Stories from Thursday, February 16, 2017

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Three Rivers Endowment Trust was busy "spreading some love" this Valentine's Day by surprising a number of instructors with funding to benefit their classrooms. The endowment trust, through fundraisers and events, secures financing to assist the college with items not supported by the annual budget. College President Dr. Wes Payne said the awards today were for projects that, without the support of the trust, would not be possible...

Seven people including Linda Allen, Bruce Beck, Derek Emmons, Eddie Flanigan, Lori Lady, Lindsey Thomas and Michael Wilkes have been elected to serve two-year terms on the Butler County University of Missouri Extension Council. These seven people were elected from 14 candidates who had filed for the seven two-year terms, said County Program Director Sarah Denkler. ...

Dale Sullivan -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Jerry Allen Silkwood -- Piedmont, Mo. Jess Marion Brown, Jr. -- Dexter, Mo. Joseph "Joey" Hays -- Puxico, Mo. Sanford J. Potter -- Piedmont, Mo. Jackie Wayne Jones - Doniphan, Mo. Jane Bollenbacher - Doniphan, Mo...

There is no way to prove this, but see if you agree with me: The average American parent would be glad to see his public high school celebrate Martin Luther King Day with tributes to the Civil Rights movement, lectures on the history of slavery and Jim Crow and discussions of the challenges faced by blacks and other minorities in America today. Actually, it's not really a guess, because curricula like that are found throughout the nation...

The violence that erupted at UC Berkeley last week during the protest of a planned speech by Breitbart News senior editor Milo Yiannopoulos, known for his conservative and decidedly politically incorrect views, was a sorry display and a blow to free speech...

Ordinary black people cannot afford to go along with the liberal agenda that calls for undermining police authority. That agenda makes for more black crime victims. Let's look at what works and what doesn't work. In 1990, New York City adopted the practice in which its police officers might stop and question a pedestrian. ...

Player ID wrong on A1 flu photo A photo which appeared on A1 of the Sunday edition of the Daily American Republic misidentified a Poplar Bluff student wearing a mask due to the flu outbreak. The student was junior Rodney Houston. The DAR regrets the error...

Brantly James wasn't on any scouting report Dexter had on the Mules. After all, the Poplar Bluff senior was making his first start Tuesday night. James scored Poplar Bluff's first nine points, knocking down a trio of 3-pointers in the opening 3 1/2 minutes, as the Mules beat Dexter 76-46 on Senior Night at the Senior High Gym...

Erin Bollmann won four district titles at Meadow Heights High School and battled through knee problems to help lead Southeast Missouri State women's basketball to its first conference tournament appearance in seven years as a senior. But it's her latest endeavor, which involves watching not playing, that Bollmann deems the biggest challenge she's ever encountered...

Analeise Pyland has broken through a barrier of sorts, along with making a breakthrough with her own game on the golf course. When Pyalnd steps up to the tee, her goal is to win no matter where or who she is playing. She's proven she can hang with competition in state and at local tournaments, and even on the Poplar Bluff boys golf team...

NAYLOR -- Zeke Ward led all scorers with 32 points as the Naylor boys basketball team used a strong third quarter to end its regular season on a high note with an 82-62 win over Clearwater Tuesday night. "After a solid week of practice, we worked on cutting down on our mistakes," Naylor coach Jim Carrier said. "We did a much better job tonight on both sides of the ball."...

Jess Marion Brown, Jr. DEXTER, Mo. -- Jess Marion Brown, Jr., 88, of Dexter, died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo. with Rev. James Malloy of Essex officiating. Burial will follow in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105...

Dale Sullivan Dale Sullivan, 67, of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. Online condolences: www.fowler-sullivanfuneralhome.com...

Jerry Allen Silkwood NEELYVILLE, Mo.-Jerry Allen Silkwood, 73, of Piedmont, passed away Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 at the SouthBrook Nursing Center in Farmington. Mr. Silkwood was born Sept. 18, 1943 in Coon Island. He worked as a Router for the Missouri Medal Company and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Piedmont. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, working on vehicles as a shade tree mechanic...

Joseph "Joey" Hays FISK, Mo. -- Joseph "Joey" Hays, 38, of Puxico, Mo., died Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. Mr. Hays was born March 18, 1978 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He is survived by his mother: Beverly Brown of Puxico, Mo.; two brothers; Jerry F. Brown and wife Suzana of Williamsville and Jacob Brown of Puxico; one sister: Brittnie Brown of Poplar Bluff; and his grandmother: Hazel Weathers of Poplar Bluff. ...

Jackie Jones Jr. DONIPHAN, Mo. --Jackie Wayne Jones, 64, of Doniphan, Mo., died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, at his residence in rural Doniphan. Visitation will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017, at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Eugene Griffin officiating. Burial will be in the Sycamore Cemetery in Pyle Town, Mo...

Jane Bollenbacher DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Jane Bollenbacher, 90, of Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, at Southeast Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan and will be announced upon completion...

Mark Allen Alexander Mark Allen Alexander, 53, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., departed this earth on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. Mark was a lover of people and enjoyed life. He enjoyed spending time with his family, which consist of: his father, Albert "Cotton" Alexander, his mother, Linda Alexander, his sister Lisa Boyer (Carlos), his nieces, Cindy Seibert (Ben), Lexi Nippe, and his nephew Ryan Alexander...

Sanford J. Potter PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Sanford J. Potter, 85 of Piedmont, passed away Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 at the Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. He was born in Hadley, Mo. March 21, 1931, the son of Walter Potter and Elsie (Martin) Potter. ...