Stories from Tuesday, September 13, 2011

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer School looked a little different for Grandin Head Start students, who began classes Sept. 6. After a May 25 tornado damaged the program's facilities in the old Grandin school building, staff began moving into Head Start's current location, the First General Baptist Church in Ellsinore, Mo. While staff await fire safety approval for the facility to house students, teachers are visiting each student in individual 90-minute home visits...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman will stand trial in the spring of 2012 in connection with a boating accident on Current River that left two people dead and three others injured. Presiding Circuit Judge David Evans set Radeena Proffer's jury trial for April 30 through May 2, according to Carter County Circuit Clerk Cathy Duncan Terry. Proffer's previous trial date had been in August...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service Neal E. Boyd has already won one big competition that required him to earn the most votes. The 2008 "America's Got Talent" winner and Sikeston, Mo., native now says he hopes to win another contest that will land him the state's 160th House District seat...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Williamsville, Mo., man is wanted for questioning as a person of interest in connection with multiple vehicle break-ins in which purses were stolen Sunday morning at Agee Fellowship Church. "Between 11:30 (a.m.) and noon, we got the call to Agee Fellowship Church ... and (upon arrival) found five different vehicles had their windows busted out of them," explained Butler County Cpl. Randall Huddleston...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Jubilation filled the hearing room in the Missouri Capitol Building Monday when Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center received approval to relocate its $173 million hospital from Highway PP to Oak Grove Road...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff R-I schools will hold the first of eight shortened school days Wednesday as staff members begin a new program designed to provide more time for collaboration and improve the curriculum they bring to students...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer In the largest single fundraiser ever held for the Poplar Bluff, Mo.-charity United Cancer Assistance Network, a five-hour scavenger hunt held Friday netted more than $10,000. Amazing Race for Life sent 14 teams of four on 111 tasks around town, with competitors asking at every stop for donations, while raising awareness about the work done by UCAN...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service She didn't deserve to live. A divorce would be a death sentence. And if he couldn't get to her, he would kill the children just to cause her pain. In Jacque Waller's diary that became public last week, she describes an anguished existence that she claims came at the hands of her estranged husband in the years before her June 1 disappearance...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff R-I schools will hold the first of eight shortened school days Wednesday as staff members begin a new program designed to provide more time for collaboration and improve the curriculum they bring to students...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service She didn't deserve to live. A divorce would be a death sentence. And if he couldn't get to her, he would kill the children just to cause her pain. In Jacque Waller's diary that became public last week, she describes an anguished existence that she claims came at the hands of her estranged husband in the years before her June 1 disappearance...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Jubilation filled the hearing room in the Missouri Capitol Building Monday when Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center received approval to relocate its $173 million hospital from Highway PP to Oak Grove Road...

By SCOTT MOYERS SEMO News Service Neal E. Boyd has already won one big competition that required him to earn the most votes. The 2008 "America's Got Talent" winner and Sikeston, Mo., native now says he hopes to win another contest that will land him the state's 160th House District seat...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman will stand trial in the spring of 2012 in connection with a boating accident on Current River that left two people dead and three others injured. Presiding Circuit Judge David Evans set Radeena Proffer's jury trial for April 30 through May 2, according to Carter County Circuit Clerk Cathy Duncan Terry. Proffer's previous trial date had been in August...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer School looked a little different for Grandin Head Start students, who began classes Sept. 6. After a May 25 tornado damaged the program's facilities in the old Grandin school building, staff began moving into Head Start's current location, the First General Baptist Church in Ellsinore, Mo. While staff await fire safety approval for the facility to house students, teachers are visiting each student in individual 90-minute home visits...

The refinished gym floor at the Bess Activity Center saw its first action Monday night. Three Rivers' annual "Meet the Raiders" event included a dinner and team introductions on Gene Bess Court, which includes a new center logo. Along with men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, the rodeo team and an additional cheer squads were introduced to the crowd of about 300 people...

The Poplar Bluff softball team built a 4-run lead after four innings Monday before the wheels came off late. An error allowed Farmington to score two runs in the fifth before the Knighettes scored five in the sixth to beat Poplar Bluff 8-5 at Bacon Park...

BLOOMFIELD -- The Bloomfield Lady Wildcats played two tough games Monday with Dexter but came out on top with a 25-21, 27-25 win. "The girls came together and played a solid game," Bloomfield coach Starla Pulley said. Trailing in the first game, Dexter's Jessica Lindsay went on a serving run to get the Lady Bearcats back in it. But the Lady Wildcats held them off...

