Stories from Thursday, April 23, 2015

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The Twin Rivers R-X Board of Education breezed through a light agenda on Tuesday, actually voting on only one item - employee health insurance. Prior to addressing any action items, however, the board reorganized and reopened the meeting with Rodger Baxter as board president and Donna Sue Ashcraft-Fincher as vice president...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Consultants for Municipal Utilities say the city electric company needs to recover almost $220,000 in additional revenue each month from its rate payers to become financially stable. Advisory board members discussed options Monday for ways to meet that target through different rate increase structures and adjustments to the electric company's projected budgets...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor The Poplar Bluff City Council will have a special meeting at noon Thursday in City Hall to reorganize, but Mayor Angela Pearson will not be present. Pearson is suffering from a serious illness and remains in the intensive care unit today at St. Francis Medical Center at Cape Girardeau. She was hospitalized Monday prior to the council meeting...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Testimony resumed this morning in the trial of a Catron man accused of fatally shooting his son nearly three years ago while apparently high on bath salts. A jury of eight women and six men was chosen Monday night to hear the trial of Charles Goforth, who is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of his son, Patrick Goforth, 20...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Authorities are searching for a man who assaulted a Butler County Sheriff's deputy during a failed escape attempt Tuesday at the courthouse. According to the sheriff's department, a recently sentenced inmate tried to flee following a court appearance on the third floor. When she was apprehended on the first floor, her boyfriend placed Deputy Michael Jones in a chokehold in an attempt to free her...

Commerce Bank will discontinue service at the Poplar Bluff North Banking Center located at 2586 N. Westwood, and combine its local banking operations with the Poplar Bluff Main Banking Center located at 1100 West Pine. The change will take affect May 15...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Town & Country Grocers of Fredericktown will remodel its County Mart store on Highway 53 this summer, but will close its Cash Saver supermarket in the Poplar Bluff Square Shopping Center on June 15. "We plan to complete the remodeling project at County Mart in three months and we will make parking lot improvements," said Jim Hamblin, vice president and director of operations for Town & Country Grocers...

More than $8.1 million in prizes of $1,000 or more were awarded to Missouri Lottery players during March. Thousands of other prizes of less than $1,000 also were awarded during the month. Winners of $1,000 or more in March include the following: Pick 4 winners:...

Poplar Bluff High School seniors Namara Haq and Zain Siddiqui were selected as honorable mentions in the Missouri Scholars 100, a statewide program sponsored by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals that honors the top academic students in the graduating Class of 2015...

Where do you voice opinion? Yes, there's an article in today's paper where the postal workers said the change will cause delays. There's no number in that area where we could voice our opinion. Never has been. The Postal Service has never ever given an address or gave a phone number where you could call an express your opinion on the mail being changed. ...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The Three Rivers Buglers chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is finalizing plans for its 17th annual Big Game Banquet, which will be held May 9 at the Black River Coliseum. "We invite everybody to come down," said committee member Lenard Wagganer. "It's always a good time."...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Despite blustery winds Monday, Missouri turkey hunters managed to kill 6,707 birds on the season opener, a pretty substantial increase from last year's 5,831. "Given the winds, I wasn't optimistic at all," said Missouri Department of Conservation turkey biologist Jason Isabelle. "I really didn't expect hunters to take as many birds as they did."...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN The GOP swept to victory in November by declaring that this imperial presidency must be brought to heel, and President Obama's illicit seizures of Congressional power must end. That was then. Now is now. Congress is taking up legislation to cede His Majesty full authority to negotiate the largest trade deal in history, the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, and to surrender Congress' right to amend any TPP that Obama might bring home...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Syracuse University alumni are new additions to the lengthening list of persons who can stop contributing to their alma maters. The university has succumbed -- after, one suspects, not much agonizing -- to the temptation to indulge in progressive gestures. ...

Willa M. Gaede DEXTER, Mo.--Willa M. Gaede, 80, of Dexter, died Sunday, April 19, 2015 at her residence. Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. Thursday at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel with Rev. George Nite officiating. Burial will follow in the Dexter Cemetery...

CAMPBELL, Mo.--John Summers Sr., 72, amd Alma Summers, 72, both of Salem, died Saturday, April 18, 2015 at their residence. Visitation will be at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. Funeral services will follow at 10 a.m. in the Landess Funeral Chapel wth Brother Jerry Summers officiating...

Wanie Masters Wanie Masters, 94, of Bunker, formerly of Holcomb, died Monday, April 20, 2015, at Southbrook Skilled Nursing Center. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Donald Cox officiating...

