Stories from Thursday, December 17, 2015

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor GREENVILLE, Mo. -- The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the hanging death of a Wayne County Jail inmate, who died after apparently attempting suicide fewer than three days after being convicted of sodomizing his young niece at a family reunion...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Three more individuals have filed as candidates in the April 5 election. Darren Garrison filed Tuesday afternoon for re-election to a six-year term as a Sub-District 4 member on the Three Rivers College Board of Trustees...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer More than 60 Butler County children are still without presents this holiday season with only nine days left before Christmas. Project Christmas Promise needs clothing for many youth who have not yet been adopted, according to AmeriCorps director Rebecca Winters...

By KATHERINE WEBSTER SEMO News Service PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Perry County Coroner Herbert Miller tendered his resignation Tuesday morning, effective immediately. Miller, sentenced Friday to five years of supervised probation and $80,000 restitution after an Oct. 16 conviction of felony financial exploitation of the elderly, had said Monday he intended to remain coroner...

AGFC closes some deer hunt areas LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- High water on the White, Cache, St. Francis and Black rivers has forced the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to temporarily close deer season in portions of eastern Arkansas. "The primary intent of closing flood prone regions is to protect those deer displaced by floods," said deer program coordinator Cory Gray. "These closed zones not only include land that is flooded, but also high ground that serves as sanctuaries from the rising water."...

PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor With overall good support from the state's bowhunters, it was no surprise Friday when the Missouri Conservation Commission voted to allow crossbow use for everyone in upcoming archery deer and turkey seasons. "Rarely do you get a whole lot of positive comments about a regulation proposal when it gets to the public comment stage, but we did get several this time," said MDC deer biologist Jason Sumners of the crossbow proposal...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat We are clearly a nation at war. Absent a legal declaration, we still find ourselves facing an enemy hell-bent on our destruction and more than willing to sacrifice their lives in their quest for domination...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Buchanan, if you ever hear of a group getting together to stop X, be sure to put your money on X." So, Richard Nixon told me half a century ago, after he had been badly burned in just such a futile and failed enterprise. It was the Cleveland Governors Conference of 1964...

This month, President Barack Obama's defense secretary, Ashton Carter, decreed that there will be 220,000 combat military jobs offered to women -- including in Army special operations forces and the Navy SEALs. He said, "They'll be allowed to drive tanks, fire mortars and lead infantry soldiers into combat ... and everything else that was previously open only to men."...

Travis Lour DONIPHAN, MO. -- Travis Patrick Lour, 28, of Doniphan died Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015, at his residence. Visitation will be held from 5 - 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17 at the West Point Pentecost Church near Doniphan. The funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 18, in the church sanctuary and burial will be in the Macedonia Cemetery...

The Butler County Genealogical Society met Thursday, Dec. 3, for its annual Christmas party and introduction of new officers for 2016. Retiring President June Allen opened the meeting before being presented with a plaque in appreciation for her many years of service to the society...

Jona Benson PUXICO, Mo. -- Jona Wilson Benson, 88, of Center Point, Texas, formerly of Wappapello and Puxico, died Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015 in Center Point. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Morgan Sifford Chapel in Puxico. Rev. Fred Wilson will officiate. Burial will be in the Puxico City Cemetery...

Janet Davis Janet Davis, 53, of Poplar Bluff died on Monday, Dec. 15, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Online condolences: www.moorefuneralservice.com

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff High School junior is likely riding a newfound wave of popularity after winning a professional disc jockey led dance party for his classmates. Junior Sam Clark's comments to Taco Bell through its Graduate for Mas (more) program also earned him a Macbook computer and $100. Graduate for Mas gives schools and students points for promising to graduate and other activities...

Joe M. Morris FISK, Mo. -- Joe M. Morris, 75, of Rombauer, died Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015 at The Manor in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Morris was born May 29, 1940 in Vildo, Tenn. and he had been a resident of Rombauer for most of his life. He had formerly worked for Bunny Bread Company until retiring in 1990. He later worked in the maintenance division for the Poplar Bluff School System. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and being outside. He also enjoyed spending time with his grandkids...

MEMPHIS -- Otto Porter hasn't changed much since joining the NBA three years ago. His 6-8, 198-pound frame may be a bit thicker, but the former Scott County Central star still possess that picture perfect shooting motion and that humble demeanor that thousands of Southeast Missouri basketball fans flocked towards...

R-1 dismisses for holidays Poplar Bluff Public Schools will dismiss for the Christmas holiday after regular classes on Friday. Classes will resume on Monday, Jan. 4.

By MARK BLISS SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents approved single tuition rates for online degree students at its meeting Tuesday. In addition, as part of the measure, the board reduced the per-credit-hour program fee for the online registered-nurse to bachelor of science nursing program from $100 to $20 as recommended by the university administration...

PUXICO -- Andrew Mittlestadt put up a game-high 22 points, Hayden Thomas added 11 and Twin Rivers rolled to a 65-39 victory over Puxico Tuesday. It was the second straight victory for the Royals (4-3), who never trailed and used a 28-point third-quarter to put the game out of reach...