Stories from Monday, December 7, 2015

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Tis the season of giving, but also of "taking" for some criminals. In light of statistics that show increased thievery and property crimes around Christmas, police are offering some helpful advice. "We see an increase in thefts from vehicles, burglary, identity theft can spike. People need to be aware of this and be cautious in what they do around the holiday season," said Poplar Bluff Police Deputy Chief Jeff Rolland...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff, Mo., officials may owe NewWave Communications a nearly $1.8 million refund from the sale in 2014 of city cable services. Poplar Bluff City Council members will discuss a "post reconciliation agreement" Monday as a workshop item...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Local firefighters would like to remind the community as Christmas approaches to practice care and follow important safety tips regarding live trees and other holiday decorations. Christmas trees and holiday lights, according to several fire safety organizations, are the source of hundreds of house fires and millions in damage every holiday season in the U.S...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The staff at the Behavioral Health Group of Poplar Bluff -- one of a handful of medication assisted treatment facilities (methadone clinics) in southern Missouri -- hopes to counteract the effects of opiate addiction in the community as use of those drugs continues to rise...

AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary to Post #29 met at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 2 at the Post home. After the opening ceremonies and prayer, reports were read and approved. Committee reports were submitted by committee chairs. Membership reported 25 life members, 15 renewals, and one new for a total of 41 members...

Three Rivers College nursing students Walter Rommel of Broseley and Kathleen Soriano of Poplar Bluff have been awarded the Louise Shull Medler Memorial Scholarship. It awards both students funding to cover the cost of the NCLEX-RN licensing exam after the completion of their studies...

The Poplar Bluff Municipal Library is honored to host an exhibition of award-winning photographs from the 10th annual Mingo Swamp Flora & Fauna Photography Contest, on loan from the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Lasting through Dec. 30, the exhibit is open to the public and admission is free...

The Poplar Bluff Municipal Library building recently received a facelift and looks younger than its 80 years as the library staff prepares for its Centennial Year 2016. The exterior trim is power-washed and sports a fresh coat of white paint. A new roof on the 1936 structure is complete with exterior and interior lighting brought up to full brightness...

Shelvagene Miller MALDEN, Mo.--Shelvagene Miller, 78, of Malden, died Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, at the Golden Living Center in Malden. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Sunday at the Landess Chapel in Malden. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m., Monday, at the Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden with Pastor Robert Hamm officiating...

Wayne Steward BRIDGEPORT, TEXAS--Wayne Steward, 78, formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015 in Plano, Texas. Services are pending with Jones Family Funeral Home, Bridgeport, Texas.

Dennis Lacy FISK, Mo. -- Dennis Odell Lacy, 67, of Bloomfield, Mo., died Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, at his residence. Funeral arrangements are pending with White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk, Mo.

Three Rivers College has announced the creation of a Distinguished Alumni Award designed to recognize the accomplishments and achievements of the college's graduates and former students. The award will be given out at a recognition banquet hosted by the college in the spring. Nominations for the award are now open, and will close on Jan. 15...

Project Christmas Promise has more than 130 children still in need of adoption for the holidays in Butler County. About 600 children have already been adopted, said AmeriCorps Director Rebecca Winters. The greatest need now is for volunteers to adopt older children or help fill the needs of larger families, Winters said. AmeriCorps oversees the program, taking referrals from schools, social workers and others to help children in need...

Wilma Irene Sheedy VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Wilma Irene Sheedy, 81, of Ellsinore, Mo., departed this life in her residence, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, to be with the love of her life. Mrs. Sheedy was born Sept. 1 , 1934 at Owanco, Ill. to William and Edna (Peyton) Secrest. She was a longtime resident of Ellsinore and a homemaker. She enjoyed crocheting, and spending time with her children, grandchildren and family. Wilma was loved by everyone that knew her; friends and family alike...

Neacie Davis DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Neacie V. Davis, 107-year-old resident of Ripley County, Mo., departed this life Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015 at the Current River Nursing Center. Mrs. Davis was a lifelong resident of Ripley County and was born April 5, 1908 in Grandin, Mo. to the late William and Maggie McKinney. Maggie died when she was 19 days old and her father later married Esther McKinney...

