Stories from Friday, January 6, 2012

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Precipitation in Poplar Bluff during 2011 was 60 percent above normal, making it the second wettest year on record. A cooperative weather observer at KLID Radio at 11th and Vine streets recorded 75.5 inches, according to the data on the National Weather Service website at Paducah, Ky. This is 36 inches more than the 39.45 inches in 2010 and 28.5 inches more than the average of 47 inches during the past 30 years...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer After a month of raising funds for Wigs for Kids, the Boys & Girls Club of Poplar Bluff celebrated with a Wig Out party Thursday and the donation of a foot of hair from mentoring project coordinator Matt Whitworth. Students raised $164 completely on their own. The winning class chose Whitworth's hairstyle, and the second graders decided on a faux hawk, a spiked look that mimics a mohawk...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Poplar Bluff Museum, Moark Regional Railroad Museum, the Poplar Bluff Public Library and the Margaret Harwell Art Museum have planned activities in conjunction with the Smithsonian Exhibit "The Way We Worked."...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff, Mo., has once again been chosen as one of only 17 locations across the country to host a free concert for veterans. Country music singer Lee Greenwood, best known for his single "God Bless the USA," will perform Friday, Feb. 17, at the Black River Coliseum...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- An Ellsinore, Mo., man will not stand trial next week in connection with the 2009 death of his wife, who was shot during an earlier dispute with his stepson. Charged with the Class C felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, John William Moss was supposed to stand trial Tuesday in Wayne County; however, Carter County Prosecuting Attorney Rocky Kingree dismissed the case against the 57-year-old...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer After a month of raising funds for Wigs for Kids, the Boys & Girls Club of Poplar Bluff celebrated with a Wig Out party Thursday and the donation of a foot of hair from mentoring project coordinator Matt Whitworth. Students raised $164 completely on their own. The winning class chose Whitworth's hairstyle, and the second graders decided on a faux hawk, a spiked look that mimics a mohawk...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor CENTERVILLE, Mo. -- Missouri conservation officials have documented 14 confirmed sightings of mountain lions in the state in the last year, but none bigger than what they saw Thursday in north-central Reynolds County, where a live cat was captured by a local trapper...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- An Ellsinore, Mo., man will not stand trial next week in connection with the 2009 death of his wife, who was shot during an earlier dispute with his stepson. Charged with the Class C felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, John William Moss was supposed to stand trial Tuesday in Wayne County; however, Carter County Prosecuting Attorney Rocky Kingree dismissed the case against the 57-year-old...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff, Mo., has once again been chosen as one of only 17 locations across the country to host a free concert for veterans. Country music singer Lee Greenwood, best known for his single "God Bless the USA," will perform Friday, Feb. 17, at the Black River Coliseum...

Terry "TeeJay" Britton, has come a long way since he played basketball at Poplar Bluff High School. Now living in Joplin, Britton is the summer camp director and assistant head basketball coach for Rain Makers Christian Sports Ministry. There he coaches young athletes from third grade through high school...

ELLSINORE -- East Carter used the free-throw line to put away its opponent Thursday night. The Redbirds shot 83 percent from the free-throw line with less than two minutes remaining as they held on to beat Ellington, 76-64. "We stepped up and knocked down some big free throws late," East Carter coach Brandon Crook said. "We didn't protect the ball particularly as much as I would have wanted."...

The Three Rivers Raiders are kicking off the second half of the season in style. The Raiders will host Mineral Area at the Black River Coliseum at 7 p.m. Saturday in their first game at the facility since the 2005-06 season. "We have had a week of practice down there," Three Rivers coach Gene Bess said. "We feel like it is probably not a home-court advantage but we should be ready to play."...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Needing a spark after a sluggish start Thursday night, Marissa Webb provided it on offense and Chelsea Darnell on defense for the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules. Webb scored 17 of her season-high 23 points in the middle quarters when Poplar Bluff turned a seven-point deficit into a seven-point lead. Darnell and the Lady Mules, meanwhile, slowed Cape Central's fast start to earn a 50-42 SEMO Conference road win...

CAMPBELL -- The Twin Rivers Lady Royals earned their third straight win Thursday night with a 44-23 victory over the Campbell Lady Camels. Twin Rivers (7-5) led 14-5 after the first quarter but scored just five points in the second. "We've been off for two weeks and we had to work some kinks out in the first half," Twin Rivers coach Kelly Null said. "We are going to have to step it up from here on out. There is no time to relax."...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Two team records fell Thursday as the Poplar Bluff swim team closed the gap with host Cape Central. Campbell Keele, Anslee Latourette, Sarah Crites and Julia Dragon broke their own records in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays to help the Lady Mules finish third, just 26 points behind the Lady Tigers...

NAYLOR -- For the most part, January features some pivotal match ups for girls in the Ozark Foothills Conference. Thursday night the three-time defending OFC Tournament champion Neelyville Lady Tigers solidified their chance at the top-seed once again...

