Stories from Thursday, March 17, 2016

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer Swarms of voters hit the polls Tuesday to make their voices heard in heated presidential primaries for both parties. In fact, totals showed more than six times as many voted in this primary as the one in 2012. Across the seven counties covered by the Daily American Republic, 29,368 ballots were cast, compared to only 4,840 four years ago...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man preempted his federal trial by pleading guilty Monday afternoon to multiple firearms violations and possessing heroin with intentions of distributing it. Danny Ray Reed Sr. ...

By EVAN HOLLEY and DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Butler County voters gave a slim lead to Hillary Clinton, while Donald Trump beat Ted Cruz by 1,000 votes in Tuesday's presidential primary. That voting pattern held true for most of this area and the whole of Missouri as well, where people turned out in record numbers to give victories to Trump and Clinton that weren't decided until the last precincts were counted...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A rate increase which becomes effective in April for Poplar Bluff, Mo., city water customers will pay for improvements to address an issue with the level of disinfection byproducts in local drinking water. The 6.89 percent bump to residential rates takes effect with the first billing cycle of the new month, according to officials. Commercial customers will see a 4.85 percent increase...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Acting on a tip Tuesday afternoon, Butler County deputies recovered a utility-terrain vehicle reported stolen last fall and arrested a man they believe stole it from a local business. Eric Timothy Starnes was the "prime suspect in the theft" of an 2016 Polaris UTV from Bluff Power Sports "since the beginning of the investigation" in October, said Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs...

Mary L. Royal WOOD RIVER, Ill. -- Mary L. Royal, 86, passed on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at her residence. She was born on Jan. 7, 1930 in Puxico, Mo., the daughter of the late Nicholas and Golda (Goforth) Waller. She married Gerland L. "Rusty" Royal on Feb. 13, 1946 in Pocahontas, Ark., and he preceded her in death on March 1, 2009...

By BRIDGET BROWN SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Just three years ago, SoutheastHEALTH was spiraling. The rollout of new billing technology turned disastrous. Millions of dollars were not being collected. The hospital system, based in Cape Girardeau, would announce the exits of key executives, one right after another...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS Claude Frederic Bastiat (1801-50) -- a French classical liberal theorist, political economist and member of the French National Assembly -- wrote an influential essay titled "That Which Is Seen and That Which Is Not Seen." Bastiat argued that when making laws or economic decisions, it is imperative that we examine not only what is seen but what is unseen. In other words, examine the whole picture...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat The issue of gun-related crimes is a hot topic these days. Because of the daily drumbeat of some thug using a gun to commit a crime, the national dialogue has brought the Second Amendment into glaring focus...

Poplar Bluff R-I Board of Education will meet 7 p.m. Thursday in the Board of Education Room, 1110 North Westwood. Items expected to receive a vote are construction bids for work at the elementary schools, equipment bids for heating and air conditioning, a new revamped food policy, summer school dates and district health insurance...

S. Heart Student of the Month Tristyn Savat is Sacred Heart's March Student of the Month. Tristyn is in the 6th grade. He is the son of Stephanie and Justin and has one sister, Macey. Tristyn enjoys doing things and playing with his family. His favorite class is science. He enjoys it because he gets to learn a lot of different things...

Jimmy Reece Jr. fundraiser Sat. In the fight to win against ALS, there will be a benefit for Jimmy Reece Jr., 11 a.m. - midnight, Saturday at the American Legion. Silent auction, indoor yard sale, Music--Karaoke, bake sale and bouncy house. All proceeds got to Jimmy Reece Jr. for any expenses he may have...

Genevieve Brown FISK, Mo. -- Genevieve Berneice Jackson Brown went home to meet her Savior Jesus Christ, Sunday, March 13, 2016 at Westwood Hills Health Care Center. She was born April 20, 1925 at Broseley, the daughter of the late William and Alta (Hillis) Jackson and had lived in the Broseley and Poplar Bluff area all of her life. She was a member of the former Brown Chapel General Baptist Church...

Ash Hill Cemetery Clean-up is scheduled for Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. Rain date is 8 a.m. Saturday, March 26. For more information or any questions, call 870-450-4446.

Cane Creek Community Club met Wednesday, March 9, at the Cafe on the Way. Five members and one guest were present. Thought for the day -- Positive thinking is no about expecting the best to happen every time, but accepting that whatever happens is the best for this moment...

Corned beef, cabbage dinner fundraiser Fri. Corned Beef & Cabbage for Caretakers and Moms with Special Needs Children will be held from 3 - 5 p.m. Friday at the Black River Art Gallery, 502 Vine St. Susan Barwick of Cape Arrowhead, Inc., will make a presentation at 4 p.m., entitled, "On Rebecca's Riders."...

Perry Taylor -- Greenville, Mo. Genevieve Berneice Jackson Brown -- Broseley, Mo. Hubert Matchett -- Broseley, Mo. Edna Malone Kenser -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Violet Faye Metz, 82, of St. Peters, Mo.

Mary Louise Stagner Mary Louise Stagner, 70, of Poplar Bluff Mo., passed away Monday, March 14, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Stagner, the daughter of the late Eugene and Alma (Lewis) Wells was born July 31, 1945 in Poplar Bluff. ...

Edna Malone Kenser Edna Malone Kenser, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Kenser, the youngest and only daughter of the late Lon and Mettie (Foster) Hanner, was born Sept. ...

The Lady Raiders often refer to Jack Childress as more of a grandfatherly type of coach. Childress, living up to the pedigree, has set up the lineup so far this season using his eyes instead of statistics. He nixed that in the home opener and organized the lineup off of what the stats told him...

The Raiders will start the second phase of their season on strong footing. Three Rivers got its second and third comeback wins of the year, including a walk-off single, to sweep Dyersburg State 6-5 and 3-2 on Tuesday at Roger Pattillo Field. "Definitely two big wins and good momentum for us," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said. "It's right where we need to be as far as this point in our season."...

Violet Faye Metz Violet Faye Metz, 82, of St. Peters, Mo. died at her residence Monday, March 14, 2016. She was born to the late Willie Woods and Sylvia Eaton Woods June 30, 1933 in Newport, Ark. Before retiring she work as a secretary. Mrs. Metz was married to her husband Rex Metz for 65 years. He survives...