Stories from Saturday, May 23, 2015

By LEONNA HEURING SEMO News Service SIKESTON -- Sikeston resident Justin Taylor ended the Missouri House of Representatives' annual legislative session on a happy note Friday when he proposed to his longtime girlfriend, State Rep. Shelley Keeney of Marble Hill...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer R-I Board of Education members appointed program representatives, approved new bus purchases and inspectors for upcoming construction and discussed classroom mopping procedures and several other items during Thursday's meeting...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Cynthia-Kinzer neighborhood near downtown Poplar Bluff has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Missouri Advisory Council on Historic Preservation approved the nomination during its regular quarterly meeting May 15 in Joplin. The area composes the 900-1000 blocks of Cynthia and Kinzer Streets, 918-924 Maud, 838-842 Kinzer and portions of 9th through 11th streets...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NEELYVILLE -- A proposal to expand the Early Childhood Special Education program from two half-day sessions to two full-day classrooms was discussed during the Neelyville School Board meeting Thursday night. "We have 28 students lined up. We need to have two classrooms all day, but the problem is space," said Sabrina Morehead, director of special services and supervisor of early childhood...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NEELYVILLE -- A proposed Neelyville High School Academic Strategic Plan for the next four years will help students be more competitive for scholarships and better prepared for college. Carmel Dare, the new high school counselor, proposed several changes during her presentation at the Neelyville School Board meeting Thursday night...

Recently we celebrated the backbone of our nation's economy with National Small Business Week. America's small businesses create about seven out of every 10 new jobs. Half of our nation's workforce is employed at a small business, and 99.7 percent of all U.S. employers are small businesses. Sadly, though, it is getting tougher and tougher for our entrepreneurs to create businesses and live the American Dream. We must stop this trend now and do more to help job creators grow opportunities...

By MICHELLE MALKIN In our home, we try to instill a life lesson for our kids best summed up in Latin: Nihil boni sine labore. It means, "Nothing good achieved without hard work." Few people I've met in my lifetime embody this motto better and more brilliantly than Tony Maglica, inventor of the iconic Maglite flashlight...

Cane Creek Community Club had six members present for the Wednesday, May 13, meeting at the Twin Towers. Ruth Anderson was the hostess. The thought for the day was "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, then what are we to think of an empty desk." Albert Einstein...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- Ramadi falls. The Iraqi army flees. The great 60-nation anti-Islamic State coalition so grandly proclaimed by the Obama administration is nowhere to be seen. Instead, it's the defense minister of Iran who flies into Baghdad, an unsubtle demonstration of who's in charge -- while the U.S. air campaign proves futile and America's alleged strategy for combating the Islamic State is in freefall...

Arionna Nichols, daughter of Jessica Nichols, of Poplar Bluff was chosen as a state finalist for the National American Miss Missouri Pageant to be held June 28-29 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center in Columbia. The 10-year-old will participate in the Pre-Teen age division...

Aiden Brier Davidson is the name chosen by Jessica Peters and Joshua Davidson of Park Hills for their 5-pound, 10-ounce son born Friday, May 15, 2015 at Parkland Health Center in Farmington. Aiden was 18 and 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Rex Davidson of Park Hills, Russell and Mary Peters of Poplar Bluff, and the late Amie Cunningham of Farmington...

Marilyn Bowman NEELYVILLE -- Marilyn Darlene Bowman, 65, of Doniphan, formerly of Neelyville, died Thursday, May 21, 2015, at her home. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel of Neelyville.

This is the time of year that cherry trees start to produce sweet fruit. When cherries are turning red, the blue jays also get excited. So you will need to madly pick cherries everyday trying to keep ahead of the birds. I really hate to pit! The cherry tree belongs to a large family that includes apricot, apple, plum, and peach. ...

Kenny Rushin ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- Kenneth (Kenny) Joe Rushin, 76, of St. Charles, formally of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, May 18, 2015, at his home surrounded by his family. He was born July 5, 1938, in Poplar Bluff, the son of Robert and Millie Rice Rushin...

Charlene Robertson DEXTER, Mo.--Charlene Myers Robertson, 84, of Dexter, died Thursday, May 21, 2015 at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Visitation will be from 2-3 p.m. Sunday at the First United Methodist Church in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 3 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church with Dr. Barry Winders officiating...

Lt. Col. Clifford T. Manlove (Ret.), 97, of Dexter, died Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Visitation will be held from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter. A grave-side service will follow at noon Tuesday at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield with Dr. Barry Winders officiating...

Betty Jacky FISK -- Betty Jean Fields Jacky, 69, of Ferguson, went home to Jesus Tuesday, May 19, 2015, at National Healthcare of Maryland Heights. She was born Jan. 12, 1946, in St. Louis, to Alfred and Sarah Elizabeth (Hayes) Fields. Betty was the proud owner of Ferguson Coiffures for many years...

Things didn't exactly start smoothly for East Carter in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 championship game Thursday afternoon. A walk and a dropped fly ball put runners at the corners with one out and Neelyville loaded the bases following a four-pitch walk...

Bobby G. Hudson Bobby G. Hudson, 85, of Poplar Bluff, died Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at John J. Pershing Veteran's Hospital. He was born Dec. 16, 1929 in Poplar Bluff to the late William Hudson and Maudie M. Tucker Hudson. He was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff. He was a member of the First Christian Church...

W. Paul Summers Jr. THORNTON, Colo. -- W. Paul Summers, Jr., 50, of Thornton, passed away Friday, May 15, 2015. Paul was born Jan. 7, 1965, in Pocahontas, Ark. He is survived by his wife, Tammy; daughters, Chelsea and Kaitlyn; parents, W. Paul and Penny Summers, Sr.; in-laws, Donald and Hazel Soule III; twin sisters, Alyssa and Kay (Robert); uncles, Jerry (Shirley) Reeves, W. ...

MALDEN -- Bernie pitcher Devin Trammell kept telling his coach all day, "I'm going to do a good job." Trammell hurled a gem, retiring seven in a row at one point, but needed a little help from his friends to beat Cooter 3-2 in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 championship Thursday night...

GREENVILLE -- For a team that has just one blemish on its record this spring, the Greenville Bears have still had their problems in the dugout. "We've had problems with making each other mad, getting at each other's throats -- just lots of arguments," Greenville junior Ben Becker said referring to the Bears' last few weeks of the season...

Therma Willard PUXICO -- Therma Lee Willard, 78, of Bloomfield, formerly of Puxico, died Friday, May 22, 2015, at her daughter's residence. The arrangements are pending with Morgan-Sifford Funeral Home of Puxico.

Homer Wolfe DONIPHAN -- Homer Daniel Sherwood Wolfe, 73, of Omaha, Neb., passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2015, in Fremont, Neb. Mr. Wolfe, son of Gabriel Joseph and Rosie Ellen (Martz) Wolfe, was born Aug. 13, 1941, in Grandin. He had worked at a furniture manufacturing company...

RR museum closed Sat. The Moark Regional Railroad Museum in Downtown Poplar Bluff will be closed Saturday in observance of Memorial Day weekend and to give volunteers time with their families. The museum will be open 1-4 p.m. Saturday, May 30.

MALDEN -- The Green Wave lived dangerously Thursday, but left their home field unscathed. Jeremy Jones struck out 11 through six innings of work and escaped bases-loaded jams in the fifth and sixth innings. Parker McCormick then struck out the side as Malden beat Senath-Hornersville 7-0 in the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 semifinals...