Stories from Thursday, February 15, 2018

A Butler County jury is expected to decide today whether a Poplar Bluff, Mo., committed a crime or acted in self defense when he shot his former brother-in-law, who later died of his injuries. Eddie J. Skorcz, 60, is standing trial before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett on the Class A felony of second-degree murder and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action (ACA) or in the alternative the Class B felony of voluntary manslaughter and ACA or in the alternative the Class C felony of involuntary manslaughter.. ...

Poplar Bluff High School seniors Mackenzie Murphy, Hannah Vaughn and Ellie Hoyt entered a room in the Tinnin Fine Arts Center on the campus of Three Rivers College Feb. 2 for a chance to compete at the state level of the Future Business Leaders of America Leadership Conference...

The United States of America was born out of a revolt by the original colonies against their British controllers - controllers who taxed too much, took away too many rights and asked too much. When our new country rose from that great war for independence, we formed a nation which believed in individual rights over the rights of the state and a country who put protecting the constitutional liberties of each and every American above all else. ...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Shirley E. Gann, 79, of St. Louis, Mo., died Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 at St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis, Mo. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 at Fowler and Sons Funeral Home in Neelyville, Mo. The service will follow at 3 p.m. at the funeral home...

Sacred Heart School has named Ana Chapman and Palyn Bourd its February Students of the Month. Ana is Pre-K. She is the daughter of Joe Chapman and Maria Francisco. Her family includes Lexi, Austin, Lukas, Addie, Ian her Nanny, Nana & Grandpa. Ana enjoys snuggling with her family...

By CALEB H. SWALLOWS It has become less and less often to meet an individual from the Greatest Generation - those who fought in World War II - and the Puxico community is the home of one of the last soldiers that fought in World War II. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, only 558,000 veterans of the 16 million Americans who fought in World War II are still living today. Puxico is the home for at least one of those remaining veterans and his name is Lee Miller...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Crappie fishing still is red hot at Wappapello Lake, with most folks taking limits, or close to it. "We've had lots of reports coming in of nice fish and good creels," said Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Management Biologist Dave Knuth. "These really large floods grow some nice fish. We saw the same thing in 2011."...

By ADRIANA COHEN If you think race-baiting lunacy is contained to the corridors of Washington, think again. False accusations of white supremacy are expanding beyond politics and into our everyday lives. One such abhorrent example is in an article posted on the website of Kalamazoo College's Praxis Center. It accuses white people who practice yoga of contributing to "a system of power, privilege, and oppression."...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation If you have not already gotten your fishing and/or your small game hunting permits for 2018, here are some options for you, your children or maybe even for your grand-children. What we are talking about here are lifetime permits. Lifetime permits are only available to Missouri residents and the rate of charge is based on their age at the time of application...

Kathleen "Kitty" Patterson, 78, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Monday, Feb. 12, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Patterson, the daughter of the late Robert and Kathleen (Jackson) Halbert, was born Nov. 26, 1939 in Florence, Ala. She was the office manager for Neurosurgical Group of Memphis for several years. Mrs. Patterson was of the Episcopal Faith. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends...

DEXTER -- Two of the area's top girls basketball players faced off Wednesday night at the Bearcat Event Center. Chaylea Mosby and the Class 4 sixth-ranked Dexter Bearcats took on Leah Cauble and the Class 2 seventh-ranked Oran Eagles. While both girls put up good numbers, Cauble's teammates made the difference in the Eagles' 68-45 victory...

Matthew E. Easter, 75, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018 at Westwood Hills Nursing Home. He was born on July 15, 1942 at Poplar Bluff. Matthew is survived by his daughter, Fern Kay McClure; and guardian, Linda Bosse of Poplar Bluff...

With no board for practice, Poplar Bluff's divers have had to do more with less time. Paige Bradley and Peyton Moore traveled to Cape Girardeau, Missouri to get 90 minutes of practice time for between one to three days a week this season as they attempted to master their pikes, twists and flips...

After suffering a swath of injuries last year, the Raiders are much more versatile, and consequently much more prepared for any unexpected challenges that might be thrown their way. Two-thirds of this year's baseball team is new, and what returns is scattered throughout the field...

Taylor Norwood and Raegan McAtee are returning to a much different MSHSAA state swimming championship meet while Paige Bradley and Peyton Moore are set to become Poplar Bluff's first-ever state qualifying divers. "I feel like there's so much weight on me going into this weekend," said Norwood, looking to complete a four-year run of earning all-state honors...