Stories from Tuesday, March 13, 2012

By MELISSA MILLER SEMO News Service Missouri counties hit by strong storms last month will not receive federal help as they try to recover and rebuild. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon requested a federal disaster declaration for 18 Missouri counties, including Cape Girardeau, Scott, Stoddard and Bollinger, last week...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor Local authorities are searching for a masked man who allegedly robbed a convenience store early this morning at gunpoint and made off with the money from the store's register. Just before 5:45 a.m., officers with the Poplar Bluff Police Department were dispatched to Murphy's Express in the 300 block of South Westwood Boulevard in reference to a robbery, according to Deputy Chief Jeff Rolland...

By ERIN RAGAN SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau police may soon be investigating a fourth incident involving an assault suspect who shot himself following a police pursuit last week. A 38-year-old Cape Girardeau woman said she has already contacted police twice in an attempt to report a March 3 incident where she was allegedly approached by a man matching the suspect's description in the parking lot of the Cape Girardeau Public Library. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Butler County Republicans must be at the county caucus prior to 10 a.m. Saturday in order to participate in the selection of delegates who will support the four remaining GOP candidates for president. "Whether we like the process or not, we need to fulfill our responsibility to make our voices heard," said Eddy Justice, chairman of the Butler County Republican Central Committee...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A Dexter, Mo., man was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison Monday afternoon on child pornography charges related to him allegedly exploiting a teenage relative by taking nude videos of her...

A dumb headline I just read the letter in Speak Out about the article on "God's Speed John Glenn." The man or woman who called that in --they're not the only one who thought the guy was dead when they read that headline. I figured he'd died. That was really a kind of a dumb headline...

Dorothy Hancock PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Dorothy Beard Hancock, 81, of Piedmont, Mo., died Tuesday, March 13, 2012, at Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Funeral arrangements are pending with Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.

Today, upon adjournment, the House and Senate will be on our Annual Legislative break. Session will reconvene at 4 p.m. Monday, March 19. I am looking forward to being back in the District next week. There has been a lot of activity so far and wanted to share with you an issue that is close to all of us here in Southeast Missouri...

Jessica Gregory PUXICO, Mo. -- Jessica Marie Gregory, 23, of Knoxville, Tenn., died Sunday, March 11, 2012, at Knoxville. She was born Sept. 22, 1988, at Belleville, Ill. She had worked as an insurance agent. Surviving are her father, Michael Gregory of Knoxville, Tenn., her mother, Evie Sue Brinkman of Dallas, Texas, and her biological father, Steven Edwards; her grandfather, Dawsey Gregory of Puxico, Mo.; one daughter, Jewlia Scky Gregory; and one brother, Johnathn Brinkman...

Sarah Harris Sarah Mae Harris, 71, of Chicago, Ill, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, March 13, 2012, in Chicago. Funeral arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

Emma Vaughn Emma Irene Vaughn, 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Monday, March 12, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Vaughn was born May 6, 1927 in Morley, Mo. She was of the Baptist faith, and had formerly worked in a nursing home as a CNA. Mrs. Vaughn enjoyed caring for her children and grandchildren, gardening, canning, cooking and fishing...

NAYLOR -- As time went on in his junior season, it was more and more apparent that Dalton Woodard was on the rise as one of the region's top pitchers. With the big left-hander throwing strikes, the Naylor Eagles climbed into the spotlight. It all really started for Woodard the summer between his sophomore and junior year while playing for the Poplar Bluff Senior Legion team...

Richard Austill Richard Lee Austill, 87, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday, March 10, 2012, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Austill was born Dec. 29, 1924, in Gobler, Mo. He attended Pentecost Holiness Church and was a retired truck driver. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in World War II and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and doing mechanic work...

Jon Stokan -- Grandin, Mo. Vella Kennedy -- Piedmont, Mo. Lula Mae Harris -- San Jose, Calif. Richard Austill -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Emma Vaughn -- Poplar Bluff, Mo. Dorothy Hancock -- Piedmont, Mo. Jessica Gregory -- Knoxville, Tenn. Sarah Harris -- Chicago, Ill...

Jon Stokan ELLSINORE, Mo -- Jon Michael "Mike" Stokan, 65, long-time resident of Grandin, Mo., died Saturday, March 10, 2012, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Stokan was born Sept. 2, 1946, in the parking lot outside the Lucy Lee hospital in Poplar Bluff, Mo. ...

Vella Kennedy FISK, Mo. -- Vella June (James) Kennedy, 93, of Piedmont, Mo., died Saturday, March 10, 2012, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mrs. Kennedy was born May 16, 1918, in Broseley, Mo. She had lived in Piedmont for the past 10 years. ...

Lula Mae Harris Lula Mae Harris, 84, of San Jose, Calif., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012, at Fontana, Calif. Mrs. Harris was born Dec. 9, 1927, in Lena, Miss. She was a member of Morning Star Church in Broseley, Mo. for many years until she moved to San Jose, Calif., where she became a member of Friendship Church of God and Christ. She was on the Mother board...