Stories from Friday, April 8, 2016

From Staff Reports Spring is finally here, and the Black River Heritage Artisans are putting on their third Annual Spring Fling from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Poplar Bluff Amtrak Station, 400 S. Main St. on the brick parking lot in Downtown Poplar Bluff...

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer Twin Rivers Junior High at Qulin students returned recently from a dominant trip to the Southeast Missouri Regional Science Fair in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Of the 42 students who participated in the fair, 32 placed in their divisions. A group from Qulin won the prize for the best project overall...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Bootheel Beefest 2016 will take place Saturday in Poplar Bluff, offering local connoisseurs of the amber nectar a chance to sample more than 100 craft and commercial brews. The event is organized by Bootheel United Zymurgist (BUZ), a non-profit organization composed of members sharing a passion for creating quality beer and wine who encourage educational experience for all members through shared skills...

Area gardeners are getting busy. It's time to plant one of the first summer vegetables, green beans. Beans are easy to grow and nutritious. Because green beans are high in fiber and water, they are low in calories with one-half cup serving furnishing only 22 calories.You will want to plant the bean crop anytime between April 5 and May 10...

Officials are announcing the Third Quarter Honor and Merit Rolls for Twin Rivers Fisk Elementary Schools. The honor roll includes the following students: HONOR ROLL FIRST GRADE Ashley Baysinger, Chalyn Bell, Raychel Copeland, Kaitlyn Deaton, Davis Dingle, Caitlyn Edwards, Adysen Elsworth, Tye Emmons, Levi Goble, Keaton Hicks, Dayten Hill, Hunter Hopkins, Kranston Jones, Ashton Law, Will Parker, Cheyenne Qualls, Jonathan Ray, Ruby Sandy, Adam Shaver, Reagan Thomas, Ashlee Vinson, Lucas Wilkerson.SECOND GRADE. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "We are not at war with Islam," said John Kasich after the Brussels massacre, "We're at war with radical Islam." Kasich's point raises a question: Does the Islamic faith in any way sanction or condone what those suicide bombers did?...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Presidential campaigns incite both hypochondria and euphoria, portraying the present as grimmer than it is and the future as grander than it can be. As an antidote to both, read a rarity, an academic's thick book (762 pages) widely recognized as relevant to America's current discontents...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat Like it or not, Western civilization and culture are at war with ISIS. At this point, it's an undeclared war and a highly non-traditional war. But it's a war nonetheless. Unfortunately, President Obama is clearly not at war with ISIS...

Twin Rivers High School officials announce the third quarter honor and merit rolls. The third quarter honor roll includes: Seniors: Brandon Aldrich, Zachary Austin, Thelma Brown, Kelsie Buttrey, Tyler Caudel, Kayla Chrisman, Landon Craft, Parker Crites, Kira Cunningham, Darian Doser, Casey Douglas, Sidney Eagle, Logan Garrette, Wyatt Gutierrez, Elizabeth Hale, Julia Hendrix, Devin Hester, Brandon Hillis, Aaron Jones, Madison Kacynski , Jamie Lowe, Brittany Miles, Andrew Mittelstadt, Jaysea Morgan, Dylan Pruitt, Jessica Spencer, Brittney Stievenart, Josh Suiter, Fallon West. ...

Air Force Lt. Col. Phillip A. Chronister has retired from the U.S. Air Force after 21 years. He was last serving as chief, Land-Based Strike Capabilities with United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. Chronister entered the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Southeast Missouri State University and was commissioned in May 1994. ...

Moscow Ballet, & other April TRC events Three Rivers College will round out its 2015-16 Patrons of the Arts season with the return of the Moscow Ballet, Center Stage will continue its season with a moving drama, and the Music Department will present a spring concert, all this April at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center!...

