Stories from Saturday, November 1, 2014

By ALEX WEST Staff Writer This year the Child Concern Center has embraced transformation at its new location at 601 Poplar Street in Poplar Bluff, and now it is building on that change with a new director and new store hours. Kelli Crowley of Ellsinore, Mo., became the center's first full-time director in September. Crowley was previously employed in healthcare administration...

Poplar Bluff, Mo., artist Judy Smith has been awarded Best of Show by juror Cleda Curtis Neal at the 61st Annual Poplar Bluff Artists' Guild Juried Regional Art Exhibit. Her gourd "Wise Giant" will be on display with other winning pieces at the Margaret Harwell Art Museum, 421 N. Main St., through Nov. 30...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor The Poplar Bluff Fire Department recently took steps to protect its personnel should severe weather hit by installing above-ground storm shelters at two of its stations. "Last year, one of the younger (firefighters), Chad Bell, asked about where they go at station (No.) 3 (on Highway 53) in case of a storm," explained Fire Chief Ralph Stucker. " ... We've always been out on calls...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Reading has always been a struggle for one O'Neal Elementary teacher, but the man never let those difficulties stop him from realizing the dream he had of becoming an educator and now a published author. Charles Gearhart will hold a book signing from 2-5 p.m. Saturday at Hastings for his children's book "Never Nurse a Grudge."...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Several Ellsinore homes were evacuated and school buses rerouted while authorities were on the scene of an alleged domestic assault for eight hours Thursday morning. A call came into the Carter County communications center just after midnight reporting an alleged ongoing domestic assault at a home inside in the Ellsinore city limits, according to Sheriff Rick Stephens, who indicated someone within the home called authorities...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The greatly improved west end of Oak Grove Road was opened to traffic Thursday following a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the project's completion. "Remember the dip and curves and how dangerous it was. This is a great day," said Steve Halter, president of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce. "Everyone is extremely happy. The school system and the parents are thrilled."...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Five of the six area counties have contests for county officials. Carter County voters will decide races for presiding commissioner, circuit court clerk, county clerk, recorder of deeds and treasurer and help decide a contest for District 153 state representative...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Neelyville R-IV Board of Education met with architects from McCaul-McCaul Associates on Thursday to discuss district improvements and the possibility of placing a bond issue on the ballot to fund them. "We are going to look at the feasibility of the different ideas, come up with a phased approach that will not only give them short term, but long term plans and then try to establish a reasonable boundary for the first step, which will be this bond issue," said Architect Chris McCaul.. ...

Theaellis Wallace Theaellis Wallace, 57, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Memorial service will be at noon Saturday at Loving Jesus Ministries, 2663 Thomas St. Poplar Bluff. Online Condolences: www.fowler-sullivanfuneralhome.com...

Gertrude Johnson DONIPHAN, Mo.-- Gertrude Anna Mae Johnson, 85, of Doniphan, died Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Memorial Services for Mrs. Johnson will be held at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, at the American Legion of Doniphan.

Charles Caraker PANA, Ill.-- Charles F. Caraker, Sr., 79, of Pana, died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014 at Heritage Health, Pana. He is survived by his children: John E. Caraker, Pana; James E. Caraker and wife, Christina, and Jeffery E. Caraker and wife, Jessicah, all of Taylorville, Ill.; Ruth Irene Hathaway and fiancé, Brad Siebert, Vandalia, Ill.; Charles F. ...

Jerry Wayne Hicks KENNETT, Mo.--Jerry Wayne Hicks, 69, of Steele, Mo. died Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014 at Great River Medical Center in Blytheville, Ark. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Saturday at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Kennett, Mo. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Bradshaw Chapel in Kennett. Burial will be in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton, Mo...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "A mass movement," wrote Eric Hoffer in "The True Believer," "appeals not to those intent on bolstering and advancing a cherished self, but to those who crave to be rid of an unwanted self. "Their innermost craving is for a new life -- a rebirth -- or, failing this, a chance to acquire new elements of pride, confidence, hope, a sense of purpose, and worth by an identification with a holy cause."...

