Stories from Thursday, October 31, 2013

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer In 1997, Sheri Gilmore of Neelyville, Mo., lost her Neelyville High School Class of 1996 ring. Gilmore was heartsick because the ring had special significance. Most class rings are set with the student's birthstone, however, Gilmore, whose birthstone is peridot, chose a black onyx stone with an Old English initial "S"...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor GREENVILLE, Mo. -- An apparent dispute over property between two Piedmont, Mo., men escalated Monday evening, leaving one dead and his stepfather-in-law in jail charged with murder. Samuel Jerry Lee Whitaker, 44, was charged Thursday afternoon with the Class A felony of first-degree murder, the unclassified felony of armed criminal action and the Class B felony of first-degree burglary by Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Ramshur...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer When 8-year-old Karen tried to tell her mother she had been molested, she was called a liar. When 14-year-old Karen said she was raped by the same man, her stepfather, she was blamed. More than 35 years later, Karen Woods of Oxly, Mo., was finally able to tell her story to someone who would listen -- a Texas jury that was asked in June to sentence her former stepfather for the 1975 murder of another young woman...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Jury selection began this morning in Carter County in the trial of a former deputy facing multiple felonies, including burglaries involving two Ellsinore, Mo., homes. An initial group of between 50 and 60 Carter County residents was expected to report to the courthouse at 8:30 a.m. to begin the selection process in the trial of Steffanie M. Kearbey, according to Carter County Circuit Clerk Cathy Duncan Terry...

Justin and Jennifer DeGonia, owners of New Leaf Flower & Plant Shop recently completed the class "Everyday Design: Your Signature Style" hosted by Teleflora at its education center in Oklahoma City. Floral designers from all over North America attended the seminar to sharpen their skills and grow their design abilities...

By KEITH LEWIS SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU , Mo.-- As filming of 20th Centry Fox's "Gone Girl" winds down, Cape Girardeau can boast it has hosted a major Hollywood production for several weeks. In public interviews, some big names involved with the production of "Gone Girl" have praised the city for its geographical features and downtown attractions in serving as a stand-in for North Carthage, the fictional Missouri town on the Mississippi River that serves as a primary setting for the film and for Gillian Flynn's "Gone Girl" novel.. ...

Speedway noise an issue This is concerning the Speedway or the race track-whatever you want to call it. Why don't law apply to the Speedway? There is a noise ordinance in Poplar Bluff. If a young person goes through town their music too loud they would get a ticket, but the Speedway can rip and roar until 4 a.m. ...

By BILL O'REILLY The tea party is on the run. New polls say less than 25 percent of Americans now view the movement favorably. That is a stunning turnaround, because in the fall of 2010, the tea party achieved huge victories in congressional races all across the country...

Hillview Elementary School has announced its First Quarter Honor Roll. Those named to the "A" Honor roll are listed below. First Grade Mrs. Stull: Jade Crosswhite, Hayden Dugas, Shalynn Hanna, Bridget Million, September Preslar and Casen Stephens. Mrs. Russom: Makynli Day, Reese Dobbins, Jenna Hunter, Allyson Rogers, Drew Shands and James Williams...

By MONA CHAREN Slate magazine deserves credit for publishing a series of articles about polyamory. The first, "Why I'm Still In The Polyamory Closet," by the pseudonymous "Michael Carey," elicited angry letters because Carey compared polyamorists with homosexuals. Polyamory (the desire -- need? -- for multiple sexual partners) is a choice, the letter writers protested, whereas homosexuality is innate, like skin color...

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Originally scheduled for Oct. 19-20 at Big Spring, the Wounded Warrior Mobility Impaired Hunt for military service members has been rescheduled for Veterans Day Weekend, Nov. 9-10. While the hunt is taking place, the Big Spring area will be closed to the public for visitor safety...

PUXICO, Mo. -- November is a busy time of year at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Some dates to remember are Nov. 2-3 and 19-20. During these dates, hunting activities will be occurring and the refuge will be partially closed to all other public access west of the Swamp Boardwalk. The Swamp Boardwalk, Red Mill Drive and the public hunt area will remain open during these hunt dates...

Dr. Jerry Holt Dr. Jarrell "Jerry" D. Holt, 92, a prominent Poplar Bluff, Mo., dentist died Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, at Oakdale Care Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation This weekend is an exciting one for a lot of deer hunters and youngsters wanting to become deer hunters. The first installment of the youth firearms deer hunting portions of the deer season is Nov. 2-3. The weather prediction for this weekend appears to be very favorable for deer hunting...

By SAMANTHA KLUESNER SEMO News Service BENTON, Mo. -- Two people are in custody and deputies are looking for two more involved in the Oct. 10 robbery of the First Commercial Bank in Morley, Mo. Alisha D. Porter of Oran, Mo., and Roger Romero Clayton of Davenport, Iowa, are in custody and charged with first-degree robbery. The Scott County Sheriff's Department is searching for Candice Wright of Chicago and Joshua Thompson of Sikeston, Mo., Sheriff Rick Walter said...

James Hollis James Hollis, 54, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Hollis was born Feb. 22, 1959, in Pemiscot County, Mo. He attended Loving Jesus Ministries Church and had retired after 24 years with the U.S. ...

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Saint Louis University junior Zach Grummer-Strawn has never seen "The Exorcist," the 1973 horror film considered one of the finest examples of unadulterated cinematic terror. He's only vaguely familiar with the monthlong 1949 demon-purging ritual at his school on which the film and William Peter Blatty's 1971 novel were based...

Shirley Spear PUXICO, Mo. -- Shirley Spear, 79, of Puxico died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013, at her home. Shirley was born June 12, 1934, in Bell City, Mo., to the late Audie L. and Hattie Smith Harmon. She had lived in the Puxico area all of her life. On Feb. 22, 1958, she married Elmer Spear in Bloomfield, Mo...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor For the most part, Wappapello Lake's crappie population is in good shape. That's the word from Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Management Biologist Dave Knuth after he completed his annual trapnetting survey last week...

Arthur St. James VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Arthur Jerome St. James, 77, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. A military funeral will be held at a later date in the Bloomfield Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo., with McSpadden Funeral Home in charge of arrangements...

JACKSON -- Clearwater's slow start Tuesday proved too costly. In the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 championship against Woodland, the Lady Tigers started slow while Woodland started fast. Clearwater found its form during the break, but the Cardinals still found a way to come back and win the second game, 25-12, 27-25...

BERNIE -- This year's MSHSAA Class 1 District 2 plaque won't have too far to travel in order to reach it's final destination. It will simply go out the door, into the hallway and be displayed with the 18 other district titles the Bernie Lady Mules have collected in school history...

Wallace Knapp DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Wallace Franklin Knapp, 80, of Grandin, Mo., died Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013. Wallace was born Sept. 6, 1933, at Prim, Ark., to Ralph B. Knapp and Nora "Fay" (Sloan) Knapp, who preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death were brothers, Ralph B. Jr., Loy E., Claude H., and Fred S. Knapp; one sister, Winnie Fay Fee; and half-brother, J.W. "Bill" Lewellen...

GREENVILLE -- Heather Evans got a birthday gift Tuesday night from her Greenville Lady Bears -- a wooden plaque of Missouri. Unfortunately, it wasn't the one they wanted as Lesterville powered past Greenville 25-13, 25-12 to win the MSHSAA Class 1 District 3 championship...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Serving helped pace the Malden Green Wave into the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 championship. No. 1 Malden put down 13 aces as it beat the defending district champions, No. 5 Twin Rivers, 25-11, 25-10 in the semifinals Tuesday night. The Green Wave will meet Portageville for the title Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Neither school has ever won a district title in volleyball...

Billy Lawson CABOT, Ark. -- Billy Jo Lawson, 66, of Cabot, Ark., died Monday, Oct. 28, 2013. Billy was born Dec. 13, 1946 in Poplar Bluff, Mo., to the late Donald Ennis and Geniva Colleen Johnson Lawson. He was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Cabot, a U.S. Army Veteran and worked many years for Union Pacific Railroad. In addition to his parents, Billy was preceded in death by his wife, Glenda Mae Lawson...

Evadean Troxell DEXTER, Mo. -- Evadean Ruby Troxell, 88, of Dexter died Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter with service to follow beginning at 1 p.m. Miss Pat Crane of Essex, Mo., will deliver the eulogy. Burial will follow at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield, Mo...

In the weeks leading up to Halloween, Erin Bollmann was given the scare of her athletic career. The Three Rivers men's and women's basketball team's kicked off the season Oct. 1 with Raider Madness. The Lady Raiders opened the night. On the final possession of the scrimmage, Bollmann pulled up short on a fast break to avoid running into a teammate. She heard the tell-tale pop of a tendon tearing in her knee. She limped to the bench, fearing her season was over barely an hour after it started...

Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) 734 was called to order at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 233. Leader Linda Morgan called the meeting with 15 TOPS and four KOPS present. Following roll call, Lou Ann Wrather read the secretary's report, which was approved. Best losers were Wrather for TOPS and Lou Roach for KOPS. ...