By PATRICK T. SULLIVAN SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Three Cape Girardeau children were taken into protective custody Sunday after police said they all tested positive for cocaine. Brooke Whitener, 31, spent four days in jail after being arrested on New Year's Day when her daughter was rushed to Southeast Hospital with seizures and a high fever, according Cape Girardeau police spokesman Darin Hickey...

Bad year, 2011, even though some bad guys and charlatans got a karma blast. Osama bin Laden got it up close and personal from a Navy SEAL, while his cohort al-Awlaki got drilled from the sky. Gadhafi went down, and al-Assad is tottering. Schwarzenegger, Weiner, Sheen and Cain all got hammered in the court of public opinion. Blagojevich, Bonds and Mubarak were held accountable in actual courts...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- The complaint that Iowa is not a typical American state is true but trivial because there is no such state. Can you name one whose political culture, closely considered, is more like than unlike any other state's? Anyway, someplace has to go first, and it should be somewhere the natives are receptive and media are not decisive, so marginal candidates have a sporting chance to become central...

GEORGETOWN, S.C. -- A year ago, this column questioned whether the 112th Congress -- with its new speaker of the House, John Boehner -- could "overcome the inane policies of its predecessors" and "mend Washington's free-spending ways." We all know how that turned out...

Northwest Missouri State University registrar announced two Poplar Bluff, Mo., students were named to the Academic or President's Honor Roll at the end of the 2011 fall trimester. They are Martin A. Passley and Jacob D. Taylor, both of Poplar Bluff...

Morris gets TRC scholarship A local student has received a scholarship to attend Three Rivers College. Allison Fay Morris of Poplar Bluff has received the P.E.O. Chapter KB Ruth Minetree Scholarship. Morris is the daughter of Tammy Gordon of Poplar Bluff and is a 2010 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School. Morris plans obtain an Associate of Arts degree in history from Three Rivers...

Floyd White WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. -- Floyd Bentley White, 4 months, of Williamsville, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born Aug. 19, 2011 at Poplar Bluff, Mo. He is survived by his parents, Stephen and April (Nunnery) White, of Williamsville, Mo.; one sister, Makayla Fayeann White and one brother, Stephen Justice White, both of the home; his grandparents, Floyd and Carol White of Williamsville and Eunnona Starkey of Patterson, Mo.; several aunts, uncles and cousins.. ...

Jessica and Alexander Miller of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Dashawn Michael Lee Miller for their 6-pound, 10-ounce son who was born at 11:24 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Grandparents are Tammy and Mike Rushing of Fisk, Mo., and Bobby Watkins of Poplar Bluff...

Billie Joe Barnett MALDEN, Mo. -- Billie Joe Barnett, 39, of Campbell, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2012, in Campbell. Mr. Barnett was born Jan. 19, 1972, in Dexter, Mo. He was a member of Rivers of Life Ministries in Dexter. He had worked at Revere Plastics in Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Charles Routh Jr. VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Charles Edward Routh, Jr., 89, of Ellsinore, Mo., died Wednesday, July 4, 2012, at his residence. He was born Nov. 30, 1922, in Plato, Mo. Mr. Routh had lived in Ellsinore during his early childhood and returned to there 24 years ago after retiring as an aerospace logistical engineer. ...

Eva McKuin FISK, Mo. -- Eva McKuin, 86, of Fisk Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mrs. McKuin was born July 14, 1925 in Bono, Ark. She lived in the Fisk area most of her life. She had lived in Poplar Bluff, Mo., the last two years with her oldest son, Ron, and his wife, Fran. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Fisk and volunteered at the Nutrition Center in Fisk and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in Poplar Bluff...

Ione Knight CAPE GIRARDDEAU, Mo. -- Frances Ione Knight, 91, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 6, 1920, in Wapakoneta, Ohio, to David Christian and Clara Croft Brorein. On Jan. 22, 1945, she was married to Wallace R. Knight at Fort Campbell, Ky. He preceded her in death on Sept. 9, 2006...

Charity Lott DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Charity L. Lott, 31, of Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011, at her residence. Mrs. Lott was born April 12, 1980, in Rogers, Ark. She enjoyed doing volunteer work, especially Mothers to Mothers Ministries and collecting old movies and music, particularly James Dean and Mo-Town memorabilia...

Alice Dye VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Alice Lee Dye, 70, of Van Buren, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, in St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Ms. Dye was born Feb. 19, 1941, in Deering, Mo. She has lived in Van Buren since moving here from Cape Girardeau in 1996. She was an educator in the Cape Public Schools for many years and was a member of the United Methodist Church. Ms. Dye enjoyed playing bridge, traveling and reading...

Marie Robinson MALDEN, Mo. -- Margaret Marie Robinson, 64, of Malden, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Robinson was born May 11, 1947, in New Madrid, Mo. She was a member of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Malden...

KANSAS CITY, MO. -- Billy Joe Ellsworth, 70, of Independence, Mo., formerly of Pleasant Hill, Mo. died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 at the Kansas City Hospice House. Mr. Ellsworth had Parkinson's disease. Mr. Ellsworth was born Thursday, March 13, 1941, in Broseley, Mo...

