Stories from Monday, May 18, 2015

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Wheatley Historic Preservation Association honored the contributions of several individuals during Heritage Fest 2015 on Saturday at the historic Wheatley School. In addition to preserving the historic school, the goal of the Wheatley Historic Preservation Association is also to highlight the community impact it's students and supporters have made during the annual Heritage Fest event...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A criminal investigation has begun into possible acts of illegal purchasing and bidding practices within the Poplar Bluff city manager's office. The Butler County Sheriff's Department issued letters Friday notifying all members of the Poplar Bluff City Council...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor Months of planning has gone into revamping the Women Aware conference scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff. Carine McCandless, author, entrepreneur, activist and mother, will be the keynote speaker for the 28th annual event. Her memoirs The Wild Truth published in November quickly became a New York Times Best Seller and has been selected for many Best Books of 2014 lists...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer While teen smoking is at its lowest in 22 years, the use of e-cigarettes among high school students increased between 2011 and 2013 - a trend mirrored at Poplar Bluff High School. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1991 27.5 percent of high school students smoked. That number rose to 36.4 percent in 1997, then dropped steadily to a low of 15.7 percent in 2013...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A successful Sikeston businessman, who graduated from Three Rivers College in 1971, told this year's graduates during the 47th Commencement Friday night to "continue their education and find a career they love."...

By EMILY PRIDDY SEMO New Service A Cape Girardeau man was taken to a hospital with gunshot wounds to his leg and abdomen, and another person was in police custody Sunday evening after a shooting at Ranney Park. In an email to media outlets, Cpl. Darin Hickey of the Cape Girardeau Police Department said a suspect had been arrested about 8 p.m., and police were not looking for any additional suspects...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NEELYVILLE -- Twenty-two of the 44 members of the Class of 2015 at Neelyville High School were recognized as honor graduates during the commencement program in the packed gymnasium Saturday night. Counselor Amber Foster also said 24 graduates received scholarships totaling approximately $355,000...

Southern Bank announces a Topping Out celebration for the new Southern Bank headquarters to be located on the corner of Oak Grove Road and Shelby Road in Poplar Bluff, Missouri at 4 p.m. Tuesday. "It's a tradition in construction to mark the point when the last steel beam is placed at the top of a new structure. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NEELYVILLE -- The top two seniors at Neelyville High School plan to become pharmacists. Dylan Robinson is the valedictorian, and Samuel Phillips is the salutatorian. "I'm very happy and excited. It is a great honor," said Robinson, who is the son of Jason and Billie Robinson...

O'Neal Elementary Students of Month The faculty and administration at O'Neal Elementary School announced the students of the month for April. Among these students were: first grade students, Drew Cooper and Alex Collins; third grade student, Jackson Moore; and fourth grade student, Tony Curnutt...

The Ozark Foothills Regional Community Foundation (OFRCF), administered by the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission, recently awarded a $500 grant to Recycling Grace Women's Center of Poplar Bluff. The grant award will be used to purchase materials related to group programming to assist women who have experienced physical, mental, or sexual abuse. Funds will also be used in the renovation of an apartment the Center utilizes for housing women participating in their programming...

Poplar Bluff High School senior Ben Soeter is the first student in three years to read 100 novels and earn a $1,000 scholarship via the Designing Women Foundation's Charlie Classics reading program. The 17-year-old has placed first in his class each year for reading the most teacher-approved literary works, resulting in him winning thousands in bank cards in addition to the scholarship. ...

A Blue Star Memorial Marker will be dedicated at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 30, at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield. The keynote speaker will be Joseph J. Frank, a veteran of the Vietnam War who currently serves as Advisor to the National Commander of the Legion, member of the Board of Directors of the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation, and a member of American Legion Post 162...

Three Rivers College chemistry instructor Dr. Mairead Ryan-Anderson received a Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching at a Missouri Community College Association luncheon. "Dr. Ryan-Anderson is a remarkable instructor and an exemplar of what you want in a faculty member," said Dr. Wesley Payne, president of Three Rivers College...

No more TV Guide channel Everything is going to pot in this STUPID town! Now the TV channels have all messed up. No more TV Guide channel. I have to go through all the channels to find anything worth watching by then half of it is over. TV Guides are too expensive to buy every week. Half the screens are bland and black--no signal it says. I hate New Wave! Please print this! How many more are disgusted?...

Earline Parrish Atwell will celebrate her 95th birthday celebration at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Neelyville High School. Anyone who wants to attend is invited to visit with Earline and her Parrish and Atwell families. They family would like you to bring a written reminiscent about Earline Parrish Atwell to share and the families will be placing them in a Birthday Book for her to cherish...

