Stories from Friday, August 7, 2015

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Preliminary investigations indicate molten aluminum hitting water caused explosions that injured more than 30 employees at a Southeast Missouri aluminum plant, a federal agency said Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the explosions that occurred Tuesday at the Noranda Aluminum plant...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff public schools welcomed 48 new teachers to the district for the 2015 school year during a luncheon Tuesday at the high school. Associate superintendent of personnel Amy Jackson says the number of new hires - keeping in mind most of these are not newly created positions, although a few are - is up slightly from last year...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The reopening of a heavily traveled bridge in Campbell, Mo., will be delayed two weeks, the Missouri Department of Transportation announced Wednesday. The Highway 53 bridge will now open Sept. 15, after being shut down for more than a year. The bridge was originally expected to open Sept. 1...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center will expand to include a 60 student all-day program following a recent grant award. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education administers funds through a competitive grant process dubbed Missouri Preschool Program. Through the award, the Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center will receive the grant maximum of $250,000 for fiscal year 2016. The grant also can be renewed for a lesser amount for up to five years...

Tractor rollover kills area resident EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- An East Prairie man was killed after the tractor he was operating overturned on a levee Tuesday in Mississippi County. At 12:45 p.m., William H. "Billy" Thomure, 58, of East Prairie was operating a tractor on private property about six miles south of East Prairie, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The accident occurred as Thomure was driving up the levee and overturned, pinning him underneath the tractor...

During the dog days of August, gardens may still be producing. You may be wondering what to do with those few extra tomatoes and peppers. Consider making salsa. It's a favorite of many, so consider making some extra and share with your friends and family...

By PATRICK BUCHANAN In his new biography "Being Nixon: A Man Divided," Evan Thomas concedes a point. Richard Nixon, he writes, "was not paranoid; the press and the 'Georgetown set' really were out to get him." Carl Bernstein's review found Thomas' book deficient in its failure to chronicle the "endemic criminality" of the Nixon presidency...

By JAY AMBROSE Tribune News Service President Barack Obama has a new plan to fight global warming, and science is on his side, isn't it? No, not exactly. But wait, calculations show the economy will benefit, don't they? No, not even close _ consumers will take a bath. Well, finally, the Constitution backs up the effort's legality, does it not? It does not...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS A particular act or policy might not have a discriminatory intent, but that doesn't let you off the hook. If it has a disproportionately negative impact on so-called protected classes, it is said to have a disparate impact and risks being prohibited by law. ...

Nelta Grossius DEXTER, MO. -- Nelta Fae Grossius, 78, of Dexter died Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015 at Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County in Dexter. Visitation will be from 12:30 - 2 p.m, Saturday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel and the funeral services will follow in the chapel at 2 p.m, with Dr. Barry Winders officiating...

SUGAR GROVE, Ill. -- Carr Vernon fell a stroke short of advancing in the 113th Western Amateur. The Poplar Bluff golfer ended up tied for 46th at 1-over 145 following his round of 72 Wednesday at Rich Harvest Farms. The top 45 in the 156-player field advanced to play 36 holes Thursday before the top 16 advanced to match play starting Friday...

In the beginning of last November, the Three Rivers Raiders clobbered Mid-West Prep 96-57 to improve to 3-0. Five Raiders finished in double figures. Four of those were off the bench. Mid-West Prep's Gabriel Grant also finished in double figures with 13 points. This season, he'll be a Raider...

Mazie Whites Wiliford CORNING, Ark. -- Mazie Whites Wiliford died Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015 in Paragould, Ark. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Ermert Funeral Home in Corning. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Corning Cemetery...

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man was sentenced Wednesday morning to a year in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine with intentions of distributing it. Jeremy Robert Paul Ellis, 36, of the 300 block of West Neat Street was sentenced to one year and one day on one felony count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute by U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig, according to Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Willis...

O'Lester Wise, Sr. ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- O'Lester Wise, Sr., 71, of St. Louis, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Wednesday, July 29, 2015. Visitation will be from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of the Presentation, 8860 Tudor Avenue, St. Louis, followed by the funeral at 11 a.m. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery, 5200 Lucas and Hunt Road. Repast and fellowship will be at 1716 N. Compton Avenue, St. Louis...

Jessica N. Bloom, 28, of Dexter, was arrested at 5:22 a.m. Wednesday in the 200 block of North Elm on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance.