Stories from Friday, January 17, 2014

The Poplar Bluff community will celebrate its 28th Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at 11 a.m. Monday at Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church. The theme is: Remember! Celebrate! Act! Rev. Tommy Robinson, pastor of Pleasant Hill will present the keynote message. Several other local citizens will give tributes to Dr. King's legacy...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Four Poplar Bluff City Council members have earned the prestigious designation of Certified Municipal Official from the Missouri Municipal League's Municipal Governance Institute. Mayor Ed DeGaris, Mayor Pro Tem Susan McVey, Robert L. Smith and the late Loyd Matthews were recognized for their accomplishments during the Awards Luncheon at the Missouri Municipal League Annual Conference in Branson, Mo...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Butler County Commission will conduct a public hearing on the entire 2014 county budget at 9:30 a.m. Friday in the Courthouse. Citizens will have the opportunity to express their views on the budget, including the controversy surrounding the requests submitted by Sheriff Mark Dobbs...

By ALEX WEST Staff Writer One local teen saw a gaping hole in the young adult literary genre where novels with a message and substance were missing. Cheri Kallner, a 17-year-old from the Fairdealing, Mo., area, realized she had the power to help fill that gap by using her writing talents to put such a story on paper...

This past week national news has been talking about the rising cost of milk. What's a family to do when grocery prices continue to increase? Small changes in your shopping and eating habits can mean saving big money at the grocery store according to University of Missouri experts. ...

By WALTER E. WILLIAMS Democrats plan to demagogue income inequality and the wealth gap for political gain in this year's elections. Most of what's said about income inequality is stupid or, at best, ill-informed. Much to their disgrace, economists focusing on measures of income inequality bring little light to the issue. Let's look at it...

Pete Snider DEXTER, Mo. -- Harold E. "Pete" Snider, 88, of Dexter died Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014, in the Missouri Veterans Home at Cape Girardeau, Mo. A memorial service will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter with Dr. Steve Easterwood officiating. Burial will follow in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield with full military honors...

Teresa Conner QULIN, Mo. -- Teresa Lynn Conner, 56, of Qulin died Monday, Jan. 13, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. Friday at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Qulin. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Adam Mathias officiating. Burial will be at Carrola Cemetery at Oglesville, Mo...

Kenneth Collins DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Kenneth Collins, 73, of Doniphan died Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Belleview Cemetery with Pastor Lynn Hamm officiating and Edwards Funeral Home of Doniphan in charge of arrangements...

To the Editor: On Dec. 18, 2013 Lake Wappapello United Methodist Church gave away 204 family Christmas food baskets and gave toys to 101 children during our annual Christmas basket give-a-way. Lake Wappapello United Methodist Church would like to thank the following people for their unfailing love and support to make this event a huge success: Larry Hillis Dodge, Christians Against Hunger, Greenville New Prospect Baptist Church, Our Lady of Sorrows, Little Brushy Missionary Baptist Church, New Life Baptist Church, Faith Baptist Church, Coldwater United Methodist Church, Greenville United Methodist Church & Women's Group, , Wappapello Lions Club, Wappapello VFW Post 3416 and Ladies Auxiliary, Wappapello Peoples community Bank, Bell City United Methodist Church, Woods Medical Clinic, Wappapello Eagle Riders, Greenville Jr. ...

To the Editor: On Dec. 7, 2013 our Edgewood Children's Home was once again privileged to attend the 37th Anniversary Celebration of our local Aerie and Auxiliary Fraternal Order of Eagles Charity presentation. The Eagles presented a very moving tribute to their fallen brothers and sisters of the Armed Forces; with a special memorial for Marine Staff Sargent Eric Summers, the son of Wayne and Melodie Summers of Poplar Bluff, Mo...

Sharon Durbin PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Sharon Darlene Johnson Durbin, 70, of Piedmont died Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, at Piedmont. No services are scheduled. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhome.com.

Walter Dunson Walter C. Dunson, 83, of Broseley, Mo., died Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014. Walter was born July 17, 1930, in Jackson, Miss., to Elbe and Mattie (Smith) Dunson. At a young age, he professed his belief in Jesus at Hope Spring Baptist Church in Jackson. Later in life, he became a member of New Home Missionary Baptist Church, where his membership remained until his homegoing...

Jackie Baggett DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Juanita J. (Jackie) Baggett, 81, of Doniphan died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, at the Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. A private burial will be held at the Hunt-White Cemetery in Doniphan with Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan in charge of arrangements...

Harold Duggins SHELBYVILLE, Ill. -- Harold L. "Monk" Duggins, 86, of Shelbyville, Ill., passed away at 11:02 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014 in Shelby Memorial Hospital, Shelbyville. Monk was born April 8, 1927 in Pemiscot County, Mo., the son of William Oliver "Pat" Duggins and Louise Hounihan Duggins...

Shirley Wells DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Shirley J. Silkwood Wells, 79, of Big Pine Key, Fla., and Doniphan entered into eternal peace Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, at the Arbors in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Shirley was born Sept. 22, 1934, in Bardley, Mo., daughter of Thurlow and Jettie Silkwood (Dale)...

It's been five weeks since the governor called the Legislature back to Jefferson City for a special session in early December. Now, we're back in the Capital City as the Second Regular Session of the 97th General Assembly began on Jan. 8. Much work lies ahead as we prepare to debate important legislation...

Dustin Orton, a middle school education major from Warrensburg, Mo., and Christina Kirby, an elementary education major from Knob Noster, Mo., are two of 20 University of Central Missouri students who have been named recipients of the Voncile Bowen Huffman Scholarships for fall semester 2013...

LESTERVILLE -- Lexi Morris became Clearwater's all-time leading scorer -- male or female -- Wednesday night. Her 27 points helped lift the Lady Tigers to a 63-36 victory over Lesterville Clearwater coach Darren Garrison said that Morris needed just 11 points coming into the game to break the boys scoring record set by 1995 graduate Cory Johnson...

Three Rivers coach Jeff Walk has always had a substitution-heavy coaching philosophy, but in Wednesday's matchup against St. Louis, he got to the end of the bench within six minutes. Only eight Lady Raiders dressed against St. Louis and all three substitutions were made on the first trip to the scorer's table...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Bernie scored the final seven points of the first quarter to break a tie and padded its lead the rest of the way Wednesday night as the Mules secured a 65-53 victory against the Oran Eagles at the Show Me Center. "I thought we did a good job defensively the majority of the night," Bernie coach Brad Botsch said. "They hurt us with some dribble penetration late in the first half. I thought we cleaned some of that up and did a better job containing them."...

The No. 1 and No. 2 reasons the Three Rivers Raiders thumped St. Louis Community College on Wednesday were the guys guarding jersey numbers 1 and 2. Trey Watkins was given the job of defending No. 1 Cortez Connors and Torry Butler was assigned to No. 2 Randy Reed II. Neither shot the ball well and the Raiders held the Division II Archers to 34 percent from the field in an 89-65 win at the Bess Activity Center...

Carlena Jones NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Carlena Jones, 91, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Jones was born Dec. 16, 1922, in Ravenden Springs, Ark. She was a florist and enjoyed fishing, gardening, traveling and outdoor work. She was a member of the Naylor Church of Christ...