URGENT BULLETIN JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A certificate of need for Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center to build its new hospital at the Oak Grove Road site was approved this morning by the Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee during a hearing in the Capitol Building at Jefferson City, Mo...

By BILL O'REILLY Lots of angst in the air after Teamster President Jimmy Hoffa called tea party people SOB's and urged voters to "take them out." Immediately, voter registration jumped among members of the Gambino family. Apparently, Hoffa is angry that some Americans want to put a lid on public sector pensions and perks that are bankrupting municipalities all over the country. Old Jimmy believes this is "taking the bread out of the mouths" of American workers...

To the Editor, My name is Doyle Sappington, a resident of Sheehy Adult Mobile Home Park on Oak Grove Rd. Since writing my first letter dtd. 28 Jan. 2011 in reference to the ongoing quagmire of the PBRMC and K2 Commercial Group project vs. Residents of the Sheehy Mobile Home Park, I have yet to hear from our council committee members and/or local and elected state officials addressing the issues in regards to the ultimate removal and relocation of the mobile home park and the demise of its residents. ...

The Buffington, Horn, Stout and Allison families will hold a reunion on Sundayat the Bill Emerson Visitors Center Pavilion at Wappapello Lake. Lunch will be served at 1 p.m. Everyone attending is asked to bring a covered dish and drink. Also, those attending are asked to bring family pictures and genealogy...

Center Stage, the new college/community theater group at Three Rivers College, will host open auditions for its next production, "The Nerd." Auditions will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Tinnin Fine Arts Center auditorium. Those auditioning will be asked to read from the script. Casting will be open to students, college employees, and community members. There are four parts available for men, two for women, and one role for a boy age 8 to 10...

Neelyville Class of '71 reunion The Neelyville Class of 1971 will hold its reunion from 5-8 p.m. Saturday at Ryan's Family Steak House on Westwood Boulevard.

The Altrusa Service Committee has been busy working on the Head Start Library Service Project. The chairman of the committee, Pat Rodgers, has been in charge of organizing work in the library located in the Karen West Housing Project. Many of the members of the committee and of the club membership have participated. ...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- On Saturday, Sept. 24, Missouri Master Joiner and woodworking teacher Dr. James E. Price will share his woodworking skills during the "Plane Facts: All About Woodworking Planes" workshop. Workshop participants can view more than 100 woodworking planes, a tool type that has been used since Roman times. ...

Kari Massey DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Kari Ann Massey, 35, of Gatewood, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at her residence in Gatewood. Ms. Massey was born Oct. 8, 1975, in Marion County, Ind. She had worked at Vitronic in Doniphan. On Oct. 28, 2000, she married Gerald Massey in Gatewood. He survives...

David Scott DONIPHAN, Mo. -- David Allen Scott, 53, of Doniphan, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at his residence in Doniphan. Mr. Scott was born Nov. 20, 1957, in St. Louis, Mo. He was an over-the-road truck driver. Mr. Scott attended Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and was a veteran of the U. S. Army...

Darcy Highton DEXTER, Mo. -- Darcy Craig Highton, 42, of Dexter, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada on March 4, 1969. Mr Highton was chief technological officer for Gill Group, Inc. in Dexter...

Billy Borders PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Billy Don Borders, 76, of Piedmont, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Piedmont. He was born May 20, 1935, in Newberg, Mo. He grew up in Newberg and in his adult life spent more than 20 years living at Wolf Run, near Williamsville, MO. He had was employed as a carnival worker...

Ishmael T. Payne PUXICO, MO. -- Ishmael T. Payne, 89, a lifelong resident of Puxico, Mo., died Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico...

James Bess James K. Bess, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at his residence. Mr. Bess was born Feb. 28, 1935, in Dudley, Mo., and was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff. Mr. Bess owned and operated a flea market. He enjoyed fishing and going to flea markets...

Raymon Roberts BERNIE, Mo. -- Raymon Vandileer "Van" Roberts, 85, of rural Malden, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at his home. Mr. Roberts was born June 24, 1926, in rural Throckmorton County, Texas. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he served during World War II. He later worked as a superintendent in the oil fields in Texas. He had also owned a water well drilling service and a dairy farm, and farmed. He was a member of the Bernie Church of Christ...

