Stories from Saturday, March 26, 2016

By STEVE PATTON SEMO New Service KENNETT, Mo. -- Before a full house at the OAKS Nutrition Center in Kennett, Mo. State Auditor Nicole Galloway delivered a public presentation on the results of an audit that led to the resignation of Dunklin County's public administrator...

From Staff Reports Voters in 15 area cities will decide 22 contests during the April 5 election The winners in Wards 1 and 3 will be elected to three-year terms on the Poplar Bluff City Council. In the contest for the at-large seat on the council, the winner will serve the remaining one year of Jack Rushin's unexpired term...

By EVAN HOLLEY Staff Writer Area voters will decide 12 school board contests during the April 5 election. Two school board members will be elected to three-year terms in each district. Unopposed school board candidates are not included in this list...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Construction is expected to begin this year on a project to pave gravel sections of Thomas and 11th streets. A separate project to replace the Pike Creek bridge on Fair Street could be completed by May. The combined costs of the projects will be close to $1 million, with the city of Poplar Bluff contributing a little more than one-quarter of the outlay. ...

By BEN KLEINE SEMO News Service Morley Swingle missed the excitement of trying big cases. The former Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney will be a prosecutor in the St. Louis circuit prosecuting attorney's office beginning Wednesday. Swingle had lived in Colorado since 2013 and was a partner at a Parker, Colo., law firm...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Missouri state board of education members postponed an anticipated March vote on new learning standards, saying they need more time to review the more than 600 comments received on the proposed objectives. "We appreciate the attention that Missourians have given to revising the standards," said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. "Producing challenging standards designed to prepare students for post-secondary success is clearly a priority for our state."...

By MONA CHAREN "I trust in the good judgment of the American people." So said a radio host I admire (not one of the screamers) about six months ago when the rise of Trump was still notional. At this moment, looking at both parties, you have to ask whether judgment is being applied at all or whether we're in the much more dangerous realm of emotional release...

The 38th Annual Old Greenville Black Powder Rendezvous will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 16-17, at the Greenville Recreation Area at Wappapello Lake. Event hours are 9 a.m. until dark on Saturday and 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. There will be something for everyone. Ride back in time on a mule-drawn wagon to check out the traders, food, old-time children's games, and primitive lodges...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Things reveal themselves passing away," wrote W. B. Yeats. Whatever one may think of Donald Trump, his campaign has done us a service -- exposing the underbelly of a decaying establishment whose repudiation by America's silent majority is long overdue...

To the Editor: I am a HUGE advocate of Boy's and Girl's Clubs of Poplar Bluff. While I do work for the organization now, I started out as a club kid: I attended club from third grade until the end of sixth grade. I remember thinking I was so cool because I got to go to BGC. We got help with our homework, participated in many different activities, and we had dinner as well!...

By BARBARA ANN HORTON News Editor Shelly Hays Walker, a single mother of three, along with her parents and her siblings are on a journey to help her regain the life she once knew before she suffered a life threatening illness. The 32-year-old of Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman worked as many hours as possible in the nursing department at The Cedargate for more than 10 years before she became ill. ...

Marilyn Hanger PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Marilyn C. Hanger, 73, of Piedmont passed away Thursday, March 24, 2016, at Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Ruegg Funeral Home in Piedmont. Funeral services will follow at 6 p.m., also at the Piedmont chapel. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

The Continuing Education department at Three Rivers College will hold Robotics and Automated Manufacturing classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning March 29 and continuing through May 3 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Three Rivers-Sikeston. The cost is $10 and the maximum registration is 12. The teacher will be James Dow...

Ronald Hooper Ronald Edward Hooper, 64, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, March 22, 2016, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mr. Hooper was born Oct. 2, 1951, in Poplar Bluff. He was of the Christian faith and was a retired carpenter. Mr. Hooper proudly served his country in the U.S. ...

Betty Griffin Betty Alford Griffin, 55, passed away on Thursday, March 24, 2016, at her home outside of Doniphan, Mo., surrounded by family and friends. She was born on Sept. 6, 1960, in Leonardtown, Md., to James Raymond Alford and Frances (Smith) Alford. ...

Shelby Spencer Shelby J. Spencer, 76, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Mark Twain Caring Center in Poplar Bluff. Ms. Spencer, the daughter of the late Raymond and Edith (Hall) Spencer, was born Dec. 24, 1939, in Pottersville, Mo. She was a homemaker and enjoyed spending time with her family, reading and working word puzzles...

Donald Ray McClanahan FISK, Mo. -- Donald Ray McClanahan, 71, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born Nov. 11, 1944 at Broseley. He was a maintenance welder for Reynolds Metals in McCook, Ill. until 1994. After moving to Poplar Bluff he was owner of a trucking company, D & S, Inc. He attended New Home General Baptist Church...

Kathleen Tuma Kathleen D. O'Connell Tuma, 97, of Scott City, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Thursday, March 24, 2016, at Chaffee Nursing Center in Chaffee, Mo. Mrs. Tuma, the daughter of the late John C. and Mary Dickinson O'Connell, was born June 11, 1918, in Phillips County, Mont. ...

Richard Prenger MALDEN, Mo. -- Richard Joseph Prenger, 72, of Kennett, Mo., died Friday, March 18, 2016, at Heritage Nursing Center in Kennett. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, at St. Teresa Church in Glennonville, Mo. Burial will be in the St. Teresa Cemetery in Glennonville...

EMERSON, Ga. -- After cruising through the first game behind a two-hit shutout Thursday morning, the Mules couldn't get out of the second inning fast enough in their afternoon game at the Rawlings Select Classic #2. Poplar Bluff opened with an 8-0 win against Athens (Ala.) but gave up eight runs in the second inning of a 16-5 loss in five innings to Merritt Island (Fla.)...

DEXTER -- The Mules edged Dexter in overtime after falling behind early Thursday. Peyton Bradley's win in a tiebreaker lifted the Poplar Bluff tennis team to a 5-4 come-from-behind win on the road. "After losing to them twice last year it was very satisfying to get the W against a very tough Dexter team," Mules coach Charles Harper said...