Stories from Saturday, April 4, 2015

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Most Butler County polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday as voters decide who will be elected to city and school positions. However, the Rombauer, Broseley, Oglesville and Fagus precincts will be closed due to no contest in the Twin Rivers School District. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff City Council is expected to take action Monday on a policy that will assign responsibilities to the city manager in future debt negotiations, as well as outline how the municipality will fulfill certain remaining conditions of a contract with the Eight Points development group...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor At least $5,000 was raised during Saturday's inaugural Badge of Honor Benefit Run, and that money soon will be divided between three charitable organizations. The event, which featured a 5K, 10K and half-marathon, started and ended near the Black River Coliseum and was held in honor of the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting and serving the citizens of their communities...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Voters in five area school districts will decide on building improvement projects during the April 7 election. Residents of the Neelyville School District will determine if $4 million in general obligation bonds should be issued for construction of a new classroom wing and renovation of cafeteria and kitchen at Hillview School, construction of new classroom space at Neelyville, including an educational activities facility, and construction of storm shelter facilities at both sites.. ...

Offer people city bonds This $3 million voted down for the loan about the first department as collateral. I got a better idea. Why don't Mayor Pearson and the council start selling bonds to people in Poplar Bluff. Buy a $100 bond you know and stuff like that. ...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- An abscess of anger seems to gnaw at Hillary Clinton, but the reasons for her resentments remain unclear. The world's oldest party, which governed the nation during two world wars and is the primary architect of America's regulatory and redistributive state, is eager to give her its presidential nomination, in recognition of ... what?...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL SEMO News Service PUXICO, MO. -- Puxico First Baptist Church members are presenting an Easter pageant "Mercy Tree" for church members and the public at 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday at the church. "It's about the crucifixion, the life, the death, the resurrection of Christ," said Tonna O'Dell, who plays the part of Sarah. ...

Black politicians, civil rights organizations and others who say they are concerned with the welfare of poor black people often support harmful measures. One of the most effective tools for disadvantaged people is to be able to charge a lower price for what they sell and pay a higher price for what they buy. Let's look at this principle first using a couple of nonracial examples...

Dorothy Barks Dorothy Emma Barks, 81, of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, April 3, 2015, at The Manor in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service.

To the Editor, I often pondered, searched my mind, studied and wondered, How America went from days of power and glory, To its present condition of evil living and squander. When and how did our Forefathers' dream of liberty and freedom, Turn into such a despicable excuse of an example of a Godly nation...

Patsy J. Mann PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Patsy J. Mann, 75, of Piedmont, died Thursday, April 2, 2015 at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel, Piedmont.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Two states roiled by criticism over new religious objections laws are looking to move forward after taking different approaches to changing the legislation to ease concerns about discrimination. The governors of Indiana and Arkansas signed bills Thursday that lawmakers hoped would quiet the national uproar over whether the laws offered a legal defense for discrimination against gays...

Dennis Dees PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Dennis L. Dees, 63, of Annapolis, died Thursday, April 2, 2015, at Missouri Baptist Medial Center in St. Louis. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel, Piedmont.

Clifford Lee Smith VAN BUREN, Mo.--Clifford Lee Smith, 73, of Jackson, died Wednesday, April, 1, 2015, at his home. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Van Buren City Cemetery with Rev. Dick Murray officiating. In Lieu of flowers, please make donations to: Fusion Youth Group of Connection Point Church 1506 S. Farmington Road Jackson, Missouri 63755...

Helen Louise Dodge Helen Louise Dodge, 79, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, April 2, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Dodge was born Aug. 21, 1935 in Catron to the late Robert and Edith Irene Page Reed. She was a member of New Home General Baptist Church and had retired as a sewing machine operator for Florsheim Shoe Factory. Mrs. Dodge enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening and working in her yard...

The Lady Raiders showed no signs of fatigue playing their fifth doubleheader in as many days. Three Rivers, which moved Friday's game up a day with storms in the forecast, swept North Central 3-2, 8-1 at Rains Field to continue its eight-game winning streak...

WINONA -- Summer Shockley struck out 11 to improve the Lady Dawgs to 4-0 in a 5-2 win over Winona on Thursday afternoon. She allowed four hits and one run over 6 1/3 innings. Jenny Morey finished the game and had two strikeouts with a walk and a run...

Three Rivers freshman Justas Furmanavicius has the potential to do something that's only been done once in the 48 year history of Raider basketball. Furmanavicius was recently named an NJCAA All-American honorable mention. Marquise Carter, in 2009-10, is the only Raider to make the All-American team twice...

Helen Louise Dodge Photo Helen Louise Dodge, 79, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, April 2, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Dodge was born Aug. 21, 1935 in Catron to the late Robert and Edith Irene Page Reed. She was a member of New Home General Baptist Church and had retired as a sewing machine operator for Florsheim Shoe Factory. Mrs. Dodge enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening and working in her yard...