Three Rivers College is reducing the cost for many veterans and their family members to attend the college. The college's Board of Trustees recently approved altering the college's tuition policy to charge "in-district" tuition to all veterans, their spouses and children...

The Students of the Month for Poplar Bluff Senior High School were announced by the school administration and faculty. The 9th grade students of the month are Shelby Sievers and Sam Traxel. Sievers is the daughter of David and Julie Sievers. Her hobbies include playing softball, basketball, soccer, and track on the high school teams...

They are the backbone of every community. They are the civic minded, who are not hesitant to offer their time and resources when they see a need to be met. This week the Libla family went the extra mile to help Three Rivers College meet such a need that will benefit students and residents of this area for years to come...

Mildred "Mitzie" Browning Mildred "Mitzie" Eleanora (Chronister) Browning, of Van Buren, Mo., went home to be with Christ Jesus on May 15, 2015 in the Riverways Manor Nursing Home in Van Buren, Missouri. She had attained the age of seventy-nine years, 11 months and 29 days...

June Coffey DEXTER, Mo. -- Wilma June Coffey, daughter of the late G.M. Barbour and Montie Barton Barbour was born on Oct. 18, 1931 in Dexter and departed this life on May 16, 2015 at the Mulberry Manor in Dexter at the age of 83. Mom-Mom (as she was known to us) was a member of the First Baptist Church in Dexter. ...

Cheryl Crafford, a student at Three Rivers College, has received the Allison Grace Daughhetee Scholarship. Crafford, a non-traditional nursing student and veteran, received a $900 scholarship for the 2014-2015 school year. She will receive her associate of arts degree in general education from Three Rivers in May of 2015, before continuing on to pursue her degree in nursing...

Mary Weisbrod Mary Weisbrod, 79, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, May 15, 2015 at The Cedargate Nursing Facility. She was born August 23, 1935 in Neelyville, Mo.  She was of the Pentecostal faith and worked as a nurse's aide.  She enjoyed hidden word search and travel...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- A near miss can be a sharp spur, so Rick Santorum wants to say something to those who profess condescending puzzlement about his persistence in pursuing the Republican presidential nomination: You probably have no idea how close I came to defeating Mitt Romney in 2012...

Marian Shields Marian Shields, 79, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Saturday May 16, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service.

Anita JoAnn Greer PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Anita JoAnn Greer, 59, of Piedmont died Thursday, May 14, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 5 -7 p.m. Monday at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, with services will following at 7 p.m. also at the chapel. Cremation will follow services...

David Ryzenga PIEDMONT, Mo. -- David "Doc" Ryzenga, 64, of Patterson, Mo., died Friday, May 15, 2015, at his residence. Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Faith Family Worship Center near Piedmont with funeral services following there at 2 p.m. Burial will be at Rowland-Woods Cemetery near Patterson...

Alvin Hunt DEXTER -- Alvin Hunt, 71, died at his home in Dexter. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Services will follow at 2 p.m. at the Dexter Chapel with Rev. Kenneth Biggs of Dexter officiating. Burial will follow in the Bernie Cemetery in Bernie with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

Coy R. Smith SPRINGFIELD -- Coy Reginald Smith, 84, Springfield, Mo., formerly of Campbell, Mo., went to be with our Lord on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield. Coy was born on Jan. 4, 1931, near Campbell, to Orville Smith and Grace (Taylor) Smith. ...

Wilma Jean Reed VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Wilma Jean Reed, 88, of Van Buren died Saturday, May 16, 2015 in Springfield, Mo. Visitation will begin 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 19 at McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren with the funeral to follow at 3 p.m. Burial will be in the Van Buren City Cemetery...

Kristen E. Janson, 20, of Dexter, was arrested at 12:39 p.m. Sunday in the 300 block of West Stoddard on suspicion of shoplifting. _ Jasper A. Cantrell, 41, of Dexter, was arrested 9:34 p.m. Sunday at the Marston Police Department on a Dexter warrant for driving while revoked, no insurance and no license plates...

County firefighters responded to a structure fire 3:25 p.m. Sunday at 15262 US 67. No one was injured in the incident. The home sustained heavy damage to the attic and living room. _ County firefighters responded to false alarm 1:26 p.m. Sunday at 126 Merino Lane. The alarm turned out to be a controlled burn...

