Stories from Wednesday, February 4, 2015

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Following the death Sunday of two young boys in a house fire, city council member Peter Tinsley asked that everyone check their smoke detectors. Free smoke detectors are available to any community member who cannot afford one, Tinsley said Monday at the close of the city council meeting...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Discussion became heated Monday at a Municipal Utilities Advisory Board meeting after a city council member indicated Poplar Bluff would no longer pursue approximately $200,000 in debt owed by a former internet provider...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor MARBLE HILL -- A Zalma father and son were charged Monday in connection with the shooting death of a missing Bismarck man whose body recently was found in Black River in Wayne County. Russell Dale Mayberry, 30, was charged with the Class A felony of first-degree murder by Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney Heath Robins...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor A Butler County prosecutor dismissed a hindering prosecution (in a murder case) charge against an Arkansas woman in the midst of testimony Monday afternoon. Accompanied by her attorney, Jason Tilley, Tia Lee Cornelius was appearing before Associate Circuit Judge John Bloodworth for a preliminary hearing about her role in the murder case of a local man whose body was found near a boat launch in Black River...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A report outlining the city of Poplar Bluff's options for a new or repaired city hall could be complete by June, under a draft schedule for a feasibility study. City council members were asked at Monday's meeting to make citizen appointments to a committee that will help provide input and direction throughout the study...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor GREENVILLE -- Wayne County authorities continue their search for a man described as armed and dangerous who is accused of killing a man Sunday near Hiram. Michael Burkman is accused of killing John C. Fowler, 57, by shooting him multiple times with a shotgun...

Is city getting money's worth? Dear Speak Out....In the interest of prudent government spending I decided to do some research with regard to salaries public officials make. I was astounded when I discovered our current city manager makes more than the governor. ...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Beer, Benjamin Franklin supposedly said but almost certainly didn't, is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Without cannonballing into deep theological waters, perhaps Deflategate proves the same thing...

To the Editor: I am troubled by the current city government's continued attack on anyone who offers a dissenting opinion. I am particularly disturbed by City Manager Heath Kaplan's open challenge to a debate. It is display of anger and frustration, obviously intended to intimidate his opposition into silence. If he had pounded his chest and grunted (or ripped off his shirt and shouted "CAGE MATCH!") I would not have been terribly shocked...

A pair of home wins this past week have capped off a two week stretch for Alabama-Birmingham where it won 4-of-5 to get back above .500 for the season and in Conference play. Miranda Burroughs (Poplar Bluff HS) led Alabama-Birmingham in minutes in a 67-52 win over UTEP on Thursday. Burroughs played 36 minutes and finished with nine points, all on 3-pointers. She played another 36 minutes in a 16 point win over UTSA on Saturday and went 1-for-2 on 3-pointers...

BROSELEY -- They are both on opposite sides of the upcoming Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament bracket. But Naylor and Twin Rivers proved to be a fairly even matchup Monday night. Naylor led by four points at halftime, extended to 11 by the third quarter and took a 50-38 win despite making just one field goal in the fourth quarter on the Lady Royals' Senior Night...

Poplar Bluff made the most of a second chance after the Neelyville Lady Tigers missed one of many. Lexi Hafford knocked down a shot off an inbound pass with 2.3 seconds left, lifting the Lady Mules to a 42-40 win at Peters Gym. "I was looking at her, we made eye contact, she came running through and hit the shot," said Poplar Bluff senior Soley Webb of her second inbound pass...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff High School seniors will get a reality check this week. At least for a day, they will have to live like responsible adults. Ozark Federal Credit Union will sponsor a Reality Fair from 9-11 a.m. Wednesday at the high school. Seniors will be given a family, an income, bills and will have to purchase necessities from 38 local businesses, just like they will have to do in the near future...

BROSELEY -- There was a chance early in his recovery that Nathan Watson might be ready for basketball season after he injured his neck in a serious automobile wreck this past summer. Watson's neck, however, just didn't improve enough and he was ruled out for the season before it even started...

ORAN -- Although they struggled to score in the second half, the Greenville Lady Bears earned their fifth straight win Monday night by beating Oran 40-31. Greenville (15-6) netted just 13 second-half points on four field goals, but Oran managed just 15 points in that time span...

Doris (McBroom) McElroy Doris June (McBroom) McElroy, of Lincoln, Calif., formerly of Fisk, passed away Monday, Dec. 22, 2014. On June 27, 2014, she celebrated her 88th birthday. Doris graduated from Broseley High School in 1944 and from nursing training in 1952. She worked at the VA Hospital in Poplar Bluff before moving to California, where she worked as a RN until retirement. She met and married Ronald McElroy in 1953...

Harry Ross Jr. GREENVILLE, Mo.-- Harry T. Ross Jr., 81, of Greenville, died Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Greenville. The funeral Services will follow at noon Wednesday at the funeral home chapel...

Bobbie Schneiderheinze PUXICO, Mo.-- Bobbie Ann Schneiderheinze, 78, of Puxico, died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. She was born Feb. 21, 1936, at Harviell to the late Clarence Dolph and Beulah (Harty) Blagg. She was a retired customer service representative with Southwestern Bell...

Gertrude Hirtz GLENNONVILLE, Mo.-- Gertrude Bernadine Hirtz, 87, of Glennonville, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015 at The Manor in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Hirtz, daughter of Bernard Aloysious and Wilhelmina Bernadine Fortman Siebert, was born on Sunday, Nov. 20, 1927, in East St. Louis, Ill...