Stories from Sunday, November 23, 2014

After playing to near-capacity crowds for the past three years with "Christmas at the Rodgers" programs at the historic Downtown theater, musicians of the First United Methodist Church are "coming home" this year with two Christmas performances planned in the church sanctuary at 500 N. Main St...

The audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, which shows $10 million increases in assets and liabilities, was accepted by the Three Rivers College Board Wednesday. "Total assets increased by approximately $10,418,000, while total liabilities increased by approximately $10,059,000," said Steve Austin, a certified public accountant with the Kraft, Miles & Tatum firm in Poplar Bluff...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A local career training program is putting a little spice and sizzle in the community by preparing students, through the instruction of a chef with years of experience in the industry, for a career in the fast paced world of professional cooking...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer City Manager Heath Kaplan reversed course last week on a plan to close the Black River Coliseum for all but two days a week. Kaplan had requested a budget that would have kept the doors open only Fridays and Saturdays, just 104 days in 2015, and eliminated four full-time employees...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Conservative estimates place Black River Coliseum losses at a total of approximately $1 million over a five year period, between actual 2010 figures and the originally proposed 2015 budget. City manager Heath Kaplan believes the amount should be more than $650,000 higher each year, to include the cost of interest on the loan for construction of the coliseum, depreciation of the building and the amount of utility costs that are written off by the city annually...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor KENNETT, Mo. -- A Malden, Mo., woman made her first appearance in a Dunklin County court Friday morning after she was charged with causing the death of her 5-year-old daughter. Tina Diann Burton, 45, appeared before Associate Circuit Judge John Spielman for arraignment on the Class A felony of second-degree murder or in the alternative the Class C felony of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and the Class A felony of child abuse...

Find holiday decor close to home By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor Using reclaimed wood in decorating for the holidays is a win-win situation, interior designer Melissa Bowie told a group attending a recent Women Aware luncheon in the Holiday Inn Ballroom...

Friday, Nov. 14, 2014, was the 50th anniversary of Charles Herbert and Murlene (Bowen) Breece of Ellsinore, Mo. The couple was married Nov. 14, 1964 in an old-fashioned country church --the older building of the Friendship General Baptist Church with Rev. Junior Taylor officiating. The building is no longer standing and a new church stands across the road where the school used to be...

Courtney Arnold and Andy Thrasher, both of Jonesboro, Ark., exchanged vows Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014 at the First Church of God in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Pastor Ben Higgins officiated the double-ring ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Tony and Debbie Arnold of Poplar Bluff. Parents of the bridegroom are John and Debra Thrasher of Poplar Bluff...

Shannon Rahm and Josh Miller of Poplar Bluff, Mo. were married Saturday, June 28, 2014 at the Westwood Center Ballroom in Poplar Bluff. Luke Massey, uncle of the bride, officiated at the double-ring ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Susan and Bruce Rahm of Poplar Bluff...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer Did you realize of the approximately 41,383 residents of Butler County, Mo., 1 in 34 go to bed hungry? That's 1,217 children in the community who are currently battling hunger. Express Employment Professionals and The Bread Shed have partnered for this holiday season to "Feed the Need" in an effort to raise funds and to collect food for families and children who are less fortunate this holiday season...

Bagby plus 5 and Kaplan 0 The City Manager, and for that matter, every one that works for the city, are public servants. The public here in Poplar Bluff, more than any other priority need jobs. For many years, Poplar Bluff has had an eroding manufacturing base. ...

By MONA CHAREN "I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." President Obama twice pronounced those words. ...

By SHARON RANDALL Tribune News Service When you think of growing old, what's your greatest fear? Do you worry about having enough income to live on? I worry about that sometimes. But I think, hey, I've been poor before, there are worse things that could happen. I don't know what those things are, but I'm sure there are lots of them...

David Clayton NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- David "Dave" Clayton, 87, of Doniphan, Mo., died Friday, Nov. 21, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel, followed by a graveside service at 1:30 p.m. in the Fairdealing Cemetery...

Larry Woods Larry Woods, 73, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Arrangements are pending with Cotrell Funeral Service. A full obituary will appear in Monday's edition of the Daily American Republic...

Wyman Alliston NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Wyman G. Alliston, 91, of Neelyville died Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, at the Mark Twain Caring Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will begin at 12:30 p.m. today at Fowler-Sullivan Memorial Chapel in Neelyville, followed by the funeral at 2 p.m...

Mary Ann Moss Mary Ann Moss, 73, formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nev. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Charlotte Marie Snider, 91, of Van Buren died Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, at her son's home in Van Buren. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. Monday at McSpadden Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the United Methodist Church in Van Buren with the Rev. Jim Cooper officiating. Burial be in the Van Buren Masonic Cemetery...

John Green Sr. MALDEN, Mo. -- John Howard Green Sr., 88, of Malden died Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at the Golden Living Center in Malden. Mr. Green was born Nov. 30, 1925, at Malden. A member of the First General Baptist Church at Malden, he was a former Malden mayor and City Council member. He was retired from the Malden School system...

Bill Walsh KENNETT, Mo. -- When Bill Walsh arrived in Kennett in 1946, no one could have imagined the impact that this great man would leave on the fabric, culture and traditions of the community. Bill was born in Cape Girardeau, Mo., on Nov. 3, 1922. He spent his formative years moving to new towns and adopted Will Roger's philosophy: "Strangers are just friends I haven't met yet." He carried on this philosophy along with his strong character, for the rest of his life...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor Veterans and victims of domestic violence will benefit from fundraising events Wednesday and Friday, Dec. 5, at Black River Gallery, 502 Vine St., Poplar Bluff, Mo. Cape Arrowhead Inc., a Heartland Equine Learning Program located outside of Poplar Bluff, is sponsoring the two events...

JONESBORO, Ark. -- Poplar Bluff committed just seven more turnovers than its opponent Friday night but the Mules couldn't capitalize as well on the other end. Jonesboro (Ark.) scored 32 points off turnovers and held the Mules scoreless for nearly 4 minutes to beat Poplar Bluff 60-41 in the season opener for both teams...

MALDEN -- It was a year for the record books for the Malden Green Wave. Playing on the third Saturday in November, the Green Wave were just one step shy of playing in their first state title game since 1969. A great crowd on both sides of the field showed out at "The Swamp" as Lamar won 28-2 Saturday...

MALDEN -- After an entire season of scoring at will, the Malden Green Wave were silenced in the MSHSAA Class 1 semifinal Saturday at "The Swamp." The Green Wave only scored on a safety in the second quarter as top-ranked Lamar scored a touchdown in each quarter for a 28-2 victory and a fourth straight trip to the Edwards Jones Dome for the Show-Me Bowl...

Ray Martin NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Ray Martin, 90, of Fairdealing, Mo., passed away Nov. 19, 2014, at Southeast Health at Doniphan, Mo. He was born Jan. 20, 1924, in Raymond City, Va., to the late James Albert Martin and Lyda Bell Asbury Martin. On Dec. 23, 1946, at Pocahontas, Ark., he was married to Juanita Gaines. She survives...