Stories from Thursday, November 24, 2016

First Missouri State Bank recently unveiled plans for a new bank building that will be prominently located at the intersections of Highway 67 N and W Highway. The new bank will be one of the first businesses seen as people enter Poplar Bluff from the north and also from the east. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer For Carol and Steve Lewis, the hours they give to ring bells for the Salvation Army mean taking a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season to focus on something truly important -- giving back to the community...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Former Poplar Bluff, Mo., city manager Heath Kaplan has received public censure and a lifetime ban from a professional group for city and county officials. The International City/County Management Association, which has 10,000 members, issued a statement Tuesday condemning the actions of Kaplan during his employment in Missouri and Muskegon County, Mich...

By NOREEN HYSLOP SEMO News Service Vidalia "Vi" Mace remembers nothing about Friday, Sept. 2, 2016 and very little -- if anything -- about the week before. She knows now that it was a Friday and that she had just attended one of her classes at Three Rivers College. She was three weeks into her college career, having graduated from Bloomfield High School...

By MARGARET SHACKLEFORD As part of the partnership with the Vietnam War Commemoration for the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War, the Poplar Bluff Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution announces Elva Lee Peck as the Vietnam veteran of the Month for October...

DALLAS (AP) -- The slowly improving economy could boost travel over the Thanksgiving holiday to levels not seen in nine years. AAA forecasts that 48.7 million Americans will travel, the busiest Thanksgiving period on U.S. roads and skies since 2007, the year before the global financial crisis plunged the U.S. economy into a deep recession...

By MONA CHAREN The parades of protesters weeping, vandalizing businesses, carrying the Mexican and Palestinian flags, shouting "Not my president!" and otherwise giving peaceful protest a bad name have been justly rebuked as hysterical. In the week since his election, the president-elect has behaved in a restrained and sober fashion, has observed the rituals of power transition without incident, and has made two hires: one reassuring and the other somewhat troubling...

If he is confirmed as attorney general of the United States, Jeff Sessions will no doubt provide many opportunities for criticism by those who didn't vote for Donald Trump. The policies Sessions can be expected to implement at the Justice Department on immigration, voting rights, terrorism and crime will not be agreeable to a lot of Americans. We expect to find many grounds to take issue with him...

Greenville High School has selected their Students of the Month for October. Danica RaeAnn Deering, daughter of Darrell Deering and Lisa Batton of Greenville, participates in BETA Club, Art Program, FCCLA, FBLA, Art Club, NHS and Jonahs Java Youth Group. She has played volleyball for three years and been a cheerleader for two years. Her hobbies are baby sitting, writing poems, and helping out at church and youth group...

The Mules seem to like runnin' around their new barn. From the opening tip and first shot -- a 3-pointer by sophomore Marcedus Leech --to the last second of Poplar Bluff's 85-63 season-opening win against Jennings, there was plenty to enjoy Tuesday night...

The basketball barely touched the floor before it was going through the net for the first time at Poplar Bluff's new home Tuesday. Autum Dodd sank a layup just 4 seconds after the opening tip and two quick passes as the Mules were off to the races in a 58-38 win over Jennings...

For the second time in three years, the Raiders are heading into the Peoples Community Bank Thanksgiving Tournament undefeated. To keep that in tact, Three Rivers needs to beat Malcolm X College (Ill.) on Thursday, Dyersburg State Community College (Tenn.) on Friday, and Midland College (Texas) on Saturday...

NEELYVILLE -- The Neelyville girls basketball team made a statement on opening night. Fresh off their historic season, the Class 2 runner-up Lady Tigers followed it up with a 54-40 victory over Jonesboro (Ark.) on Tuesday. Jonesboro (0-1), an Arkansas Class 6A final four team, never led and fell behind 12-4 after eight minutes...

Bobby Smith BERNIE, Mo. -- Bobby Smith, 57, of Wappapello, son of the late T.J. Smith and Thelma Smedley Smith was born in Waukegan, Ill., March 10, 1959 and departed this life Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, at his residence. Mr. Smith had served in the United States National Guard, was a maintenance man. He was also a Volunteer Fireman & First Responder at Wappapello, Mo. He attended Faith Baptist Church...

Diane Quigley QULIN, Mo. -- Diane Quigley, 59, of Qulin, died Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016 at Cedar Gate Healthcare, in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Quigley was born June 6, 1957 in Poplar Bluff. She was a member of Friendship General Baptist Church at Coon Island. She enjoyed working during youth camps at Camp Allen at Greenville for many summers, shopping and spending time with her grandchildren...

Helen 'Louise' Elmore Burklow DEXTER, Mo. -- Helen "Louise" Elmore Burklow, 95, departed this life on Friday, Nov. 18, 2016 after a courageous battle with cancer at the ET York Hospice Center in Gainesville, Fla.. Helen was born on Oct. 10, 1925 to Estel Poe Elmore and Jessie Lena Hutchison Elmore in Bloomfield, Mo. She graduated from Bloomfield High School class of 1943 where she was the Homecoming Queen...

Randal Hammon Randal Hammon, 64, of Morehouse, Mo., son of the late CA Hammon and Nadine Jefferies Hammon, was born April 17, 1952 in Poplar Bluff and died Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 at his residence. Mr. Hammon had been a truck driver for 44 years. He was united in marriage to Gala Goodwin on Jan. 6, 1996 in Morehouse. Mrs. Hammon is of the home in Morehouse...