Stories from Monday, January 2, 2017

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer In lieu of making dreaded New Year's resolutions, four area residents agreed to partake in a different type of challenge; the challenge to find happiness in everyday life, 100 days in a row. Corp. J.T. Wilson, of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Becky Emmons, of the United Cancer Assistance Network, Officer Jeff Hovis, of the Poplar Bluff Police Department, and Lauralee Schrieber, of Butler County Publishing, all have busy lives...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER "When the chips are down, I have Israel's back." -- Barack Obama, AIPAC conference, March 4, 2012 WASHINGTON -- The audience -- overwhelmingly Jewish, passionately pro-Israel and supremely gullible -- applauded wildly. Four years later -- his last election behind him, with a month to go in office and with no need to fool Jew or gentile again -- Obama took the measure of Israel's back and slid a knife into it...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - There were eight ties and seven lead changes. Camron Reedus made sure they were all in the first half. Reedus led Three Rivers College with 31 points, nearly half of that on 3-pointers, and was a catalyst in the Raiders' 61-48 win over Pensacola State on Friday afternoon...

Hacking matters It doesn't matter who hacked the Democrats email. The left wing thinks if you're from the Midwest you're a hick! And if you're religious you're deplorable. I'm just sayin! Thank you. Ticket loud speeding' truckers Yeah, we've been in Poplar Bluff today trucks passin' us with them big pipes on 'em that rattle your car windows and they was speedin' up 67 up there and I tell you what that one guy cut us off short and why in the world cops don't get some of them dadgum speeders up in there and with loud pipes. ...

Gary and Vickie Woolverton of Poplar Bluff, Mo. will be married 40 years Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. They were married Jan. 1, 1977 at Holcomb, Mo. Born and raised in Southeast Missouri, they have spent their married life here. Woolverton is a retired pastor and currently substitute teaches through the Poplar Bluff R-1 School District. Mrs. Woolverton retired from teaching culinary arts at the Mules Cafe with the Poplar Bluff R-I School District...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Effective Sunday, lawful owners of firearms will be able to conceal and carry them in Missouri, something Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs feels will cause concern to law enforcement officers. "The new law has a large variety of downfalls with regard to law enforcement," Dobbs said. "I know there were a lot of sheriffs and chiefs who spoke out against the law; however, at the end of the day, the gun lobbyists won out in the Legislature...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Missouri's longest serving county commissioner ended 40 years of service Friday with a final motion just after 10 a.m. to close the monthly payroll meeting at Carter County Courthouse. Eddie Ballard never planned to run for office once, much less 30 times, between primary and general elections. Yet, somehow the former school bus driver finds himself at 81 with an accomplishment few can claim...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Theresa Smothers died early Saturday morning, less than two days after police found the malnourished 87-year-old at the home of her daughter, lying naked in a bed soaked in fecal matter and urine. Her daughter now faces charges of voluntary manslaughter...

Roberta Carrolyn Tubb NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Roberta Carrolyn Tubb, 77, of Neelyville, Mo. passed away Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, in Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center of Poplar Bluff. She was born Feb. 17, 1939 in Neelyville, Mo. to the late Malcolm Turner and Margaret Sappington Turner...

Robert K. "Bob" Andrews PUXICO, Mo. -- Robert K. "Bob" Andrews, 92, a lifelong resident of Puxico died Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Andrews was born Aug. 6, 1924. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Puxico where he served as a deacon, treasurer and Sunday school teacher...

Mattie Grace Roberts Mattie Grace Primus-Roberts, 73, of Columbia, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Dec. 23, 2016, at North Kansas City Hospice in Kansas City. Visitation and funeral services were held on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016, at Urban Empowerment Church at 12:30 p.m. V. A memorial service was held Dec. 29 at Victorious Life Church, 3400 Paseo Blvd. Kansas City, Mo...

Linda F. Reynolds BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Linda F. Reynolds, 67, of Bloomfield died Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, at the Chiles -Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield with Pastor Brad Moore of Advance officiating. Burial will follow in the Bloomfield Cemetery in Bloomfield with Chiles - Cooper Funeral Home of Bloomfield in charge of arrangements...

Jacob Derek 'Jake' Knuckles Jacob Derek "Jake" Knuckles, 24, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Dec. 30, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

William E. Ramsey PIEDMONT, Mo. -- William E. Ramsey, Jr., 88 of Piedmont, died Friday, Dec. 30, 2016 at the Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

Dennis Tipton DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Dennis Franklin Tipton, 67- year-old resident of West Doniphan, died Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017 in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017 in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in the Good Hope Cemetery...

Donald Joe Robb NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Donald Joe Robb, 77, of Neelyville, Mo., passed away Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016 at his residence in Neelyville. He was born Nov. 28, 1939 in Naylor, Mo. to the late Owen C. Robb and Edna Woolard. He had served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War and he was a member of the Naylor American Legion Post #643, where he had served as commander for 10 years. ...

Gene Elic Reeves PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Gene Elic Reeves, 88, of Piedmont, Mo., known as the "tire man" or "the Indian" died Friday, Dec. 30, 2016, at his residence. Visitation will be held from noon until 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2016, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. also at the Piedmont chapel. Burial will follow at Mt. View Cemetery, Des Arc, Mo...