Stories from Friday, January 20, 2017

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Three Rivers College will see a funding loss of $409,000 following Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens recent budgets cuts, the bulk of which fell on higher education. According to the Associated Press, of the $146 million in spending cuts, $56 million was from budgets of public universities, nearly $12 million from community colleges and almost $9 million in busing aid for public K-12 school districts...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Six candidates have filed for Twin Rivers School Board, including all of the incumbents. The district has three positions open in the April 4 election. The top vote-getters will receive three-year terms. Incumbents Robert Thurman, Roger Baxter, board president, and Billy Watson, vice president, are challenged by Brian Love, Keith Parker and former school board member David Dugger. ...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Three Rivers College trustees took a departure from the norm on Wednesday, holding the January monthly meeting at the Piedmont Center at Clearwater High School. The location change is part of an effort by the college to include communities within the taxing district in the decision-making process. The meeting opened with an update by Piedmont Location director Claudia Horne...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff city officials have hired the chairman of the Municipal Airport Advisory Board to take over at the city airport following the retirement this month of manager Mike Smith. Lance Donze, former technology manager for Gamma Healthcare, was one of three applicants for the airport manager's position, said city manager Mark Massingham. The position is filled by city manager appointment and does not require city council approval...

By MARK BLISS SEMO News Service Southeast Missouri State University has no plans to break the cap on tuition increases or lay off employees as a result of cuts in state aid, school president Carlos Vargas-Aburto said Wednesday. Gov. Eric Greitens announced cuts to higher-education funding Monday totaling $82 million, including nearly $56 million in core state aid for four-year universities...

Obama shortens sentence of inmate from Cape By BEN KLEINE SEMO News Service A 37-year-old Cape Girardeau man will be released from a federal prison in South Dakota in July after receiving a commutation Tuesday from President Barack Obama. Christopher M. DePree will have served about 12 years of the 15-year, 8-month sentence he received Nov. 14, 2005, from federal Judge Jean C. Hamilton...

Jack Parham NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Jack Parham, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017 at The Manor in Poplar Bluff, Mo. A graveside service will take place at 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20, at the Wilson Cemetery in Doniphan with Ricky Perkins officiating. Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville is in charge of arrangements...

CANTON, Mo. -- Culver-Stockton College's Dean's List for the fall 2016 semester includes three area students. They are Kody Berger, a English Education major from Harviell; Courtney Marler, a Business Administration major from Ellsinore; and Roger Taylor, a Music Education major from Poplar Bluff...

JOPLIN, Mo. - Taylor B. Bolt and Soley D. Webb, both of Poplar Bluff, have earned places on Missouri Southern State University's Fall 2016 Deans' List. The list recognizes all full-time students who earned a grade point average of 3.75 or above on a 4.0 scale. The students qualified for the honor by earning the required GPA while enrolled in 12 or more hours of credit courses...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Since World War II, the two men who have most terrified this city by winning the presidency are Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump. And they have much in common. Both came out of the popular culture, Reagan out of Hollywood, Trump out of a successful reality TV show. Both possessed the gifts of showmen -- extraordinarily valuable political assets in a television age that deals cruelly with the uncharismatic...

To the Editor: I have always heard that Poplar Bluff succeeds in spite of itself. The article on the planning and zoning meeting in the newspaper proves that is true. I don't understand the argument against the new apartment building. This would be a huge investment in the area, with no cost to Poplar Bluff. I drove to the area they are talking about and found that it backs up to an existing low-income apartment complex...

Dog Park is a stupid idea Instead of building a stupid dog park for the rich why can't they walk their dogs out at McLane Park or in the park and instead of building a stupid dog park for dogs to be walked like princesses and kings and whatever according to the family members. Why can't they build shelters for children that are standing at bus stops away from the cold wind? I think the children are more important than stupid dogs! Thank you. Bye...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- In 1929, Chief Justice William Howard Taft convinced Congress to finance construction of "a building of dignity and importance" for the Supreme Court. He could not have imagined what the court will ponder during oral arguments this Wednesday. ...

Joan Banks Lawson Joan Banks Lawson, 84, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born on March 9, 1932 to Clay and Della (Morse) Banks in Chaonia, Mo. She graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1950. She married John Lawson in Piggott, Ark. on Sept. 2, 1950. He preceded her in death on Feb. 26, 2008. Joan retired from Missouri Employment Security in 1994...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor PUXICO, Mo. -- A move from her native St. Paul, Minn., to Southeast Missouri in the middle of the winter is a big undertaking, but the chance to start a new career doing something she loves is what brought Debbie Koenigs to Puxico...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor After what sometimes seemed like a really long 112 days, Missouri's archery deer and turkey season came to a close as heavy fog and darkness fell Sunday evening. Statistically, the season started off somewhat slow, with harvest numbers lagging behind last year's count from the get-go, and hunters never really caught up...

By CALEB PRYOR Mo. Dept. of Conservation With February less than a month away and with it the conservation order snow goose season, I would like to take some time to discuss common issues that we encounter during this time. Because of the large number of goose populations and no bag limits, hunters tend to think it's a free-for-all and their ethics go out the window. ...

Anita Louise Waughn Sisco DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Anita Louise Waughn Sisco passed away at her home on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017. Mrs. Sisco was born June 2, 1934, in St. Louis, Mo., to Preston and Ruth (Maynard) Waughn. On Oct. 9, 1952, in Doniphan, she married Charles Fred "Bud" Sisco. ...

Ruby Payne Dockins MALDEN, Mo. -- Ruby Payne Dockins, 80, of Gideon, died Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017, at St. Francis Medical Center at Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from noon until service time, Friday, at Stanfield General Baptist Church in Gideon. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m., Friday, at Stanfield General Baptist Church. Burial will be in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton. Bradshaw Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

Poplar Bluff senior Josh Lewis made a list of goals entering this wrestling season. Chief among them is a state championship, and a little further down that list is to claim a SEMO Conference title. Lewis comes into this year's conference tournament as the favorite in his 285 weight class after a second place finish last year and a little bit of unfinished business...

Claude Gene Hill Claude Gene Hill, 79, of Farmington, formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017 at Farmington Presbyterian Manor in Farmington. Visitation will be at noon, Saturday, at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. Graveside services will follow at 1:30 p.m., Saturday in the Fairdealing Cemetery, Fairdealing, Mo. Memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Fund at Presbyterian Manor, 500 Cayce Street, Farmington, Mo. 63640...

Melvin Horn NEELYVILLE, Mo. - Melvin Gene Horn, 77, of Doniphan, Mo., passed away on Jan. 15, 2017 at his home. Mr. Horn was born on April 28, 1939 in Bernie, Mo. He worked as a farmer and enjoyed fishing, hunting and the outdoors. He was a member of the New Hope Church and the V.F.W. Melvin is also a Veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy...

Rhonda Sue Dell Rhonda Sue Dell, 56, of Gideon, Mo., died Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, at her residence. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. until service time Friday at Bradshaw Funeral Homes, Inc. in Gideon. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Bradshaw Chapel in Gideon with burial in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton...

Albert Ray Salsman PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Albert Ray Salsman, 71, of Piedmont died Monday, Jan. 16, 2017, at Southeast Hospital, Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, with the funeral service following at 1 p.m., also at the Piedmont Chapel. Burial will follow at Reynolds Corridon Cemetery, Mo. with full military honors. Pastor Danny Robinson will minister to the family...