Stories from Friday, October 20, 2017

The Poplar Bluff R-1 Board of Education voted unanimously at last night's monthly meeting to move forward with the Long Range Planning Committee's proposal for a new Early Childhood Center. Board Member Heather Tuggle made the motion to further explore costs associated with the project, before approving a final decision on whether or not to build...

Butler County saw nearly 1,000 drug-related hospital visits over a three-year period of time. Nearly 700 people were sent to prison, probation or parole because of drugs, and almost 80 students were disciplined at Butler County schools. Over 900 people were arrested on drug charges. More than 30 people were injured in drug-related car crashes...

Country music fans have been hearing the work of Chris Janson long before he began taking the stage with a microphone in his hand. Janson, a Perryville, Mo. native, began his career in county music in Nashville as a songwriter with his work recorded by several of his now fellow artists including "Truck Yeah" by Tim McGraw...

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- Cheryl Jean Glass, 52, of Wappapello, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017 at her residence. Mrs. Glass, the daughter of Sharron Vessell Douglas and the late Joseph Lee Arnold, was born Aug. 24, 1965 in Farmington, Mo. She was of the Catholic faith and was a retired beauty shop owner. Mrs. Glass enjoyed spending time with her family, crafts, flower gardening and had a love for dogs...

Bill Gates is worried. The tech entrepreneur and philanthropist has been using his megaphone to warn us of the catastrophic risk posed by infectious diseases. In the Western world, where mortality from lethal germs has mostly receded into the background, the burden of infectious disease can seem like someone else's problem. ...

It is bogus, it is dangerous, it was built on lies and capitulation, cheating has been going on, the so-called inspection system is a farce, and President Donald Trump wants to do something about it, this nuclear arms deal with Iran. Every 90 days the president has a responsibility to decertify the program if Iran has overstepped the bounds. It has and he did, but did not say we were walking out of the seven-party agreement that will almost certainly stay in place...

The Current River Stream Team from Doniphan, Mo., recently had its annual clean-up of Current River and the banks of the river. The community was very supportive of this effort and it was a very successful clean-up. More than 25 cubic yards of debris were picked up, much of which being a result of the recent record setting flood...

Margaret Harwell Art Museum is accepting submissions for the 64th Annual Poplar Bluff Artists' Guild Regional Juried Art Exhibit. Art work can be accepted through Oct. 28. Those eligible to participate include members of the artists guild and anyone 18 years or older, who lives within 100 miles of Poplar Bluff...

By MICHAEL JENSEN By most political wisdom, one of the most closely watched political races next year will be right here in Missouri. Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill has announced she will seek reelection in a state where Donald Trump won handily last year...

Hannibal-LaGrange University has released the Spring 2017 Dean's List for the ADVANCE Adult Degree Completion Program. To qualify for the Dean's List, the student must maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Area students making the list include Allen Hughes of Bernie, Elizabeth Ward and Kaylin Goins of Bloomfield, Rachelle Verdier of Corning, Ark., Kenneth Mier, Zachary Pounds, Kaitlyn Seiberlich Angela Spence and Matthew Camden, all of Dexter, Nicole Harp and Linda Sisco, both of Doniphan, Casee McKnight of Dudley, Linda Miller of Essex, Amber Tyler of Fisk, Wade Smith of Naylor, Kimberely Eaton of Neelyville, Brooke Hinklin and Hannah Mell, both of Piedmont.. ...

Delmar Cross, 86, of Poplar Bluff passed away Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Cross was born Sept. 26,1931 in Malden. Delmar was a member of Cross Street Pentecostal Holiness Church. He enjoyed playing bass in different bands. He had been a truck driver...

Brandon Tyler Bennett, 19, of Poplar Bluff, MO, formally of Hampton, VA, passed away on Friday, October 13, 2017 at his residence. He was born on January 1, 1998 to Ricky Carr and Deana Bennett in Newport News, VA. He was a 2016 graduate from Bethel High School in Hampton, VA...

Mavis F. Presson, 82, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Oct. 18, 2017 at Oakdale Care Center. She was born in Broseley, Mo. June 13, 1935 to the late Les Presson and Flossie (May) Presson. She was a long time resident of Butler County. She was a member of First Church of God...