Marie Yocks MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Marie M. Yocks, 89, of Marble Hill, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at the Woodland Hills Nursing Home in Marble Hill. Mrs. Yocks was born Sept. 4, 1922, at Puxico, Mo. She enjoyed reading and working in her garden...

Scott Morehead PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Scott Wayne Morehead, 48, of Ellsinore, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, in Ellsinore. Mr. Morehead was born June 26, 1963, in Joliet, Ill. He spent his childhood between Broseley, Mo., and Ellsinore. He attended elementary school at Qulin, Mo., high school at Ellsinore and also attended Auto Diesel Mechanic College in Nashville, Tenn. He made his home as an adult in Ellsinore...

Clyde Garner NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Clyde M. Garner, 79, of Naylor, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at Westwood Hills Health Care in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Garner was born Sept. 3, 1932, in McNary County, Tenn. He was of the Pentecostal faith and enjoyed gardening, being with his family and watching westerns...

Barbie Thompson DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Barbara "Barbie" Jo Thompson, 32, of Doniphan, Mo., died Friday, Sept. 9, 2011, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Ms. Thompson was born May 20, 1979, in Granite City, Ill. She was employed at Gates in Poplar Bluff. Ms. Thompson attended Doniphan United Methodist Church and enjoyed spending time with her family...

Martha Blagg NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Martha Allison (Kawal) Blagg, 74, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Blagg was born Jan. 1, 1937, in Boston, Mass. She was a retired kindergarten teacher for the Neelyville R-IV school district. ...

Eddie Mason DEXTER, Mo. -- Donald "Eddie" Mason, 55, of Dexter, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, Mo. Mr. Mason was born Aug. 7, 1956, in Ann Arbor, Mich. He had lived in the Dexter area most of his life. Mr. Mason was a member of the Dexter Eagle's Aerie and was of the Baptist faith...

Joella Hays CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Joella Hays, 73, of Campbell, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Campbell. Ms. Hays was born April 21, 1938, in Clarkton, Mo. She was a retired real estate salesperson and enjoyed music and animals. Ms. Hays was former owner-operator of the Sikeston theater and was Peach Queen in 1952. She was of the Baptist faith...

R-1 Board meets Thursday The Poplar Bluff R-I Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Central Office, 1110 N. Westwood Blvd. Items on the open session agenda include: program evaluations for drop outs/graduation rate and food service; a new board policy regarding constraints on fund balances; district enrollment and annual performance report/state level district report card...

Panzy Landreth NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Panzy Averhart Landreth, 69, of Naylor, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at her residence Mrs. Landreth was born April 3, 1942, in Bay, Ark. She had lived in Ripley County for 50 years. She had worked for an open wrench manufacturer. Mrs. Landreth was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary at the Naylor American Legion Post 643 and enjoyed sewing...

Paul Pauls PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Paul T. Pauls, 68, of Silva, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at his residence. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont, Mo.

William Shell DEXTER, Mo. -- William Eugene Shell, 83, of Dexter, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at Missouri Southern Healthcare in Dexter. Mr. Shell was born Jan. 30, 1928, in Dexter. He was a member of the Dexter Church of Christ, a former employee of International Hat Factory in Dexter and an electrician...

James Bess James K. Bess, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at his residence. Mr. Bess was born Feb. 28, 1935, in Dudley, Mo., and was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff. Mr. Bess owned and operated a flea market. He enjoyed fishing and going to flea markets...

Darcy Highton DEXTER, Mo. -- Darcy Craig Highton, 42, of Dexter, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada on March 4, 1969. Mr Highton was chief technological officer for Gill Group, Inc. in Dexter...

Scott Morehead PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Scott Wayne Morehead, 48, of Ellsinore, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, in Ellsinore. Mr. Morehead was born June 26, 1963, in Joliet, Ill. He spent his childhood between Broseley, Mo., and Ellsinore. He attended elementary school at Qulin, Mo., high school at Ellsinore and also attended Auto Diesel Mechanic College in Nashville, Tenn. He made his home as an adult in Ellsinore...

Ishmael T. Payne PUXICO, MO. -- Ishmael T. Payne, 89, a lifelong resident of Puxico, Mo., died Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Funeral arrangements are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico...

Billy Borders PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Billy Don Borders, 76, of Piedmont, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, in Piedmont. He was born May 20, 1935, in Newberg, Mo. He grew up in Newberg and in his adult life spent more than 20 years living at Wolf Run, near Williamsville, MO. He had was employed as a carnival worker...

