Stories from Wednesday, April 18, 2012

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man was ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution to The Stage Company after earlier pleading guilty to stealing funds from the not-for-profit group. Since there was a discrepancy in the amount of money Ronald Gilliland allegedly took, he and Stage Company officials were to appear Tuesday afternoon before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett for a restitution hearing...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Twin Rivers R-X school district may continue to pursue a bond issue, according to discussion at Tuesday night's regular monthly meeting. On April 3, voters approved a $0.74 operating tax levy. A $3.5 million bond issue, however, required 57 percent of votes and received 54.03 percent. The bond issue would have been used to finance a new middle school at the Broseley campus...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff School District employees will soon have two health insurance plans to choose from, which administrators feel are an improvement over the current offering. The Board of Education voted Tuesday during a special meeting at the Central Office to offer a traditional health insurance plan that now includes co-pays for all tier drugs and a new health savings account plan. ...

By SARABETH WALLER Staff Writer Twin Rivers R-X board of education has seen several unexpected changes in the past year. After an uncontested election, board member David Dugger was sworn in at Tuesday night's meeting. In February, Dennis Whitlow was appointed to replace Sonya Dugger, whose position was vacated after missing three consecutive board meetings. David Dugger is no relation to Sonya Dugger...

Fourth, fifth and sixth grades at Greenville and Williamsville Elementary recently performed "Proud to Be American," a concert of patriotic music. The evening began with the Bearytones choir performing "Yankee Doodle's Pony." The choir ended its portion of the concert with the song "We Might Heal." This song was written for those affected by the tragedy in Littleton, Colo., years ago and still speaks to people today about the power of healing that can be found when Americans come together, said elementary music teacher Tracy King.. ...

The April 12 meeting of the Missouri Star Quilters was called to order by Vice President Renay Kesler. The minutes were approved. The treasurer, Tess Butler, gave her report. Committee reports: Hospitality: Tess Butler, Sharlette Kirkman , Georgia Fiske and Diane Fiske volunteered to bring refreshment for the next meeting...

O'Neal Elementary School has recognized their Students of the Month for February, March and April. Richard Bascom, son of Rick and Michelle Bascom, is the February Student of the Month. His is "thoughtful, creative, musical dependable, helpful, polite, genuine, trustworthy, witty, authentic, good-hearted ... deserving" said his teacher, Allison Bell...

There is still time to register for the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Conference that will be held Friday at the First United Methodist Church, 500 N. Main St. This conference is also for others who are raising children who are not their own. Sponsors include: University of Missouri Extension; AARP; RSVP; Department of Social Services-Children's Division; SEMO AAA; Poplar Bluff R-1 School; and Butler County Family and Community Education club members...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Bibi" Netanyahu was disgusted. "My initial reaction is that Iran has gotten a freebie. It has got five weeks to continue enrichment without any limitation." The Israeli prime minister was referring to Saturday's meeting in Istanbul of the P5-plus-1 -- the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany -- with representatives from Iran...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS It's difficult to be a good economist and simultaneously be perceived as compassionate. To be a good economist, one has to deal with reality. To appear compassionate, often one has to avoid unpleasant questions, use "caring" terminology and view reality as optional...

Johnny Brannum took his seat on the City Council Monday and immediately was met with the first reading of a Sunshine Law ordinance that, in part, might have been aimed at him. There's no doubt Brannum's election could present some unique challenges...

By MEAD GRUVER Associated Press CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Pretty soon, the best place to be on the lookout for wolves, grizzly bears, bison and other wildlife in Yellowstone National Park could be your phone. Just don't be surprised if lots of other people get the same idea and most of the creatures you see are the two-legged variety...

EMINENCE, Mo. -- The Alley Spring Campground has been reopened for camping. The majority of the Alley Spring Campground paving project has been completed except for some minor roadwork. For visitor safety, the Round Spring campground remains closed while its paving continues...

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) MO 734 met at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 11, at the First Presbyterian Church, corner of Oak and Main streets. Linda Morgan, leader, called the meeting to order with 18 TOPS and five KOPS members in attendance. The secretary's report was approved as read by Lou Ann Wrather...

The Red Cross is holding several blood drives in the Poplar Bluff area. They include: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Puxico High School, 481 North Bedford, Puxico, Mo. 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Clearwater High School, 825 North Main, Piedmont, Mo...

Smokin' BBQ at Ellington The Ellington Chamber of Commerce has recently expanded the Spring Smokin' BBQ event scheduled for May 11-12. This year the chamber has teamed up with the St. Louis BBQ Society to sanction the event. The BBQ competition is now a four meat competition up from the two meat contest originally planned. ...

