Stories from Wednesday, July 27, 2016

By TIARA McCLURE (McClure, 22, works in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and lives in Puxico, Mo. She is a delegate representing Missouri at the Democratic National Convention and will provide a daily journal of her experiences.) Sunday, July 24 I departed Puxico, MO., at 3 a.m. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Construction is set to begin Monday on improvements to Poplar Bluff's drinking water system that will resolve problems with levels of disinfection by-products. Residents received letters with their June bills warning of drinking water contaminant violations, but were also told the levels did not present an immediate risk...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Three Rivers College "Day at the Ballpark" event at Busch Stadium was a "home run," featuring legendary coach Gene Bess as the ceremonial pitcher, a performance by the college choir and raising more than $7,000 for the institution's endowment trust...

Frances Alford Frances Alford, 87, of Poplar Bluff, died Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at Mark Twain Caring Center, Frances was born Jan. 15, 1929 in St. Louis, to the late Milton Philo Smith and Anna Marie Catarnichi Smith. She was married to James Raymond Alford, He preceded her in death. She was a homemaker...

By STEPHEN MOORE AND ANDY KOENIG The worst-kept secret in Washington, D.C., is that Congress will once again fail to do its most basic constitutional job and pass legislation to fund the federal government beyond the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat As the political season heats up, we are beginning to learn the extent to which the progressive left will stoop to get their way. A massive batch of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee this week revealed an extensive, sophisticated and highly-orchestrated plot to undo the growing success of rogue candidate Bernie Sanders in favor of their anointed hopeful Hillary Clinton...

HOLYOKE, Colo. -- This time around, the Wayne County Lumberjacks' long trip back from the regional tournament was made a little more tolerable by the hardware they had in tow. Prior to their two-day, 904 mile journey home, the Lumberjacks beat Border, Colorado 5-1 to win the Midwest Plains Regional and secure their first berth into the Senior Babe Ruth World Series Sunday night...

Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis sentenced Jessie L. Mercer, 38, of Jackson to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for robbing Joseph Littleton of his bicycle about Dec. 19. Littleton said Mercer punched and knocked him off his bicycle near the intersection of Silver Springs Road and Shawnee Parkway in Cape Girardeau, then punched and kicked him on the ground and stole $60 out of Littleton's wallet, according to a probable-cause statement filed by Cape Girardeau Police Sgt. ...

Grace L. Keeling DEXTER, Mo. -- Grace L. Keeling, 87, of Dexter, died Saturday, July 23, 2016, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be held after 2 p.m., Tuesday, at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Memorial Funeral services will follow at 4 p.m., Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter with Frank Lane of Hayti, officiating...

Hannah Ruth Hall WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Hannah Ruth Hall, 22, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, July 22, 2016 in Poplar Bluff. Hannah, daughter of Douglas Arthur and Ruth Ellen Elsworth Nichols, was born Jan. 11, 1994 in Poplar Bluff. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Poplar Bluff, where she served as the church treasurer. Hannah enjoyed art, painting, reading and music, but most of all she loved spending time with her family...

Peggy Sue Skaggs DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Peggy Sue Skaggs, 65, of Doniphan, died Sunday, July 24, 2016, at Southeast Health of Ripley County. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m., Wednesday at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Jim Baggett officiating. Burial will be in the Macedonia Cemetery...

Joe Daughhetee CORNING, Ark., -- Joe Daughhetee, 65, of Maynard passed away Monday, July 25, 2016 at home. Born July 13, 1951 in Walnut Ridge, Mr. Daughhetee was a farmer and a rancher. He enjoyed duck hunting, coon hunting, fishing, and clock making. He was of the Pentecostal faith...

Kipling Vurel Renfroe Kipling Vurel Renfroe, 95, passed away Saturday, July 23, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born Jan. 20, 1921 at Advance, Mo. to the late Fenton and Berther Hood Renfroe. Mr. Renfroe was a longtime resident of Poplar Bluff...

Mary Jane Harrison MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Mary Jane Harrison, 79, of Puxico, passed away Sunday, July 24, 2016 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born July 9, 1937 in Campbell, daughter of Roy and Cleda Allen King. She and Oren Harrison were united in marriage...

Patricia "Patty" Tilley DEXTER, MO. -- Patricia "Patty" Tilley, 75, Dexter, died at the Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center in Dexter on Sunday, July 24, 2016. Visitations will be from 5 - 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter, Mo. ...

Rondal L. Fisher, Sr. CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Rondal L. Fisher, Sr., 68, of Campbell, died Saturday, July 23, 2016 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be from 6 - 8 p.m., Tuesday at the Landess Funeral Home, in Campbell. Funeral service will be at 9 a.m., Wednesday at the funeral chapel in Campbell with Rev. Marty Carlisle officiating. Burial will follow at Macedonia Cemetery in Doniphan...

Mary Jane Harrison -- Marble Hill, Mo. Grace L. Keeling -- Dexter, Mo. Peggy Sue Skaggs -- Doniphan, Mo. Joe Daughhetee -- Maynard, Ark. Hannah Ruth Hall -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Rondal L. Fisher, Sr. -- Campbell, Mo. Claude Alan Conner -- Qulin, Mo. Kipling Vurel Renfroe...

Claude Alan Conner NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Claude Alan Conner, 68, of Qulin, Mo., left to be with the Lord on Saturday, July 23, 2016. Claude Alan was born May 16, 1948 at Qulin, Mo. He graduated from Qulin High School. He leaves behind 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren...

Every day is a good day for basketball in Jaysea Morgan's mind, and traveling to Australia to play in the 28th Annual Down Under Sports Tournament was just ace (excellent) as the Aussies would say. The two-time All-Stater and Twin Rivers graduate was invited to the international basketball event last November and jumped at the chance to become one of two players representing Missouri at the week-long tournament...

Lane Below went on a road trip to Ole Miss earlier this year with teammate and roommate Justas Furmanavicius. Furmanavicius had committed before the duos sophomore season at Three Rivers started, but Below didn't know what he was going to do once his Raider career was over...