Stories from Monday, October 26, 2015

MEMPHIS, Tenn.-- The Delta Regional Authority has kicked off the 2015 -- 2016 Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy with an orientation session in Memphis, Tenn. A Poplar Bluffian and two women from Sikeston are among the six community leaders from Missouri who will join a class of 52 fellows from each of the eight Delta region states for the 11th class of the Executive Academy, a year-long leadership development program...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A meeting will be held from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Van Buren Youth and Community Center to get public input on the creation of a roads and trails management plan for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The city of Poplar Bluff will soon be able to offer citizens more services through its website, with a contract approved last week by council members. Kansas-based CivicsPlus has been hired to redesign and beef up the city's online presence...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Honesty, integrity and character can't be taught, but their importance shapes a person's life from an early age. That was the message Doug Roberts, assistant special agent in charge of the United States Secret Service in St. Louis, Mo., conveyed to the students at the Boys & Girls Club of Poplar Bluff Thursday afternoon...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff public schools saw a slightly lower score than last year on the 2015 annual performance report. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) compose annual performance reports (APRs) based on five data sets and uses the composite score for accreditation purposes...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Students tested underwater robots and learned diving skills at the Black River Coliseum on Friday, in anticipation of a trip to Dauphin Island, Ala. on Monday. According to the school, SINGS (Serving the Individual Needs of Gifted Students) students will be traveling to the Dauphin Sea Lab to "participate in some classes and explore the ecosystem of the gulf and the swamp marsh."...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- The Republican Party, like Sisyphus, is again putting its shoulder to a boulder, hoping to make modest but significant changes in the Electoral College arithmetic by winning perhaps 12 percent of the African- American vote. To this end, they need to hone a rhetoric of skepticism about, and an agenda for reform of, the criminal justice system. They can draw on the thinking of a federal appellate judge nominated by Ronald Reagan...

Mother and daughter, Thelma Aldrich and Erin Schrimsher came up with the idea of #AdventureTuesday on the way home from a trip they had taken. They chose Tuesday so Thelma's son Zach could be there before he flew out for work on Wednesday. They thought an adventure every week would entertain the five kids growing up in Erin's house until school started. ...

Students earning spots the Eugene Field Elementary School Honor Roll are: Third Grade A Honor Roll Alyssa Adams, Owen Burkhead, Dereck Burton, Patiance Cochran, Angel Johnson, Hannah Kee, Nicholai Lane, Reece Prenger, Jesse Thurner B Honor Roll Michael Breeden, Logahn Bristol, Myra Brown, Kenyon Chappell, Donna Clark, Alexis Danner, Jayson Dillon, Triston Dixon, Andreana Esters, Anissa Faughn, Zayvean Gehlbach, Amber Graham, Evan Gregg, Christian Griffin, Landon Hart, Xzavioare Hartley, Kamari Higgins, Grant Holloway, Zachary Jones, Hunter Kearbey, Janica King, Savannah Larkins, Lucas Longhibler, Kaden Manis, Kailey Manis, Isaiah Marshall, Jodi McElhaney, Paislie Pearman, Evangeline Peason, Kaden Phillips, Nyjah Porter, Stetson Pullum, James Samuell, Anika Scarlet, Aaron, Shaw, Noah Smith, Steve Smith, Steven Smith, Xzavion Sredojevich, Trinnadee Stone, Trenton Turner, Jacqueline VanMeter, Autumn Walker, Kayden Walker, Devyn Widmer. ...

Jerry Garrett Jerry D. Garrett, 82, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Friday, Oct. 23, 2015, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Mr. Garrett, son of the late Lawrence and Rose (Joiner) Garrett, was born May 15, 1933, in Williamsville, Mo. He was a member of the Twin Oaks Baptist Church and was owner and operator of the A-Z Auto Salvage. He enjoyed spending time with his family and cars...

Do we need to get on welfare? [email] I was in the presence of a person on public assistance-she went to lunch, was going to get her hair done. She said she recently got a new living room set & next week was going to get a bedroom set. Another person on PA was telling how she had to take the dog to the groomer & it cost her $50 to $60 a month. ...

Rhonda Kay Burton VAN BUREN, MO.--Rhonda Kay Burton, 63, of Van Buren, departed this life Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015, in Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Mo. The daughter of the late Charles Howard Everhart and Lily Mae (Curry) Everhart-Hodge, she was born Dec. 7, 1951 in Van Buren...

JACKSON, Mo. -- Wesley Moore picked the right day to run his best race. The Poplar Bluff sophomore broke 18 minutes for the first time Saturday in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 cross country meet. By placing 28th, Moore advanced to next weekend's sectional meet...

Each time Oakville seemed to gain the upper hand by forcing a turnover Friday night, Poplar Bluff's defense had an answer. The Mules forced seven turnovers -- eight counting a fourth-down fumble on a goal-line stand -- to overcome a season-high five by the offense in a 37-19 win at Morrow Stadium...

BLOOMFIELD -- The Bloomfield volleyball team knows a thing or two about comebacks. The Lady Wildcats rallied to win a district title, and in second game of the MSHSAA Class 2 quarterfinal Saturday they were on the cusp of another one. Facing match point and an eight-point deficit, Bloomfield rattled off seven straight points before freshman Bailey Below's powerful swing on the next play appeared to tie it. ...

Donnie Endres sat on top of his horse during the final rodeo of his freshman season, needing one more good run to make to the College National Finals. The Three Rivers steer wrestler burst out of the chute, expecting the steer he drew to run slow again. He set up his jump, and the steer found some speed and out ran him for a no score...

MALDEN -- The alternative version to the sixth highest scoring game in MSHSAA history was much more satisfying for Malden's defense Friday night. Sure, breaking the school record for points in a game last week was nice, but the Green Wave also allowed the most since 2013 in a win over Dexter...

PARK HILLS, Mo. --The seventh-seeded Dexter Bearcats kept pace with second-seeded Park Hills Central for the first three quarters but were unable to calculate a score in the closing minutes Friday night. The defending district champion Rebels scored the final three touchdowns as it overcame a 5-point, third-quarter deficit to beat Dexter 49-33 in a MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 quarterfinal...

BERNIE -- Bernie senior Addie Shelton knew her team had overcome much bigger deficits than the one they faced after falling behind Bismarck 24-23 in the decisive set Saturday night. "I was definitely thinking we could still do it," Shelton said. "Because last year we played Bismarck in a sectional and came from behind from 16-24 in the third set and beat them 26-24. So I knew we could pull out a win...

Edward Hendrickson Edward Hendrickson, 85, of Fenton, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Friday, Oct. 23, 2015, at the Cori Manor in Fenton. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.