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- The Army Corps of Engineers, Clearwater Lake Project Office employees in partnership with the League of Water Shed Guardians, the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and area volunteers spent Oct. 14-15, collecting nearly 70 cubic yards of trash from along the banks of a 6-mile stretch of the lower Black River below Clearwater Dam...

Donald Clay Inman, 86, of Clinton, Mississippi, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, passed away peacefully at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi on Thursday morning, Oct. 19th, 2017. Donald was born on Nov. 2, 1930 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Andrew Inman and Eunice Myra (Rowland) Inman. One sister Betty Jean Inman also preceded him in death...

They might not have anything to show for it in terms of goals or wins, but the Poplar Bluff soccer team is hoping a string of tough games to end the regular season pays off next week. The Mules suffered their fourth straight loss, losing 4-0 to Christian Brothers College of St. Louis on Thursday at Mules Stadium, to end the regular season...

James Ward, 64, of Poplar Bluff died Thursday October 19, 2017 at St. Clair Hospital in Fenton, Mo. Arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

Mary Ursery, 84, of Poplar Bluff, died on Thursday, October 19, 2017 at Cedargate Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are pending with Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Online condolence: www.moorefuneralservice.com

Contractor crews will begin installing chevrons on various routes in various counties beginning from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 9-23. Locations are noted below. These work zones will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area...

Cody Logan, 14, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Sunday, October 15, 2017 in Poplar Bluff. He was born on January 8, 2003 to Larry Logan and Rebecca Lanham in St. Louis, MO. He was a freshman at Poplar Bluff High School. Cody loved skating at the Poplar Bluff Skate Park downtown and hanging out with his best friends, Martez Janis and Romeiro Coleman. He was a member of the Poplar Bluff Mules basketball program...

FARMINGTON, Mo. --Westwood Hills Country Club defended its SEMO Cup title over the weekend with an 11-shot win at Crown Pointe Golf Course. The Poplar Bluff club won for a record 12th time since the event started in 1989. Westwood Hills finished at 691 followed by Dalhousie Golf Club (702), Cape Girardeau Country Club (703), Kimbeland Country Club of Jackson (706), Fox Haven Country Club of Sikeston (706) and host Crown Pointe (716), which all finished under par. ...

Heather Nicole and Trampus Hunter Tuggle of Poplar Bluff have chosen the name Trandol Tobias Tuggle for their 9-pound, 8-ounce son born at 7:33 a.m., Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. Trandol was 21 inches long...

Misty Lea Tibbs and Carl Lamont Butler of Poplar Bluff have chosen the name Mia Angelia Butler for their 7-pound, 9-ounce daughter born at 1:03 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017, at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. Mia was 19 inches long...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. - Jimmy Gale Jones, 81 of Neelyville, Mo. passed away October 19, 2017 at Poplar Bluff, Mo. He was born December 22, 1935 at Peach Orchard, Mo. to the late Russell Jones and Eva Anna Malin Jones. On August 4, 1956 at Hernando, Miss. He was married to Wanda St. Cin. She departed this life on February 5, 2010. Then on May 13, 2011 at Corning, Ark., he was married to Orlena St. Cin Emmons. She preceded him in death on December 21, 2013...

ELLINGTON, Mo. -- A command post was set up Thursday to aid in the investigation of a shooting at a residence outside of Ellington that left one dead and two others hospitalized. Shot in the incident, which occurred at about 4 p.m. Wednesday at a residence west of Ellington, were: 72-year-old Janet L. Nance, an 86-year-old man and a 73-year-old woman, said Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Kinder, Troop G's public information officer...

Anyone who knows Tom Hoover knows the Tom Hoover way. "It's the only way," said Poplar Bluff's Director of Athletics Kent Keith. And from now on, "the only way" to get to Poplar Bluff High School is to drive along Tom Hoover Way. Prior to the Poplar Bluff R-1 Board of Education meeting Thursday, President John Scott officially named the road to honor Hoover's lifelong dedication to Poplar Bluff schools...

The Neelyville R-IV Board of Education agreed to proceed with repairing portions of the Title I building's roof at Hillview during its monthly meeting Thursday. Neelyville Superintendent Brad Hagood said while a portion of guttering was being reattached, it was discovered the corner of the roof on the east side was rotted and water was getting under shingles...