Stories from Friday, May 6, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Public School employees likely will get a raise for the 2016-17 school year, but one department says it isn't enough. Board of education members currently are weighing a proposal to approve experienced-based raises and also increase base salaries by $500 for the 2016-17 school year. The proposed increase is usually a yearly matter of course to stay competitive with other districts...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Neelyville High School's 2016 valedictorian says the announcement came as no surprise, she and the salutatorian have been competing for the honor since grade school. Valedictorian Paige Reinbott joked about the friendly competition with salutatorian Dalton Young during interviews Friday. Both seniors will graduate Saturday with a 4.0 grade point average and both boast a number of achievements during their high school careers...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Specialized training from the U.S. Secret Service expanded one area attorney's knowledge about prosecuting computer-related crimes and the use of digital evidence. "I was probably behind the power curve because I'm not what you would call computer savvy," said Ripley County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor, who attended a week-long training program through the National Computer Forensics Institute in Alabama...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer GREENVILLE, Mo. -- A city policy posted this week that would have charged residents 50 times the allowed amount for a document request was either a mistake or a misunderstanding, a Greenville, Mo., official said today. A notice appeared on the door of city hall Monday, according to residents. A photograph of the notice showed individuals would be charged a $10 flat fee and $5 per page to receive copies of minutes from the Board of Alderman meetings...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor As expected, the Missouri Conservation Commission voted last week on quite a few waterfowl-related topics. Proposals for new duck season date and zone boundary frameworks for the 2017-2020 years probably were the most anticipated by hunters, and a lot of people had been expecting some significant changes. In the end, those approved seem pretty minor...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation Spring is a busy time of year with a lot going on; fishing, hunting and other activities to mention a few. We will not talk about trying to keep up with the grass cutting or school and sports activities. Fishing for all species has been touch and go lately, but there have been some being caught and quite an assortment. ...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is accepting applications May 1-June 1 for Arkansas's annual elk hunting season. Brad Carner, AGFC chief of wildlife management, says he has received many calls about the future of elk and elk hunting since the discovery of chronic wasting disease in the state...

Tristan "Chase" Morrison DEXTER, Mo. -- Tristan "Chase" Morrison, 13, of Dexter, died Monday, May 2, 2016, at the Southeast Health Center of Stoddard County Emergency Room. Visitation will be from 1- 3 p.m., Friday, at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be at 3 p.m., Friday, in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter with Rev. Preston Owens officiating. Burial will follow in the Dexter Cemetery...

Raymond Parker Jr. VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Raymond Parker Jr., 69, of Des Arc, died on his birthday, Tuesday, May 3, 2016, in Ellsinore. A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 14, 2016 at his residence in Des Arc. Burial will be in Ritter Cemetery in Ellsinore...

By CANDICE DAVIS Mo. Dept. of Conservation CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the United Bowhunters of Missouri will host a Youth Bowfishing Clinic for ages 12 to 17, June 10 in Cape Girardeau. "This will be an exciting and educational experience where young people will have an opportunity to learn a new method of fishing with their bow," said DeeDee Dockins, an MDC outdoor skills specialist. ...

Kimberly L. Wamble MALDEN, Mo. -- Kimberly L. Wamble, 52, of Malden, died Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at her residence. Visitation will be from noon -- 1 p.m., Friday, at the Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Friday at the Landess Funeral Chapel...

By DEE DEE DOCKINS Mo. Dept. of Conservation As an Outdoor Skills Specialist, one of the questions most asked of me is how to start kids out hunting. The answers vary according to each young hunter, but the common denominator is the same. Focus on your child...

