Stories from Monday, November 10, 2014

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A cultural archive that contains more than 500,000 pieces of Ozark history is getting a digital face-lift. A database created by the Ozark National Scenic Riverways tracks the people, places and times preserved in artifacts and oral histories collected over the last four decades...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff Veterans' Council will host a Veterans Day program 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Black River Coliseum Veterans' Wall to honor the men and women past and present who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The ceremony will feature the posting of colors by American Legions Riders of Brown-Mabry Chapter 153, a wreath presentation by Ladies Auxiliary VFW Post 29, a POW/MIA remembrance led by Cape Arrowhead Director John Fuller, a 21-gun salute by the SEMO Veterans Honor Guard and other invocations and remarks.. ...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor An auction/lasagna dinner to benefit Cape Arrowhead and the Veterans Wall will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Black River Art Gallery at 502 Vine St. Art work and many other items donated by individuals and businesses will be auctioned off to raise funds to support Cape Arrowhead's Heartland Equine Learning Programs which use horses to help returning veterans and autistic children learn to live life more successfully...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer An event held Friday to assess Butler County's ability to respond to an Ebola outbreak opened an important discussion about the day-to-day concerns of working with infectious diseases, according to emergency workers. More than 30 health officials, members of law enforcement and first responders met for a tabletop exercise to determine the steps they would take to care for patients infected with Ebola...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer POPLAR BLUFF, Mo.-The Office of Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster is seeking the arrest of both the owner and the sales team manager of Midwest Public Auction (MWPA) in Poplar Bluff, alleging each of five counts of felony deceptive business practices...

SAIPAN - Reagan Myers, 16, was honored Friday as the 2014 Marianas Islands Young Citizen of the Year by the CNMI Salvation Army. Myers, along with his parents Lori and Robbie, are from Poplar Bluff, Mo., and are serving as missionaries in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)...

Kelleyanne Elizabeth Gordon of Troutville, Va., and Tracy "Trey" Lee Montpetit II of Haverhill, Mass., exchanged vows Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014 at Springhouse Reception Hall in Lynchburg, Va. Michael Bell, the bride's step-father, officiated over the double-ring ceremony...

Linda Spurlock Reuter and Larry Dean Randl, both of Poplar Bluff, Mo., were united in marriage Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 at the Eagles Hall in Poplar Bluff. Officiating at the double-ring ceremony was Jared Baker of Gatewood, Mo. The bride is the daughter of the late Joe and Vella Spurlock...

The Daily American Republic knows it's true: Reading ROCKS! Studies show - and teachers know - that kids who enjoy reading do better in school and do better in life. That's why the Daily American Republic has decided to be a focal point this year for collecting children's books to give away during Santa Land - the one-day community Christmas festival held annually at the Black River Coliseum...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- Memo to the GOP. You had a great night on Tuesday. But remember: You didn't win it. The Democrats lost it. This is not to say that you didn't show discipline in making the election a referendum on six years of Barack Obama. You exercised adult supervision over the choice of candidates. You didn't allow yourself to go down the byways of gender and other identity politics...

Downtown never will be same There will never be a downtown like there used to be. We had lots of nice stores and they brought Walmart in and they all went out, so that's the last of them in town. It will never be the same! Thank you. Mayor breaks tie...

Dora Halford CORNING, Ark. -- Dora Mae Halford, 94, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was born Jan. 8, 1920 in Pocahontas, Ark., to Jimmy and Mae (Flanery) Holland. She passed away Friday, Nov. 7, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, surrounded by family...

Helen Haywood, 91, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Nov. 7, 2014, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service of Poplar Bluff.

By SHARON RANDALL McClatchy-Tribune News Service What do you do when you get lonely? Is there some secret magic trick to make it go away? October is history, and if you're like me, you might be trying to remember which end of a turkey to stuff. But before moving on to other holidays, I want to talk about what I did on Halloween...

