Stories from Thursday, March 26, 2015

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NEELYVILLE -- The first community informational meeting concerning the proposed $4 million bond issue will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Hillview School cafeteria, according to Superintendent Brad Hagood. He also has arranged a second community informational meeting for 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the Neelyville School cafeteria...

JEFFERSON CTY - Gov. Jay Nixon today appointed Lisa Goodwin, of Van Buren, as the new Carter County Collector of Revenue. The position became vacant upon the resignation of former County Collector Deborah Turley. Goodwin, a Democrat, is a former city clerk for the City of Van Buren, a post she held from 1997 until 2012. Currently, Goodwin is a legal assistant and office manager at Richardson Law Office...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Energetic kindergartner Emma Grace Hale and her little brother, 2-year-old Garrett, will join Poplar Bluff's March for Babies on Saturday as two success stories in the effort to reduce infant mortality, premature births and birth defects...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer One of the worst February winter storms in decades will cause the Twin Rivers R-X school year to be extended by four days, following a vote at Tuesday's board of education meeting. "We had six built-in days and with the forgiveness laws we only had to make up four," said Superintendent Jeremy Siebert. "Obviously it hurts instruction, we had a three-week stretch there we had to miss, but you can't fight mother nature."...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor FISK, Mo. -- A Wappapello father accused of whipping his teenage son with what authorities describe as a "large stick" may face child abuse charges following his Tuesday arrest. Roger Earl Cobb, 51, of the 100 block of Turtle Lane was arrested on suspicion of child abuse after Butler County Deputy Chris Ridens and Mamie Winstead with the Missouri Children's Division investigated a hotline call regarding possible abuse to Cobb's 14-year-old son...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A Puxico student was among three area students who have been awarded scholarships to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2015-2016 academic year: Tyler Wilkerson of Puxico and Amber Wilson of Malden have received the Residence Life Leadership Awards. ...

What is the essential message of Easter? Is it merely facts pertaining to the resurrection of Christ? To understand the message and meaning of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus, we must understand why He came to earth, why He had to die on Calvary's cross and why He came forth triumphant over death...

Lee Roy Conner PUXICO - Lee Roy Conner, 46, of Puxico, Mo., died Saturday, March 21, 2015 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation was Monday at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. The funeral was. Tuesday in the funeral home chapel with burial in the Little Brushy Cemetery in Wappapello, Mo. with Rev. Howard Coleman officiating...

Barbara Joyce Leuckel LYNDEN, Wash. -- Joyce Leuckel, 77, formerly of Puxico, passed away peacefully Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at Hospice House in Bellingham, Wash., following a brief battle with lymphoma. She was born in Puxico, on Oct. 2, 1937, to Eldon and Gladys Reasons. Her parents and brother, Ray, preceded her in death...

Lloyd "Hank" Canady Lloyd "Hank" Canady, 83, of Poplar Bluff died March 17, 2015 at The Manor in Poplar Bluff. Services were held March 20 at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk. Rev. Ralph Mayes officiated. Burial followed in the Brown Chapel Cemetery in Broseley...

By TAYLOR PIERCE Staff Writer The re-grand opening for Shoe Sensation will be Thursday - Sunday with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. Thursday to kick off the event. The Poplar Bluff store was the first Shoe Sensation to open on the west side of the Mississippi River. ...

By ALEX WEST Staff Writer The loss of a loved one often brings families together. Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff strives to meet the needs of your entire family during these times. "We pledge to surpass the needs and expectations of the families we serve by providing superior value with products and a facility of the highest quality," pledges Andy Moore...

Editor's Note: This is the final article in three-part series on school board candidates. By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Newcomer Derek Melton will face off against incumbent school board members John Davis and Jerry Crisel in the April 7 election for one of the two seats on the ballot...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Members of the Puxico R-8 Board of Education set the dates for summer school at their March 19 meeting. Summer school will be held June 1-12. In other business, board members voted to pay the registration fees and transportation costs for high school Beta Club members to attend the national convention...

By ROB TATE SEMO News Service 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...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL The Puxico Board of Aldermen reviewed the expenses to date for the addition to the Puxico Public Library during their regular monthly meeting March 19. Puxico City Clerk Alice Patrick reported that $112,825.16 is left from the $400,773.96 donation from Norman Harty for the addition. ...

Just slap on a new sales tax I don't know why everybody is so upset over the utility rates. All we got to do is to get the so-called business leaders to slap another sales tax on ever'body. City hall issue not new Got a question. Didn't Bagby, Absheer and DeGaris know that city hall was fallin' down? Haven't they ever heard of maintenance? It didn't get that way overnight, people. Thank you...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Members of the Puxico Board of Aldermen approved the salaries for elected officials at their regular monthly meeting March 19. According to Puxico City Clerk Alice Patrick, the salaries of elected officials have to be set prior to the municipal election, which is April 7...

It is no secret that more than six years into office President Obama continues to push a radical anti-gun agenda and attempt to bypass the law-making authority of Congress. We saw this recently in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' (ATF) proposal to restrict the manufacture and sale of ammunition commonly used by sportsman and hunters. ...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Conservatives' next disappointment will at least be a validation. The coming reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank will confirm their warnings about the difficulty of prying the government's tentacles off what should be society's private sphere...