Neelyville super to meet with patrons The superintendent of Neelyville R-IV School District, Brad Hagood, invites the patrons of the district to join him for coffee and a time of fellowship. There is no agenda or specific set of topics to be discussed. This is a time to socialize and get to know each other on a more personal level. Persons may drop in any time during the designated time period...

When Chipper Jones starts giving you batting advice, you just close your mouth and listen. Ask a lot of questions and try to embrace everything coming out of the mouth of an Atlanta Braves legend. "That's when I figured out, he is a person too," Tanner Murphy said. "He's a person, but he is one heck of an athlete and a Hall of Fame baseball player."...

Nicholas Wayne Lott DONIPHAN Mo. - Nicholas Wayne Lott, lifelong resident of Fairdealing, Mo., departed this life March 31, 2016, at his residence. Nicholas was born March 21, 1986. He was a 2004 graduate of Doniphan High School and was chosen by the faculty to receive the prestigious Citizenship Award, presented by the late Mayor Larry Ponder. He was of the Baptist faith and was an avid animal lover...

INDIANAPOLIS -- It took Marcedus Leech all of 26 seconds to establish himself in the Underclassman All-American game Wednesday night. After sitting on the bench for half of the first quarter for the East team, the Poplar Bluff freshman checked in at the 5:19 mark and scored five straight points on his first two possessions down the court. His layup and 3-pointer during that span came in less than a minute...

Robert Craig Robert Craig, 91, of Poplar Bluff, died on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at Westwood Hills Nursing Home. He was born on May 18, 1924 to Zonah and Josie (Eaton) Craig in Armstrong, Mo. He graduated Hickman High School in Columbia, Mo. On April 20, 1947 he married Helen Tiberghien in Jefferson City, Mo. She preceded him in death on December 28, 2012...

James E. Deffendall James E. Deffendall, 63, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born June 25, 1952 in Dunklin, Co. to Ola Smith Deffendall and the late Jessie J. Deffendall. James was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff He attended Little Brown General Baptist Church...

Three local teams have been untouchable so far this spring and several others are off to a promising start three weeks into the season. The Twin Rivers baseball team has been the biggest surprise and remains unbeaten after winning just 10 games in the last two seasons combined...

Gary Neal Groves Gary Neal Groves, 64, of Williamsville, Mo. died Tuesday, April 5, 2016, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will begin at noon Sunday, April 10, at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home with the funeral following at 3 p.m. at the funeral home. Officiating will be Rev. Don Andrews assisted by Pastor Jerry Williams. Burial will be in the Military Crossing Cemetery...

Beatrice Lorene Foster NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Beatrice Lorene Foster, 70, died Tues., April 5, 2016 at her home in Neelyville, Mo. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Friday, April, 8, 2016, at Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel.

Donald R. Simmons, Sr. PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Donald R. Simmons, Sr., 75 of Piedmont, died Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Clay Cemetery near Piedmont with Bro. Richard Sanders officiating...

Johnny Brooks Johnny Brooks, 73, of Poplar Bluff, died on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at Cedargate Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are pending with Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Online condolences: www.moorefuneralservice.com

Dennison Montgomery Amos III MALDEN, Mo. - Dennison Montgomery Amos III, 50, of Malden, died Tues., March 29, 2016 at his residence. Visitation will be at 2-4 p.m., Thurs., April 7 at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. www.bradshawfh.com

Patricia Correa MILAN, Ill. - Patricia "Pat" J. Correa, 64, of Milan, died Sat., April 2, 2016 at UnityPoint Health - Trinity, Rock Island, Ill. Visitation was held Wed., April 6 at the Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory in Milan. A graveside service will take place on Sat. April, 9, in Bardley, Mo. Memorials may be made in care of the family. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.wheelanpressly.com...

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer Butler County residents wishing to be part of the Democratic or Republican National Convention will have an opportunity to begin the process this week. The Butler County Democratic Committee will hold its county caucus at 7:30 p.m. today at the commissioner's office in the Butler County courthouse...