Stories from Thursday, April 7, 2016

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Butler County voters said a resounding 'no' to a use tax Tuesday, which would have added a 1 percent sales tax on internet and catalogue purchases from vendors who did not have a physical presence in Missouri. The measure received less than 26 percent of the approximately 1,300 votes cast. It did not win the majority of votes in a single of the county's 25 precincts or among absentee voters.The final total was 2165 against and 788 for...

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- In a close race, Neelyville voters ultimately chose to stay the course with the direction laid out by current school board members. Incumbents Jack Stull and Donna Akers were re-elected, while challenger Carl McElhaney missed a seat by only 16 votes...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Incumbent Poplar Bluff school board member Gary Simmons was handed a defeat by newcomer Roger Hanner in the Tuesday election. Voters also re-elected veteran board member Dr. Cynthia Brown. Simmons, a deacon at First Baptist Church and three-term board member, called the loss "God's will," and congratulated his opponents. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff voters handed decisive victories Tuesday to incumbent city council member-at-large Jerrica Fox, as well as new council members Susan McVey in Ward 1 and Barb Horton in Ward 3. Fox received nearly three times as many votes as challenger Jim Chrisman. She was also the favored candidate in all five city wards. Last minute write-in candidate Larry Leeds received 12 votes...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "If his poll numbers hold, Trump will be there six months from now when the Sweet 16 is cut to the Final Four, and he will likely be in the finals." My prediction, in July of 2015, looks pretty good right now. Herewith, a second prediction. Republican wailing over his prospective nomination aside, Donald Trump could beat Hillary Clinton like a drum in November...

By MONA CHAREN Is there any way for Ted Cruz or John Kasich to wrest the Republican nomination from Donald Trump? With every tick of the clock, it looks less likely. The chances differ for the two candidates. Kasich needs a miracle. Cruz may possibly succeed with a new emphasis...

Art museum officer election The friends of the Margaret Harwell Art Museum will hold its annual meeting and election of officers at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the museum annex at 421 N Main Street.

R-1 Board reorganization meeting Thurs. Poplar Bluff R-I Board of Education will hold a re-organization session 5 p.m. Thursday at the administration building, 1110 North Westwood. New members will take the oath of office and appointments to various committees will be made...

Civil War lecture at Doniphan Civil War historian Aaron Barnhart will speak on "Jesse James, Jo Shelby and the War after the War" during a Ripley County Historical Society lecture at the Community Center, 105 Washington St., Doniphan. Long after the final shots were fired, Missouri continued to suffer the violence and chaos of civil war. ...

Robert Loyd PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Robert "Bob" Loyd, 66, of Piedmont, Mo., died Sunday, April 3, 2016, at his residence. Visitation will be held at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, Mo, Thursday, April 7, 2016, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. also at the Piedmont Chapel. Burial will be at Anderson Cemetery. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat A wise political pundit said that elections are not won by voting against someone but rather by voting for someone. But that political axiom is being put to the test this year with the increasingly potential contest between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump...

Winfred Webb ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Winfred E. Webb, 75, died Sunday, April 3, 2016, at Cedargate Nursing Home in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be held 6 p.m. Friday at McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore. Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home chapel...

The dedication of the Bettis Ferry historic mileage marker at the Old Greenville Recreation Area will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday announces the Poplar Bluff Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The public is invited to attend...

Donald R. Simmons PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Donald R. Simmons, 75, died Tuesday, April 5, 2016, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.

David Jenne PIEDMONT, Mo. -- David Jenne, 54, died Monday, April 4, 2016, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.

Marvin Smith DEXTER, Mo. -- Marvin Edward Smith, 88, of Dexter, died Monday, April 4, 2016, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will begin at noon Thursday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter, followed by the funeral at 2 p.m. with the Rev. George Nite officiating. Burial will be in the Dexter Cemetery...

Ruth Chew MALDEN, Mo. -- Ella Ruth Chew, 81, of Gideon, Mo., died Monday, April 4, 2016, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Greg Mullins officiating. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery at Malden...