Terry Simmons Terry Edward Simmons, 61, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, Nov. 7, 2014, at Clark Mountain Nursing Home, in Piedmont, Mo. Mr. Simmons was born April 5, 1953, in Poplar Bluff, to the late Edward Simmons and Mary Lea Simmons Bland...

Goldia Underwood FLORENCE, Ore. -- Goldia Nations Underwood, 90, passed away in her sleep Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014. She was born March 24, 1924, in Butler County, Mo., and she lived for many years in the Poplar Bluff area. Goldia went to high school in Qulin, Mo., where she played basketball. She met her future husband, James Underwood, through that mutual interest. Together, they had two children: Beverly and Richard...

Peggy Hargrove QULIN, Mo. -- Peggy Hargrove, 79 of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Saturday Nov. 8, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. White-Sanders Funeral Home at Qulin is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences: www.whitesandersfuneralhome.com...

Butler County firefighters responded to a structure fire at 2:01 a.m. Friday at 69 Baker Lane. The home, owned by Bill Baker, was destroyed. Firefighters cleared the scene at 4 a.m. Poplar Bluff firefighters responded to a false alarm at 9:26 a.m. Thursday at 124 N. 10th St. Upon arrival an alarm malfunction was determined...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Mary Florence Johnson, 97, of Sikeston, died Friday, Nov. 7, 2014, at the Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born June 12, 1917, in Corinth, Miss., to the late Charles W. and Mary Harriet Sanders Pittman, she was a life-long member of the Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Sikeston, where she had served as a Sunday school teacher. She was a member of the VFW Post 3174 Ladies Auxiliary...

By BRIAN ROSENER and DONNA FARLEY Staff Writers Poplar Bluff High School's first state soccer quarterfinal appearance featured plenty of drama, even before kickoff. Social media was abuzz Friday with students and parents claiming that players were suspended, then reinstated Saturday morning for the game, which the Mules lost to Webster Groves 2-0...

Aaron and Stacy Newman of Ellsinore, Mo., have chosen the name Eli McCoy Newman for their 7-pound, 6-ounce son born at 11:11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Eli was 21 inches long. Grandparents are Buddy and Erin Strack of Poplar Bluff, Tim Newman and Renee Newman, both of Ellsinore...

MALDEN -- The Malden Green Wave celebrated their first district title in 14 years with fireworks Friday night. And there were plenty of fireworks during the game as well. With a 61-16 win over Caruthersville in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 title game, the top-seeded Green Wave advanced to the state quarterfinal...

JEFFERSON CITY -- After running at the MSHSAA cross country championship for the first time, Isaiah Williams is already making plans for next year. "Not really sure what time to shoot for," said Williams who turned in a time of 16 minutes, 56.33 seconds Saturday morning...

Richard Cowin ELLSINORE, Mo. -- Richard Lloyd Cowin, 78, of Ellsinore died Friday, Nov. 7, 2014 in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born May 14, 1936 in Carter County, Mo. to the late Oather D. and Ava Mae (Daniels) Cowin. Richard was a lifelong resident of Carter County; where he resided in Ellsinore for the past 22 years. As a young man he served in the United States Army during the era of the Berlin Crisis...

WEBSTER GROVES -- One good defensive team ran into another Saturday in the MSHSAA Class 3 quarterfinal. Poplar Bluff, which hadn't allowed a postseason goal, had trouble generating offense against top-ranked Webster Groves as the Statesmen edged the Mules 2-0...

With 10 minutes to go in the game, Olive-Harvey's Jalen Norwood stole the ball near midcourt and had an open path to an easy layup. Trey Moore, though, sprinted back on defense and swatted a clean block off both the backboard and Norwood that brought the Raider bench to its feet...

After two disheartening losses to open the season, the Lady Raiders went from foie-gras dribble drives to meat-and-potatoes free throws. Three Rivers coach Jeff Walk wanted his team to keep things simple Saturday, which the young lineup doesn't know the recipe yet...