By DAN ZARLENGA Mo. Dept. of Conservation ST. JAMES, Mo. -- A casting contest, free fishing and free hotdogs are all part of the fun at Kids' Fishing Day, Saturday, May 14. The event is put on by the Missouri Department of Conservation in cooperation with The James Foundation. It offers free fishing and other fun activities for kids ages 15 years and younger at Maramec Spring Park, located near St. James. The park will open at 5:30 a.m. with fishing at 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Henry David Thoreau said, "Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing." Southeast Missourians, who wish to follow in Thoreau's wake, are invited to attend one of two free canoeing programs scheduled for June 4 at the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump's damage to the Republican Party, although already extensive, has barely begun. Republican quislings will multiply, slinking into support of the most anti-conservative presidential aspirant in their party's history. ...

Tammy Lynn Peters DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Tammy Lynn Peters, 55, of Doniphan, Mo., died Monday, May 2, 2016, at her residence in rural Ripley County. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 7, 2016, at the Lone Star Cemetery near Doniphan with Steve Sanders officiating...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- Foreign policy does not determine American elections. Indeed, of all Western countries, we are the least interested in the subject. The reason is simple: We haven't had to be. Our instinctive isolationism derives from our geographic exceptionalism. As Bismarck once explained (it is said), the United States is the most fortunate of all Great Powers, bordered on two sides by weak neighbors and on the other two by fish...

Glendola Hodges MALDEN, Mo. -- Glendola Hodges, 91, of Malden died Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at the Golden Living Nursing Home in Malden. Visitation will be at 12:30 p.m. Friday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Bradshaw Chapel with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat Let's face it, many Republicans held out hope that the FBI investigation into the unique email server policy established by Hillary Clinton would result in an indictment and end her run for the White House...

Earl H. Weston GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Earl H. Weston, 81, of Silva, Mo. died Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at the Greenville Nursing and Rehab Center in Greenville. Visitation will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Greenville. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home chapel with Bro. Bobby Robbins officiating. Burial will be in the Wesley-Dixon Cemetery at Hiram...

Nora Loftis Nora Loftis, 55, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Wiley McGhee -- Puxico, Mo. David Householder -- Paragould, Ark. Tristan "Chase" Morrison -- Dexter, Mo. Kimberly L. Wamble -- Malden, Mo. Raymond Parker -- Des Arc, Mo. Glendola Hodges -- Malden, Mo. Earl H. Weston -- Silva, Mo. Nora Loftis -- Poplar Bluff, Mo...

David Householder QULIN, Mo. -- David Householder, 65, of Paragould, Ark. died Tuesday May 3, 2016 at Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro, Ark. Mr. Householder was born Feb. 2 1951 in Phoenix, Ariz. to the late Frank and Hazel (Lowe) Householder. ...

Destiny Wallace usually plays defense for the Lady Mules. She ended Wednesday night's game on the back line, but only after she made a case to play up top. Wallace assisted on all three of Poplar Bluff's goals, doubling her season total, as the Lady Mules beat Kelly 3-0 on Senior Night at Whiteley Park...

PIEDMONT -- This time, there was no collapse and the Greenville softball team knew what to do with a lead. The top-seeded Lady Bears went for more. Siera Bennett blasted a momentum-swinging, three-run home run in the fourth inning, Lawren Luke drove in seven runs and pitcher Emilie O'Dell put the clamps on Clearwater late in a 15-5 victory that gave the Lady Bears the MSHSAA Class 1 District 6 championship Wednesday at Rotary Park...

BERNIE -- Malden softball coach Angela Rodgers knows starting pitcher Katie Goodman has the stuff to mow down opposing lineups when she maintains control of her pitches. Goodman did not walk a batter and struck out nine in a five-hitter as the Green Wave beat Bernie 9-0 in the MSHSAA Class 1 District 3 championship Wednesday...

Rev. Wiley McGhee Photo PUXICO, Mo. -- Rev. Wiley McGhee, son of the late James Monroe and Lillie Frances Julian McGhee, was born in Bloomfield, Jan. 13, 1913, and passed away at the Puxico Nursing and Rehab Center in Puxico, Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at the age of 103 years, three months and 20 days...