Stories from Monday, May 25, 2015

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer As a proud father, Mark Richardson saw excellent leadership characteristics in his oldest son at an early age. As a former state representative for the same county Todd Richardson now serves, he also recognized the qualities of a legislator who could be successful for his constituents and his party...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Jeff and Dianne Arnold of Wappapello, Mo., joined the Sarah White UCAN Walk event Saturday for the first time hoping to be part of a movement to raise awareness about cancer. Dianne Arnold's mother has been battling bladder cancer for about a year, while her father died from cancer...

Alcohol sold to minors 30 times By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Police reports show Poplar Bluff businesses have been caught selling alcohol to minors more than 30 times in the last year and a half. About a third of those businesses were repeat offenders...

Alix Kae Jones and Dylan Patrick Adams, of Wappapello, exchanged vows at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 9, 2015, in an outdoor ceremony. Justin Miller officiate at the double-ring ceremony. Parents of the bride are Michael Jones of Poplar Bluff and Diane and Jessie Metz of Qulin...

Wanda Pullum BLOOMFIELD, Mo.--Wanda Pullum, 83, of Bloomfield, died Friday, May 22, 2015 at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Visitation will be after 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter with Rev. Ricky Roberts officiating...

Verna Godwin DEXTER, Mo.--Verna Dean Godwin, 84, of Dexter died Friday, May 22, 2015 at the SoutheastHealthCenter of Stoddard County in Dexter. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the First United Methodist Church in Dexter with Dr. Barry Winders officiating...

Aulton Smith PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Aulton Ray Smith, 85, of Piedmont passed away Thursday, May 21, 2015, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born April 3, 1931, at Squaw Valley, Calif., the son of Vernon P. Smith and Lola (Hood) Smith. He lived in California for many years and operated Cal-West Aviation. He also was a real estate broker and operated Gateway Realty...

Three Rivers College recognized more than 50 of its highest-performing students at its Annual Student Excellence Awards ceremony on May 8. Winners were chosen to represent each academic department and career education program, the Three Rivers Centers, honor society students and major student organizations...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NEELYVILLE -- Valedictorian Dylan Robinson and salutatorian Samuel Phillips were presented the most scholarships during the commencement program. Phillips will receive $8,000 per year to attend Southeast Missouri State University and Robinson will receive $5,000 per year to attend Missouri State University...

Remembering sacrifices Speak Out. Lest we forget. Memorial Day is about more than burnt hotdogs, cold beverages and family reunions. On this 2015 I would like to remember my friend, Doug. Call sign Dino (Martino). Its now been 35 years since he was killed in the line-of-duty. In a place with no name...

Looking at a neatly-made VA hospital bed, you might never realize that underneath the mattress lies something that could save your life in the event of an emergency. Called "EvacuSleds," the bright yellow emergency evacuation devices pull out and around a hospital mattress and its patient, wrap them securely, and provide an effective way for individuals to be transported down the stairs in an emergency without ever having to leave the bed...

Clayton Brinkley has been named valedictorian of the 2015 graduating class of West County R-IV School in Leadwood. He is the son of Donald and Gayla Brinkley of Festus and the grandson of the late Doyle and Wilma Brinkley of Piedmont, Sue and the late Diz Allen of Piedmont and Charles and Kate Barker of Qulin...

By SHARON RANDALL Tribune News Service So I have a cold. It's not like I didn't ask for it. After a few days in California with my kids and grandkids, I brought the cold home like a bad souvenir. The same thing happened four months ago, when Eleanor Rose was born. On that visit, I stayed for a month to play with Eleanor and her brothers, Randy, who is 4, and Wiley, who is 2, and their cousin, Henry, who is 3...

Allie Anthony of Granite City, Ill., has chosen the name Jagger Cruz Anthony for her 7-pound, 14-ounce son born at 5:36 p.m. Monday, May 11, 2015 in Granite City. Jagger was 21 and 1/2 inches long. Grandparents are Scott and Chris Condor of Granite City and Frank Anthony and Rose of Poplar Bluff...

