Stories from Wednesday, December 16, 2015

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Opening a screen door decorated with a small American flag, U.S. Army veteran George Miller welcomed volunteers from the holiday food program Care and Share into his Poplar Bluff, Mo., home Friday morning. The volunteers are staff members from John J. Pershing VA Medical Center and they brought with them bags weighed down with flour, eggs, ham and other groceries that will provide Miller with a Christmas dinner and more...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Susan McVey desires to be a member of the Poplar Bluff City Council again. She filed today as a candidate for the vacant Ward 1 seat, according to City Clerk Pamela Kearbey. McVey was appointed as an at large member on the council in November 2004. ...

By BEN KLEINE SEMO News Service PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Herbert Miller will remain the coroner in Perry County until he resigns or he can be removed by the Missouri Attorney General. Because he does not intend to resign, Miller likely will remain coroner for at least the next month...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff man faces an arson charge after allegedly setting fire to his residence to cover up stealing $80 from his wife to play video poker, according to city police. Poplar Bluff Police arrested Leotis S. Allen, 30, of the 1600 block of Wilson, Saturday evening on suspicion of second-degree arson. He is being held in the Butler County jail...

By MARK BLISS SEMO News Service The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents will consider single tuition rates for online degree students at its meeting Tuesday. In addition, as part of the measure, the per-credit-hour program fee for the online RN to BSN nursing program would be reduced from $100 to $20, university officials said...

Refurbish trailer for city hall I understand the need for a new police station in Poplar Bluff, and I totally support that, but as far as City Hall and City Court--as far as I'm concerned they can do what the schools do whenever they need more room or they need something done. ...

By MONA CHAREN The dictionary defines "bogeyman" as "an imaginary evil spirit, referred to typically to frighten children." Hello, Donald Trump. It's not clear whether he set out intentionally to elect Hillary Clinton, but there is little question that he could not be fulfilling the role of Republican bogeyman to greater effect...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- So how exactly does this work, Donald Trump's plan to keep America safe from Islamic terrorism by barring entry to all Muslims? He explained it Tuesday on TV. The immigration official will ask the foreigner if he's a Muslim...

Register now for the Ag Expo Beauty Pageant which will be held at the 30th Ag Expo 2016 on Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Black River Coliseum in Poplar Bluff, Mo., said Phyllis Flanigan of the University of Missouri Extension. The divisions include: 9:30 a.m., Baby Girl, birth to 12 months; 10 a.m., Toddler Girl, first birthday to 23 months; 10:30 am, Petite Miss, 2 to 4 years; 11 a.m., Tiny Miss, 5 to 7 years; 11:30 a.m., Little Miss, 8 to 12 years; noon, Junior Miss, 13 to 15 years; and 12:30 p.m., Miss Ag Expo, 16 to 20 years.. ...

Greenville High School announces Students of the Month for December 2015 Sara Lee Stovall, daughter of Norma and Danny Stovall of Clubb, Mo., is active in BETA, FCCLA, Art Club, band, Educational Talent Search. She is also captain of the cheerleading squad and plays softball and volleyball. Sara's hobbies are: watching movies, time with friends and family, playing cards, cheerleading, stunting and shopping...

Alford Gadberry Alford R. Gadberry, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are currently pending with Ruegg Funeral Homes. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com

Maddie Cauthen is Sacred Heart's December student of the month. She is in the third grade. Her family includes her dad and mom, Kent and Jennifer Cauthen, and two brothers: Tripp and McLane. Maddie loves telling all about her family. Her favorite class at Sacred Heart is music because she loves to sing. ...

Christine Korenak ST. LOUIS -- Christine Marie Korenak, 68, of St. Louis died Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015, at her residence. Miss Korenak was born June 8, 1947, in Alameda, Calif., to the late Paul and Adeline Korenak. She was a veteran of the United States Navy and was an Art teacher for the Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District retiring after many years of service. ...

Jerry Pennington Sr. DEXTER, Mo. -- Jerry Lee Pennington Sr., 73, of Puxico, Mo., died Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015, at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. today at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Ray Placher of Puxico officiating. Burial will follow in the Walker Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Kenny Eudaley ELLSINORE, Mo. - Kenneth Dalton "Kenny" Eudaley, son of the late Richard and Anna Irene (Bradshaw) Eudaley, was born February 21, 1947 in Warrenton, Missouri and departed this life December 12, 2015 in the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He had attained the age of sixty-eight years, nine months and nineteen days...

Lillian Lilly Lillian P. Lilly, 73, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 at her residence. Mrs. Lilly, the daughter of the late Frank and Evelyn (Maben) Martin was born Nov. 29, 1942 in Poplar Bluff. She attended Memorial Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff and had retired as a cake decorator for Walmart and IGA Grocery store. ...

