Stories from Wednesday, April 4, 2018

GREENVILLE, Mo. -- Joyce Lynn Madden, 59, of Greenville, died Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at the Greenville Health Care Center in Greenville, Mo. Memorial services will be held at 2 o.m. Sunday at the Shiloh General Baptist Church in Shook with Pastor Louie Robinson and Rev. Jim Levart officiating. Inurnment will be in the Shiloh Church Cemetery. Morrison-Worley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

WALTER E. WILLIAMS I don't mind saying that this column represents a grossly understated review of "Discrimination and Disparities," just published by my longtime friend and colleague Dr. Thomas Sowell. In less than 200 pages, Sowell lays waste to myth after myth not only in the United States but around the globe...

Mary G. Hooper, 90, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Monday, March 26, 2018 at Sunset Hills Health and Rehab Center in St. Louis, Mo. Mary, the daughter of the late William F. Arnold and Jaylee Willison Arnold Stinson, was born June 3, 1927 in Central City, Ky. She was of the Pentecostal faith and was a homemaker. Mary enjoyed spending time with her family, playing the piano and quilting...

ELLINGTON, Mo.-- Donald "Duke" Brannum, 64, of Ellsinore, Mo. departed this life Friday, March 30, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Duke was born Nov. 9, 1953 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. to the late Barbara Louise (Thacker) Brannum and Nolan Loren Knuckles...

STEPHEN MOORE Is it possible that Donald Trump is winning on trade? Last week, Trump apparently delivered two underappreciated victories as a result of his threat of stiff tariffs and renegotiated trade deals. First, Seoul has agreed to reduce long-standing non-tariff trade barriers that have reduced American exports to Korea. ...

Gail Lorraine Lane, 70 of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Wednesday, March 27, 2018 surrounded by the people who loved her. Gail, the second daughter of Andrew and Lorraine Hager, was born Jan. 1, 1948 in Ontario, California. She was of the Christian faith. ...

Mike Jensen I was a junior in college 50 years ago today attending Memphis State University. It was a turbulent time in American history. I worked on a college newspaper and spent many hours covering the civil rights demonstrations on campus along with the protests against the war in Vietnam...

William Franklin Smith, 69, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service when completed.

Roger Thomas Abbott, 69, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Friday, March 30, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born Aug. 13, 1948 to Delmar and Ruth (Mathis) Abbott in Poplar Bluff, Mo. He graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1966 and attended Baylor. Roger was the President of the Credit Bureau of Poplar Bluff. On June 6, 1976 he married Pam Sherman in Bolivar, Mo...

Richard Willard Book Sr., 68, of Harviell, Mo., died Friday March 30, 2018 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. A memorial visitation will take place from 2 - 3 p.m. Thursday, April 5, 2018 at the Fowler & Sons Funeral Home in Neelyville, Mo. A memorial service will follow at 3 p.m. in the chapel with Donnie Fowler officiating...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Staff Writer Little damage was reported after a fast-moving thunderstorm producing high winds and large hail moved through Butler County Tuesday afternoon. Between 4 and 6 p.m., "we were concerned because there were some pretty scary looking storms, but we were fortunate not to have anything, a tornado, in our area or anything touch down at all," said Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Robbie Myers...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer The Butler County Community Resource Council will host its annual Job and College Transfer Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday at the Bess Activity Center on the Three Rivers College campus. According to CRC Executive Director Rebecca Pacheco, the event is an opportunity to submit applications to local employers, learn about education and financial aid options at TRC, and for current TRC students to discuss transferring to a four-year college or university with an array of representatives.. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Associate Editor One incumbent was unseated Tuesday in elections for Poplar Bluff City Council Ward 2 and Ward 4 seats. Less than 10 percent of active registered voters turned out to decide on the three-year terms, according to unofficial results collected by the Butler County clerk's office...

By DENISE KINDER Staff Writer The Twin Rivers R-X Board of Education will have a new face following Tuesday's election. Keith Parker defeated incumbent Lee Lewis and will join Donna Sue Ashcraft-Fincher, who successfully regained her seat on the school board for a fifth term...

By DENISE KINDER Staff Writer An overwhelming majority of voters showed up at the polls on Tuesday to voice their opinion against building a new Twin Rivers High School in Broseley. Proposition K.I.D.S. was defeated, only receiving 15.5 percent of votes to support the measure. A total of 42.7 percent of registered voters cast their ballots during the election...