Stories from Sunday, August 5, 2018

Vote for freedom with 'yes' We believe in freedom as Americans. We cherish it. We protect it. We teach it. And yet in Missouri, some employees do not have the freedom to choose whether they join a union or not. Proposition A would guarantee that freedom...

Terry Stewart and Kelly Stewart of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, announce the engagement of their daughter Fallon Alyssa Stewart to Bo Dalton Blackwell of Doniphan, Missouri. Blackwell is the son of Jimbo Blackwell and Lynette Jones, both of Doniphan. The couple plan to be married June 1, 2019, in Cape Girardeau, Missouri...

Timothy Wade and Magan Nichole Smothers of Broseley, Mo., announce the birth of their 5-pound, 8-ounce daughter, Lillyne Evelyn Kay Smothers. Lillyne was born on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 6:39 a.m. at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace and was 18.5 inches long. Maternal grandparents are Gary and Sonya Morse of Poplar Bluff, Mo. Paternal grandparents are Eric and Shelia Smothers of Qulin, Mo. Lillyne was welcomed home by her older sister...

John Charles (Chuck) Lindberg, 65, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died July 6,2018 in St. Louis. No visitation was held.

Staff Reports Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation's Aquatics Supervisor Heather Tuggle is offering American Red Cross Babysitting and Child Care Training and Junior Lifeguard Trainings Aug. 6-9, for youth ages 12 to 14 years old at the R. W. Huntington Municipal Pool...

MARBLE HILL, MO. -- Dorothy E. Rohan, 81, formerly of Marble Hill, Mo., died in Piedmont, Mo., on Aug. 3, 2018, at the home of her son. Born in Peoria, Ill., on July 29, 1937, she was the daughter of William and Eloise Right Crandall. She spent many years in Illinois working as a secretary for the state government. She moved to Marble Hill to be near family. She married Paul Rohan in 1986. He preceded her in death in 1992...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Alta Jeanette Wright, 90, died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, at the Ridgeview Nursing Facility in Malden, Mo. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 6, 2018, in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden. Bro. Aulden LeBlanc and Bro Dan Hargrave will officiate...

On Tuesday, Poplar Bluff voters will decide whether or not a local use tax should go into effect, a measure barely defeated a year ago. As your representatives on the City Council, we unanimously encourage you to support this measure. Communities nationwide are facing declining revenues and are unable to provide essential services their citizens rely on and deserve. Here in Poplar Bluff, we are starting to feel this pain...

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Ava Elizabeth Tucker, 89 year old resident of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and former resident of Ripley County, Mo., departed this life Friday, Aug. 3, 2018 at the Westwood Hills Nursing and Rehab Center. Mrs. Tucker was born Aug. 20, 1928 to the late William Percy and Rosa Lee Harris Wheeler. ...

WASHINGTON -- All of Washington is waiting with bated breath to find out whether the Mueller investigation will provide evidence proving that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia. So far, "Exhibit A" against President Trump is the meeting Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort had with a group of Russians claiming to have dirt on Hillary Clinton. ...

DEXTER, Mo. -- John Davis, 78, son of the late Howard "Docky" Davis and Kathleen Barker Thomas, was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri on July 7, 1940 and departed this life at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Missouri on Aug. 2, 2018...

Butler County voters will decide Tuesday during the Republican primary who will serve as their prosecuting attorney for the next four years. Long-time incumbent Kevin Barbour is not seeking re-election to another term as prosecutor and two candidates, Paul Oesterreicher and Kacey Proctor, are vying to replace him. The Butler County Prosecuting Attorney's Office files between 2,000-2,500 misdemeanor and felonies per year with one prosecutor, one full-time assistant and one part-time assistant...

Votes 'no' protects workers Missourians should vote "NO" on Proposition A Tuesday. Voter's are being sold a "bill of goods" by out-of-state billionaires and special interest groups who represent businesses that are shipping jobs overseas and downsizing. Prop A will not help workers in Missouri...

ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Patrick Michael Stokan, 29, son of Donna Kathleen (Mikesell) Stokan and the late Jon Michael "Mike" Stokan was born Jan. 14, 1989 in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and died Aug. 2, 2018 at Plato, Mo. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018 at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore, Mo., with the funeral service being held Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 at 2 p.m. in the Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Pete Joplin will be Officiating. Burial: McRone Cemetery in Grandin, Mo...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Harold "Butch" Grasham, 57, of Truesdale, Missouri, died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, at St. Joseph Hospital in St. Charles, Missouri. Visitation was held Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018, at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico, Missouri until time of services with the Rev. Ray Placher of Puxico, Missouri officiating. Burial followed in the New Hope Cemetery near McGee, Missouri with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico in charge of arrangements...

Wanda Downs Elsworth Huett, formerly of Broseley, died peacefully at her home in Palm Dessert, Calif. Cremation rites have been accorded. Private family services will be held at a later date. There will be a celebration of life. All friends and family are welcome to come. ...

Completing her fourth term as Ripley County Circuit Clerk, Sharon R. Richmond has a challenger in the Tuesday primary election for Republicans. Saydie Cook, a Doniphan resident and a deputy clerk in the Butler County Circuit Clerk's office for seven years, also has filed on the Republican ticket...

With long-time commissioner Bill Kennon deciding to retire from public office, six candidates have filed for the position of Ripley County presiding commissioner. The Aug. 7 primary election ballot for presiding commissioner includes five Republicans. They are (in the order they will appear on the ballot) Leon Martin, Russell French, Keith Whiteside, Jesse Roy and Jerry Kelly...

Delta Dunklin Democrat KENNETT -- Voters in Dunklin County will be asked Tuesday if they want to help keep a hospital with an emergency room in the county. Proposition Health and Proposition Care need to pass with yes votes for the county to regain a hospital after the closing of Twin Rivers Medical Center in June...

The 66th annual Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo festivities began Saturday with a parade in downtown Sikeston, Mo., and musical entertainment will kick off Wednesday with a performance by Missouri native Chris Janson, followed by Bullfighters Only on Thursday and Friday...

Hardy Billington has been called a bigot, had his vehicle vandalized and had his social media pages filled with comments since his views on same-sex relationships became a hot-button topic, prompting news articles and editorials around the state, and internationally, in the last two weeks...

City leaders will go back to voters Tuesday with a request to pass a use tax on internet purchases from out-of-state vendors. The tax failed by 12 votes in 2017. It would be equal to the 2.25 cents sales tax paid on purchases from brick-and-mortar businesses. Purchases could fall under a use tax or a sales tax, but not both...

Butler County voters will decide Tuesday during the Republican primary who will serve as their associate circuit judge for the next four years. Long-time incumbent John Bloodworth is not seeking re-election to another term as judge and two candidates, Wade Pierce and Ralph Innes, are vying to replace him...