Stories from Wednesday, March 25, 2015

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Butler County Emergency Management Director Jeff Shawan announced his resignation this morning, saying he is stepping down to pursue a new business opportunity in the community. Shawan said at a Butler County commissioners meeting he could remain in the position until April 24...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Lake Road Elementary teacher was among 61 teachers in Missouri who won an outstanding beginning educator award recently in Jefferson City. The Missouri Association for Colleges of Teacher Education presented the awards during its spring conference on March 6. Award recipients were selected based on evaluations of outstanding graduates completed by their college or university, and recommendations from the school districts...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer As part of National Boys and Girls Club Week, March 23-27, the Poplar Bluff club is welcoming the public to tour local facilities and take part in some of the many activities they have scheduled. The Butler County Sheriff's Department will face the kids on the basketball court at 5 p.m. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer An interim Emergency Management Agency director was selected Monday by Butler County commissioners. Robbie Myers, a former interim EMA director and former Butler County commissioner, will begin work Monday, March 30. A decision needed to be made quickly because storm season is beginning, said Presiding Commissioner Vince Lampe...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The city of Poplar Bluff has been awarded more than $20,000 to assist a needy property owner with home repairs. The city will accept applications for the grant funds, which will be awarded by a committee, said Raynesha Hudnell, city grant coordinator...

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The St. Johns Bayou and New Madrid Floodway project again was described by members of the Mississippi River Commission as a thorn in the side of Southeast Missouri stakeholders, who spoke Monday at a public hearing aboard the M/V Mississippi at the New Madrid riverfront...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Local beer lovers have a reason to rejoice this April - at least until the morning after the event - as brewers from across the land will come together in Poplar Bluff to raise money to improve local veterans' quality of life...

LEMOORE, Calif. - A 2005 Malden High School graduate and Malden native currently is serving with the U.S. Navy's Strike Fighter Squadron 122, also known as the "Flying Eagles", stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Howe is an aviation electronics technician with the squadron, which the Navy designates as VFA-122, and works with the Navy's most lethal and versatile strike fighter aircraft, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet...

Spring break at the Capitol starts today; this marks the half-way point in session. We will resume Monday, March 30th. This week visitors to the office included Nancy Elliott continuing her testimony on behalf of HB 180 Austin's Law and Parker Pfeiffer, 7th grader and her classmates from St. Vincent De Paul School in Cape Girardeau. It was great to see these visitors, I appreciate their support of their organizations and I enjoyed visiting with them...

John J. Pershing VA Medical Center will host a dance and music performance Thursday by a national touring company. Re-Creation's "40 Years of Entertainment" is part of a national program to provide live entertainment to American's hospitalized veterans in VA medical centers and state veterans homes, according to a press release...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- In the mid-1960s, a social scientist noted something ominous that came to be called "Moynihan's Scissors": Two lines on a graph crossed, replicating a scissors' blades. The descending line charted the decline in the minority male unemployment rate. The ascending line charted the simultaneous rise of new welfare cases...

Hwy. 21 road work near Ellington ELLINGTON -- Highway 21 between Routes K and O will be reduced to one lane from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, March 23-25, so Missouri Department of Transportation crews can make pavement repairs. Drivers are urged to use extreme caution while traveling in the work zone...

Grace Twidwell GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Grace Twidwell, 94, of Greenville, died Sunday, March 22, 2015, at Greenville Nursing & Rehabilitation, Greenville. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Ruegg Funeral Home in Greenville. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the New Prospect Cemetery, Silva, Mo...

67 one-lane near 158/160 U.S. 67 one mile north and south of the Highway 158/160 interchange will be reduced to one lane 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today through Thursday as Missouri Department of Transportation crews make pavement repairs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area...

Pastor Jerry Summers Pastor Jerry Summers of Harviell, died Sunday, March 22, 2015 at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

James Hale James Hale, 68, of Poplar Bluff, died Saturday, March 21, 2015, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

Luke Yarber DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Luke Amon Yarber, 37, of San Antonio, Texas, died Tuesday, March 17, 2015, at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Edwards Funeral Home chapel with Bro. David Grubb officiating. Burial will be at the New Home Cemetery...

Amanda Clements Amanda Kathleen Clements, 33, of Poplar Bluff, died Saturday, March 21, 2015, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. A memorial will be held at a later date. A full obituary will appear in Tuesday's edition of the Daily American Republic...

Martha Vanderburg Martha Lucille Vanderburg, 92, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Saturday, March 21, 2015, at Westwood Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Vanderburg was born Oct. 27, 1922, in Shelburn, Ind., to the late Hobert Clark and Carmen Followell Clark...

Program for new parents offered free Pregnant? New Parent? Being a parent is an amazing journey, and it is also hard work! Whole Kids Outreach offers two free home visitation programs that help pregnant mothers and new parents prepare and care for their new blessing...

U of Ark. names Dean's List The University of Arkansas has named is fall semester Chancellor's list. Full-time undergraduate students from Poplar Bluff, Mo., earning a 4.0 grade point average are: John Bloodworth, Collin Davis, Peyton Davis, Anslee Latourette, Charles Latourette, Mary Payne, and Vivian Turner...

BC Water D-1 meets Tuesday The Butler County Public Water Supply District 1 will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, in the district office. Agenda items include the 2014 audit, financial reports, mowing and project updates.

No tax prep at T. Towers on Thursday There will be no tax preparation at Twin Towers Thursday due to the All-Day Gospel Singing. Tax preparation will resume at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 31.