Joshua and Charlotte Baedke of Virginia Beach, Va., have chosen the name Piper Kennedy Baedke for their 9-pound, 2-ounce daughter born at 12:03 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 at Chesapeake, Va. Grandparents are Christine Anderson of Ankeney, Iowa, and Bruce and Sharon Beck of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Myrtle Sedrick PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Myrtle (Shonie) Sedrick, 84, of Mill Spring, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, at her residence. Mrs. Sedrick was born June 13, 1927, in Ellsinore, Mo., and had lived more of her life in Wayne County. She was a homemaker and of the Pentecostal faith...

Lee Miller Jessica and Alexander Miller of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Dashawn Michael Lee Miller for their 6-pound, 10-ounce son who was born at 11:24 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Grandparents are Tammy and Mike Rushing of Fisk, Mo., and Bobby Watkins of Poplar Bluff...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Needing a spark after a sluggish start Thursday night, Marissa Webb provided it on offense and Chelsea Darnell on defense for the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules. Webb scored 17 of her season-high 23 points in the middle quarters when Poplar Bluff turned a seven-point deficit into a seven-point lead. Darnell and the Lady Mules, meanwhile, slowed Cape Central's fast start to earn a 50-42 SEMO Conference road win...

ELLSINORE -- East Carter used the free-throw line to put away its opponent Thursday night. The Redbirds shot 83 percent from the free-throw line with less than two minutes remaining as they held on to beat Ellington, 76-64. "We stepped up and knocked down some big free throws late," East Carter coach Brandon Crook said. "We didn't protect the ball particularly as much as I would have wanted."...

KANSAS CITY, MO. -- Billy Joe Ellsworth, 70, of Independence, Mo., formerly of Pleasant Hill, Mo. died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 at the Kansas City Hospice House. Mr. Ellsworth had Parkinson's disease. Mr. Ellsworth was born Thursday, March 13, 1941, in Broseley, Mo...

Marie Robinson MALDEN, Mo. -- Margaret Marie Robinson, 64, of Malden, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Robinson was born May 11, 1947, in New Madrid, Mo. She was a member of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Malden...

Alice Dye VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Alice Lee Dye, 70, of Van Buren, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, in St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Ms. Dye was born Feb. 19, 1941, in Deering, Mo. She has lived in Van Buren since moving here from Cape Girardeau in 1996. She was an educator in the Cape Public Schools for many years and was a member of the United Methodist Church. Ms. Dye enjoyed playing bridge, traveling and reading...

Ione Knight CAPE GIRARDDEAU, Mo. -- Frances Ione Knight, 91, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau. She was born Aug. 6, 1920, in Wapakoneta, Ohio, to David Christian and Clara Croft Brorein. On Jan. 22, 1945, she was married to Wallace R. Knight at Fort Campbell, Ky. He preceded her in death on Sept. 9, 2006...

Eva McKuin FISK, Mo. -- Eva McKuin, 86, of Fisk Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mrs. McKuin was born July 14, 1925 in Bono, Ark. She lived in the Fisk area most of her life. She had lived in Poplar Bluff, Mo., the last two years with her oldest son, Ron, and his wife, Fran. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church at Fisk and volunteered at the Nutrition Center in Fisk and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in Poplar Bluff...

Jessica and Alexander Miller of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Dashawn Michael Lee Miller for their 6-pound, 10-ounce son who was born at 11:24 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Grandparents are Tammy and Mike Rushing of Fisk, Mo., and Bobby Watkins of Poplar Bluff...

Floyd White WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. -- Floyd Bentley White, 4 months, of Williamsville, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born Aug. 19, 2011 at Poplar Bluff, Mo. He is survived by his parents, Stephen and April (Nunnery) White, of Williamsville, Mo.; one sister, Makayla Fayeann White and one brother, Stephen Justice White, both of the home; his grandparents, Floyd and Carol White of Williamsville and Eunnona Starkey of Patterson, Mo.; several aunts, uncles and cousins.. ...

Northwest Missouri State University registrar announced two Poplar Bluff, Mo., students were named to the Academic or President's Honor Roll at the end of the 2011 fall trimester. They are Martin A. Passley and Jacob D. Taylor, both of Poplar Bluff...

Morris gets TRC scholarship A local student has received a scholarship to attend Three Rivers College. Allison Fay Morris of Poplar Bluff has received the P.E.O. Chapter KB Ruth Minetree Scholarship. Morris is the daughter of Tammy Gordon of Poplar Bluff and is a 2010 graduate of Poplar Bluff High School. Morris plans obtain an Associate of Arts degree in history from Three Rivers...

GEORGETOWN, S.C. -- A year ago, this column questioned whether the 112th Congress -- with its new speaker of the House, John Boehner -- could "overcome the inane policies of its predecessors" and "mend Washington's free-spending ways." We all know how that turned out...

Myrtle Sedrick PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Myrtle (Shonie) Sedrick, 84, of Mill Spring, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, at her residence. Mrs. Sedrick was born June 13, 1927, in Ellsinore, Mo., and had lived more of her life in Wayne County. She was a homemaker and of the Pentecostal faith...