Stories from Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Voters will be asked in August to fund an effort to four-lane Highway 67 south to the Arkansas state line. Poplar Bluff City Council members voted Monday to put the item on the August ballot. They are asking to change language relating to a one-half cent sales tax that currently pays for the four-laning of Highway 67 north to Fredericktown. This debt will be repaid in March 2020, according to officials...

The Poplar Bluff R-1 Board of Education met in a special meeting Monday evening to accept resignations from two high school teachers, with one placed on paid administrative leave. Lance Bell and Molly Dohm’s resignations were accepted by the board, effective at the end of the school year...

DEXTER — The Dexter Board of Aldermen approved Monday spending nearly $23,000 to make repairs to the historic gymnasium used by the city’s Park & Recreation Department. “Ten years ago we put the new roof on the gymnasium (on Park Lane) and then a few years ago, we put a brand new floor in it,” explained City Administrator Mark Stidham. “It was brought to our attention we’re going to have to have some tuck-point work done on the building.”...

While traveling to the Missouri Sheriff’s Association’s spring training conference a couple of months ago, I had the opportunity to become engaged in reading a book, which I have long owned, but seldom opened. The book, “Worth Dying For” (2016) authored by Roarke Denver, is a grand depiction of the need for service throughout all aspects of society...

In recent years, Americans have been taken advantage of on the world stage – with unfair foreign trade practices, weak nuclear agreements, and lopsided international pacts. President Trump promised the American people he would not stand for international deals that rip off the United States, and he followed through on his word when he pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement. ...

Every Southeast Missouri child and family deserves access to quality behavioral health care. Yet, as is true for much of our state, access is severely lacking. And when we shy away from talking openly, honestly and relentlessly about mental health issues, we compound the problem – by not understanding how significantly those issues impact us and everyone around us...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. — Marcia Sue (Carson) Stewart, died Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be on Saturday, May 11 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m at the Fowler & Sons Funeral Home. Funeral will immediately follow at 2 p.m. in the chapel with Bro. Burns officiating. Burial will be at the Qulin Cemetery.

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Journey-Adonis Colm Rushing of Poplar Bluff, Mo. was born April 4, 2019. Sadly, he passed away May 3, 2019. Visitation is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, May 9, 2019 at Fitch-Hillis Funeral Home Chapel. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. The Rev. Jerry Lemons will officiate.

*This story will be updated this afternoon* A new location for Empire Comfort Systems will serve as the first manufacturing facility to be built from the ground up in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park in 30 years. The Belleville, Illinois-based maker of heaters is expected to bring more than 150 new jobs to the community over time, according to announcements made today at the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce quarterly luncheon...

Roxanne Rycraft Potter, age 46, of Mount Vernon, Mo., died Friday, May 3, 2019 at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo. A celebration of life is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday, May 11 at the MARC in Mount Vernon, Mo. There will also be a second service at noon Saturday, May, 18 at Mt. Calvary Powerhouse in Poplar Bluff.

PUXICO, Mo. — Micheal Lee Denbow passed away Sunday May 5, 2019 at his home in Columbia, Mo. Friends will be received at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia on Wednesday May 8, from 5-7 p.m. A memorial service will be held on Saturday May 11 at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico, Mo. at 2 p.m. with a visitation from noon to 2 p.m...

NEELYVILLE, Mo. — Marvin Lee Cole, 78, of Naylor, Mo., died Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at his home. Visitation will be from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, May 10 at Fowler & Sons Funeral Home in Neelyville. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home with Donnie Fowler officiating.

MALDEN, Mo. — Louise Collins, 91, of Malden, died Monday, May 6, 2019 at her residence. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 at the Landess Chapel in Malden. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 9 at the Landess Chapel with Mr. James Powell officiating. Burial will be in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden...

MALDEN, Mo. — L.G. Maxwell, 84, of Risco, Mo., died Monday, May 6, 2019 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 9 at Bradshaw Chapel in Malden with Bro. Tommy Brown and Bro. Jimmy Brown officiating. Burial with full military rites will be in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo...

**UPDATED** The first manufacturing facility to be built from the ground up in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park in 30 years could bring as many as 200 jobs to the area in the next five years. Empire Comfort Systems is constructing a nearly 140,000-square-foot facility on South 11th Street, with room to double the size of the building in the future, Empire Vice President of Operations Jay Eaton explained Tuesday afternoon during a luncheon at Holiday Inn...