Stories from Thursday, March 12, 2015

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Last week's U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba included rice farmers from Butler County, who said there are many local benefits to re-opening trade with the cloistered nation. The ag delegation comes in the wake of presidents Barack Obama's and Raul Castro's December 2014 announcement that the United States and Cuba would restore diplomatic ties, which were severed in 1961...

SIKESTON -- A ribbon cutting for the new location of Three Rivers-Sikeston will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, March 20, at the new facility at 1400 S. Main. Following the ribbon cutting, an open house will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. "We are extremely proud of the new facility," said Three Rivers-Sikeston Director Missy Marshall. ...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor MALDEN -- The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a non-fatal officer-involved shooting, which occurred Tuesday evening when Malden officers confronted a man allegedly armed with a handgun. At about 5:20 p.m., Malden police officers responded to the area of Frisco Park regarding a reported suicidal subject, according to a news release from Sgt. Kevin Hunter, public information officer for the patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control...

It was the last night of Jesus' earthly life, and the last time He would eat the Passover feast with His apostles before His Crucifixion. About six months before this He had begun to intensify His teaching and prepare His beloved apostles for this night by telling them He would be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified...

The Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation (DAEOC) Head Start/Early Head Start Program will be hosting its annual book drive during the month of March in order to promote Family Literacy. The program will be accepting donations for new or gently used books for children ages birth to 5 years old. You may call 222-2434 and arrange someone to come pick them up or drop off books at the school located at Puxico Head Start, 150 S. Hickman, P.O. Box 539, Puxico, MO 63960...

The American Red Cross encourages eligible blood donors to become everyday heroes by giving blood in celebration of Red Cross this March. Since 1943, every president has designated March as Red Cross Month-a time to recognize those who support the Red Cross. Local communities depend on the Red Cross, which relies on donations of time, money and blood to fulfill its humanitarian mission...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL A hearing was held March 2 at Puxico City Hall to discuss the proposed increases to the city's water rates. Mayor Rick McLean, Ward I Alderman G.S. Kilbreth, Puxico City Clerk Alice Patrick and David Hawthorne, maintenance supervisor, were present at the hearing. No one from the public came forward to comment on the proposed rates during the hearing...

Editor's Note: First in a three-part series on the candidates for the Puxico R-8 School Board. By MICHELLE L. VARVIL The Puxico R-8 School District has been a huge part of incumbent school board member John Davis' life. Davis is seeking his eighth term on the Puxico R-8 Board of Education in the April 7 election...

Editor's Note: This is the first of two stories on the marshal candidates. By MICHELLE L. VARVIL Incumbent Marshal Daniel Dew will face Rick Sheren in the April 7 municipal election. Dew, who was appointed by Mayor Rick McLean to fill the rest of Johnny Clark's term when he retired Aug. 31, 2014, said, earning the trust of the public is very important to him...

By MICHELLE L. VARVIL The art department at Puxico R-8 Schools is hosting visiting artist Teva Chaffin this week. Chaffin, who started her work with Puxico students Monday, is spending this week demonstrating and teaching art students in sixth-12th grade how to make jewelry from precious metal clay (PMC), a mixture of fine silver microscopic particles mixed with an organic binder. ...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge and the Missouri Department of Conservation will be sponsoring a skills session from 8 a.m.-noon March 21 at the visitor center at Mingo NWR. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello Lake and MDC will be holding a skills session from 8 a.m.-noon March 28 at the Bill Emerson Memorial Visitor Center...

Mingo National Wildlife Refuge will sponsor a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) employment program for the summer of 2015. This is a long standing educational work program at the refuge, spanning 30 plus years. The eight-week educational work program, scheduled from June 1 to July 24, 2015, is for young men and women, 15 (before or on first day of work) through 18 years of age (cannot reach 19 during duration of program)...

MDC recently revised its Hunter Education curriculum to enhance student convenience and emphasize mentorship and hands-on training. The new, more flexible program is divided into two parts. The first part provides necessary knowledge about hunting equipment, safety, and ethics through either an online course or a self-paced student manual. The second part consists of a mandatory four-hour hands-on skills session and a 35-question multiple-choice exam...

Jonnie Maddox Jonnie Maddox, 61, of Dudley died March 3, 2105 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Services were held March 9 at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico. Bro. Terry Stockman officiated. Burial followd in the Rock Hill Cemetery near Puxico. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico in charge of arrangements...

Seaca Foerster Seaca Foerster, 95, died Feb. 27, 2015 at Mark Twain Nursing Home in Poplar Bluff with her son at her beside. Services were held March, 3, 2015 at McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren. Burial followed in the Dry Valley-Poca Hollow Cemetery...