To the Editor: Pharmacists as do most professions have an unwritten brotherhood because we all face or have faced the same problems. There were those long hours of study and poverty in a difficult school. Then there are difficult people we all have to deal with at times as well as the problems with modern technology, insurance companies and our government...

To the Editor: Doctors come and doctors go in Poplar Bluff, but Ben Till and Kirby Turner came and stayed, which has turned out to be a great thing for our community. The two 1964 graduates of the University of Missouri (Columbia) School of Medicine were honored for their 50 years of medical practice in special ceremonies on the Mizzou campus this past weekend. Both are tremendously deserving of the accolades...

The South Poplar Bluff General Baptist Church recently called a new pastor, Michael D. Pope. He moved here Sept. 8 from Fayette, Mo., after eight years of employment in church relations and recruiting for Central Methodist University. Rev. Pope brings 25 years of professional ministry experience to the SPBGB congregation...

By GEORGE F. WILL MCDONOUGH, Ga. -- In a sun-dappled square decorated with scores of entrants in the community's Halloween scarecrow contest, a balky sound system enables, if barely, the Republican U.S. Senate candidate to exhort a few hundred people, mostly supporters, to urge neighbors to vote to reduce Sen. Harry Reid to minority leader. The exhorter is David Perdue, a glutton for punishment who has been campaigning incessantly for 15 months and may be doing so for two more...

Maona Kysar Maona Kysar, 80, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away peacefully on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014 in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Kysar was born March 15, 1934 in Butler County to the late Ralph and Genettie Hill Brown. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and was a homemaker. Mrs. Kysar loved spending time with her family, especially with her granddaughter, music, traveling, playing bridge, flowers, reading, bowling, volleyball and swimming...

FARMINGTON -- Poplar Bluff's long district drought in soccer ended in the rain Thursday night. The top-seeded Mules scored a pair first-half goals and held on for the 2-0 win over the host and second-seeded Farmington Knights in the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 championship game...

Three Poplar Bluff businesses were honored at the Oct. 9 meeting of the Poplar Bluff Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the West Side Church of God. American Superstores, Ozark Federal Credit Union, and Baldwin Automotive Group were recognized for their outstanding displays of the United States flag. ...

Neelyville Elementary First Quarter Honor Roll 2014 "A" Honor Roll Third Grade: Lora Ainley, Tanner Armes, Chris Crowder, Delayni Dobbins, Hannah Hover, Jason Liau, Avery Schiller, Chloe Smith, Curtis Williams Fourth Grade: Ryan Brown, James Buffington, JD Burton, Brock Davis, Ella Eaker, Shawn Edwards, Hank Gilmore, Preston Goodnight, Jonathan Hall, Hanna Herald, Tanner Kelsey, Breanna Pennington, Austin Sheppard...

Louis Weaver, 80, of Glendale, Calif., was arrested at 1:47 p.m. Thursday on a Wright County warrant for no valid license. He was booked a the Stoddard County Jail. _ Travis S. Hopper, 22, of Puxico, was arrested at 11:53 p.m. Thursday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license...

Marjorie Belknap Marjorie Mae Belknap, 93, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014. Marge was born on July 18, 1921 to the late Marie VanDyne Boeving and the late Hugo Boeving. After graduating from Poplar Bluff High School in 1938, she earned a degree from Fontbonne College in St. Louis, Mo., graduating in 1943. She married James Elbert Belknap on March 16, 1944 at Sacred Heart Parish in Poplar Bluff...

City firefighters responded to an alarm at 4:21 p.m. Thursday on the Poplar Bluff Medical Center campus at 3100 Oak Grove Road. Employees reported the smell of smoke. Thermal imaging camera scans of lighting and HVAC systems showed no signs of fire. Further investigation revealed a computer in a nurses station overheated...

Willie J. Nance, 62, of the 1200 block of Fairmount was booked at the Butler County jail Thursday on a probation violation warrant on the original charge of stealing. _ Gregory K. Richie, 38, of the 400 block of Davis was booked at the Butler County jail Thursday on suspicion of two counts of distribution of a controlled substance near public housing...