Stories from Saturday, May 3, 2014

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor An autopsy was to be performed this morning on a Poplar Bluff, Mo., man found dead of an apparent suicide Thursday afternoon in a holding cell of the Butler County Justice Center. "Mid-day yesterday, shortly after noon, myself and Coroner Jim Akers requested the assistance of the Missouri State Highway Patrol in reference to the death of an inmate," explained Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs. "The inmate is identified as Adam Banks."...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A motion was filed earlier this week seeking to disqualify Carter County Prosecuting Attorney Rocky Kingree from handling the criminal case he filed against an assistant attorney general. Kingree charged Steven Ray Berry, an assistant attorney general, with the Class A misdemeanor of tampering with a public record and the Class B misdemeanor of making a false declaration on March 31...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer When Carol Mann was offered a choice, treatment court or prison for prior and persistent drug possession, the Poplar Bluff mother was hesitant. Mann wasn't sure she could make it through the difficult program after a decade of methamphetamine use...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor No one was injured Thursday afternoon when an apparent dispute over money escalated with a shot being fired while a Poplar Bluff R-1 school bus was in the area. At about 4 p.m., Poplar Bluff Police officers were dispatched to the area of the 400 and 500 blocks of North G Street "regarding shots being fired and a female subject laying on the ground," according to Patrolman Jamie Sample's report...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor A groundbreaking ceremony for rebuilding of the historic steps at the 1910 Iron Mountain Depot in the 400 block of South Main Street will begin at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 10 (National Train Day). Reconstruction of the grand staircase will start soon and hopefully be completed prior to the Iron Horse Festival on Oct. 4...

Farmer Market a big flop This is from a concerned vegan. The so-called farmer's market is a big flop. These farmers and vendors have to set up on hot pavement, be told when they can be there on certain days so many times a week. I guess city officials have finally run off everybody. ...

BY MICHELLE MALKIN I've always thought entrenched left-wing journalists in Washington needed their heads examined. Much to my satisfaction, it appears the corporate media bosses of at least one Beltway anchor now agree. According to The Washington Post this week, NBC News hired a "psychological consultant" to examine why flailing "Meet the Press" moderator David Gregory has been bombing in the ratings. ...

To the Editor: One behalf of our Historic Depot Board, Iron Mountain Market and citizens who will have a place to plant a small personal garden, I would like to thank the Poplar Bluff City Council for permission to use some of the flood buy-out lots for Community Gardens...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Recently, Barack Obama -- a Demosthenes determined to elevate our politics from coarseness to elegance; a Pericles sent to ameliorate our rhetorical impoverishment -- spoke at the University of Michigan. He came to that very friendly venue -- in 2012, he received 67 percent of the vote in Ann Arbor's county -- after visiting a local sandwich shop, where a muse must have whispered in the presidential ear. ...

Patrick Ryan, a fourth grader, has been named Sacred Heart School Student of the Month. Patrick is the son of Maureen and Willie Ryan of Doniphan, Mo. Chelsea, his sister, also attends Sacred Heart. His "Nan," Virginia Cannizzaro, is an office volunteer at the school...

Truman Hale PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Truman D. Hale, 94, of Piedmont died Thursday, May 1, 2014, at the Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Arrangements will be announced by Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.

Luke Henson honored by law school Luke Henson of Poplar Bluff, Mo., received an award from Mississippi College School of Law during its annual Law Day ceremony. Henson was the recipient of the Frank M. Deramus Law Scholarship, presented to a 2L law student who is committed through service to the development of the law school and who has demonstrated potential for service through the practice of law and to the community...

William "Bill" Fell NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- William Anthony "Bill" Fell, 37, of St. James, Mo., died Sunday, April 27, 2104, in St. James. He was born Jan. 19, 1977 in Kansas City, Mo. to William Anthony Fell I and Peggy Lashley Fell Muffett. A graduate of Naylor High School, he had lived in Naylor and the Poplar Bluff, Mo. area. He served in the National Guard and worked in construction. His hobbies were fishing and tattoo art...

Gerlene Schroyer Gerlene Jordan Schroyer, 80, of Gideon, Mo., died Tuesday, April 29, 2014. She was born Jan. 14, 1934, in Gideon to the late Leslie Jordan and Lillian Winchester Jordan. She faithfully attended Bethel Assembly of God Church in Gideon for 42 years...

Lannie "Squirrel" Samples CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Lannie "SQUIRREL" Samples, 64, of Holcomb, Mo., died Wednesday, April 30, 2014, at his home. Visitation will be from noon until 2 p.m. Saturday at the Landess Funeral Home. Services will begin at 2 p.m. in the funeral chapel with Rev. Kim Hellebush officiating. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery-Landess Addition Cemetery in Campbell...

Wesley Pyles will try to pitch his current team to his future playing home today when the Poplar Bluff Mules open the SEMO Conference Tournament. Pyles, who signed to pitch for Southeast Missouri State University in the fall, is scheduled to take the mound today when the Mules host Jackson at 4:15 p.m. in the opening round...

Pete Ainley NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Pete Ainley, 36, of Sikeston, Mo., formerly of Corning, Ark., died Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at Caruthersville, Mo. A memorial visitation will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday with a memorial service to follow at 2 p.m. at the New Life Family Church on Highway 135 near Knobel, Ark...

Jenny Hayman VEEDERSBURG, Ind. -- Jenny Lee Hayman, 79, passed away at 10:25 p.m. Wednesday April 30, 2014 at her residence near Veedersburg. Mrs. Hayman was born Oct. 25, 1934 in Chattsworth, Ill., the daughter of Leonard Brooks and Nona Virginia (Taylor) Harvey. She married Charles E. Hayman Dec. 5, 1951 in Sterling, Ind...

If it weren't for Poplar Bluff senior goalkeeper Courtney Raulston, the game might have got out of hand quickly. Raulston was everywhere in front of the net as she kept the Lady Mules in contention with Jackson Thursday evening at Whiteley Park. The Lady Indians had just one goal at halftime and added three more after the 19-minute mark of the second half for a 4-0 win...

James Colter James Dale "Cadillac" Colter, 69 of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, May 1, 2014, at his home. Cadillac was born Aug. 24, 1944, in Poplar Bluff, to the late Leonard and Lorraine Colter and Daphine McGhee. He had been a truck driver and served in the US Army and National Guard. ...

MALDEN -- The district champions don't have any subs. Malden, which started the season with 15 players, had just nine in beating Gideon 7-3 on Thursday to win the MSHSAA Class 1 District 3 championship. It's the first softball district title in the school's history...

DONIPHAN -- Doniphan's Clay Payne busted open a one-run game in the bottom of the sixth inning with a 2-run single as the Dons earned a win over Twin Rivers 8-5 Thursday. Payne also threw a complete-game win with five strikeouts. Doniphan (8-6) opened with a 3-0 lead after one inning before Twin Rivers (6-8) tied it in the third on a 2-run double by Jack LeGrand...