Stories from Wednesday, May 10, 2017

As the Twin Rivers High School Class of 2017 prepared to graduate Sunday afternoon, mothers, grandmothers and even a few sisters struggled to fight back tears. Packed side-by-side on the bleachers, standing in the wings and sitting on the floor, the gym was chock-full of supporters to watch the 87 graduates cross the stage...

Events have been scheduled in Poplar Bluff, Van Buren, Doniphan and Ellington over the next two weeks to give flood victims one-stop access to recovery resources. A variety of government and non-profit agencies will be available at the Multi-Agency Resource Centers, said Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Robbie Myers...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Puxico, Mo., father and son were ordered to stand trial Thursday in connection with an apparent high-speed crash that left a pedestrian dead. Accompanied by his attorney, Rance Butler, Wesley G. Faries was to appear before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield for a preliminary hearing on the Class C felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter...

The Poplar Bluff Museum is combining the past with the present and looking to the future with a new mobile app aiming to provide visitors with an interactive learning experience. According to museum board member Kenny Rowland, the smartphone app is the first phase in the board's plan to go digital...

O'Neal Elementary School's teacher of the year for 2017-18 has some unique insights on the challenges some students face. She has spent years teaching and counseling in inner-city and rural schools across Missouri and in the deep south. Amber Foster has only been with the Poplar Bluff school district since 2015, but in that time she has made quite an impression. Her peers say she takes on any task in her role as an intervention specialist, even those others view as too challenging...

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley on Tuesday asked a court to remove embattled Mississippi County Sheriff Cory Hutcheson after an inmate died Friday. The Attorney General's Office filed charges of assault, robbery and forgery against the sheriff last month...

Folks searching for food, philanthropy and fun should search no more because the 11th Annual Taste of the Town is just around the corner. The event will kick off at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Black River Coliseum with all proceeds from the fundraiser benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of Poplar Bluff...

Poplar Bluff Kindergarten Center teacher of the year Tanya Pullum says the greatest reward she receives from her job is the love she takes home at the end of each day. Pullum has been teaching special needs students at the kindergarten since 2009, but has worked with young students facing learning barriers for almost 23 years. She has taught in Mountain Grove, Mo., and schools in Minnesota, Michigan and New Mexico during her career...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- The green A-frame house sits in one of the most idyllic locations on the Current River. Surrounded by trees, it's isolated and only a short distance from Big Spring. The problem, U.S. Park Ranger Lindel Gregory explained, is that house wasn't there about a week ago (See photo on A8)...

A reception to honor Three Rivers College's Distinguished Alumni of the Year has been rescheduled. The event for Stan Berry, editor of the Daily American Republic, will be held from 5-7 p.m. Monday in the Tinnin Center lobby. A brief ceremony will be held at about 5:30 p.m., but people can drop by at any time during reception...

An Illinois teenager is in juvenile custody after allegedly breaking into a Butler County woman's home early this morning and stealing multiple TVs and her SUV, which he later crashed in a pursuit with authorities. At about 2:20 a.m., the Butler County Sheriff's Department received a call from a woman who reported sounds indicating a door had been kicked in and people were inside her home in the 700 block of County Road 467, explained Chief Deputy Wes Popp...

FISK, Mo. - Viva Brown, 90, of Broseley, died Saturday, May 6, 2017 at her residence. Mrs. Brown was born Nov. 15, 1926 in Webb. She attended the former Little Vine General Baptist Church. She later attended the Dudley Community Church and White Oak Grove General Baptist Church...

WASHINGTON -- Yesterday's conventional wisdom: A wave of insurgent populism is sweeping the West, threatening its foundational institutions -- the European Union, the Western alliance, even liberal democracy itself. Today's conventional wisdom (post-first-round French presidential election): The populist wave has crested, soon to abate...

The point often is made: The United States has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world. What usually follows is a call for taking the top rate from the current 35 percent to something dramatically lower. Consider President Trump. His team unveiled last week a thin sketch of tax reform, including a proposed 15 percent corporate tax rate...

Ricky Wayne Hill of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away May 6, 2017. Rick was born April 23, 1949 to Woodrow and Lenora (Stevens) Hill in Delaplaine, Ark. He is survived by his wife, Lana and sisters Janie Neal of Kansas City, Mo. and Rita Storms of Paragould, Ark.; his children, Randall (Yvonne) Hill of Corning, Ark., Candie (Mike) Pitcher of Pocahontas, Ark., Bryan, Jason, Shane Hill of Corning, Ark. ...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- David Joe Ricker, 34, of Doniphan, died Thursday, May 4, 2017, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will start at noon Wednesday, May 10, 2017, at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Jeff and David Crain officiating. Burial will be in the MoArk Cemetery...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Mary Jo McCollumn, 79, of Doniphan, died Sunday, May 7, 2017, at Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Mrs. McCollumn, daughter of Willie and Irene (Briscoe) Moss, was born Dec. 7, 1937, in Wayne County, Mo. She had retired as a dietary manager for Ripley County Memorial Hospital in Doniphan. Mrs. McCollumn enjoyed cooking, crocheting, sewing and reading...