Lee Stout DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Laurel Lee Stout, 70, of Doniphan died Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015 at the John J. Pershing Hospital in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 7, at Edwards Funeral Home with the funeral following at noon Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be at 2 p.m. in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo. with full military honors...

James Gower James Albert Gower, 79, of Doniphan, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015, at Walnut Street Residential Care Center in Doniphan. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be expressed at www.cotrellfuneralservice.com...

Dennie Howdeshell Dennie Ray Howdeshell, 72, of Williamsville, Mo., died Friday Dec. 4, 2015, at his home. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday, with funeral services following at 2 p.m., at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Burial will be in Black Creek Cemetery in Poplar Bluff...

Jerry Lee Brown, Jr. NEELYVILLE, Mo.--Jerry Lee Brown, Jr., 39, of Fairdealing, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015, at his residence. He was born July 21, 1976 in Poplar Bluff to Jerry Brown, Sr., and Sherry Dicken Brown. Jerry is survived by children: Ladeana Burson, Roy, Zoey and Carson Brown as well as his mother, Sherry Brown, one sister, Deloris Carter, and grandmother, Helen Dicken...

A perfect pass prevented the Lady Raiders from forcing overtime. Arkansas Baptist scored on its final possession with 2 seconds remaining to beat Three Rives 58-56 on Saturday at the Bess Activity Center. "The one thing tonight that I am proud of, we talked about effort and execution," Three Rivers coach Jeff Walk said. "We had a little bit better effort and execution the second half. If we make any free throws ... they are doing what they need to do, but they are not making free throws."...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Leading by nine points with two matches left in the championship, the Poplar Bluff wrestling team couldn't hold off the host. Sikeston earned pins to rally past the Mules 39-36 Saturday. "All we had to do is stay off our backs," Mules coach David Sievers said. "I really thought we'd get it."...

BRANSON, Mo. -- John David Pattillo earned his first win as Poplar Bluff's girls basketball coach Saturday as the Mules beat Bolivar 61-58. "We stayed aggressive but took care of the basketball, executed," said Pattillo, who won 157 games and two state titles as the boys coach...

DeSOTO, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff completed a dominate run through the Fountain City Classic by cleaning the glass for a second straight night Saturday. The Mules had twice as many rebounds as their opponents in the semifinal and final rounds combined. They pulled away from Ste. Genevieve at the end of the half and cruised to a 72-46 win in the championship game...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff won five events, breaking three Valkyrie Invitational records, as the Mules swim team won by 89 points Saturday. Taylor Norwood qualified for state in two more events, winning the 200-yard individual medley and the 500 freestyle, while swimming a leg on the winning 200-medley relay...

BERNIE -- It took one half for Bloomfield to realize its going to have two huge assets this season. The Wildcats already knew they could shoot and proved it, hitting 10 of 22 from the floor, including 7 of 13 (53 percent) from 3-point range to build a 10-point lead by halftime. But then they did something unprecedented under coach Jason Karnes...

VAN BUREN -- Raquel Couthren hit 12 of Ellington's 23 field goals for 30 points to lead the eighth-seeded Lady Whippets past No. 6 Thayer in a 64-57 seventh-place victory. Ellington (1-3) never trailed and led 26-18 at halftime. Grace Stroup scored 11 more points and Ali Moss added eight in the win...

The Raiders will be the team to beat in Region XVI for at least the rest of 2015. Three Rivers, helped by three dead-ball technical fouls against MSU-West Plains, beat the Grizzlies 91-77 on Saturday at the Bess Activity Center. "Our region is the best I think it's ever been," Three Rivers coach Gene Bess said. "West Plains is a very talented team and they played very hard against us."...

Three Rivers freshman Michael Everhart set a new single game record Friday. The Clearwater, Fla., guard sank 10 3-pointers as Three Rivers beat Missouri Baptist JV 118-40 at the Bess Activity Center. "That was great. One of the things I wanted to do when I got here was I wanted to set a record. Well that was all right," Everhart said...

Betty Tibbs Betty L. Tibbs, 80, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, Dec. 4, 2015, at the Mark Twain Caring Center. Visitation will at 6 p.m. today at Cotrell Funeral Chapel with the funeral service following at 11 a.m., Tuesday, with the Rev. Glen Marshall officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery...