Stories from Friday, October 18, 2013

By KEITH LEWIS SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- David Fincher, the director of 20th Century Fox's feature film "Gone Girl," is a busy man. A two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Director for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "The Social Network," Fincher, 51, is in the throes of a daily filming schedule that requires his expertise for sequences that could last well into the early morning hours...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A year ago, Lake Road Elementary had the lowest percentage of proficient and advanced math students in the seven Poplar Bluff campuses required to take the state assessment. They saw a nearly 20 percent growth in 2013 in the top two tiers of proficiency. Now, it is one of only two campuses to have more than 60 percent of students at that level...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON and ALEX WEST Staff Writers Business and community leader 90-year-old James Belknap's death Wednesday afternoon at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center has left community and business leaders, as well as friends, saddened. They are responding to his death by describing Belknap as charismatic, an icon and respected friend...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Three Rivers College accepted a bid Wednesday for approximately $6.4 million to construct its Eastern Campus in Sikeston, Mo. The 40,000 square foot facility marks the first newly constructed building outside the college's taxing district and its first significant new construction in a decade...

Sweet potatoes are ready to harvest and you should be able to start finding them at local markets. This veggie is native to Central America and has been popular in the southern United States since the 16th century. Just how nutritious is this veggie? The sweet potato is an excellent source of vitamin A. ...

Bethany Cemetery fundraiser The Bethany Cemetery Company will host its annual Bethany Cemetery's Chili/Stew fundraiser at the center building of the Bethany General Baptist Church, Campbell, Mo., from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. This is the one and only fundraiser the cemetery holds each year. All profits are used for the maintainence of the Bethany Cemetery. Donations only...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat Since there appears to be little agreement in our federal government these days, let's find one - just one - issue that is non-partisan, out of control and in need of a major overhaul. Let's start with what has been called the "secret welfare system" - the Federal Disability Insurance Program...

Children's names wrong on photos In the Wednesday edition of The Daily American Republic two children's names were accidentally switched in the Foundations Trike-A-Thon photo layout. The names of Cambry Maxwell and Kennedy Shell, whose pictures appeared next to each other, were switched. The DAR regrets any inconvenience the error may have caused...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme." Mark Twain's insight comes to mind as one observes the panic of Beltway Republicans over the latest polls in the battle of Obamacare. According to Gallup, approval of the Republican Party has sunk 10 points in two weeks to 28 percent, an all-time low. In the Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, approval of the GOP has fallen to 24 percent...

Senior Night for the Poplar Bluff's 21 football seniors may not be their final appearance at Morrow Stadium. After a pair of lop-sided wins the Mules enter the finally two weeks of the regular season with a chance to earn another home game. Or maybe even a week off...

WINONA, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation's self-guided driving tour at Peck Ranch Conservation Area begins at the office and is marked along the way. Peck Ranch is located near Winona in Shannon County with entrances off both Route 19 and Route 60. It's open sunrise to sunset seven days a week--except during managed deer hunts, fall firearms deer season, and in the event roads are closed due to weather...

BENTON -- In the end, the East Carter Lady Redbirds just couldn't catch up to one fast Lady Hawk. Kelly's hard-throwing Alexis Dock totaled 14 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout against East Carter and won the MSHSAA Class 2 playoff 6-0 Wednesday...

Carl Dixon PUXICO, Mo. -- Carl Dixon, 93, of Puxico died Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013, at his residence. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Friday at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home chapel with burial following at Womack Cemetery in Wappapello, Mo...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Saturday's Current River Smallmouth Association Classic tournament at Doniphan, Mo., saw 15 teams entered. The team of McAfee and Towner earned the top spot with a weight of 13.7 pounds, which was aided by the day's big bass weighing 3.54 pounds...

Gary Purdom NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Gary J. Purdom, 57, of Springfield, Mo, formerly of the Neelyville area, died Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in Springfield. Visitation will be from noon until service time at 2 p.m. Saturday at Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel. Burial will be in Roberts Cemetery near Neelyville...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation Archery deer and turkey season is presently ongoing and the harvest of deer is trickling in each day as the days grow shorter and the temperature slowly drops. But, do not forget a very important special season is just around the corner which requires considerable preparation and thought...

By CANDICE DAVIS Mo. Dept. of Conservation CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The annual winter trout fishery at Jackson's Rotary Lake begins Nov. 1, marking the opening of Missouri's winter trout season in lakes around the state, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation...

James Belknap James E. Belknap, 90, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Rosary will be held at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff with visitation following from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral chapel. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Poplar Bluff with Fr. David N. Coon officiating. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery...

Donna Henderson DEXTER, Mo. -- Donna Henderson, 64, of Dexter died Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Watkins and Sons Chapel in Dexter. Burial will be at a later date in the Dexter Cemetery in Dexter...

Delma Pender DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Delma M. "Chub" Pender, 95, of Doniphan died Tuesday, October 15, 2013 in the Current River Nursing Center. Mrs. Pender was born June 4, 1918 to the late William and Ellen McArath Dixon, in Oklahoma. She was a member of the Lingo Freewill Baptist Church and enjoyed gardening, flowers and cats. She had worked as a cook and retired from Vitronic...

Christene Herring DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Verna Christene Herring, 94, of Doniphan died Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013, at Southeast Health Center in Doniphan. Services were with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. Burial was at the Doniphan City Cemetery with the Rev. Jerry Reynolds officiating...

Faye Ferguson CORNING, Ark. -- Faye Ferguson, 89, of Corning passed away Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, at home. Mrs. Ferguson was a homemaker and a member of First Christian Church in Corning. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, crocheting and quilting. On Sept. 14, 1958 she was united in marriage to R. F. Ferguson. He preceded her in death on Sept. 25, 1997...

Opal Thompson NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Opal Louise Thompson, 72, of Doniphan, Mo., died Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, at her residence. Ms. Thompson was born May 8, 1941, in Neelyville. She was a homemaker who enjoyed fishing and spending time with friends. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion in Doniphan and Naylor, Mo., and was a member of the VFW in Doniphan...

Gary and Amy Ethridge of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Lukas Andrew Ethridge for their 8-pound, 12-ounce son born at 5:57 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Lukas was 21 inches long. Lukas has one brother, Preston Ryan Ethridge...

Justin and Tika Wartenbe of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen the name Liliana Nicole Wartenbe for their 8-pound, 12-ounce daughter born at 9:19 p.m., Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 at Poplar Bluff. Liliana was 21 and one-half inches in length. Grandparents are Brian and Sheila Wartenbe of Poplar Bluff...

Justin and April Dover of Harviell, Mo. have chosen the name Lucas Eli Dover for 7-pound, 10-ounce son born at 12:32 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Lucas was 20 inches long. Grandparents are Lynette and Jim Willard of Williamsville, Mo., Pat and Clara Ross or St. Genevieve, Mo., Kevin and Connie Dover of Ellington, Mo. and Rhonda and Butch Hardin of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Kyra Linn Rommel is the name that Rusty and Stacy Rommel of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have chosen for their 7-pound, 8-ounce daughter born at 10:32 a.m. Friday, Sept. 20, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Kyra was 20 inches long. Grandparents are Stan and Mary Buffington and Larry and Jan Rommel, all of Poplar Bluff. Great-grandparents are Rachel Buffington of Boca Raton, Fla., Barb Buffington of Harviell, Mo., and Archie Rommel of Poplar Bluff...

Lafe and Rachel Wollard Weston of Jonesboro, Ark., have chosen the name Landry Kathryn Weston for their 6-pound, 2-ounce daughter born at 11:11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27, 2013 at St. Bernard's Hosptial Birthcare Center, Jonesboro. Grandparents are Mark and Tunene Weston of Harrisburg, Ark., and Gary and Alisa Wollard of Naylor, Mo...