Linda Patrick DEXTER, Mo. -- Linda Nea Patrick, 78, of Dexter, died April 17, 2015, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Chapel in Dexter.

Jamie Ray Ferrill QULIN, Mo.--Jamie Ray Ferrill, 40, of Doniphan, died Friday, April 3, 2015 at Qulin. He was born Nov. 17, 1974 at Poplar Bluff. Mr. Ferrill had formerly been a CNA. He presently was working as a millwright with the Millwrights Local Union 716 of St. ...

Jesse Lee Roy DONIPHAN, Mo.--Jesse Lee Roy, 83, of Doniphan, passed away Monday, April 20, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Jesse, son of Lewis Paul and Iva (Hogan) Roy, was born Jan. 12, 1932, in Manila, Ark. He was self-employed in farming. ...

T. J. "Bud" Stephens Jr. DEXTER, Mo.--T. J. "Bud" Stephens, 78, of Dexter, died Saturday, April 18, 2015, at his residence. Visitation has been rescheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter, The funeral will follow at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home chapel. Missouri military honors will follow in the Bloomfield Cemetery with Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Dexter in charge of arrangements...

Johnny Taylor Jr. DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Johnny Dewayne Taylor Jr. 42, of Doniphan passed away in his home on the morning of Sunday, April 19, 2015. He was born on March 5, 1973, in Doniphan. He was the only son of Johnny Taylor Sr. and Bobbie (Hendrix) Hemphill. He married Julie Blattel of Greenville on Aug. 14, 1996, at Holliday Landing Resort in Greenville...

Hilda Martin Hilda M. Martin, 95, of Poplar Bluff, died Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

One word accidentally omitted from an article about Mayor Pro Tem Jack Rushin that changed the whole meaning of the sentence. Rushin was alleged by a local attorney representing a Poplar Bluff citizen to have committed nepotism when he appointed a cousin, Greg West, to a citizen's committee studying city hall and what to do about its condition...

Betty Carolyn Gilberts AVA, Mo.--Betty Carolyn Gilberts, 76, of Ava, passed away Saturday, April 18, 2015, at Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare in Ava. Betty was born Dec. 24, 1938 in Marrilton, Ark., to Rev. Aubrey and Floreina Dorothy (Moore) Poteete...

Three walks and Kylee Hart was coming out. Neelyville coach Aaron Burton issued the challenge before Tuesday's first round matchup against Greenville in the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament. It didn't matter if the Neelyville junior pitcher was throwing a shutout. Three walks and she was done...

East Carter and Clearwater each have two seniors and a lot of underclassmen. Tuesday's winner ended up being the team that played beyond its years. The Lady Redbirds did a better job of minimizing nerves and youthful mistakes to beat Clearwater 5-2 in the first round of the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament on Tuesday at Rains Field...

Twin Rivers pitcher Kira Cunningham avoided a rain delay at Rains Field by less than five minutes. With storm clouds looming, Cunnningham allowed one hit over the final three innings to beat Doniphan 5-2 in the first round of the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament on Tuesday...

Nora Marshall Nora L. Marshall, 94, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Broseley, died Sunday, April 19, 2015, at Oakdale Care Center. She was born Feb. 22, 1921 in Kentucky to the late Thomas Crowell and Ellen Hooten Crowell. She was a longtime resident of Broseley. Nora was a member of the Heritage Freewill Baptist Church...

Jerry Butler Jerry Bobbie Butler, 67, of Poplar Bluff, died on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at St. Alexius Hospital in St. Louis. Jerry was born on Sept. 3, 1947, to Harvey and Lillie (Horn) Butler in Poplar Bluff. He attended Poplar Bluff Schools. He enlisted in The Marine Corp during the Vietnam War where he served overseas. Jerry owned and operated Jerry Butler's Auto Sales and Salvage for 38 years...

Thirty-five years after she competed in Poplar Bluff, Jackie Joyner-Kersee still holds the long jump record here. The six-time Olympic medalist named "The Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century" is coming back for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Banquet on Tuesday...

The Raiders gave up seven runs in a disastrous third inning, but nothing else. Three Rivers chipped away and scored four runs in the eighth to take the lead and beat Jefferson 9-7 on Tuesday at Roger Pattillo field. "I think our experience in close games and coming from behind gave us some confidence," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said...

BERNIE -- Top-seeded Bernie scored 12 runs in the second inning as it advanced to the Stoddard County Activities Association championship after a 17-1 win over No. 4 Woodland Tuesday afternoon. Austin Beck and Devin Trammel each had three hits and four RBIs for Bernie. Gavin Brown was 4-for-4 with a solo homer while Brock Beacham had three RBIs and Trey Kirkpatrick added two...