Stories from Wednesday, February 5, 2014

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Three recommendations from the Municipal Utilities Advisory Board were discussed during the Poplar Bluff City Council meeting Monday night. Council members approved a resolution urging state legislators to oppose any bill that limits local control and cost recovery for usage of city-owned utility assets...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor An agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission concerning the replacement of the Fair Street bridge over Pike Creek was approved by the Poplar Bluff City Council Monday night. "The Fair Street bridge has been recently downgraded," City Manager Doug Bagby said. "It is not in good shape."...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor An agreement with the Gilmore & Bell law firm in St. Louis, Mo., to perform legal work on a proposed Downtown community improvement district was approved by the Poplar Bluff City Council Monday night. The decision to proceed with attempting to implement a CID was made during the Downtown Poplar Bluff, Inc. board meeting on Jan. 7...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor An ordinance giving bidding preferences to local contractors was approved by the Poplar Bluff City Council Monday night. City Attorney Wally Duncan said he used "some wording from both" of the options he presented during the Jan. 21 council meeting. The options were from Joplin, Mo., and Springfield, Mo...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Sunday"s snowfall totaling 4-6 inches created treacherous driving conditions throughout Southeast Missouri. Four inches fell Sunday in Poplar Bluff, Mo., but higher amounts fell in Stoddard County with 5 inches reported at Bernie, Mo., and 6 inches at Dudley, Mo., according to reports made by trained spotters to the National Weather Service at Paducah, Ky...

By MIKE JENSON Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat It's a foregone conclusion that Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for president in 2016. The sole obstacle in her path would be a health issue because, rest assured, any potential missteps on her part would never make their way into the mainstream media...

Change needed in county govt. Why is it that the county commissioners can find enough money to give all county employees a raise - including themselves - and can't find enough money to fully fund the sheriff's department? Folks, it's time for leadership change in our county government! Larry, Moe and Curly have got to go...

By MONA CHAREN The Little Victims of the State An administration as image-conscious as this one should have been more careful in its choice of antagonists. The Little Sisters of the Poor is a Catholic charity providing care to the poorest elderly in a hospice-like setting. ...

SALT LAKE CITY -- It's still the same smile and little laugh offered at a question. He still bows his head a little and runs his right hand through his hair when thinking about an answer to a question -- just like he did less than three years ago as a high schooler...

Along with Sen. Mike Cunningham, I co-sponsored Senate Concurrent Resolution 22, which urges the National Park Service to not take action on the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) draft general management plan. It also calls for the Department of Interior to negotiate the return and management of the ONSR to our state. ...

The Three Rivers Raiders have brought in a redshirt freshman who is expected to play next season. Boris Tomasevic, from Montenegro in Eastern Europe along the Adriatic Sea, began taking classes at Three Rivers this semester, but must get a semester in the books before he will be eligible to play and is not currently on scholarship...

Glenda Ward PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Glenda A. Ward, 69, of Piedmont died Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, at the Greenville Nursing and Rehab Center in Greenville, Mo. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.

James Patterson VULCAN, Mo. -- James Eugene Patterson, 75, of Vulcan died Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014, at Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont, Mo. Visitation will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday for the family and 5 p.m. for the public at the Vulcan Assembly of God Church with the service following on Thursday at noon also at the church...

Jim Samples CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Jim Samples, 71, of Holcomb, Mo. died Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014 at his residence in Holcomb. Visitation will be from 1 - 2 p.m., Wednesday at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell followed by the funeral service, which will begin at 2 p.m., at chapel with Rev. Patsy Weaver officiating. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery-Landess Addition in Campbell...