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Glen Parker, 98, of Piedmont, died Monday, May 8, 2017, at Clark's Mountain Nursing Home. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, at Mt. View Cemetery, Des Arc, Mo. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

DEXTER, Mo. -- John Mitchell Tilley, 52, of Bloomfield, died Friday, May 5, 2017. Visitation will be held from 5 - 8 p.m., Tuesday, at the Watkins and Son Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will be held at 11 a. m., Wednesday, at the Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter with Rev. Dale Holman of Dexter officiating...

DEXTER, Mo. -- Doyle Haywood, 70, of Wappapello, son of the late Bernard "Petie" Haywood and Floya Haywood born March 11, 1947 in Piggott, Ark. and passed away Friday, May 5, 2017 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Mr. Haywood retired from Emerson Electric Company in Kennett, Mo. and previously worked at Riggs Hardware in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was a St. Louis Cardinals fan, enjoyed working outdoors, and was a resident of Wappapello, Mo. previously of Kennett...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Randall L. Martin of Zalma died Thursday, May 4, 2017. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at Bloomfield Veterans' Cemetery with full military rites. Arrangements by Morgan Sifford Funeral Home, Puxico.

PBHS class reunion be held july 8 PBHS Class of 1987 will hold its 30-year reunion July 8. It will be held from 6 p.m. to midnight at Westwood Hills Country Club. The price is $25 per person or $40 per couple if they RSVP by May 15. Otherwise ithe cost is $30/$50...

PIGGOTT, Ark. -- Charles C. Brummett, 61, of Thayer, Mo., passed away Saturday, May 6, 2017, after his bout with cancer. He was born March 21, 1956, and was the son of W.A. "Dub" and JoAnna (Johnson) Brummett. He is survived by his wife, Robyn (Burchell) Brummett; daughter, Aimee Newby; son, James Brummett; three stepsons and their families: Josh Brainard, Jonathan Brainard, and Jeremy Kalo Shane; 10 grandchildren; mother, JoAnna Brummett; brother, Brian; and uncle Jerry Johnson...

Before I begin this week's report, I would first like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers in regards to my health. Unfortunate circumstances such as this serve as a reminder that God is truly the one in control, not us. Our time on Earth is a gift and this world we know is nothing but a temporary home. ...

Last week when the weather reports started to come in, we all feared for the worst ... and then the worst happened. Heavy rains, flash floods and rivers cresting at record levels devastated homes, farms and small businesses in southeast and south central Missouri...

Xi Kappa sorority sisters helping sisters fight cancer has blossomed into helping community members battle the disease. Sorority members decided what better time than Mothers' Day weekend to hold the annual flower sale to benefit United Cancer Assistance Network. The sale will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at Poplar Bluff Realty, Inc., located on North Westwood Boulevard, and continue until noon or until all flowers are sold...

Repairs set for section of Hwy. 142 Route 142 in Ripley and Butler counties will be reduced to one lane with a 10.5 foot width restriction as contractor crews perform pavement repairs. This section of roadway is located between Route E to Route H. Weather permitting, work will take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Wednesday, May 24, through Monday, July 31...

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Irma McCaffrey, 86, of New Hampshire, passed away Tuesday, May 2, 2017 in St. Louis. She was born June 25, 1930 to Homer and Rosa Lee Cates. She married Richard H. McCaffrey, Aug. 5, 1950. Mrs. McCaffrey is survived by daughters: Diane (Ken) Kirchgesler, Poplar Bluff; Joanna (Mark) Biros, New Hamsphire; and her son, James Patrick (Stephanie) McCaffrey, of Colorado; 10 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; her mother, Rosa Lee Cates, and her sister, Joann Fanai.. ...

Roy Tibbs, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday May 09, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

MALDEN, Mo. -- Cindy Jane Hoover Martin, 39, died May 7, 2017, at her residence in Malden. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in the chapel with Rev, Bryan Johnson officiating. Burial will be in Halls Cemetery in St. Francis, Ark...

Poplar Bluff's top-seeded doubles team was cruising along Tuesday, when some rust finally showed. A pair of double-faults, including one on break point, gave Cape Central its first game of the match. "Definitely felt a little rust there, especially on my serve," Poplar Bluff senior Humza Siddiqui said. "I didn't really feel the motion there at times. I think after playing a few games, just getting back into it was fine."...

Two years later, Chris Stocks is returning home. The Poplar Bluff alum recently signed to play basketball for Three Rivers College next season. "It is kind of surreal. I'm really thankful for it. I think everything is kinda working out how it should," Stocks said...

BERNIE -- Around sunset one day in early March, Dalton Hobgood, a Bernie sophomore, took shelter at his grandmother's house as a tornado bore down on his own home. Within minutes of returning home after the storm had passed, the Hobgood's had a clear view of their sun room from a different angle...

The Dexter tennis team is looking to make the third time a charm against Notre Dame. The Bearcats earned a rematch with the top seed by advancing to the MSHSAA Class 1 District 1 championship match with a 5-0 win over North County on Tuesday. "I'm anxious to see what they can do," Dexter coach Kurt Lovelady said. "They're hitting the ball well."...

Spencer Burnham went the distance on the mound and the Van Buren Bulldogs rallied late to beat Malden 3-2 for their seventh consecutive win Tuesday at Roger Pattillo Field. Trailing 2-0, Van Buren (14-2) loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Steve Simmons was hit by a pitch to score Trey Nicholson before Connor Jackson belted a line-drive single up the middle to give the Bulldogs the lead for good...