Stories from Thursday, August 7, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Neelyville School District fell just 27 votes short Tuesday of passing its first bond measure in more than 40 years. The $1.55 million proposal would have constructed a new building at Hillview and paid for district-wide roof repairs administrators say are desperately needed...

By SCOTT BORKGREN Sports Writer St. Louis doctors have diagnosed a Poplar Bluff football player with a rare heart condition that nearly took his life. Caleb Morrow, a sophomore on the football team, has Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, said Tim Krakowiak, communications and marketing coordinator for the Poplar Bluff school district...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor In a heated race to replace retiring long-time Division III judge Bill Clarkson, John Shock edged out Scott Dale by a mere 104 votes. Three hard-working candidates also made the presiding commissioner race interesting. Vince Lampe ended up being an easy winner over Larry Kimbrow with two-term incumbent Ed Strenfel finishing last...

Amanda Byrley NEELYVILLE, Mo. - Amanda Suzzette Byrley, 25, of Pocahantas, Ark., Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014, in Pocahantas. Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. Friday at Fowler Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville.

Robert Poff ANNA, Ill.-- Mr. Robert "Bobby" Joe Poff, 59 of Anna, died at 2:17 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014 at the Union County Hospital in Anna. He was born on March 26, 1955 in Chicago, the son of Robert J. and Hazel M. (Ballew) Poff. Robert was united in marriage to Donna Suetta Easton in 1976 in Chicago. She preceded him in death in November 1983...

Jane Diekemper CARLYLE, Ill. - Jane Diekemper, 92, formerly of Carlyle, Ill. and Doniphan, Mo., passed away on Thursday, July 31, 2014, at Meridian Village Care Center in Glen Carbon, Ill. America Jane Leroux Diekemper was born Nov. 11, 1921, near Corning, Ark., the daughter of William Arthur and Mary Anna Eliza (Crook) Leroux...

Charles Million Charles "Charlie" Merl Million, 60, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., went to Heaven Monday, Aug. 4, 2014, at his home in Butler County. Mr. Million was born Nov. 2, 1953, to Charles E. and Virginia Million in Poplar Bluff. On Feb. 15, 1974 he married Debra Ann McGarrity in Poplar Bluff...

Alberta Foley NEELYVILLE, Mo. - Alberta Louise "Bert" Foley, 89, of Naylor, Mo., died Monday, Aug. 4, 2014 at the Cedargate in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mrs. Foley born on Oct. 9, 1925 in Detroit, Mich. She was a homemaker. She enjoyed doing yard work and attending church at Naylor First Church of God, where she served on the church board...

Edward Gene Kaiser DONIPHAN, Mo. - Edward Gene Crader Kaiser, 89, died Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014. Visitation will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. A graveside service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Crader Family Cemetery in Marble Hill, Mo. There will be a gathering following the service at the Solid Rock Baptist Church in Marble Hill...

Lou Eller Blackshear DONIPHAN, Mo. - Lou Eller Mae (Beebe) Blackshear, 92, of Pocahontas, Ark., departed this life Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014, at the Randolph Home in Pocahontas. Mrs. Blackshear, daughter of Phillip and Mary (Brandon) Beebe, was born Nov. 14, 1921, in Kieser, Ark. She was a homemaker and enjoyed reading the Bible and rocking babies...

City's lawyers; who's paying? Here's a question: Why did the city council hire a local lawyer who says he doesn't have "the time" to get the city's legal work done and also says he needs "help" or does not have the skills to represent the city in the Bagby contract mess?...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Missouri Department of Conservation is partnering with the National Wild Turkey Federation and Quail Forever to provide mentored hunts for first-time dove hunters 8 years of age or older on five sunflower fields located on private land across the state and one on public land...

By MICHELLE MALKIN The lofty motto of the Environmental Protection Agency is "protecting people and the environment." In practice, however, EPA bureaucrats faithfully protect their own people and preserve the government's cesspool of manipulation, cover-ups and cronyism...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- John Kerry is upset by heavy criticism from Israelis -- left, right and center -- of his recent cease-fire diplomacy. But that's only half the story. More significant is the consternation of America's Arab partners, starting with the president of the Palestinian Authority. Mahmoud Abbas was stunned that Kerry would fly off to Paris to negotiate with Hamas allies Qatar and Turkey in talks that excluded the PA and Egypt...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor A month after a helicopter was used to spray herbicide on thick floating vegetation in Duck Creek Conservation Area's Pool 1, angler access has improved dramatically. "We got a good kill," said Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Management Biologist Paul Cieslewicz, who oversees Pool 1. "I'm happy, because this was completely non-fishable."...

By JOHN PRATT Mo. Dept. of Conservation Armadillos have colonized Missouri and are found statewide. At one time, it was thought armadillos would not be able to tolerate the cold winters Missouri is sometimes subject to. Perhaps by virtue of climate change or the fact armadillos are more adaptable than people believed, it appears armadillos are a permanent fixture in Missouri...

The first full practice of the football season came a day late and not a moment too soon for the Poplar Bluff Mules. After sophomore teammate Caleb Morrow collapsed at the beginning of practice Monday, required CPR, and was eventually air lifted to St. Louis (story on 1A), coaches cancelled practice...