Stories from Sunday, March 20, 2016

DAR photos by Corey Matthews

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is recognizing the tenacity of a Poplar Bluff man who at the age of 44 left the construction industry to pursue his longtime dream of becoming a nurse. David Dornin may not look like the "traditional" nursing student at Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center, but underneath the callouses caused by a lifetime as a demolition contractor, lies the touch of a caring healer...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man made his initial appearance in federal court Friday afternoon after his recent indictment for illegally possessing a firearm. Dallas Lee Tanner, 37, of the 300 block of County Road 3231 was arrested at 6:17 p.m. Thursday by a Butler County deputy on a one-count federal indictment, charging him with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer City officials are prepared to turn over to a collection agency more than $200,000 in debt owed by a former Poplar Bluff, Mo., internet provider. Bills incurred by Poplar Bluff Internet have been outstanding for nearly 1,800 days, following years of court battles between the city and the company's owner, Brian Becker of Williamsville, Mo...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Officials with Black River Coliseum say they could soon have two summer concerts scheduled with award-winning country artists. Cole Swindell could headline a show May 27, with Perryville, Mo., native Chris Janson opening the event. Tickets would go on sale at the beginning of April, said BRC Director Bobby Godwin, who said the concert is close to being confirmed...

Lisa June Hampton VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Lisa June Hampton, 42, of Ellsinore, was born Aug. 29, 1973, in Baldwin, Miss. and departed this life Thursday, March 17, 2016 surrounded by her family and friends in the Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, after a lengthy battle with cancer...

Three Rivers College has promoted Michelle Reynolds to the position of director of development at the college, a move that was approved by the Three Rivers College Board of Trustees at their meeting on March 16. Reynolds was previously a development officer for the college...

Regina McBroom NEELYVILLE, Mo. - Regina K. McBroom, 61, of Neelyville, died Thursday, March 17, 2016 at her home. Visitation will be at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 20, 2016 at Fowler Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville. The funeral will take place 1 p.m. Monday at Fowler Sullivan Memorial Chapel. Burial will be in the Qulin Cemetery in Qulin, Mo...

Quinton L. Rhoads MARION, Ark. - Quinton L. Rhoads, 76, of Marion, died Friday, March, 18, 2016, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Southaven, Miss. Visitation will be 12-12:20 p.m. Sunday at Landess Funeral Home in Malden, Mo. The funeral will take place 12:30 p.m. Sunday in the Landess Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden...

Della Yvonne Iler Della Yvonne Iler, 51, of Oxly, Mo. passed away on Thursday, March 17, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born on May 23, 1964 to David and Shirley (Wilson) Iler in St. Louis, Mo. She worked as a housekeeper. Della was a devoted mother and her favorite joy in life was spending time with her grandchildren. She also loved animals of all kinds and spending time outdoors...

Lesa Luttrull POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Lesa S. Luttrull, 49, of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, March 18, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born Nov. 2, 1966 in Poplar Bluff, the daughter of the late Mike and Linda McCane. Mrs. Luttrull worked at Westwood Hills Health Care Center. ...

William "Bill" Brown DONIPHAN, Mo. -- William Edward (Bill) Brown, 82, of Doniphan, Mo., departed this life Friday, March 18, 2016, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Brown was born June 12, 1933 in Butler County, Mo. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was also a member of the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church. He loved fishing, hunting, woodworking and working on cars...

Team's all students [EMAIL] It's bad to go to a game to watch you kids play and they just set on the bench the hole time. I'm sure it's because their family not a rich family or well known name. I watched the Junior high girls volley ball game. I think they should take turns playing. ...

Mary Ellen Hilton NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Mary Ellen Hilton, 92, of Doniphan, Mo. passed away Friday, March 18, 2016. She was born Dec. 11, 1923 at Pine, Mo. to late Orvil Byrd and Nettie Miller Byrd. She was a homemaker, and a member of the Good Hope General Baptist Church of Doniphan. She enjoyed the outdoors, making quilts, gathering wild mushrooms, grapes and hazelnuts and most of all her family...

The movement to bring football back to Doniphan after a more than 30-year absence has gained its biggest head of steam yet. For the third time in 16 years, Gary Pennington, the man who has spearheaded the idea during that span, presented to the Doniphan R-1 Board of Education a plan for starting a football program at the high school and middle school in February...

Powered by a young, dynamic duo, the Poplar Bluff girls soccer team couldn't have asked for a better start to the season. Freshman Sophia Rowland scored her first career high school goal less than two minutes into the game and sophomore Shelbey Johnson netted two more second-half goals for a three-point night as the Mules bolted past Greene County Tech (Ark.) for a 3-0 victory Friday night at Whiteley Park...

ELLSINORE -- The bottom of Poplar Bluff's lineup showed some pop in the first two games of the season. Dalton Cooper and Mason Libla each hit three-run home runs Friday in Poplar Bluff's 13-0 5-inning win at East Carter while Matt Lambert went deep in a 13-5 win Saturday against Sullivan before losing 12-1 in five innings to host Parkway South...

TRENTON, Mo. -- The Raiders were doing well in their Region XVI opener, then it started to snow. It started to snow so much in the middle of the nightcap, that it made it hard to see the ball. "It was interesting, to say the least," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said. "We didn't play particularly well after that."...