Alice Vanderbilt MALDEN, Mo. -- Alice Fay Vanderbilt, 70, of Malden died Monday, April 4, 2016, at NHC Health Care in Kennett, Mo. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Friday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden, followed by the funeral at 2 p.m. with the Rev. Joe Kaiser and the Rev. Billy Vanderbilt officiating. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery at Malden...

Glenda Hager Glenda L. Hager, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo.,went to be with the LordSaturday, April 2, 2016, at her home after a lengthy illness. She was born Dec. 30, 1949, in Manila, Ark.,to the late Robert Hall and Ruth (Archer) Hall.She was of the Pentecostal faith and enjoyed going to church and spending time with her grandchildren.She retiredfrom theMissouri Highway Patrolon Jan. 1, 2012, after 18 years of service...

Rhonda Smith Rhonda Lynn Smith, 56, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was born May 21, 1959, in St. Louis, Mo., and departed on April 3, 2016, at her home. She was a member of Hope Lutheran Church in High Ridge, Mo., and attendedMt. Calvary Powerhouse Church locally...

Ruth Ann Harris-Henn POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Ruth Ann Harris-Henn, 79, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on March 31, 2016 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. She was born on March 29, 1937 to Jack and Imogene (Thompson) Wiggins in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1955. On March 17, 1963 she married Deloy Henn in Poplar Bluff. He preceded her in death on Sept. 9, 2008...

Nadine McComb It was on the night of March 30, 2016 at 10:02 p.m., when Nadine McComb of Jefferson City, Mo. departed this life into eternity. She solemnly and peacefully made her transition, while being embraced by the love of her children, grandchildren, and family in the home of her eldest daughter succumbing to her battle with cancer. ...

Down a run and down to their last strike, the Poplar Bluff Mules fought back to force extra innings Tuesday. Ross Rushin's RBI single spoiled Sikeston's comeback from a two-run deficit earlier in the seventh and Matt Lambert provided another two-out RBI hit an inning later for an 8-7 Mules win...

COTTLEVILLE, Mo. -- Destiny Bolen pitched a complete-game shutout as the Lady Raiders won their third straight game for the first time this season ... then they committed four errors and lost the nightcap. Bolen struck out six against three hits and a walk. Her courtesy runner also scored Three Rivers' only run in the 1-0 opener. In the nightcap, Three Rivers gave up three unearned runs and lost 5-0 on Tuesday at St. Charles...

Poplar Bluff's seen what he can do, the SEMO Conference recognized him with postseason honors and soon Marcedus Leech will likely shine a little brighter than he already has on basketball's national radar. The Mules' freshman phenom will suit up in the first Underclassmen All-American game Thursday in Indianapolis, Indiana, competing with and against the nation's top 20 players from the class of 2018 and 2019. ...

INA, Ill. -- The Raiders have been focusing on driving up opponents' pitch counts to get to the bullpen. In Tuesday's doubleheader with Rend Lake, they pulled the strategy off once and got one run out of it. Three Rivers, unable to execute its strategy, got swept 10-6 and 8-2...

Glenda Hager photo Glenda L. Hager, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo.,went to be with the LordSaturday, April 2, 2016, at her home after a lengthy illness. She was born Dec. 30, 1949, in Manila, Ark.,to the late Robert Hall and Ruth (Archer) Hall.She was of the Pentecostal faith and enjoyed going to church and spending time with her grandchildren.She retiredfrom theMissouri Highway Patrolon Jan. 1, 2012, after 18 years of service...

ORAN -- For the second straight day, the Naylor Lady Eagles needed some late-inning heroics. Down by three in the fifth, the Lady Eagles scored seven unanswered runs to come away with a 7-3 victory over Oran Tuesday. Lexi Day, Emma Moman and Shelby Sullivan each finished with two hits and were part of a six-run seventh to give Naylor (4-1) the lead for good. Chelsey Rigdon and Kabrien Rogers added a hit and two RBIs apiece...

Rhonda Smith photo Rhonda Lynn Smith, 56, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was born May 21, 1959, in St. Louis, Mo., and departed on April 3, 2016, at her home. She was a member of Hope Lutheran Church in High Ridge, Mo., and attendedMt. Calvary Powerhouse Church locally...