Stories from Friday, July 29, 2016

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer Chris Rickman and Penny McGath are the candidates for Butler County assessor, and they each bring unique qualifications to the table. Rickman has extensive experience in real estate and appraisal work, while McGath has a solid business management background and is an active volunteer in community...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer BROSELEY, Mo. - The Twin Rivers R-X annual Back-to-School Fair will be from 1-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, at the high school gym in Broseley. The event offers many services free of charge and is open to all students in the district...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer For thousands of years, storytelling has been essential to the preservation of history. Significant events, catastrophes, anecdotes; even claims to fame have been passed down through generations. Unfortunately, misinformation can be a caveat to oral preservation. Though most tales are rooted in truth, details sometimes evolve over time, just ask Butler County Genealogical Society president Glenda Rollman...

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 is providing a daily journal of her experiences.) Wednesday, July 27 It is getting harder and harder to pry myself from the bed at 8:30 a.m. ...

The Oak Grove Homemakers Club met at Jen's Diner on Wednesday, July 20, for a noon luncheon. Darla Pabst offered thanks for the meal and also paid for lunch for all the club members. After the meal, the ladies went to the home of Mandi Webster for the club meeting. Dorothy Robbins presided over the meeting. Roll call was answered by 11 attendees on how the 4th of July holiday was celebrated. Visitors were Pabst, Aspen Birdsong, Donna Pirc, Nellie Woods, Candy Hill and Webster...

This week marks the start of one of my favorite annual traditions, the 8th Congressional District Farm Tour. In southeast and south central Missouri we know agriculture is at the heart of not only our economy, but our communities, and our families. The early mornings, late days, and stress associated with mother nature and volatile markets are something everyone is familiar with. ...

A guiding principle for physicians is primum non nocere, the Latin expression for "first, do no harm." In order not to do harm, whether it's with medicine or with public policy, the first order of business is accurate diagnostics. Racial discrimination is seen as the cause of many problems of black Americans. ...

Ted Cruz's electrifying performance at the 2016 Republican National Convention will be long remembered, and deservedly so. At a critical moment, when the party of Lincoln had uncomfortably but nonetheless thoroughly embraced a lifelong Democrat/reality star/violence-abettor -- and when few leading Republicans had demonstrated the courage to oppose him -- Cruz did. ...

Sheila Carpenter DONIPHAN, Mo.-- Sheila Lynn Carpenter, 56, of Sikeston, Mo., died Saturday, July 23, 2016, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 30, 2016, in the Edwards Funeral Home and the funeral service will follow at noon in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the Bellview Cemetery...

By Paul Davis Outdoors Editor Twenty-two anglers fished last weekend's King of the River tournament at Van Buren, Mo., hosted by the Current River Smallmouth Association, and at the end of the day, one stood above the rest: Ronnie Crafton. Apparently, pre-fishing for the tournament for several days leading up to it helped Crafton figure out the fish and put him in a position to win. ...

By CALEB PRYOR Mo. Dept. of Conservation If you plan to hunt during a Missouri firearms season or you are acting as an adult mentor, you must first complete an approved hunter-education certification program and provide proof of completion, unless:...

By Paul Davis Outdoors Editor It's once again time for area bowhunters and archery buffs to get their gear out and get shooting for a good cause - the 6th annual St. Jude Archery Shoot & Auction. This year's event will take place on Aug. 13 at the Missouri Department of Conservation archery range off County Road 546, north of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

By TOM UHLENBROCK Missouri State Parks The new Echo Bluff State Park opens on Saturday, July 30, and offers the opportunity to explore all the scenic wonders of the Missouri Ozarks. Gov. Jay Nixon will welcome visitors with remarks at 10 a.m., and is familiar with the area. His mother was a counselor at the old Camp Zoe, a children's summer camp that operated in the secluded valley from 1929 to the 1980s...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Three Rivers College dean of institutional effectiveness, Dr. Maribeth Payne, currently has a successful position in the world of higher education. But during her early career, she was breaking barriers in one of the most competitive industries in the nation...

Shirley Maize Tibbs Shirley Maize Tibbs, 84, of Poplar Bluff, died Sunday, July 24, 2016 at Cedargate Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Jack Crawford Jack Crawford, 82, of rural Puxico, Mo. died at his home on Friday, July 22, 2016. Visitation will begin at noon Friday, July 29, 2016 at the Morgan Sifford funeral home in Puxico with the funeral to follow at 2 p.m. Officiating will be Doyle Mitchell. Burial will immediately follow in the Puxico City Cemetery...

Rogers Lee Ward Rogers Lee Ward, Sr., 52, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, July 21, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. A graveside service with full military honors will be at noon Friday at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Delphinia M. Schulte PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Delphinia M. Schulte, 85, of Piedmont, Mo., died Wednesday, July 27, 2016, at her residence. Visitation will be held from 3 - 4 p.m. Friday at Kime General Baptist Church in Greenville, Mo., with funeral services immediately following at 4 p.m., also at the church. Burial will be at Greenville City Cemetery. Ruegg Funeral Homes, Inc. is in charge of arrangements...

Stanley M. Potter PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Stanley M. Potter, 74, of St. Charles, Mo., formerly of Reynolds County, died Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at his residence. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, July 30, 2016, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Funeral services will immediately follow at 1 p.m. also at the Piedmont Chapel. Burial will be at Potter Cemetery...

A total of 28 members of Country Fire, a clogging team from Ellsinore and Piedmont, recently traveled to Branson to compete in the 34th Annual Grand National Challenge of Champions Dance Competition, which was held at the Mansion Theatre. The team competed in six categories and brought home first place wins in four or more Couple Hoedown, Moving Traditional Lines, Running Set Precisions, Junior Smooth Mountain Square Dance and Adult Smooth Mountain Square Dance. ...