FARMINGTON -- Poplar Bluff's Zain and Humza Siddiqui had a long day at the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 tournament Friday. Their semifinal doubles match featured a 3 1/2-hour weather delay, a tiebreaker and went the full three sets before the Mules lost 6-7 (7-1), 7-5, 6-2...

HILLSBORO -- The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules dominated the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 track and field meet Saturday. Jabreuna Brimlett won four events, Jessenia Ellis swept the throws while Krisman Eakin and Lexi Hafford each won an event. In all the Lady Mules advanced 22 to the sectional meet and won the district title by 88 points...

HILLSBORO -- Denzel Britton's long day featured three wins as the Poplar Bluff sprinter led the Mules at the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 track and field meet. Britton ran away with the 100-meter title, winning by a third of a second in 11.08 seconds. He also took the 200 in 22.66...

A cold and wet March kept the Poplar Bluff golf team stuck inside and it showed in the season-opening tournament. The Mules finished fourth as only one player broke 80. A month later it was a much different story. Poplar Bluff won the conference title by 13 shots, then won the district and sectional tournaments to qualify for the MSHSAA Class 4 state championships, which start Monday in Sedalia...

PARK HILLS -- Dexter junior MaKayla Waldner won four events at the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 meet Saturday. Waldner won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.63 seconds, the 200 in 26.22 and the 300-hurdles in 43.93. Her margin of victory in the 300-hurdles was nearly 6 seconds...

By PATRICK BUCHANAN David Cameron is the most successful Tory Party leader since Margaret Thatcher. Yet history may also record that his success led to the crackup of his country, and Great Britain's secession from the European Union. How did Cameron's Tories capture their majority?...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- That free trade is advantageous to both sides is the rarest of political propositions -- provable, indeed mathematically. David Ricardo did so in 1817. The Law of Comparative Advantage has held up nicely for 198 years...

JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder announced 25 winners of the 2015 Lieutenant Governor's Senior Service Award, including two winners from Southeast Missouri. Lt. Governor Kinder presented the awards May 6 after a luncheon for the winners and their guests outside his office in the Capitol. They included Pat Bradley of Qulin and Jesse Deardorff of Dudley...

Tommy Ryan Tommy Joe Ryan, 68, of Doniphan, died Thursday, May 14, 2015, at the Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Visitation will begin at noon Wednesday in the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Bro. Jared Baker officiating. Burial will be in the Price Cemetery...

Bertha Kimes PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Bertha Mae Kimes, 97, of Owensville, Mo., formerly of Wayne County, died Monday, May 18, 2015, at her residence. Arrangements are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont.

Brian Blackburn PUXICO, Mo. -- Brian Lee Blackburn, 43, of Puxico, died Saturday, May 16, 2015, at his residence. Visitation will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Morgan-Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. A graveside funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton. The Rev. Chuck Clark will be officiating...

Memorial Day ceremonies will be held at five State Veterans Cemeteries - Bloomfield, Fort Leonard Wood, Higginsville, Jacksonville, and Springfield on May 25. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day was established as a day for Americans to honor those who were killed during the Civil War. ...

Marian Shields Marian Marie Shields, 79, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Shields was born July 22, 1935 in Hancock, Mich., to the late Ernest and Matilda Raymond Verville. On Sept. 4, 1973, she married Frank Shields in Flint, Mich. He preceded her in death on Jan. 30, 1987...

Three teenagers were injured in a single-vehicle accident 4:30 p.m. Friday on Route T in Wayne County. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, vehicle occupants Zeki V. Harty, 16, of Wappapello, and Taylor B. Wright, 16, of Puxico, were treated at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for moderate injuries...

Justin W. Muller, 24, of Campbell, was arrested Friday on suspicion of receiving stolen property and a failure to appear warrant. He remains in jail as of Saturday. _ Thomas R. Passley, 27, of Dexter, was arrested Friday on suspicion of receiving stolen property. He remains in jail as of Saturday...

Tamara C. Jones-Bostic, was arrested at 11:04 p.m. Friday in the 700 block of One Mile Road on a Clay County Ark. failure to appear warrant for dangerous drugs. _ A burglary was reported at 9:21 p.m.. Friday in the 200 block of West Stoddard. Several items were missing from the residence and the incident is under investigation...

Brenda Morgan Brenda Morgan of Polar Bluff, died Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral service in Poplar Bluff.

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Authorities continue their search for a Campbell man for his suspected involvement in a home invasion/robbery, which occurred Thursday night in Poplar Bluff. Kristopher K. Storey, according to Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley, is a person of interest in an incident, which occurred in the 800 block of Bearden Street...