PB student on dean's list at Evangel U. SPRINGFIELD -- Kyler Ray Sowell, son of Marcus and Latasha Sowell of Poplar Bluff, has been named to the fall 2014 dean's list at Evangel University in Springfield, Mo. Sowell is a senior majoring in biology. Full-time students must have a grade point average of 3.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale to be on the dean's list...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN With Hillary Clinton scrambling to explain her missing emails, much of America is wailing, "Please don't make us watch this movie again!" Why, then, would the Republican Party, with a chance to sweep it all in 2016, want to return us to the nightmare days of George W., which caused America to rise up and throw the party out in 2006 and 2008?...

March 7th was the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," the first attempt by black protesters to march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery to demand voting rights. Their march was brutally halted by Alabama state troopers acting under the orders of Gov. ...

I am feeling very blessed as I head back to Southeast Missouri after another long and busy week in Jefferson City. The General Assembly is on break and I am looking forward to some quality time with my family and getting some work done in the office. ...

Twin Rivers board meets at 7 toinight The Twin Rivers R-X Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Central Office board room in Broseley. The agenda includes medical insurance updates, testing security, make-up days federal program updates and parking lot projects...

Karen Christian CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Karen Christian, 61, of Campbell, died Sunday, March 22, 2015, at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Landess Funeral Home of Campbell. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Bryan Johnson officiating. Burial will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery - Landess addition...

Perkins Memorial fundraiser The 8th Annual Caroline Perkins Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser will take place on Friday and Saturday, April 3-4. There will be a huge multi-family indoor yard sale at the "Hoopla", Old Lone Hill School building at the end of Highway F off of Highway 160. ...

Shirley Duffie BERNIE, Mo. -- Shirley Faye Duffie, 79, of Bernie, died Sunday March 22, 2015, at Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie. The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Dale Hartle officiating. Burial will follow in the Dexter Cemetery...

Daren Pulliam BERNIE, Mo. -- Daren Lee Pulliam, 36, of Bernie, died Sunday, March 22, 2015, in the emergency room at Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County in Dexter. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday at the Lighthouse Christian Center in Dexter. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the church with the Rev. Tim Russell officiating. Burial will follow in the Bernie Cemetery...

Kevin Mitchell Kevin Charda Mitchell, 28, of Broseley, passed away Sunday, March 22, 2015, at Barnes Jewish St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Mitchell was born Nov. 26, 1986, in Las Vegas, Nev. to Eddie B. Mitchell and Jeanette K. Murphy. He had been employed at Walmart and enjoyed fishing, computer games, drawing and computer graphics...

Amanda Clements Amanda Kathleen Clements, 33, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Saturday, March 21, 2015 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born Feb. 27, 1982, in Wilmington, Del. She enjoyed coloring, crossword puzzles, arts and crafts. She was of the Methodist belief...

PUXICO -- For the Twin Rivers Royals, it was good to have Nathan Watson back in the fold. The senior, who has been out since an automobile accident last summer, made his return to the diamond Monday against Puxico. He made his mark as well. Watson drove in a team-high three runs and the Royals got an excellent pitching performance out of junior Devin Hester for a 6-1 win over the Indians...

BONNE TERRE -- Kameron Misner continued his fast start, going deep for a second straight game and driving in another run Monday in Poplar Bluff's 6-2 win at North County. Misner is 4-for-7 and has accounted for six of Poplar Bluff's 10 runs in the first two games...

The cold and wet weather that dominated early March was especially rough on the Poplar Bluff tennis team. "I'd rather have another week on the court with nice weather, work on some fundamentals, serving, things like that," Mules coach Charlie Harper said prior to today's scheduled season opener at West Plains...

Bob Perry Bob Perry, 73, of Poplar Bluff, died on Monday, March 23, 2015 at his residence. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Moore Funeral Service Chapel...

Barry Lynn Mikel, Sr., MALDEN, Mo. -- Barry Lynn Mikel, Sr., 46, of Clarkton died Sunday March 22, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Bradshaw Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Bradshaw Chapel with the Rev. Jack Allen officiating. Burial will be in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton...

Harold Hager Harold Hager, 88, of Harviell, Mo., passed away Sunday, March 22, 2015 at his home. He was born Dec. 6, 1926, in Poplar Bluff, to the late John Walter and Vivian (Rice) Hager. He enjoyed yard sales, flea markets and going to the sale barn. He was a charter member of Trinity Baptist Church and served as song leader and Sunday school teacher. He had been a reserve deputy sheriff and worked in the security department for Doctors Hospital...

Ralph Brow MALDEN, Mo. -- Ralph Lee Brown, 56, of Gideon, died Sunday, March 22, 2015, at his residence. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. today at the Bradshaw funeral home in Malden. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home chapel. Burial with Military rites will be in the Mt. Gilead Cemetery in Clarkton...

Everett H. Nunley Everett H. Nunley, 82, of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, March 23, 2015 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Dominic Okon is continuing a run of Raider ties in the NCAA Tournament. The former Three Rivers player and assistant coach is now in his eighth year with Wichita State and is currently the Director of Men's Basketball Operations. The No. 7 seed Shockers (29-4) most recently knocked off No. 2 Kansas to advance to the Sweet 16, where they will face No. 3 Notre Dame...

Madison Pikey opened the spring season with a no-hitter for Doniphan. She struck out six with no walks. A lone baserunner off an error separated her from a perfect game in a 15-0 win over Eminence. The Donettes went 8-for-15 at the plate with 11 walks to win easily...