower, 82, of Poplar Bluff passed away Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Gower was born Nov. 25, 1932 in Chaonia to the late Henry and Vada Hendrix Magill. She attended the Seventh Day Adventist Church and was a homemaker. Mrs. Gower enjoyed spending time with her family, attending church, gardening, crocheting, cooking and traveling...

Kelly Lynn Crow Kelly Lynn Crow, 47, of Odessa, Texas, came into this world on Dec. 12, 1967, and departed this life on Dec. 25, 2014. Kelly was born to Patricia (Jones) Crow and Larry E. Crow Sr. in Advance, Mo. She spent her early years in Wayne County, Mo., until her family moved to Texas in 1979. She was a 1986 graduate of Crowell High School, Crowell, Texas...

Danny Gregg DEXTER, Mo.--Danny R. Gregg, 60, of Dexter, departed this life Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015 at the Cancer Treatment Center in Tulsa, Okla. He was born July 21, 1954 in Detroit, Mich. to the late S. T. Gregg, Jewell Lorren Gregg and Joann Gregg...

Jerry D. Strickland On Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014, Jerry D. Strickland, 71, formerly of Poplar Bluff, joined his wife Frances Rae Pitt Strickland in Heaven. He spent his last years in Austin, Texas with his children and grandchildren. Jerry was devoted to his family. He was a hardworker and a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan...

BROSELEY -- Twin Rivers caught fire from long range Tuesday night in a 71-43 victory over Portageville. Senior Jase Worley accounted for five of the Royals' seven 3-pointers as a team. He had a game-high 21 points. Chance Wilkerson had two 3s and totaled 12 points. Mason Douglas added 11 points. Dylan Pruitt totaled eight points and six rebounds. Wilkerson had four assists...

Forrest J. Hobbs Sr. FISK, Mo.--Forrest J. "Sonny" Hobbs, Sr. of Marble Hill, died Monday, Jan. 5, 2015. He was the beloved husband of the late Margaret Ann (White) Hobbs. Survivors include Forrest J. "Yogi" (Tina) Hobbs Jr. and Darrell W. (Lissa Engle-Lewis) Hobbs; cherished grandpa of Nichole Ann (Aaron Hackmann) Hobbs, Jacob Daniel (Kari) Hobbs, Kasey (Grant Brewer) Hobbs and great-grandpa of Charlotte and Grayson Hobbs. ...

Howard Westmoreland PIEDMONT, Mo.-- Howard Westmoreland of Piedmont died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. The arrangements are pending at this time with Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhome.com...