Stories from Thursday, November 6, 2014

By SAMANTHA RINEHART SEMO News Service For the second year in a row, Republican Jason Smith came out victorious over multiple opponents to represent Missouri's 8th Congressional District. Smith assumed the seat in June 2013 by winning a special election to complete the unexpired term of Jo Ann Emerson, who resigned earlier that year. He was up for re-election this year...

I -- Incumbent D -- Democrat R -- Republican L -- Libertarian CARTER COUNTY Presiding Commissioner D-Doral Rymer, 627 Clerk of Circuit Court D-Kendra Gore, 790 County Clerk D-Sara Rector, 723 Recorder of Deeds R-Jerriet Nicholson, 562 Treasurer D-Lisa Rodgers, 602...

By TYLER GRAEF SEMO News Service Missouri voters re-elected Republican Tom Schweich as State Auditor by more than 76 percent with 2,014 of 3,331 precincts reporting Tuesday evening. "I'd like to thank Missourians for entrusting me once again to be their State Auditor," Schweich said. "It's a tremendous honor. I've tried to be an aggressive but nonpartisan auditor and my focus has been rooting out waste, fraud and abuse, wherever they rear their heads in Missouri government."...

R-Republican D-Democrat L-Libertarian G-Green Party IND-Independent I-Incumbent U.S. Senate L-Nathan LaFrance, 69 G-Mark Swaney, 103 R-Tom Cotton, 2,253 D-Mark Pryor(I), 1,573 U.S. Rep. Dist. 1 R-Rick Crawford(I), 2,736 L-Brian Willhite, 169 D-Jackie McPherson, 1,052...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Republican Emily Clark Parks withstood a stiff challenge from write-in candidate Tammy Marler to win the contest for Butler County collector by only 437 votes in Tuesday's general election. Parks tallied 3,974 votes or 47.31 percent to 3,537 votes or 42.11 percent for Marler...

If God is a God of love, mercy and justice, and if He is truly concerned about the hate, prejudice and injustice in our world, then why is He seemingly silent and uninvolved in the affairs of men? The right answers will not be accepted by those asking such questions. ...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Students at Puxico R-8 Schools had fun while learning about drug prevention this past week as they celebrated Red Ribbon Week. Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States. This year, Red Ribbon Week was designated as Oct. 23-31...

McGEE, Mo. -- Duniphan family members came together from across the United States to celebration their ancestral home being named a Century Farm. Following is how the family came to settle in Southeast Missouri and how they built their home, farm and became a part of the community...

Students on the Puxico elementary school first quarter honor roll include:Fifth grade: Ethan Barnfield, Kaylea Dyer, William Dyer, Kirsten Evans, Chance Fowler, Taylor Hendry, Kyle Holden, Lydia Holden, Kayla Holt, David Holyfield, Liberty Jenkins, Jade Kerley, Collin Lewis, Alyssa Lyle, Tanner Melton, Devin Mondy, Jacey Parsley, Jerricka Powell, Kaydin Schulte and Jayden Strickland...

Puxico High School volleyball coach Sara Holloway announced three of her senior players have been named to the All-District teams. Samantha Cryts made All-District First Team and Sarah Copeland and Jessica Null made All-District Second Team. Cryts was also selected as All-Region Honorable Mention Team and is now eligible for the All-State Team selection...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Puxico R-8 Schools was recently awarded $4,000 through Fuel Up to Play 60. Fuel Up to Play 60 is a school-based nutrition and fitness initiative from the National Dairy Council and the National Football League in collaboration with the U.S. ...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Randy Braswell of Dexter Elks Lodge #2439 and his wife, Rita, were at Puxico Elementary School Oct. 28 to deliver dictionaries to the third grade students. A total of 57 students in the classes of Erin Armstrong, Kathy Faries and Dawna Leutert received a copy of "The Best Dictionary For Students."...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN After billions in attack ads that turned the approval ratings of almost every candidate, in both parties, upside down, Republicans appear primed to take control of Congress. Why are Democrats falling like dominoes? Easy. Theirs is the Party of Government. And government is failing. And their leader Obama projects diffidence and incompetence...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL A candlelight vigil was held Sunday evening in Veterans Park for Cecil Vincent Jr. Vincent, 50, who passed away Oct. 27 at his home in Puxico, Mo. was remembered for his love for his family, friends and community, his generosity and kindness for those in need and his fun-loving nature...

To the Editor: A special thank you goes to the NRA Foundation. The recent Area Trap Shoot held on Oct. 25th at the Poplar Bluff Gun Club, at which nine area schools participated, would not have been possible without the $19,000 grant received from the NRA Foundation. ...

