Stories from Thursday, July 16, 2015

By NOREEN HYSLOP SEMO News Service DEXTER, Mo. -- Fire investigators in the Southeast Missouri town of Dexter still don't know the cause of a fire that killed a 52-year-old woman. Firefighters were called to the home on North Poplar Street at 1:20 a.m. Monday. It was engulfed in flames. Lois Wells died in the house fire. Wells' body was found 11 hours later...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff City Council member accused of nepotism publicly announced his resignation this morning. Council member at large Dr. Jack Rushin, with a little under two years left on his first term, continued to deny any wrong doing in a statement released by his attorney...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor GREENVILLE, Mo. -- A Lowndes man was ordered to stand trial Tuesday for his role in the shooting death of a man whose body was found laying next to his overturned all-terrain vehicle on a county road near Hiram...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Two Greenville High School students who undertook a massive project to end hunger in their community recently were honored in the nation's capital for their efforts. Kayla Scherr and Autumn Scott participated in the FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) No Kid Hungry National Outreach Program and placed second last week at the club's national competition in Washington D.C...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Twin Rivers budget is looking better than originally anticipated, according to administrators. They say the advent of summer school and increased state funding should help close the deficit next year. Final expenditures for the 2014-15 school year were $8,893,565. ...

To the Editor: Downtown Poplar Bluff would like to extend their gratitude and appreciation to those involved in making Poplar Bluff's annual 4th of July parade and fireworks a great success. The fireworks would not be possible without the gracious sponsorship from Briggs & Stratton...

'Hires' volunteers This is interesting --During Jay Brickell's meeting with Steve Halter and the powers that be-Brickell was quoted as saying that they hire their own security forces for the events at Bricks Off-Road mud hole. On Brickell's web-site he is asking for volunteers-he is quoted as saying they could not operate without the volunteers. ...

Jerry Dorris VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Gerald Dean "Jerry" Dorris, 77, of Van Buren, died Sunday, July 12, 2015 in Poplar Bluff. A visitation was held last night at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. The funeral was held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 15 at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Dave Truncone officiating. Burial followed in the Van Buren City Cemetery...

By MIKE JENSON Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat It did not generate headlines like the Michael Brown episode in Ferguson, but St. Louis police shot and paralyzed a 16-year-old youth at a St. Louis park Saturday evening when he tried to flee while holding a .40 caliber pistol...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation Every year I get questions about parasites in fish. These questions are more common in the summer months. If you do much stream fishing, I imagine you have caught fish that were infected with parasites. It seems that stream fish are more prone to parasites than those that come from larger bodies of water...

Shirley Mae Williams Shirley Mae Williams, 65, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, July 10, 2015 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born Feb. 7, 1950 in Poplar Bluff. A member of Mt. Sinai Church, she enjoyed cooking, computers, and spending time with her grandchildren...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Once again, the region's lakes and rivers are high, thanks to heavy rains in their upper watersheds late last week, and honestly, I can't remember a summer this wet. The Current River at Van Buren rose dramatically late Thursday and Friday before cresting at 13.92 feet on Saturday. That's still 6 feet shy of official flood stage, but plenty bad enough to shut down the river to floaters...

Sandra Sue Lewis Sandra Sue Lewis, 72, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Tuesday, July 14, 2015, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St Louis. Mrs. Lewis was born Aug. 25, 1942 in St. Louis to the late Millard and Leveda Morris Clark. On June 30, 1962 she and Devon Lewis were married in Poplar Bluff. He survives of the home...

Three Rivers coaches estimate it would take five to eight people to replace athletic facilities and equipment manager William Hilburn if he up and left tomorrow. Willie, as everyone calls him, humbly estimated four people but has heard guesses as high as 10...

John Earl Joiner COLUMBIA, Mo. -- John Earl Joiner, 62, of Columbia, Mo., passed away Wednesday, July 8, 2015, at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia. John was born Nov. 24, 1952, in Liverpool, England. He was the son of the late Glenn W. Joiner and Ada Joiner of Dexter, Mo...

Misty Dawn Martin GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Misty Dawn Martin, 25, of Duncan, Okla., died Tuesday, July 14, 2015, at her residence. Services are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home, Greenville.

William "Bo" Brittingham FLORISSANT, Mo. -- William "Bo" Brittingham,78, of Bridgeton, Mo., passed away Saturday, July 11, 2015. Mr. Brittingham was born Oct. 3, 1936, in Fisk, the son of George "Smokey" and Lois Brittingham. He worked many years for Hussman Refrigeration and later for Barry Wehmiller...

The Poplar Bluff Municipal Library will host "Story Time All the Time: Ideas, Tips, and Tricks for Planning Your Own Story Time" at 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 20. Library staff will provide tips and tricks for low cost, fun, and educational story times for preschoolers. Families with children under the age of 5 who attend "Story Time All the Time" will get one free book. The event is free and open to the public...

Three Rivers College will hold five fall registration events at locations across Southeast Missouri July 27 through Aug. 4. Registration events will be in Doniphan High School, 4-7 p.m. July 27; Three Rivers - Piedmont in Clearwater High School, 2-5 p.m. July 28; the Delta Center in Portageville, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. July 29; the South Central Education Consortium in Willow Springs, 4-7 p.m. July 30; and at Three Rivers' new Sikeston location, 4-7 p.m. Aug. 4...

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) MO 734 was called to order at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 24. In attendance were 10 TOPS and two KOPS members when Leader Linda Morgan called the meeting to order. The secretary report was read and approved. Judy Colvin for TOPS and Lou Roach for KOPS were the best losers for the week. The club wished Kathy Browning a Happy Birthday...