Stories from Thursday, May 19, 2016

SEMO News Service A New Madrid County farmer pleaded guilty to two counts of federal crop-insurance fraud, one count of theft of government property and one count of wire fraud Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau. Bobby David Lowrey, 48, of Parma, Missouri, placed farms in other people's names to obtain federal crop-insurance payments...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Lake Road Elementary Teacher of the Year for 2016 Abigael French knows that learning doesn't end when the final bell rings. According to French's colleagues, parents and students, her efforts in the classroom are only exceeded by her efforts behind the scenes, in the district and in the community...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Twin Rivers schools will outsource substitute teacher services following approval Tuesday of an agreement with Paragould, Arkansas, based firm Subteach USA. Subteach USA director Tammy Winn presented details of the service to the board during the regular monthly meeting, describing the company's growth from a single district 12 years ago to currently serving more than 170 in Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer City and county officials hope the completion of projects at Poplar Bluff's historic railroad depot mark a new beginning for the downtown area. More than $1 million in state and federal grant money, as well as local donations, have put a new roof on the building, and most recently replaced the grand staircase...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Butler County expects to collect no more than $300,000 this year through its senior tax, a small charge that likely makes up less than $50 of each homeowner's annual property tax bill. But that money funds more than 14,000 meals for seniors each month, on average, through nutrition centers across the county, said Floyd Vancel, vice chairman of the Butler County Senior Tax Board...

James David Barton POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- James David Barton, 66, of Poplar Bluff passed away May 10, 2016, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Family will hold private services at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the family and can be left at Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff...

Was Born Chris and April Riney of Puxico would like to announce the birth of their daughter, Brooklynn Dawn Riney, born 7:04 p.m. May 10 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She weighed 4 pounds 8 ounces and was 16 inches long. She has two older sisters, Alissa, Meghan and one brother Hunter...

By MONA CHAREN Let's call this the most unsurprising headline of the year so far: "Marriage Increases the Odds of Surviving Cancer, Studies Find." Next thing you know they'll be discovering that salt makes you thirsty. I'm not actually belittling the science, more the opposite. ...

George Mason University School of Law has just been renamed the Antonin Scalia School of Law in honor of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Accompanying the name change was a receipt of a $30 million gift: $10 million from the Charles Koch Foundation and $20 million from an anonymous donor. The combination of the names of Scalia and Koch has led to a number of George Mason University faculty getting their panties in a bunch -- and understandably so. Let's look at it...

To the Editor: Xi Kappa had beautiful weather this year for its annual flower sale to benefit United Cancer Assistance Network. Xi Kappa Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi would like to take this opportunity to thank those who supported their efforts to raise funds for United Cancer Assistance Network (UCAN). ...

By PHYLLIS FLANIGAN University of Missouri Extension With the ice storm in 2008, I lost my cherry trees and I was so sad. I loved those trees. The blue jays loved them also. Just a couple of years ago I found that I had a cherry sprout. I babied it and now I have cherries again! The cherries are turning red, and the blue jays are so excited. I don't mind picking the cherries but I hate to pit!...

The Agee Community Club met at The Bread Company on May 13. Nickey Orton was this month's hostess. Club President Cathy Womack opened the meeting with the ladies repeating the club motto, "When the heart is full of love, the world is full of beauty." Orton offered the invocation. ...

Verlin "Butch" Gambill Verlin "Butch" Gambill, 75, of Poplar Bluff, died Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at his residence. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Charsolee Dunlap MALDEN, Mo. -- Charsolee Dunlap, 79, of Potosi, Mo., formerly of Malden died Sunday, May 15, 2016, at Georgian Gardens in Potosi. Visitation will be from noon until service time at 1 p.m. Thursday at Bradshaw Funeral Home Chapel with burial in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden...

Cynthia Hemphill PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Cynthia Hemphill, 60, of Piedmont, Mo., died Monday, May 16, 2016, at her residence. There will be a Memorial Service held Saturday, May 21, 2016, at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. and the services will follow at 4 p.m...

A trio of area golfers earned all-state honors Tuesday. Poplar Bluff's Nathan Woolard tied for 15th at the MSHSAA Class 4 state tournament in Bolivar while Dexter's Ethan Stevens finished tied for seventh in Class 3 at Springfield and Bloomfield's Peyton Bell tied for 13th in Class 1 in Fremont Hills...

CAMPBELL -- The top-seeded Bernie Mules baseball team out-hit second-seeded Cooter but it wasn't enough to secure a third straight district title Tuesday afternoon. Bernie stranded 11 baserunners against starting pitcher Tyler Battles, who had the luxury of pitching with a lead throughout the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 final that the Wildcats won 5-3...

Charlene Sanders FISK, Mo. -- Charlene Sanders, 71, of Imperial, Mo. died Monday, May 16, 2016 at St. Anthony's Medical Center in Mehlville, Mo. Mrs. Sanders was born Nov. 9, 1944 in New Haven, Mich., the daughter of the late Jimmy and Marie Miller. She was of the Baptist faith. She and her husband owned and operated Jerry's Air Conditioning in Imperial. She enjoyed doing word search puzzles and spending time with her grandchildren. On May 7, 1977 she married Jerry Sanders. He survives...

George Edwin Pulliam BERNIE, Mo. -- George Edwin Pulliam, 94, of Bernie, Mo., passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2016 at his home, surrounded by family and friends. He was born to Georgia Ethel Cox Pulliam and the Rev. Sam W. Pulliam on September 19, 1921, in Doniphan, Mo...

A different Democratic party President John F. Kennedy pledged to put men on the moon. President Barack Obama pledged to put men in women's restrooms. What a disgrace to mankind. This isn't your father's Democratic party. PBRMC experience was wonderful...