Rozella J. Parker FISK, Mo.--Rozella J. Parker, 92, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 at Oakdale Care Center. Mrs. Parker was born April 11, 1923 at Portageville, and had lived most of her life at Fisk. She was a member of the Fisk Presbyterian Church. ...

Jerry Pennington Sr. DEXTER, Mo. -- Jerry Lee Pennington Sr., 73, of Puxico, Mo., died Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015, at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. Services were held Dec. 15 at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home Chapel in Dexter with the Rev. Ray Placher of Puxico officiating. Burial followed in the Walker Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Peggy Denny Peggy Jean Denny of Puxico, daughter of the late Gene and Ina Loyd DeShaw, was born in Cape Girardeau, Mo., on Nov. 7, 1928, and passed away at the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau on Dec. 7, 2015, at the age of 87 years and one month...

All marriages can be blessed This for the "definition of marriage." Who left her, the holy roller, to tell everybody what the definition of the Bible is? Maybe she should read a different Bible. Anybody's marriage can be blessed--even by her. No to refugees;...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Calm down and think, America. While everyone's undies are in a bunch over Donald Trump's proposal for a Muslim immigration moratorium, it is undeniable in a time of "heightened alert" -- when violent jihadists have no problem targeting their enemies here and around the world -- that national security profiling is imperative to our survival...

WASHINGTON -- Progressives are increasingly preoccupied with income inequality, and their current hero, Sen. Bernie Sanders, favors increasing the tax system's progressivity. So, in this 103rd year of the income tax, it is timely to note that there still is no intellectually sturdy case for progressive taxation...

SEMO News Service PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A 14-year-old Perry County Middle School student already was in trouble when he was called into principal Mark Phillips' office Wednesday, and he made his situation much worse, Perry County authorities reported. After the teenager arrived at the office, the student became belligerent and began punching and kicking Phillips, forcing the principal to restrain the teen until the school-resource deputy arrived, said Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf...

Alford R. Gadberry GREENVILLE, Mo.--Alford R. Gadberry died Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Greenville. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Thursday, at the Greenville Chapel...

The chemistry among the Lady Raiders has been good since day one. Traditionally one of the bigger hurdles to overcome when bringing in kids from different backgrounds, locations and coaches, it hasn't been a problem so far for Three Rivers coach Jeff Walk...

Jane Baldridge CARTERVILLE, Ill.--LaNeta Jane Baldridge, 84, of Carterville, Ill., passed away Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, at Herrin Hospital. Jane was born May 30, 1931, in Monette, Ark. to John H. and Sallie (Fullen) Baldridge. She is survived by her sisters and brother-in-law, LaWanda and William ìEdî Crawford of Carterville and Nancy LaDell Harris of Poplar Bluff; nieces and nephews: Wade (Jan) Berryhill of Midlothian, Va., Beverly (Doug) Hall of Monette, Ark., Nancy (Stan) Scantlin of Strasburg, Pa., Donna (Russell) Phillips of Marmaduke, Ark., Becky (Cody) Ashton of Carterville, David (Sue) Crawford of Bellevue, Neb., Anthony (Brenda) Harris of Battlefield., and John (Bridgette) Harris of Poplar Bluff; and several great-great nieces and nephews.. ...

Robert Irwin Baker MALDEN, Mo.--Robert Irwin Baker, 78, of Perkins, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from noon until service time Wednesday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. Funeral will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, at Bradshaw Chapel in Malden with Rev. Earnest Puckett officiating...

Danny West CAMPBELL, Mo.--Danny West, 58, of Campbell, died Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015, at his residence. Visitation was held Tuesday at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. Funeral was held at 1 p.m., Tuesday at Landess Funeral Chapel in Campbell with Rev. Bruce Vinson officiating...

Ruthie Allen Ruthie M. Allen, 77, of Poplar Bluff, died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Ms. Allen, the daughter of the late Earnest Allen and Tearesa Lee Ore, was born July 2, 1938, in Hollandale Mississippi. She was a member of Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church and was a homemaker. During her earlier years she was employed as a cook. Ms. Allen enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren and loved cooking for her family...

James Ferguson Sr. James E. Ferguson Sr., 84, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Monday, December 14, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Ferguson, the son of the late Lewis and Effie (Golden) Ferguson, was born March 3, 1931 in England, Ark. ...

BROSELEY -- The Twin Rivers girls basketball team passed a big early-season test it hadn't faced in several years Monday night. Jaysea Morgan scored a team-high 20 points, Casey Douglas had a double-double -- 10 points 11 rebounds -- and the Lady Royals defeated Saxony Lutheran 57-55 for their first win over the Lady Crusaders since 2013...