Stories from Friday, May 16, 2014

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Attorney Robert Smith has accepted the position of interim city attorney. "I consider it to be an honor to serve the city," said Smith, who has been a lawyer since 1981. He replaces Wally Duncan, who served as city attorney for 27 years before resigning May 9...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor The investigation into the recent death of a Poplar Bluff, Mo., man who committed suicide while being held in the Butler County Justice Center indicates there was a pattern of escalating aggression in the days leading up to his death...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor City Prosecutor Wade Pierce submitted his letter of resignation to interim City Manager Mark Massingham today. Pierce has served as the city prosecutor in Poplar Bluff Municipal Court for 11 1/2 years. "As it is no longer economically viable for me to continue my relationship with the city, I have decided to terminate my professional services contract with the city of Poplar Bluff and resign as its prosecuting attorney. ...

According to the Vegetable Planting Calendar, you can plant hot pepper plants anytime between May 1 and 25. Hot pepper varieties you want to plant include Hungarian Yellow, Jalapeno, Habanero, Charleston Hot, Scotch Bonnet, Jalapeno Mitla, Long Thick Red, Ring of Fire, and Copacabana...

Tyler Wayne and Courtney Ann Taylor of Neelyville, Mo., have chosen the name Tyler Wayne Wedo Taylor for their 4-pound, 11-ounce son born at 9 a.m., Thursday, April 24, 2014. He was 18 inches long. Grandparents are Paula Hubbard of Neelyville, Michael Spears of Fairdealing, Mo., Tamara Taylor and Kevin Taylor, both of Neodesha, Kans...

Thomas M. Hime PIEDMONT, Mo. --Thomas "Tom" M. Hime, 31, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Piedmont, died Sunday, May 11, 2014, at his residence. Memorial visitation will be held from 1-2 p.m. Saturday at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Memorial services will follow at 2 p.m. at the funeral home chapel...

New council mere puppets Yes, I see that Mr. Becker and Mr. West want to see change in the city. Oh! Wait it's not them. It's Mayor Pearson. I cannot believe they fired Doug Bagby who has done more for this city than any city manager that we have had in years. ...

Frank Earl, Jr. Frank Earl, Jr., 75, of Alton, Ill., died Monday, May 5, 2014, at his residence in Alton. Visitation will begin at noon Saturday at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home...

Freda E. Rayfield PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Freda E. Rayfield, 90, of Piedmont, Mo., died Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be held at 5:30 p.m. Saturday for the family and from 6-8 P.M. for the public at Ruegg funeral home in Piedmont with the service following at 3 p.m. Sunday. Burial will be at the Masonic Cemetery...

By MONA CHAREN The headline looks like a hoax-- saturated fat does not cause heart disease -- but it's real. This news is more than just another example of changing health guidelines; it's a cautionary tale about trusting the scientific consensus. For more than 50 years, the best scientific minds in America assured us that saturated fat was the enemy. Animal fat, we were instructed, was the chief culprit in causing obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease...

To the Editor: Anger is a word I've heard referenced often in our city as of late. The very people to whom the citizens of Poplar Bluff have entrusted community leadership have instilled this. To the members of the city council who found it necessary to fire our city manager, please realize that it is not just the waste of a valued and knowledgeable employee that makes me burn with enough contempt for you to write this letter. ...

By MICHELLE MALKIN On "Fox News Sunday," anchor Chris Wallace credited his guest, Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, with leading the nation as the "first state to fall out of the Common Core national education standards." If only it were true. Wallace didn't do his homework. And presidential aspirant Pence was too busy daydreaming about 2016 to correct him...

Lucas Tibbs didn't know where to start his search for a college where he could play baseball and study biology. "Really nobody tells you what to do or how to get there," Tibbs said. "It's kind of a struggle." The Poplar Bluff senior's journey ended recently with his signing a Letter of Intent to attend Lindenwood University, a Division II school...

Irvin Williams PARMA, Mo. -- Irvin LaVern Williams, 89, of Sikeston, Mo. died Tuesday, May 13, 2014, at his home. Visitation will be held after 1 p.m. Friday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Parma with a graveside service and burial following at 3:30 p.m. ...

Bryan K. Bailey MALDEN, Mo. -- Bryan Keith Bailey, 49, of Malden, Mo., died Tuesday, May 13, 2014, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be at noon Friday until the funeral begins at 2 p.m. Visitation and the funeral will be held at the Bradshaw Funeral Home Chapel in Malden. Burial will be at Memorial Park in Malden...

William Sanders MALDEN, Mo.--William Monroe Sanders, 84, of Malden, died Tuesday, May 13, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday at the Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden. Funeral services will follow at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden with Mr. Jerry Pleasant officiating...

Nathan Glen Withrow Nathan Glen Withrow, 53, died suddenly and unexpectedly Sunday, May 4, 2014, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Nathan was born May 16, 1960, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. to James and Wantona (Spencer) Withrow. He was employed as supervisor of technicians with ProNet...

Lindenwood-Belleville freshmen Cory Kovach (Naylor HS) and Chance Berry (Poplar Bluff HS) have made it to the semifinals of the USCAA National Championship. Lindenwood-Belleville, the No. 2 seed beat The Apprentice School 6-1 to advance to the championship game. The Apprentice School will play top seeded University of Cincinnati-Clermont this morning with the winner playing Lindenwood-Belleville at 2:30 p.m. in the double elimination tournament...