By MICHELLE MALKIN Nasty New York Times editorial writer David Firestone pretends to care about campaign scare-mongering. But what he and his elitist ilk really fear are independent-thinking women who have dared to exercise their First Amendment powers to defend their Second Amendment rights...

How do you get in Speak Out? Yes. I'm a taxpaying citizen in Poplar Bluff. I have tried to get stuff put in Speak Out for like . . . a long time and I never get none of my stuff written in Speak Out. I would like to know why I don't get it in there or what do you got to do to get it put in there? Thank you very much. I read your paper every day. Thank you...

Oak Grove Elementary's first quarter honor roll: A Honor Roll 2nd Grade: Kaitlyn Booker, Jay Edmundson, Abbigail Hager, Destiny Jackson, Molly Maurer, Bryce Millner, Erica Snow, Harley Stilwell, Lauryn Wilkerson, Kylar Wilson, Victoria Conove, Makenna Decker, Cynthia Edwards, Molly McGath, Drew Moffitt, Connor Sisco, Drew Spradley, Haley Swavely, Aryanna Voshell, Jade Anderson, Madelyn Armstrong, Kole Bader, Isabella Bailey, Hunter Clifford, Katelyn Conover, Mackinley Cox, Tucker Fuemmeler, Charly Godwin, Parker Hickman, Joseph Long, Trevor Miller, Aubrea Morrow, Andrew Noble, Connor Stevens, Hunter Brown, Lacy Fleming, Hali Gilton, Benjamin Hicks, Madison Kingery, Gavin McNew, Jake Miller, Kyra Mizell, William Montgomery, Ashtyn Proffer and Tyler Weeks.. ...

Tim Hamm and Kerri Hilliard both of Maynard, Ark., have chosen the name Maddison Lee Hamm for their 5-pound, 5 ounce daughter born at 9:27 p.m. Tuesday Oct. 21, 2014 at NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro, Ark. Maddison was 18 inches long. She has two siblings Jaycee and Carmen Hamm. ...

It wasn't anything on paper that cost the Lady Raiders in their season opener. Three Rivers lost 94-74 to Vincennes (Ind.) on Tuesday at the Bess Activity Center. Out of the locker room, the Trailblazers did exactly that, clearing a path through the Lady Raider defense with multiple outlet passes to Jeanier Olukemi...

BONNE TERRE -- Jeffry Hardin and the Poplar Bluff Mules are on quite a run. Hardin netted a hat trick for the second time in three postseason games as the Mules advanced to the MSHSAA state quarerfinals for the first time with a 4-0 win at North County on Tuesday night...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Last weekend's cold, frosty conditions were nearly ideal, and the harvest for the first segment of the youth deer season was pretty good, though down from a year ago. Youngsters killed 18,091 deer statewide, a slight drop from last year's 18,676. Even with the drop, the harvest was the third largest since the season was split into two segments in 2008...

Alice M. Sims Alice M. Sims, 95, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10, at Geisens Funeral Home in Merrillville, Ind. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. Arrangements are under the direction of Fitch-Hillis Funeral Home. Online condolences: http://www.fitchhillisfh.com/...

Marion Weldon West Marion Weldon West, 85, of Poplar Bluff passed away Monday, Nov. 3, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. West was born Sept. 20, 1929 in Poplar Bluff to the late Henry Celester and Florence Mae (Briggs) West. He was a member of First United Methodist Church and Chamber of Commerce in Poplar Bluff. ...

Curtis "George" White MALDEN, Mo. -- Curtis "George" White, 76, of Malden, Mo., died Monday, Nov. 3, 2014, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at Landess Funeral Home chapel in Malden with the funeral beginning at noon in the chapel with Dr. Victoria Smith officiating. Burial will be in the Macedonia Cemetery in Malden...

Wanda M. McCubbin Wanda M. McCubbin, 84, of Lancaster, Mo. passed away on Monday, Nov. 3, 2014, at her son's home in Olathe, Kan. She was born in Moberly, Mo., on May 15, 1930, daughter of the late Brady and Maxa (Poe) Vanhuss. On Dec. 11, 1949, in Moberly, Wanda married Arthur Dennis McCubbin, who preceded her in death...

Andrew Pickard Andrew Wayne Pickard, 33, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Pickard was born March 20, 1981 in Poplar Bluff. He was a member of New Life Tabernacle Church in Poplar Bluff. He enjoyed going to church, collecting movies, watching television and playing cards...