Pauline Little CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Pauline Little, 96, of Malden, Mo., died Friday, May 22, 2015, at Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott, Ark. Graveside services will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Bethany Cemetery in Campbell.

To the Editor: There's nothing quite as alarming as the blaring siren of an ambulance fast approaching. Whether you're in your car or safely in your home, knowing that someone--somewhere--may be in a life-threatening situation automatically increases our level of alertness...

To the Editor: The Broseley Senior Citizens Center would like to express our appreciation to all those who came out to support our Spring Fling Fundraising Event. We would also like to thank the following people and businesses who gave donations: First Midwest Bank, Sterling Bank, First Missouri State Bank, Gamblin Lumber Company, Fazoli's, Napa store, Domino's Pizza, McDonalds, Office Depot, Greenway Equipment, Rednecks Racks & Reels, Artfully Framed, The Scent Shop, Meek's Lumber Company, Colton's Steak House, China Garden, Dennis Outdoors, Shooters Shack, Applebee's, Baker Implement Company, Jeff Roberts, and Ben Hillis.. ...

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; son, Brian; parents, W. ...

Wilma Seals PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Wilma Dymple Seals of Festus, Mo., died Thursday, May 21, 2015, at Arnold, Mo. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until noon Wednesday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. Services will follow at noon at the chapel. Burial will be at Duncan Cemetery near Piedmont...

Darlene Bowman NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Darlene Bowman, 65, of Doniphan, Mo., died Thursday, May 21, 2015, at her home. Mrs. Bowman was born Oct. 20, 1949, at Neelyville. She is a former resident of Coon Island, Mo. She attended Logan Creek General Baptist Church, and retired from Neelyville school system as a cook. She enjoyed reading, watching birds and traveling...

Jerry Skidmore GIDEON, Mo. -- Jerry Dewayne Skidmore, 71, of Gideon, died Thursday, May 21, 2015, at his residence. Visitation was at 1 p.m. until service time Saturday at the Bradshaw Funeral Home in Gideon. The funeral was at 3 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home chapel. Burial was in the Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton...

FARMINGTON -- Poplar Bluff's inexperience finally showed. After a season of clutch hitting, the Mules came up empty with the exception of their two returning starters in the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 championship game Friday. Jackson broke a tie in the fifth inning on Jon Schumer's RBI single and escaped a sixth-inning jam to beat the Mules 2-1 at Wilson Rozier Field...

MALDEN -- A four-year championship drought was getting tiresome. After three consecutive disappointing ends to its season, it was about time for everything to fall in place for the Malden baseball team. Facing No. 2 New Madrid Central in the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 title game for the third straight year, the top-seeded Green Wave saw defensive lapses go in their favor while a pitching gem from senior ace Toby Miller translated into a 3-0 win Friday...

ST. LOUIS -- On a day when just placing in the top four is the goal, the Poplar Bluff girls 400-meter relay needed to break their own school record to do just that Saturday. Soley Webb, Lexi Hafford, Krisman Eakin and Kaylee Eakin ran 49.71 seconds to beat Cape Central by nearly half a second for the final state qualifying spot in the MSHSAA Class 4 sectional...

DEXTER -- One of the most successful boys tennis seasons in school history ended a win shy of the state final four for the Dexter Bearcats. Dexter suffered a 5-0 loss to John Burroughs in a Class 1 quarterfinal Saturday after beating St. Mary's 5-0 earlier in the day...

Logan Vaughan wrote a little more family history into the dirt at Rains Field. Her mother and grandmother both played for the Three Rivers Lady Raiders, at the same time no less. On Saturday, the Kennett senior shortstop went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs to lead the Lady Indians to a 7-1 win over West County and claim back-to-back MSHSAA spring state championships...

GIDEON -- Third-seeded Naylor committed nine errors and gave up four runs in the first and three in the third and fourth innings before being handed a 10-0 loss at the hands of top-seeded Gideon in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 1 championship game Friday...