Stories from Monday, November 23, 2015

Following a two-day search of Black River floodwaters by authorities, the body of John J. Gutches, 49, of Lesterville, was discovered Friday afternoon in Reynolds County, Mo. Reynolds County Coroner Jeff McSpadden pronounced Guteches dead at 3:45 p.m., according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. His body was taken to McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellington, Mo...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The life of a 1991 Neelyville High School graduate, who was shot and killed at a police training facility near Amman, Jordan on Nov. 9, was celebrated during his funeral in Fellowship General Baptist Church at Poplar Bluff Saturday...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff native and one of the first black students admitted to University of Missouri Columbia - a moment that would inspire the moniker of inequality protesters Concerned Student 1950 - recently discussed the history of racism on that campus...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor The first changes have been implemented in how inmates in the Butler County Justice Center receive and spend money for such items as soap and shampoo. Family members no longer give money directly to a clerical staff member to be placed on an inmate's account...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer As 3-year-old Bella played with her favorite Minnie Mouse doll after a family dinner early last week, Jim Ward asked, "What grows besides flowers and trees?" "Me!" she announced, curling into her father's side for a hug...

Loss of services I am stunned by the Butler County Health Board's decision to discontinue the in home health care program... Their reason was so they could divert more resources to teen-age pregnancy, etc. So this is the way it is: the folks who paid the bills for youngsters who act irresponsibly are now denied the care they need...

Greenville Elementary School has named the students on the First Quarter Honor Roll. First Grade--Ethan Atnip, Barry Barker-Stamm, Kailee Biri, Jessica Birmingham, Kinley Bollinger, Williams Burkman, Addyson Clubb, Dylan Dean, Elijah Dickinson, Eli Evans, Jasper Finch, Alexander Gutierrez, Matthew Henry, Gracyn Hill, Patience Hinson, Isabel Houghton, Mykena Judge, Billie Jean Leach, Samuel Lane Looney, Ian Meyer, Malachi Miriani, Alissa Nepean, Chelsey Radford, Skyler Vandeven, Alex Walk, Desiree Weekley, Tanner White, Trapper White, Mason Womble, Thurstan Wren and Riley Young.. ...

Dorothy Tucker DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Dorothy Evelyn Russell Tucker, 99, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015, at The Cedargate Nursing Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will take place from 5 - 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will start at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, in the funeral home chapel and burial will be in the Doniphan City Cemetery...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer When the ladies of the Agee Community north of Poplar Bluff organized their club in 1932, they adopted the motto: "We would walk 10 miles to go to club." With determination such as that, it should come as no surprise to anyone when the ladies of the Agee Community Club met for lunch at The Bread Company, Friday, Nov. 13th, they celebrated the 83rd anniversary of their club without ever missing a monthly meeting...

Jean Payne DEXTER, Mo. -- Jean Payne, 74, of Dexter and Lee's Summit, Mo. died Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015 at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center in Dexter. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015 at Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. Nov. 24 at the Bernie Cemetery in Bernie, Mo...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Building a scenic model railroad layout became "a family affair" for three generations of Poplar Bluffians. The project also continues the memory of another Poplar Bluff model railroader. Jay Githens, son Joey, his wife Haylee, and their children, Kendall, 11, and Trystan, 10, worked numerous weekends to complete the beautiful layout for "O" gauge trains. It covers a space 18 feet wide and 24 feet long and includes 208 feet of track...

Laverda Maple CORNING, Ark.--Laverda Maple, 83, of Corning, passed away Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015 at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould. Mrs. Maple was a homemaker who enjoyed cooking, quilting, spoiling grand and great grandchildren, and loved watching Cardinal Baseball especially with her youngest great-grandchild. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Corning...

By SHARON RANDALL Tribune News Service Holiday traditions are like the people who keep them. Over time, they change. They aren't perfect, nor do they need to be. They simply reflect who we are. Every year in November, I try to remember all the countless details of doing Thanksgiving dinner for a big, growing crowd of family and friends...

Billy Davidson MT. STERLING, Ky. -- Billy Joe Davidson, 68, of Mt. Sterling, Ky., formerly of Piedmont, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015 in Mt. Sterling. Graveside services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at Ruble Cemetery near Piedmont with military rites under direction of Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel...

Betty Lou Nelson FISK, Mo.--Betty Lou Nelson, 65, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Nelson was born Aug. 18, 1950 at Campbell. She was a medical receptionist at Kneibert Clinic for 14 years. She enjoyed fishing, driving her golf cart around the farm and spending time with her grandchildren. She married Michael Nelson Jan. 1, 1995. He survives...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Paris was for all Americans, but especially for Republicans, a summons to seriousness that should have two immediate impacts on the Republican presidential contest. It should awaken the party's nominating electorate from its reveries about treating the presidency as an entry-level job. And it should cause Republicans to take another look at Chris Christie, beginning with his speech in Florida the day after the Paris attacks...

Paul W. Erwin Paul W. Erwin, 89, of Cape Girardeau, died Friday, Nov. 20, 2015 at the Missouri Veteran's Home in Cape Girardeau. He was born in Tennessee to the late Joseph Oscar Erwin and Tynie Maybell McGerity. He was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was a member of the Heritage Apostolic Church...

Larry Arnold POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Larry M. Arnold, 72, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Arnold, son of the late Robert Sr. and Helen (Pry) Arnold, was born July 7, 1943 in St. Louis, Mo. He was of the Baptist faith and had worked as a roofer and also as a sanitation engineer. ...

Clyde Vernon Sells NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Clyde Vernon Sells, 81, of Hillsboro, Mo., passed away Monday, Nov. 16, 2015 at the Mercy Hospital in Festus. He was raised in the Neelyville area. He enjoyed working on cars and deer hunting. He leaves behind his loving wife of 63 years, Luellan (Robert) Sells...

Five people may be able to attend the Youth Mental Health First Aid Workshop Thursday, Dec. 3, free. The cost of the workshop offered by the University of Missouri Extension normally ranges from $40 to $170 and will include the needed materials and lunch for participants. The local extension staff is able to provide the workshop free of charge because of funds provided by the Missouri Institute of Mental Health...

Ezra A. Cox Jr. HEMET, Calif. -- On Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 having completed the work the Lord has assigned him, Ezra Cox stepped into the final phase of his eternal life with the Lord. Ezra was born and raised in Poplar Bluff, Mo., to Ezra A. Cox Sr. and Elizabeth Greer Cox. In 1985 Ezra, along with his wife, Sherry and two children, moved to Southern California and has lived in Hemet, Calif. since that time...

Golda Harris POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Golda Virginia Worley Harris, 87, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Harris, the daughter of the late Charles Floyd and Elma Myrtle (Palmer) Transue, was born Aug. 12, 1928 in Poplar Bluff. She was a member of the Church of the Nazarene and attended Westside Church of God. Mrs. Harris enjoyed music, singing and playing the piano for church and funeral services. She also loved flower gardening...

MALDEN -- Multiple Palmyra football players had items stolen from the team's locker room at some point during the Class 2 semifinal game against Malden Saturday afternoon. After the Panthers 24-21 defeat, the players returned to the locker room to find that money and cellphones were missing from their bags, which were kept in a room in a building behind the south end zone of the football field...

John David Pattillo's return to the bench at Peters Gym ended the way of his first debut nearly 20 years ago. "There's definitely things that we're going to build on, said Pattillo after Jonesboro's 74-55 win Friday night over Poplar Bluff. After last coaching the boys program in 2005, Pattillo became Poplar Bluff's second girls coach since the program restarted in 1977...