Stories from Thursday, June 1, 2017

Efforts to save The Historic Rodgers Theatre have lately been a topic of conversation among community members, but while catching up recently on current events, news of the campaign reached the ears of Irving the Talking Dog and his owner Todd Oliver, of Ozark, Mo...

Sidewalk improvements on a long stretch of Pine Street and a portion of Westwood Boulevard will begin after July 4 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The work could take until Dec. 15 to complete, although contractors hope to finish sooner, said Dereck Drury, president of CE Contracting...

From Staff Reports The Butch Brown Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit the United Cancer Assistance Network is a legacy of the late banker's passion to help area cancer patients. The annual event will be Friday at Westwood Hills Country Club in Poplar Bluff, Mo...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Although William J. Baumol, who recently died at 95, was not widely known beyond the ranks of economists, all Americans are living with, and policymakers are struggling with, "Baumol's disease." It is one reason brisk economic growth is becoming more elusive as it becomes more urgent. And it is a disease particularly pertinent to the increasingly fraught health care debate...

By MONA CHAREN The first question you have to wonder about concerning the assault and battery allegedly committed by Montana congressional candidate Greg Gianforte is: How could he possibly have put out a miserable, lying cover story when there were at least four witnesses in the room? The second question is: Do you regret early voting yet?...

Arrest information for Casey Jessie Rayfield, 29, of Bismarck, Mo., was incorrectly reported in the Daily American Republic. Rayfield was not booked at the Butler County jail on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance as was reported, but actually was booked on suspicion of driving while suspended...

MAMMOTH SPRING, Ark. -- The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Jim Hinkle Spring River State Fish Hatchery in Mammoth Spring is recovering from widespread flooding that resulted from a storm on April 29. The storm dumped more than 8 inches of rain in the region...

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- George Butler, 83, of Piedmont, died May 9, 2017, at his residence. Visitation will be held at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, June 3, 2017 at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. A memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. also at the Piedmont Chapel. Cliff Anderson will minister to the family...

Opening weekend of Missouri's squirrel and Ozark stream black bass seasons was, for the most part, a big dud. It was wet at times and windy pretty much constantly, and it really didn't appear very many folks even made the effort to get out. One conservation agent said he saw only one squirrel hunter's vehicle parked all weekend...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat Welfare reform is red meat for conservatives and a sure sign of racism to liberals. That alone illustrates the stark division concerning the question of welfare reform and more specifically, food stamp reform...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Edith Kay Hines, 53, of Fremont, died Friday May 26, 2017 at The Riverways Manor in Van Buren. Online condolences: www.mcspaddenfh.com

The annual Rib City Shootout kicks off this weekend and continues through late July for different sports. Boys basketball goes first, with games being played across 10 different courts in Dexter and more than 17 across four cities in three different states. More than 500 teams competed in last year's Rib City Shootout, which hosted boys and girls basketball and volleyball competitions...

Myrtle Shaw, 86, of Broseley, Mo. died Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at her residence. She was born Sept. 23, 1930 in Morocco, Mo. to the late Charley Woods and Flora House Woods. Myrtle was a life time resident of Butler County. She attended New Life Ministries Church...

Carl Eugene James, 73, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at Westwood Hills Health Care Center in Poplar Bluff. He was born Jan. 12, 1944 to Carl and Lottie Lorene (Gabriel) James in Poplar Bluff. Carl graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1961. After high school, he obtained his associates degree from Three Rivers College in 1970, his Bachelor's Degree from Arkansas State University in 1972, and his Master's Degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 1974...

CAMPBELL, Mo. - Thomas "Tommy" Morgan, 74, of Cumming, Ga., formerly of Campbell, died Monday, May 29, 2017 in Cumming, Ga. Visitation will be from 1 - 3 p.m., Sunday, June 4 at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. A graveside service will follow at 3:30 p.m. at Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden, Mo. Landess Funeral Home of Campbell is in charge of arrangements...