A.C. Lay DEXTER, Mo. -- A. C. Lay, 87, of Dexter, Mo., died Monday, April 16, 2012, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Lay was born on Aug. 4, 1924, in Bell City, Mo. He was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Dexter, worked in several factories in Dexter and was a former employee of the First Baptist Church in Dexter...

Margie Worley DEXTER, Mo. -- Margie Worley, 89, of rural Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, April 17, 2012, at her home. Mrs. Worley was born on Nov. 28, 1922, in Como, Mo. She had been a resident of Stoddard County, Mo., most of her life. She had moved to Doniphan three years ago. She was a member of the Grandin Full Gospel Holiness Church in Grandin where she served as a board member. She had worked at Elders Manufacturing and at area nursing homes...

Poplar Bluff senior Marissa Webb is looking to make a smooth transition to the next level. After missing 12 games of her senior season because of a knee injury, Webb is looking to return to form as she heads to Three Rivers College next season to play for the Lady Raiders...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Poplar Bluff tennis team beat Notre Dame 6-3 Tuesday in the first meeting between the programs. Four matches went to a third-set tiebreaker while another featured a first-set tiebreaker. The Mules took 3 of those 5 matches to earn the victory, their second in as many days...

Three Rivers red-shirt freshman Quinton Stevens did his part to make sure the Raiders got a split Tuesday. Stevens pitched a complete-game two-hitter in 5-1 win over Shawnee after the Saints won the first game at Pattillo Field, 6-3. "Quinton certainly got out there and threw a heck of a game for us, exactly what we needed," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said. "He threw well, that is probably his best outing of the year."...

Alice Patterson PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Alice Loretta Patterson, 73, of Vulcan, Mo., died Sunday, April 15, 2012, in Festus Mo. Mrs. Patterson was born on Feb. 19, 1939, in Vulcan to the late Gilbert Middleton and the late Edna (Talley) Middleton. She spent her childhood in Vulcan and attended school there. She was of the Pentecost faith and was a member of the Vulcan Assembly of God...

Carolyn Howell GARWOOD, Mo. -- Longtime real estate broker and business owner Eunice Carolyn Howell, 75, of Garwood, Mo., died just before sunrise on April 9, 2012 with family and friends by her side. A native of Lakeland, Fla., Carolyn was born on April 27, 1936, the first child of the late John Wesley and Eunice Elizabeth Barnard. ...

Nicholas Novak Nicholas "Nick" Novak, 64, of Fairdealing, Mo., died Saturday, April 14, 2012, at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center. Mr. Novak was born Oct. 29, 1948, in Poplar Bluff, where he lived most of his life before relocating to Fairdealing three years ago. ...

Alberta Whitehead NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Alberta Whitehead, 89, of Neelyville, Mo., died Saturday, April 14, 2012, at her home. The daughter of Fred Anderson and Franky Walker Anderson, Mrs. Whitehead was born April 17, 1922, at Blytheville, Ark. A resident of Neelyville since 1939, she enjoyed sewing, cooking and was a homemaker. She was a member of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Neelyville...

Bonnie Drane ROYAL CENTER, Ind. -- Bonnie Beth Brown Drane, 85, of the Indiana Veterans Home in W. Lafayette, Ind., formerly of Nineveh, Ind., died Monday, March 26, 2012, at I.V. Arnett Hospital in Lafayette, Ind. Born April 23, 1926, in Neelyville, Mo., she was the daughter of the late Rupert and Lora (Woolard) Brown. ...

SUMMERSVILLE -- After losing to Winona twice this spring, the Van Buren Lady Bulldogs won when it mattered most. Van Buren was down two heading into the seventh when it scored six runs and held off Winona in the final of the Big Springs Concerence tournament on Tuesday, 6-2...

SUMMERSVILLE -- The Ellington Whippets dominated Tuesday afternoon over Winona to win the Big Springs Conference championship, 17-5. The Whippets (13-2 scored seven runs with two outs in the fifth inning to force then ten-rule. Jared Hathcoat pitched all five innings for Ellington for the win. He allowed two earned runs...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Bibi" Netanyahu was disgusted. "My initial reaction is that Iran has gotten a freebie. It has got five weeks to continue enrichment without any limitation." The Israeli prime minister was referring to Saturday's meeting in Istanbul of the P5-plus-1 -- the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany -- with representatives from Iran...

EMINENCE, Mo. -- The Alley Spring Campground has been reopened for camping. The majority of the Alley Spring Campground paving project has been completed except for some minor roadwork. For visitor safety, the Round Spring campground remains closed while its paving continues...

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) MO 734 met at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 11, at the First Presbyterian Church, corner of Oak and Main streets. Linda Morgan, leader, called the meeting to order with 18 TOPS and five KOPS members in attendance. The secretary's report was approved as read by Lou Ann Wrather...