David Scott DONIPHAN, Mo. -- David Allen Scott, 53, of Doniphan, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at his residence in Doniphan. Mr. Scott was born Nov. 20, 1957, in St. Louis, Mo. He was an over-the-road truck driver. Mr. Scott attended Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and was a veteran of the U. S. Army...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- On Saturday, Sept. 24, Missouri Master Joiner and woodworking teacher Dr. James E. Price will share his woodworking skills during the "Plane Facts: All About Woodworking Planes" workshop. Workshop participants can view more than 100 woodworking planes, a tool type that has been used since Roman times. ...

Center Stage, the new college/community theater group at Three Rivers College, will host open auditions for its next production, "The Nerd." Auditions will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Tinnin Fine Arts Center auditorium. Those auditioning will be asked to read from the script. Casting will be open to students, college employees, and community members. There are four parts available for men, two for women, and one role for a boy age 8 to 10...

The Altrusa Service Committee has been busy working on the Head Start Library Service Project. The chairman of the committee, Pat Rodgers, has been in charge of organizing work in the library located in the Karen West Housing Project. Many of the members of the committee and of the club membership have participated. ...

The refinished gym floor at the Bess Activity Center saw its first action Monday night. Three Rivers' annual "Meet the Raiders" event included a dinner and team introductions on Gene Bess Court, which includes a new center logo. Along with men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, the rodeo team and an additional cheer squads were introduced to the crowd of about 300 people...

The Poplar Bluff softball team built a 4-run lead after four innings Monday before the wheels came off late. An error allowed Farmington to score two runs in the fifth before the Knighettes scored five in the sixth to beat Poplar Bluff 8-5 at Bacon Park...

BLOOMFIELD -- The Bloomfield Lady Wildcats played two tough games Monday with Dexter but came out on top with a 25-21, 27-25 win. "The girls came together and played a solid game," Bloomfield coach Starla Pulley said. Trailing in the first game, Dexter's Jessica Lindsay went on a serving run to get the Lady Bearcats back in it. But the Lady Wildcats held them off...

By BILL O'REILLY Lots of angst in the air after Teamster President Jimmy Hoffa called tea party people SOB's and urged voters to "take them out." Immediately, voter registration jumped among members of the Gambino family. Apparently, Hoffa is angry that some Americans want to put a lid on public sector pensions and perks that are bankrupting municipalities all over the country. Old Jimmy believes this is "taking the bread out of the mouths" of American workers...

To the Editor, My name is Doyle Sappington, a resident of Sheehy Adult Mobile Home Park on Oak Grove Rd. Since writing my first letter dtd. 28 Jan. 2011 in reference to the ongoing quagmire of the PBRMC and K2 Commercial Group project vs. Residents of the Sheehy Mobile Home Park, I have yet to hear from our council committee members and/or local and elected state officials addressing the issues in regards to the ultimate removal and relocation of the mobile home park and the demise of its residents. ...

The Buffington, Horn, Stout and Allison families will hold a reunion on Sundayat the Bill Emerson Visitors Center Pavilion at Wappapello Lake. Lunch will be served at 1 p.m. Everyone attending is asked to bring a covered dish and drink. Also, those attending are asked to bring family pictures and genealogy...

Marie Yocks MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- Marie M. Yocks, 89, of Marble Hill, Mo., died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at the Woodland Hills Nursing Home in Marble Hill. Mrs. Yocks was born Sept. 4, 1922, at Puxico, Mo. She enjoyed reading and working in her garden...

Raymon Roberts BERNIE, Mo. -- Raymon Vandileer "Van" Roberts, 85, of rural Malden, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at his home. Mr. Roberts was born June 24, 1926, in rural Throckmorton County, Texas. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he served during World War II. He later worked as a superintendent in the oil fields in Texas. He had also owned a water well drilling service and a dairy farm, and farmed. He was a member of the Bernie Church of Christ...

Paul Pauls PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Paul T. Pauls, 68, of Silva, Mo., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, at his residence. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont, Mo.

R-1 Board meets Thursday The Poplar Bluff R-I Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Central Office, 1110 N. Westwood Blvd. Items on the open session agenda include: program evaluations for drop outs/graduation rate and food service; a new board policy regarding constraints on fund balances; district enrollment and annual performance report/state level district report card...