Stories from Monday, August 31, 2015

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor GRANDIN, Mo. -- A Grandin man underwent surgery at a local hospital Saturday after he suffered an apparent accidental gunshot wound at his home. At about 8:50 a.m., the Carter County Sheriff's Department received a call from a woman requesting medical assistance, according to Sheriff Rick Stephens...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Six Republican candidates for governor in the primary election on Aug. 2, 2016, have committed to participate in a Poplar Bluff Forum on Saturday evening, Sept. 12. They include Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, former Missouri House Speaker Catherine Hanaway, former U.S. Navy SEAL Eric Greitens, manufacturer John Brunner, state Sen. Bob Dixon and former state Rep. Randy Asbury...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man will be extradited to Bollinger County after he was charged Saturday in connection with an alleged attack that left a man dead and a woman in critical condition. William Anthony Pickard, 32, was arrested at 11 p.m. Friday in Butler County after he allegedly fled a crime scene in Bollinger County and led officers on a pursuit...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer Wednesday, Sept. 9, Dale Manning, of Gideon, Mo., an X-ray technician at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, will embark on a benefit run from Hartford, Mich. to Poplar Bluff, Mo. for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Twenty days and 610 miles later, Manning will end his run on the campus of the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Clinging to the side of the Current River for just under a mile, the trail from the Big Spring campground to a nearby picnic shelter will soon be a resting spot for blue herons, king fishers and many migrating birds...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer When keynote speaker, Carine McCandless, takes the Black River Coliseum stage at this year's Women Aware Conference, Thursday, Sept. 24, be prepared for a powerful and unexpected experience. In the 90s, it was Carine's brother, Christopher McCandless's story, Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer, which touched the heart and soul of the world. Chris had given away his savings, hitchhiked into the wilderness of Alaska and starved to death in 1992...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer These trails were rehabbed during a summer-long project to improvement walking paths surrounding Big Spring in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, near Van Buren, Mo. Information provided by the Riverways. An easy stroll that begins just north of Big Spring. ...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man continues to be held without bond after he was charged Friday with causing the death of another man over the alleged theft of prescription pills. Edward William Weaver, 23, was charged with the Class A felony of first-degree murder or in the alternative the Class A felony of second-degree murder by Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher...

Brendan Li Chang of Poplar Bluff participated in The American Legion Boys State of Missouri, June 13-20, on the campus of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo. Chang was selected based on his leadership, citizenship, academics, and character during his junior year at Poplar Bluff High School...

Emily Jean Rowland of Fisk, Mo. and Ryan Andrew Hale of Harviell, Mo., are engaged. The couple plans to be married at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Rowland is the daughter of Gene and Pam Rowland of Doniphan, Mo. Hale is the son of Mark and Michelle Hale, Broseley, Mo. and Stacie and Carl McElhaney of Harviell, Mo...

Begin the week at Twin Towers by exercising with the P.A.C.E. (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) class held every Monday and Wednesday at 9 a.m. in the Assembly Room. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m., Grace Foot Care will be available in kitchen. Don't forget the 9 a.m. ...

Myrtle Dunn PUXICO, Mo. -- Myrtle Dunn, 83, of Glen Carbon, Ill., formerly of Puxico, died Friday, Aug. 28, in Glen Carbon, Funeral services are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico.

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A great way to see the scenic mountains, canyons and rivers in the western United States is to ride Amtrak's California Zephyr train. Riding on a train at low speed through the mountains is like watching a slow motion film of God's beautiful creation...

By MONA CHAREN When a heavily armed man emerged from the bathroom of a European train and began what was clearly intended as a massacre of innocent, unsuspecting civilians, six men ranging in age from 22 to 62 sprang into action. A banker and a middle-aged academic, both French, were first on the scene. ...

The Poplar Bluff R-1 School Board should have listened to its president. During its regular meeting this week the board was confronted with the fact that the bid for the sports complex came in at $1.8 million over budget. That's a huge increase. The board was told the extra cost was the result of several features that had been added to the complex after the architect had submitted his original estimate, which was the one pitched to the voters when they agreed to significantly increase their property taxes in order to allow R-1 to embark on possibly the biggest construction project in the school district's history and certainly the most costly.. ...

Norman-Kayne Jones Norman-Kayne Jones, 48, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015 in Butler County. A full obituary will be published later. There will be a celebration of life at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at Big Springs State Park in Van Buren, Mo...

Ralph Farris Huggins MALDEN, Mo.--Ralph Farris Huggins, 78, of Malden died Friday, Aug. 28, 2015, at his residence. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Sunday at United Pentecostal Church in Malden. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the United Pentecostal Church. Burial will be in Rosewood Cemetery in Malden...

Gentlemen: I am much disturbed this morning over news reports that the Kentucky clerk refusing to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples will probably be charged with law-breaking. This is her religious freedom being challenged. We need to stand behind her and back her in standing for her religious faith...

Doyne Baker WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Doyne Baker, 75, of Wappapello, Mo., died Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Wappapello.

Margaret (Peggy) D. Schell Margaret (Peggy) D. Schell, 88, of Cottonwood, Ariz. died Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015. She was born May 31, 1927 in St. Louis, Mo. to the late Deloy Maddox and Dena Sparkman Maddox. She was of the Baptist faith. She married Homer Schell April 4, 1946. He preceded her in death Dec. 23, 2011...

Bob McCollumn DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Bobby Leon McCollumn, 74, of Doniphan died Friday, Aug. 28, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. McCollumn, son of the late R.F. and Mable (Helm) McCollumn, was born Friday, Jan. 10, 1941 in Shook, Mo. He was an over-the-road truck driver. Mr. McCollumn loved his country music and square dancing. He was of the Baptist faith...

Juanita "Pat" Crafford FISK, Mo.-- Juanita "Pat" Crafford, 71, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015 at her residence. She was born Nov. 12, 1943 at Poplar Bluff. She had a desire to be a nurse at an early age and spent over 40 years as a nurse before retiring. She was a member of Gospel Tabernacle Apostolic Church, at Eighth and Cherry Street...

Take a good, hard look at my photo. Cut it out and hang it in the locker room. Throw darts at it or draw things on it, I don't care, just remember it. That photo was taken one day after I awoke to find a bump on my nose that was infected and red. My alarmed wife sent me to Urgent Care that day where I was given antibiotics...

There were many worthy candidates for the game ball Friday night at Morrow Stadium. Tristen Francisco threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and caught one in a wild third quarter of Poplar Bluff's 51-14 win over Dexter. "He's doing anything we ask him," Mules coach Mark Barousse said. "Played a good game on defense. He's a good leader."...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Malden found itself in unfamiliar and unlikely territory against rival Caruthersville for the first time in nearly two years Friday night. The Green Wave, who had won the previous two meetings by at least 47 points, clung to a slim lead late with the Tigers driving...

GREENVILLE -- All but two players had at least one hit for the Bears, who scored eight runs in the first inning and three in the third in an 11-0 victory over Doniphan in five innings on Friday. Trey McDaniel, Trynt Tompkins, Tye Huff and Will VanMatre each drove in two runs while Cody Jackson, Jake Dorris and Grant Miller drove in one run a piece...

JACKSON --Poplar Bluff's Katie Sliger won her race at the Jackson Invitational cross country meet Saturday, leading the Mules to the title in the sophomore division. Sliger finished the 2.35-mile course at Jackson City Park in 15 minutes, 13 seconds while teammates Katelyn Moeller and Kaylee Eakin took fifth and sixth, respectively, as the Mules won by two points...