Stories from Sunday, June 26, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff schools Area Adult Education Program (AEL) on Friday honored 82 graduates, some of whom overcame a number of obstacles to obtain their high school equivalency certificate. The AEL program offers students orientation, instruction and assessment testing in preparation for the Missouri High School Equivalency Test (HiSET). ...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor Nicole Johnson will be the keynote speaker at the annual Women Aware Conference Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Black River Coliseum. "Johnson (who lives in Santa Monica, Calif.) was chosen because of her understanding of being a woman in today's society," said conference director Chris Waite. ...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer 4K for Cancer, a group bicycling across the nation to raise money and awareness for youth cancer victims, made a stop in Poplar Bluff Thursday on their journey from Baltimore to San Diego. The cross-country ride to further the mission of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, a non-profit organization that, according to its website, creates a community of support for young adults and their loved ones, impacted by cancer...

Letter to the Editor: This is in response to the article in Sunday's June 5 paper titled A Gorilla "Tragedy." I fee [sic] Ms. Charen has the same values as most young people today -- I can't be responsible for anything because it is never my fault! She states that at "every zoo she has visited the visitors are kept safely away from dangerous animals. ...

By MONA CHAREN We've heard a great deal this campaign year about the plight of the working class. The left tells a story about the middle class being destroyed by predatory millionaires and billionaires who are soaking up 99 percent of the "income gains" (as if national income were one giant Big Gulp and the 1 percent managed to nab the biggest straws)...

Lottie Morehead Lottie L. Morehead, 82, died Saturday, June 25, 2016, at Oakdale Care Center. She was born Oct. 24, 1933, at Rombauer, Mo., to the late James Alford and Pansy Braden Alford. She was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff, Mo. She enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Eagles at Wappapello and the American Legion in Poplar Bluff...

Carol D. Hess Carol D. Hess, 71, of Neosho, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, passed away Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at The Villages of Jackson Creek Memory Care in Independence, Mo. Carol, the daughter of the late Jess and Ellen Sharp Powers, was born Feb. ...

Carolyn Sue Crites Carolyn Sue Crites, 65, of Harviell, Mo., passed away on Friday, June 24, 2016 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. She was born on March 12, 1951 to Lonnie and Arizona (Spradling) Roach in Poplar Bluff, Mo. She graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1969. On Dec. 21, 1972, she married Greg Crites in Poplar Bluff...

Vysha Sanders FISK, Mo. -- Vysha L. Sanders, 44, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday June 24, 2016, at The Manor in Poplar Bluff. Services are pending with White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk and will be announced at a later date. Memorials to the family may be sent in care of White-Sanders Funeral Home...

Grace Gibson Grace A. Gibson of Harlingen, Texas, formerly of Fulton, Mo., passed away Thursday, June 23, 2016, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo., while visiting her son. Grace was born Nov. 3, 1931, to the late John and Margaret (Lesperance) Ploeckelmann in Gibson, Wis. She married James E. "Jim" Gibson Feb. 29, 1964, in Waukegan, Ill. He survives of the home...

'Sandy' Cates Sandra Lea "Sandy" Cates was born on Aug. 4, 1962. She passed away on Wednesday, June 22, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was 53 years old at the time of her death. She was preceded in death by her mother, Doris, and her father, William Cates, of Ohio. She is survived by her roommates and a host of friends...

Glenn Johnson QULIN, MO. -- Glenn Johnson, 73, of Wappapello, died Friday, June 24, 2016 at his residence. Mr. Johnson was born Nov. 20. 1942 at Qulin, to the late Loyd and Stella (Clifton) Johnson. He was a retired farmer and enjoyed coon hunting and squirrel hunting. He also enjoyed tinkering in his shop and working on lawnmowers and other small engines. He was a member of the Four Mile Lodge #212 of Campbell...

Dwayne E. "Dickie" Givens Dwayne E. "Dickie" Givens, 72, of Poplar Bluff, passed away at 4:52 a.m. Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Dwayne, son of the late Operetus and Rudolph Tomlin, was born Feb. 25, 1943 in St. Louis. ...

Tayshon David "Tay" Matthews BLOOMFIELD, MO. -- Tayshon David "Tay" Matthews, 10, of Cape Girardeau, son of John Matthews and Christina Ward, died north of Delta, Mo. Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Visitation will be after 11 a.m., Monday, at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter. ...

Ruby Mae Williams MALDEN, MO. -- Ruby Mae Williams, 75, of Gideon, Mo. died Thursday, June 23, 2016, at her residence. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Sunday at Bradshaw Funeral Home, Inc. in Malden. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m., Sunday, at the Bradshaw Chapel in Malden...

Justice for all Yes, I'm calling in regards to the comments about the accident which occurred -- the hit and run, killing the young girl in Poplar Bluff. Justice for all! Our law enforcement and prosecuting attorney and everyone we are to uphold the law for ALL not because you are a prominent business leader or business man and not for a poor, insignificant family member. ...

Delbert Pierce CORNING, Ark. -- Delbert Pierce, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away June 25, 2016, at home. Mr. Pierce was born at Corning, Ark., on June 2, 1950. He was retired from U.S. Air Force as a master sergeant after 22 years of service. He enjoyed fishing, reading, being on the computer and loved his dogs...

Gerald Richard Rich NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Gerald Richard Rich, 72, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, June 24, 2016, at his residence. Mr. Rich was born July 4, 1943, at St. Louis, Mo., and was raised in Neelyville. He was a member of Temple Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff...

Editor's note: This story contains information that may be considered graphic and could be upsetting to some readers. The Daily American Republic respects the privacy of the victim and her family, but feels it was necessary to include some information to fully explain the questions that remain and the decisions made by law enforcement in the death of Heavenly Hafford...

A few days after the first official day of summer, the Poplar Bluff Piranhas youth swimming team was once again in the hunt at Huntington Pool. Although the blazing sun briefly turned into clouds, the Piranhas managed a great day in the water. Four swimmers punched their ticket to the AAU Junior Olympics with qualifying times in the regulation-sized 50-meter pool. They each will have the opportunity to take a trip to Houston, Texas, to compete for championships on July 16...

East Carter County graduate Brandon Crook is no stranger to the Bloomfield gymasium. Crook's high school basketball team finished in the top four in the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament two of the three years he played varsity basketball. "I came and watched the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament as a teenager and was fortunate enough to play in three of them," Crook said. ...

Skylar Zitnak and Jack Harrison want to hear their names over the school intercom, and not because their being called to the principal's office. The soon-to-be Poplar Bluff sophomores are two of Southeast Missouri's best swimmers, and they want their classmates to know it. It's not about feeding a large ego. It's about recognition...