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. --The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello Lake has entered into an agreement with the Wayne County Sportsmen Association for land and wildlife management. The Wayne County Sportsmen Association will manage 400 acres located on Wappapello Lake in the Sulphur Springs, Berry Springs and Kirkpatrick Cemetery areas...

NAYLOR -- The celebration lasted through a team dinner Saturday night for the Naylor Lady Eagles. Then reality set in. The Lady Eagles had to start planning and preparing for the MSHSAA Class 1 Show-Me Showdown which starts at noon Thursday against Tuscumbia at the Hearnes Center on the campus of the University of Missouri...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Mingo National Wildlife Refuge will sponsor a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) employment program for the summer of 2015. This is a long-standing educational work program at the refuge, spanning 30-plus years. The eight-week educational work program, scheduled from June 1-July 24 is for young men and women, 15 (before or on the first day of work) through 18 years of age (cannot reach 19 during duration of program)...

To the Editor, I am the President of AFGE Local 2338. We represent about 600 proud-hardworking employees, whose primary goal and purpose is to provide the best quality of care to our nation's heroes. I am very honored to work beside and represent these employees, because they are some of the best in the nation...

Clean Qulin's dirty streets I can't be the only person who has a comment about the city streets in Qulin. Maybe the schools should be moved to Fisk. At least their streets are clean. Who vetted Kaplan hiring? Thank you, DAR, for doing the background work on the track record of our city manager, Heath Kaplan. ...

Merl Nash WAPPAPELLO, Mo.--Merl Elaine Nash, 89, of Wappapello, formerly of Haines City, Fla., passed away, Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Nash was born Feb. 14, 1926 in Perryville, to the late Clyde and Carrie Preston Franklin. ...

NEW PORT RICHEY -- After much delay, the Raiders finally kicked off their season against a team that was already in midseason form. Pasco Hernando, out of Dade City, Fla., has already piled up 19 games while the Raiders haven't been able to practice outside the past three weeks...

Randy Matkin Claude Randall "Randy" Matkin of Poplar Bluff, formerly of Arcadia, Mo., passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 3, 2015, surrounded by family and dear friends. Born Feb. 10, 1952, Randy was known for his generosity, his easy laugh, and his love of good food and rock and roll music. His passion for the hills and forests of Missouri earned him the nickname "Mountain Man" or sometimes just MO...

Robert Bennett DEXTER, Mo.--Robert Tracy Bennett, 53, of Dexter died Thursday, March 5, 2015 at the Southeast Healthcare Center of Stoddard County in Dexter. Visitation was held after 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Memorial services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter with Harold Morrow, minister of Jehovah's Witnesses of Dexter, officiating...

MoDOT awards Wayne Co. contracts PIEDMONT -- Contracts for two projects in Wayne County were awarded Tuesday by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. Pace Construction Company was awarded a $3,279,000 contract for resurfacing Highway 34 in Wayne and Reynolds counties. The firm also will add shoulders and rumble strips along this stretch of Highway 34 between Wayne County Road 431 and Reynolds County Road 580...

Lonnie Earl Lipsey WAPPAPELLLO, Mo. -- Lonnie Earl Lipsey, 67, of Puxico passed away Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at his residence. Mr. Lipsey was born March 1, 1948 at Coon Island to the late Lee Ervin and MaeBell Lebo Lipsey. On Dec. 18, 1994 he married Phillis J. Marbut in Van Buren. She survives of the home...

NAYLOR -- The 2010 Naylor Lady Eagles team that reached the MSHSAA Class 1 Show-Me Showdown isn't a forgotten memory at all to the current players. That team led by senior Moriah Goodrum, junior Katelyn Hughey and a cast of underclassmen made their mark in school history...

Earl Holley Earl F. Holley, 71, of Poplar Bluff, died Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

JACKSON -- There weren't a lot of tears from the Lady Bearcats afterwards. After all, with one exception, they all have another shot next season. Dexter, which will lose one senior, held the lead most of the night, but fell 66-61 in overtime to an older and taller North County squad in the first round of the MSHSAA Class 4 state playoffs Tuesday...

Jesse Bartlett MALDEN, Mo.--Jesse Frank Bartlett, 86, of Parma, died Sunday, March 8, 2015 at Southeast Healthcare of Stoddard County in Dexter. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Friday at the County Parma General Baptist Church in Parma. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Parma General Baptist Church in Parma with Rev. Keith Kennedy officiating. Landess Funeral Home of Malden is in charge of arrangements...