Stories from Friday, December 23, 2016

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer With meetings underway to enhance economic growth in a five-county region, Reynolds County entrepreneur Edward Baker sets the bar for what Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission and USDA Rural Development hope to achieve...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff High School Principal Michael Kiehne has been hired as superintendent of the Woodland R-4 district in Marble Hill, Mo., and will resign from his position here on June 30. Kiehne, who served as high school principal since 2011, said his departure is on good terms and he cites familial ties to the Marble Hill area as playing into his decision. ...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer Engineers are to The Poplar Bluff Historic Depot as elves are to The North Pole. Only in this case, the engineers aren't allowed to operate locomotives. Engineering News-Record magazine recently awarded the Poplar Bluff Historic Depot Staircase Project the "Best Small Project" in a six-state region and will now be considered in a national competition...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Harviell, Mo., man is facing counterfeiting and other charges after allegedly trying to spend some obviously fake "movie money" at a Poplar Bluff convenience store. Poplar Bluff Police arrested 24-year-old Blake A. Dietz shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday in the 1900 block of Thomas on suspicion of misdemeanor counterfeiting, driving with a suspended license, no auto insurance and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia...

Lonnie Boyer -- Ellsinore, Mo. Paul R. Maples -- Doniphan, Mo. Jana Jo Culp -- Malden, Mo. Joyce A. Hooper -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Pauline Agnes Rains -- Poplar Bluff, Mo.

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN The never-Trumpers are never going to surrender the myth that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the hacking of Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and the Democratic National Committee to defeat Clinton and elect Donald Trump...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat As the unbridled joy of the Christmas season approaches that special day, I find myself increasingly concerned about Michelle Obama's hopelessness. The first lady last week expressed her dismay at the current state of politics and her hopeless view of this new political landscape...

By STEPHEN MOORE "Expert, texpert choking smokers. Don't you think the joker laughs at you?" -- John Lennon, "I Am the Walrus" On election night, at around 6 p.m., a Hillary Clinton political operative went on TV and smugly opined that she believed they had a 95 percent chance of winning. Wow, 95 percent. In statistics we call that a very high level of certainty. But of course, five hours later the woman was in tears, and the 1-in-20 long shot named Donald Trump came in...

KANSAS CITY: Jan. 7 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Jan. 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Smithville Lake Paradise Pointe Golf Course Clubhouse north of Kansas City. Call 816-532-0174 for more information. ST. LOUIS: Jan. 14 and 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge south of I-270 off Riverview Drive in St. Louis. Call 314-877-6014 for more information...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor As expected, the Missouri Conservation Commission on Friday set next year's spring turkey season dates, plus those for fall deer and turkeys. Also as expected, nothing really has changed. In the spring, the youth turkey season in Missouri will take place April 8-9. ...

BROSELEY -- For eight minutes, Kennett went toe-to-toe with the Lady Royals Christmas Classic's giant and had a chance to knock it down. But Dexter wasn't falling. A six-point deficit at the start of the second quarter looked promising for Kennett, but as the missed shots and turnovers started piling up, glimmers of the Lady Bearcats' supremacy shined...

BROSELEY -- A 16-3 run to close out the first quarter was just enough for the Doniphan Donettes to escape with a win. Jakelyn Friend notched a game-high 19 points, Paige Eddington had 10 and Savanah Aaron added eight as fifth-seeded Doniphan beat No. 8 Greenville 47-38 in the Lady Royals Christmas Classic fifth place semifinals...

By JOE JEREK Mo. Dept. of Conservation JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation reports it has received results for more than half of approximately 19,200 tissue samples being tested for chronic wasting disease collected during the Department's mandatory sampling of deer harvested on Nov. 12 and 13 in 29 counties in northeast, central, and east-central Missouri...

BROSELEY -- After Cinderella's carriage turned into a pumpkin at the Lady Royals Christmas Classic, the Lady Tigers ate it. Neelyville dominated No. 11 Malden from start to finish in the Lady Royals Christmas Classic semifinals and won 67-28 on Wednesday...

Jana Jo Culp MALDEN, Mo. -- Jana Jo Culp, 63, of Malden, died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016, at Ridgeview Living Community in Malden. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. until service time, Tuesday at Bradshaw Funeral Homes, Inc. in Malden. Memorial service will be held at noon, Tuesday, at Bradshaw Chapel with Rev. Aulden LeBlanc officiating...

Joyce A. Hooper Joyce A. Hooper, 72, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016, at Sunset Hills Health and Rehab Center in St. Louis. Joyce was born May 2, 1944 in Poplar Bluff and was of the Pentecostal faith. She enjoyed her baby dolls and being the keeper of many family secrets...

Paul R. Maples DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Paul R. Maples, 67, of Doniphan, died Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, in Ripley County, Mo. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016, in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. A full obituary will follow.

Pauline Agnes Rains Pauline Agnes Rains, 94, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Rains, the daughter of the late Charles and Ruby Kearbey Scott, was born July 15, 1922 in Poplar Bluff. She was a graduate of Poplar Bluff High School as well as Bluff Business College. ...

Lonnie Eugene Boyer ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Lonnie Eugene Boyer, 70, of Ellsinore, Mo., died Monday, Dec. 19, 2016 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore. A Memorial - Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore...

Lorena Ocie Boyer ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Lorena Ocie Boyer, 94, of Ellsinore, Mo. died Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, 2016, at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore, with the funeral services following at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel. Rev. Tom Wilder will be officiating. Burial will follow in the Whites Mill Cemetery...