Stories from Wednesday, April 13, 2016

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Scott Knopfel was a man who could make friends anywhere, even during a 10 minute encounter after a fender-bender on Interstate 55. More than four years later, the other driver from that incident stood in line for an hour and a half to share that story with Scott's brother and sister at his visitation...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Hazy conditions reported Sunday afternoon in Poplar Bluff were brought on by a dust storm that caused several traffic accidents, one fatal, in northeast Arkansas. Benjamin Brantley, 50, of Brookville, Fla., died in a five-vehicle crash near Walnut Ridge, the result of what police described as "near-zero visibility" conditions, according to the Associated Press...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Boys and Girls Club of Poplar Bluff has named Poplar Bluff High School sophomore Jonathon Gordon as its Youth of the Year for 2016. Gordon will represent the club in a competition with all Missouri chapter youths of the year on Wednesday in Jefferson City, Mo...

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer Top-notch, standout, continually upbeat -- these are phrases colleagues use to describe Shalyn Copas, the 5th & 6th Grade Center Teacher of the Year for 2016. Copas earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Ashford University in 2012 before going on to earn a master's degree in teaching with technology from the same university in 2014. She is currently pursuing a master's of education, curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Preliminary autopsy results show a Doniphan mother and her toddler son died of smoke inhalation in a house fire, which remains under investigation. The bodies of 23-year-old Valerie Payne and her 15-month-old son, Eli, were found Friday afternoon by firefighters inside their home in the Ran-Cha-Ra area, off of Highway A, southwest of Doniphan...

Racheal R. Baker, Southeast Missouri organizer for Missouri Health Care for All, will speak at the Women Aware April Luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Holiday Inn in the Banquet Room. Missouri Health Care for All is a statewide, nonpartisan, grassroots movement founded on the principle that all Missourians deserve access to quality, affordable health care, no matter where they live. ...

James Herbert Lawrence CAMPBELL, Mo. -- James Herbert Lawrence, 75 of Poplar Bluff, passed away Saturday, April 9, 2016 at his residence in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Lawrence, son of Herbert and Earline Russom Lawrence, was born Sunday, Sept. 22, 1940 in Campbell...

To the Editor, June 4, 2016, we will be holding the 3rd Annual SSgt. Eric W. Summers Play for Honor golf tournament. The people and businesses of our community have been very helpful the past two years in helping us achieve our goals. The first tournament, we raised money for a new flagpole at Ozark Ridge Golf Curse to honor Eric's request. ...

McCaskill urged to close loophole Millions of Americans are counting on their 401(k) and retirement accounts for a secure financial future, and I'm counting on Sen. McCaskill to oppose any effort that would prevent the Department of Labor from closing a loophole that allows unscrupulous financial planners to play with your hard-earned money for their benefit...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN As Wisconsinites headed for the polls, our Beltway elites were almost giddy. For they foresaw a Badger State bashing for Donald Trump, breaking his momentum toward the Republican nomination. Should the Donald fall short of the delegates needed to win on the first ballot, 1,237, there is growing certitude that he will be stopped. First by Ted Cruz; then, perhaps, by someone acceptable to the establishment, which always likes to have two of its own in the race...

Wilma Jean Reed VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Wilma Jean Reed, 74, of Carter County, Mo. died Sunday, April 10, 2016 at Riverways Manor Nursing Home in Van Buren. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren, with the funeral services beginning at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, in the Funeral Home Chapel. Officiating will be Rev. Danny Robinson. Burial will be in the New Hope Cemetery...

Linda L. Thurston GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Linda L. Thurston, nee Dildine, 74, of Azle, Texas, formerly of Greenville, Mo., died Sunday, April 10, 2016, at Fort Worth, Texas. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. Saturday, April 16, until the funeral services began at 1 p.m., all at Ruegg Funeral Home, Greenville, Mo. Burial will follow at Wesley-Dixon Cemetery near Hiram...

Sharon Kay Cooper Bratton WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. -- Sharon Kay Cooper Bratton, 60, of Williamsville, Mo., died Friday, April 8, 2016, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be held from 4 -8 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Williamsville. Services will follow at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Holliday Cemetery, Williamsville/...

Danny Lee DEXTER, Mo. -- Danny Lee, 73, of Dexter, died Saturday, April 2, 2016 at his residence. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m., Saturday, at the First United Methodist Church in Dexter. A memorial service will follow at 2 p.m., at the First United Methodist Church in Dexter with Dr. Barry Winders officiating...

For the second year in a row, a Raider freshman is an All-American. Three Rivers' Gabe Grant was selected as an honorable mention to the NJCAA All-American list. He was one of five freshman in the nation to be selected and the only freshman from Region XVI...

Valerie and Eli Payne DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Valerie Nicole Payne, 23, and her son, Eli Michael Payne, 1 year, 3 months and 2 days of age, of Doniphan, died Friday, April 8, 2016, at their home in rural Ripley County. Mrs. Payne, daughter of Chris and Brenda (Stidham) Nash, was born April 17, 1992, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. ...

NEELYVILLE -- Cousins Mag E Hand and Konnor Johnston both blasted home runs in a four-run eighth inning, leading the Clearwater softball team to a 9-8 Ozark Foothills Conference victory over Neelyville Monday. It was Johnston's third homer in the Lady Tigers' last three games. The senior finished 2 for 4 with a run scored...

These days, when will Gene Bess retire is more than an annual question, it's rather regular. It's one of the first ones he gets after the season wraps up, which the last two years has been with a disappointing loss to Moberly Area in the semifinals of the Region XVI Tournament...