Stories from Thursday, September 14, 2017

Residents have until Nov. 20 to share their thoughts with the National Park Service regarding proposed fee increases for some popular backcountry campground areas in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The park service has suggested $5 increases per night at more than a dozen of its more rustic camping sites, as well as higher fees for tours of Round Spring...

A report of smoke in the area of Raben Tire early Thursday morning led firefighters to the discovery of a man inside his burning car following an apparent vehicle crash. "It came in as smoke in the area, and they advised it was a vehicle fire," said police Cpl. Shonna Grobe, who indicated firefighters arrived at 8:16 a.m. after the call came in from Raben Tire personnel...

"It's not easy," Anita Longhibler said. At 58-years-old, she's spent the last five years caring for her three grandchildren each time they are removed from their permanent home by the Division of Family Services. "Dealing with the anger, the hate and destructiveness they bring with them has been the most difficult part," she continued. "You do your best to straighten them out, then about a year, a year and a half later, they come back and you have to do the same thing all over again."...

A dilapidated building perched at 1316 Maud Street is no longer home to the Poplar Bluff Graduation Center. The students and faculty have been relocated to a vacant space at the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center, formerly utilized by the practical nurse program. The decision to move was made by Superintendent Scott Dill during the summer...

Two Neelyville students have received the opportunity to perform at the Hughes Brothers Theatre in Branson this Friday. Makenzi Davis and Hunter Gilmore were selected among groups of students from all over the state of Missouri in a contest to perform their very own pre-show before the Hughes Brothers...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Life is exhausting -- and daily choices are unbearably burdensome -- for some Americans who are so comfortably situated that they have the time and means to make themselves morally uncomfortable. They think constantly about what they believe are the global ripples, and hence the moral-cum-political ramifications, of their quotidian decisions. And they are making themselves nervous wrecks...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat Rarely do I agree with anything coming out of California but lo and behold, California lawmakers are about to do what should be done nationwide. California lawmakers are poised to treat the Antifa thugs as an official street gang. That designation will allow law enforcement to jail these anarchists and hopefully put an end to their nonstop chaos that is threatening the foundation of this country...

By LEE H. HAMILTON Back in March, two young members of Congress from Texas, Beto O'Rourke and Will Hurd, became brief internet celebrities. Unable to fly back to Washington because of a snowstorm, the two hit the road together, tweeting and livestreaming their trip north. They fielded questions along the way on everything from the war on drugs to immigration -- and so ended up holding what O'Rourke called "the longest cross-country livestream town hall in the history of the world."...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Howard Clinton Poole, 77, of Poplar Bluff, died Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, at his residence. No memorial service planned. Online condolences: www.bradshawfh.com

BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) -- White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that sports anchor Jemele Hill could justifiably be fired from ESPN for tweets calling President Donald Trump a "white supremacist" and "a bigot." "I think that's one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make, and certainly something that I think is a fire-able offense by ESPN," Sanders said...

PIEDMONT, Mo. - Jean E. Simmons, 74, formerly of Piedmont, died Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017 at her son's home in Christmas, Fla. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 17 in the Clay Cemetery near Piedmont with Bro. Richard Sanders officiating. Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.morrisonworleychapel.com...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Missouri's fall archery deer and turkey seasons open tomorrow, and while one biologist is optimistic for a good season, another is not. Deer hunters in Southeast Missouri should experience a similar archery season to last year's, or maybe slightly better, according to Barbara Keller at the Missouri Department of Conservation...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Much like the Missouri Department of Conservation did last year, the St. Louis District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has joined its Kansas City District and initiated a ban on feral hog hunting on its properties...

To win the program's first SEMO North Conference title in over a decade, the Poplar Bluff football team must first win in a place it never has before -- ever. A win Friday night at Cape Central would be the first for the Mules in their fourth trip since the Tigers moved onto their campus in 2011...

Joyce Acup, 73, of Greenville, died Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. She was born Nov. 28, 1943 in St. Louis. She was a retired nurses aide from Doctors and Lucy Lee Hospitals after many years of service for her work. To her friends she was know as "Sam", as they kindly nicknamed her. She enjoyed spending time with her family...

DONIPHAN, Mo. - Nevada Evelyn Neal, 87, of Doniphan, Missouri, died Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Mrs. Neal was born December 12, 1929, in Cheatham County, Tennessee. She had worked at Bussman Fuse in the printing department. Mrs. Neal was a member of the Fairview General Baptist Church and enjoyed attending church and especially liked gospel music. Her special joy was being with her grandchildren...

DONIPHAN, Mo. - Samantha Louise (Potter) Monaghan, 35, of Dexter, Mo., died Monday, September 11, 2017 at her residence. Visitation will be from 3 - 5 p.m., Saturday, September 16 at the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Doniphan.

Dexter has a winning record through four weeks for the first time in six years but is still getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment -- no respect. On Friday it will look to gain a lot with a win over Sikeston. "Their wins have come against quality opponents and we still have something to prove because our wins are against teams who are down," Dexter coach Kevin Goltra said...

DONIPHAN, Mo. - Howard Donald "Don" Slayton, 77, of Doniphan, Missouri, died Friday, September 8, 2017 at St. Francis Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Mr. Slayton, son of Howard E. and Mary (Stack) Slayton, was born November 14, 1939, in Doniphan. ...

The Green Wave (3-1, 1-0 East) are coming off another dominating performance on both sides of the ball after a 50-0 dismantling of Kelly last week to take over first place in both district and conference standings. The Eagles (3-1, 1-0) did exactly what they needed to against state-ranked Hayti for one half until the Indians, ranked No. 6 in the latest Missouri media poll, scored 32-unanswered points in the second half to break a 21-all tie and hand East Prairie its first loss...

At this time last year, Dillon Rudd was just another ex-high school baseball player looking for a chance to extend his career. And for the first time in 15 years, the 2016 East Carter graduate was without a team. A little over a year later, Rudd is getting another chance after signing to catch at Midland University...

ELLSINORE, Mo. - Willard Eugene Barnett, son of the late John and Elizabeth Stella (Hedge) Barnett was born January 15, 1929 and departed this life on September 11, 2017 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He had attained the age of eighty-eight years, seven months and twenty-seven days...