Stories from Friday, May 20, 2016

By BEN KLEINE SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Two Cape Girardeau police officers had a 10- to 15-minute period where they had to give pregnant Sarah Iler and her baby CPR before the ambulance arrived. Cape Girardeau police Lt. Brad Smith and Cpl. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A new bridge over Pike Creek on Fair Street opened Wednesday evening, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. The bridge has been closed since December and under weight restrictions since the fall of 2014. Rust and deterioration of the steel plates that hold the bridge together had made it unsafe, according to inspectors with the Missouri Department of Transportation...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Three Rivers College students who miss too many classes can now be "officially" dropped from school. Trustees voted Wednesday to approve a policy that requires instructors to take attendance and sets penalties for excessive absences...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Residents of Stringtown will come together Sunday at Kerns Chapel Church to honor veterans through a partnership with local Honor Guard members. The annual program begins at 11 a.m. and is open to the public, said church member Eldon Wheelis, who expects more than 100 people to be in attendance...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Three Rivers College will hold commencement ceremonies at 6 p.m. Friday at the Black River Coliseum, featuring as keynote speaker, local financial adviser Erick Kirkman. Three Rivers College president Dr. Wesley Payne said the event is a time to recognize those students' achievements, and that the college is proud to have Kirkman, who is also Three Rivers' first distinguished alumni, as guest speaker...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Acting on information alleging suspected methamphetamine was being brought into Poplar Bluff, Mo., by a local man, authorities arrested three area residents Wednesday afternoon and seized quantities of suspected meth and marijuana...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Because advertising is a barometer that often accurately measures America's psychological atmosphere, attention must be paid to this: From May 23 through the presidential election, Budweiser beer will bear a different name. Eager to do its bit to make America great again, the brewer will replace the name "Budweiser" with "America" on its 12-ounce bottles and cans...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "It's a suicide mission," said the Republican Party Chairman. Reince Priebus was commenting on a Washington Post story about Mitt Romney and William Kristol's plot to recruit a third-party conservative candidate to sink Donald Trump...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Foresters with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) urge people not to move firewood and ash logs to avoid the further spread of invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) insects. Native to Asia, these bugs are destroying ash trees wherever they are, ruining millions of dollars in forest products and blemishing Missouri's forests as they leave behind skeletons of dead ash trees. ...

Better put this one on the calendar -- the 2016 Kid's Fish and Fun Day is this Saturday morning. This is put on jointly by the Southeast Missouri Sportsman's Association, the Missouri Department of Conservation and the U. S. Forest Service. It will be held at Don Jones' Lake, located on Rockinghorse Lane, 2.7 miles up Highway T on the west side (left) of the highway. It will be well posted...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Ozark National Scenic Riverways will host a spring birdwatching workshop on the morning of May 21 along the Current River. Birdwatching is the fastest-growing outdoor recreational activity and can be enjoyed by folks of all ages. Park rangers and birding experts will guide participants on an exploration of Big Tree, south of Van Buren...

It looks like Mother Nature has bitten local crappie anglers yet again, with water levels at Wappapello and Clearwater lakes rising after heavy upstream rains both last week and again a few days ago. Wappapello initially crested mid-day Sunday at 368.79 feet, while Clearwater crested just hours earlier at 510.40 feet. Both have since started rising again...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The discovery of a deer disease in Arkansas has increased surveillance efforts by Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) staff in the southern part of the state. This spring's finding of 86 cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in northern Arkansas (82 in deer, four in elk) has caused MDC staff to ramp up sample collection for a CWD testing process that has been ongoing in Missouri since 2002. ...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff ended two decades of postseason frustration Wednesday night. Sophia Rowland scored twice in the span of nine minutes early in the second half to rally the Mules while Shelby Sievers and the back line repeatedly turned away Sikeston to win 2-1 in the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 championship game...

By TOM UHLENBROCK Mo. State Parks JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Historic photos help tell the story of the first 100 years of Missouri State Parks. One of the most impressive shows the stone castle at Ha Ha Tonka State Park before it was destroyed by fire...

Mary Duncan Mary Louise Kathryn Tyler Duncan, 91, of Poplar Bluff, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at her residence. Mrs. Duncan, daughter of the late Jesse and Lois Luter Tyler, was born Nov. 8, 1924 in Biggers, Ark. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be dearly missed...

The Redbirds have been perched on top of the district since this year's graduating class were freshmen. Ultimately, they knocked themselves off with too many mistakes. East Carter committed four errors and gave up four unearned runs in losing to Thayer 6-2 in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 championship Wednesday at Roger Pattillo Feild...

FESTUS, Mo. -- Senior Bryce Alcorn struck out 11 and the second-seeded Clearwater Tigers blanked No. 3 West County 4-0 to advance to the MSHSAA Class 3 District 3 championship Wednesday. Clearwater (15-7), which had seven hits in the win, will face top-seeded Arcadia Valley for the title at 4 p.m. today. The Tigers last won a district championship in 2010...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- With unbeaten ace Trey McDaniel on the mound Wednesday afternoon, Greenville played with a high measure of comfort. The top-seeded Bears clicked for 10 hits and a run in all but one inning behind McDaniel's complete-game gem and marched towards their second consecutive MSHSAA Class 2 District 3 championship with a 10-0 victory in six innings over third-seeded Chaffee at Notre Dame High School...

Paulette J. Swindle Paulette J. Swindle, 67, of Bonham, Texas, formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at the Texoma Medical Center in Denison, Texas. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff...

Gracie Thomas showed up to a cold practice in early March with a jacket. The season was just getting started and the Malden softball team with no seniors and a new head coach was still trying to find itself. Thomas pulled her hood up and tightened it around her head, blocking out the spring chill as best she could...

Verlin "Butch" Gambill Verlin "Butch" Gambill, 75, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at his residence. Butch, son of the late Vernon and Aileen Everett Gambill, was born Nov. 23, 1940 in Ash Hill, Mo. He was of the Baptist faith and was a longtime farmer. ...

Hershel "Gene" Goins FISK, Mo. -- Hershel "Gene" Goins, 88, of Poplar Bluff, died Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at his residence. Mr. Goins was born Aug. 18, 1927 at Campbell, Mo. to the late John F. and Dollie (Bryant) Goins. He was Maintenance Supervisor at McPheeters Clinic for several years. ...

Shirley A. Rodgers Shirley A. Rodgers, 78, a longtime resident of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, May 13, 2016 at Crystal Oaks Care Center in Festus, Mo. A gathering of family and friends will begin at 6 p.m. Friday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff, with a funeral service following at 7:30 p.m. Rev. Alma Jo Brown will officiate. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Poplar Bluff City Cemetery...

Linda Maria Hill Linda Maria Hill, 72, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away on Monday, May 16, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born on March 29, 1944 to Henry and Hattie (Wolpers) Hill in Loma Linda, Calif. She attended Poplar Bluff High School. Linda worked as a secretary at PBRMC/Lucy Lee Hospital for 23 years...

Fisk Middle School honor and merit rolls: Fifth Grade Honor Roll Jacob Chronister, Nicholas Deken, Tayler Hanley, Colton Hargraves, Logan Jones, Abigail McCollough, Serenity Porch, Kaytlin Price, Sierra Rommel, Warren Thurman, Layne Trice Fifth Grade Merit Roll...