By MONA CHAREN Starbucks is hoping to lead a national conversation about race. According to a video released by founder Howard Schultz, Starbucks baristas are encouraged to scrawl "race together" on coffee cups before placing them in the hands of customers. This hollow bit of moral exhibitionism is supposed to encourage "compassion," "honesty," "empathy" and "love." Does Starbucks sell caffeine-free compassion?...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Hunters who still need hunter education certification before the turkey season will have one chance to get it in Poplar Bluff this spring. Any hunter born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, must have hunter education certification to purchase a firearms hunting permit in Missouri...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Officials with the Mark Twain National Forest's Poplar Bluff Ranger District continue to battle illegal dumping and off-road vehicle use in the Wolf Creek area and other parts of the forest. "Wolf Creek is an ongoing battle," said District Ranger Doug Oliver. "Wolf Creek Road is notorious for dumping because of its proximity to town."...

Jessica Sedrick, a Three Rivers student from Piedmont, will advance to the Collegiate DECA national competition after qualifying with a fifth-place finish at the DECA State Career Development Conference in Jefferson City. Sedrick, who is a sophomore in the Business Management program at Three Rivers, will compete in the Hotel and Lodging Management category against qualifying competitors from across the nation...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Scattered reports are trickling in of turkeys gobbling in the mornings. I spent two mornings last week listening in various areas, hearing nothing one day and six or seven birds the next. It seems the birds are just getting started, and the ones I heard were roosted in groups. Before long, the gobbler gangs should start breaking up and the gobbling will intensify...

KENNETT -- Two outs with nobody on base is becoming Poplar Bluff's favorite time to start a rally. The Mules, who had a season-high 12 hits, did it again twice Tuesday in a 6-1 SEMO Conference win at Kennett. "We're stringing along some hits together," Mules coach Steve Edwards said...

The Lady Raiders got a confidence boost with their third sweep of the season Tuesday. Three Rivers swept St. Charles 6-2 and 6-2 after Destiny Bolen and Kelen Smith each pitched a strong game. Bolen, in her fifth start of the season after a recovering from a shoulder injury, struck out the first three batters she faced and eight of the first 11...

Paul A. Davis CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.--Paul A. Davis, 48, of Cape Girardeau, formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, March 23, 2015 at his home. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Ford & Sons Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements...

MALDEN -- Last spring, the Malden Green Wave struggled at times to score runs. In their season opener Tuesday afternoon against Dexter, it looked like that could potentially be a thing of the past. Malden belted out 14 hits and came away with an 18-7 decision over the Bearcats in five innings...

ANNA, Ill. -- The Poplar Bluff soccer team got off on the right foot Tuesday evening. For the first time in three years, the Lady Mules won their first game of the season as they topped Anna-Jonesboro (Ill.) 2-1. Poplar Bluff (1-0) opened the season with an identical win over the Lady Wildcats in 2012 but also lost 2-0 last year to Anna-Jonesboro. The Lady Mules didn't win their first game until April 1 against West Plains last year...

Robert Earl Little Robert Earl Little, 68, of Poplar Bluff, and formerly of St. Louis, passed away Thursday, March 19, 2015 at his residence. Mr. Little was born Aug. 28, 1946 in Webb, Miss. to Beatrice Fleming Little and the late Willie B. Little. He retired in 2009 as a supervisor with the St. Louis City Park and Recreation Department, after more than 30 years of service. Mr. Little loved to spend time with his family. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing horseshoes, and darts...

Jerry Summers Pastor Jerry Wayne Summers, 64, of Harviell, passed away Sunday, March 22, 2015 at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Mr. Summers was born June 30, 1950 in Qulin to the late Johnny Summers and Bertha Lorene (Fowler) Summers.  He served as Chief of the Western Cherokee Nation.  He was a licensed minister of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and pastor of Cross Street IPHC Church.  He loved music, radio D.J. ...

James Thomas Hale James Thomas Hale, 68, of Poplar Bluff, died Saturday, March 21, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center He was born Nov. 13, 1946 in Modesto, Calif. A retired furniture salesman for Hefner's Furniture. His hobbies were fishing and playing cards. He was of the Baptist faith...

Bob Perry Bob Perry, 73, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Monday, March 23, 2015, at his residence. He was born on June 8, 1941, to Pershing and Juanita (Gilles) Perry in Bell City, Mo. He graduated from Bell City High School in 1959. He enlisted in the Army in 1960 where he was a radio operator stationed in Germany. On March 4, 1961, he married Sharon Grimes in Shawneetown, Ill...

Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby Sat. The Boy Scouts will have their annual District Pinewood Derby from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday at the Sacred Heart gymnasium. Entry fee is $10 dollars. After trophies are awarded to qualifying scouts, guests and siblings will be invited to race in the remaining time...

Everett H. Nunley Everett H. Nunley, 82, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Tuesday, March 23, 2015, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Mr. Nunley was born July 8, 1932, in Butler County, to Ernest Franklin and Clora Morlen Nunley. On June 18, 1993, he and Sandra L. Warren were married in Butler County. She survives of the home...

CAMPBELL -- Campbell starter Nick Littrell had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning Tuesday when Puxico had four straight hits, including an RBI single by Zack McCoy. The Camels were already up big at that point and won 11-1 in five innings. Littrell struck out three batters five innings worked for the Camels...