Stories from Monday, September 5, 2016

Staff Reports Four people - two mothers and their two children - were killed in a collision with a locomotive Friday afternoon near Dexter, Mo. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Hailey E. Law, 20, of Bloomfield, Mo. and her 1-year-old son Weston L. Crider, were pronounced dead at the scene at 1:48 p.m. by the Stoddard County Coroner Kenny Pope and transported to Rainey Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer There is a point in each little boy's life when he wants to grow up to be a firefighter. This inclination held true for Robert Thomas Rowland, who announced his intention at his kindergarten graduation. But there was one problem with Rowland's plan; he was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at age 3...

SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. - Poplar Bluff's favorite powerboat racer has raised his own bar, winning the Top Gun award and setting a new water-speed record in his class last weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout. Slug Hefner piloted Don Onken's American Ethanol Mystic catamaran to victory on Aug. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer People need to feel like they're stepping off the beaten path when they come to downtown Poplar Bluff, Mo., but in a good way, according to Brian White, co-owner of the Frontier restaurant on Vine Street. The beer garden is carving out its own niche among diners by offering something unique, said White, who believes that's the key to revitalizing the brick streets and century old buildings of the downtown area...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff R-1 students and parents saw a dramatic improvement in transportation times on the second day of school on Friday. Opening day on Thursday was sullied by late drop-offs and other issues. "Absolutely things were much better on Friday," said Superintendent Scott Dill. "It started right from the beginning, we got the kids to their busses and cleared both runs faster. We were about an hour-and-a-half earlier than we were the previous night."...

Taylor Paige Barker and Tristen Dean Francisco were married Wednesday, July 13, 2016, at the West Side Church of God in Poplar Bluff. Minister Jason Jordan officiated at the double-ring ceremony. Parents of the bride are Erin Decker and Chad Edwards. The bridegroom's parents are Jennifer Slayton and William Francisco...

Randy Grunau PUXICO, Mo. - Randy L. Grunau, 56, of Puxico, died Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016 at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. A Masonic service will be held at 7 p.m. that evening. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8 in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Puxico City Cemetery...

Firefighter's wife says 'thank you' As a wife of a Poplar Bluff firefighter I would like to thank the people and businesses of the community for pulling together to take care of our firefighters and personnel from the city/county that were working the downtown fire that day. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN In accepting the invitation of President Enrique Pena Nieto to fly to Mexico City, the Donald was taking a major risk. Yet it was a bold and decisive move, and it paid off in what was the best day of Donald Trump's campaign. Standing beside Nieto, graciously complimenting him and speaking warmly of Mexico and its people, Trump looked like a president. ...

Frances Cope DEXTER, Mo. -- Frances Inez McDaniel Cope, 89, was born on 16 March 1927 in Flint, Mich. to Richard and Gladys (Turnage) McDaniel. She died Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016 at Golden Living Center in Bloomfield of pneumonia, a complication of Alzheimer's...

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER WASHINGTON -- The one great service of Donald Trump's extended peregrinations on immigration policy is to have demonstrated how, in the end, there's only one place to go. You can rail for a year about the squishy soft, weak-kneed and stupid politicians who have opened our borders to the wretched refuse of Mexico. ...

Frieda M. Davis Frieda M. Davis, 84, of Williamsville, Mo., passed away Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 at her residence. Mrs. Davis was born Aug. 8, 1932 in Madison, Ill., to the late Fred and Daisy Randall Lanham. She was of the Baptist faith and was a retired housekeeper for Westwood Hills Health Care. Mrs. Davis enjoyed reading, gardening, sewing and most of all spending time with her grandchildren and family...

By CAROLYN SMITH Staff Writer Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 1601 N. Main St., Poplar Bluff, will celebrate its 130th year of ministry during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. A First Sunday Brunch will be served after the service...

Billy Gene Reese Billy Gene Reese, 77, was born Nov. 25, 1938, and entered Heaven's gates Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016. Billy is survived by his loving wife, Mary Reese, of Dixon, Mo.; daughter, Jan Phillips of Springfield, Mo.; son, Terry Reese of Branson, Mo...

Tom Linn Fite DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Thomas Linn Fite, 70, of Doniphan, passed away Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, surrounded by his loving family and his best friend, Leroy Reddin. Tom was born Oct. 6, 1945, in Bonne Terre to the late Wesley and Marjorie (Forshee) Fite of Sullivan...

James Columbus Fiske James Columbus Fiske, beloved husband and father, passed away Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 peacefully at his home. James was born June 11, 1930 to parents Tom and Iva (Mayes) Fiske. He married his much adored wife Georgiabelle (Knott) Fiske March 10, 1952...

Michael Lynn Thorne Michael Lynn Thorne, 49, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Sept. 3, 2016 at his home. Thorne was a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and enjoyed watching movies and sports and listening to CD's. Thorne is survived by several cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by parents Robert and Sallie Lazalier-Judd and grandparents Ed and Inez Lazalier...

PORTAGEVILLE -- Last week's triple-overtime thriller was too close for comfort for the Malden football team. The Green Wave's defense made sure there was no repeat Friday night. Malden forced eight turnovers and scored every single point off a Portageville miscue on its way to a 52-6 victory at Vic Reaves Athletic Field...

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- Putting up a quick 20 points is becoming a motif for the Poplar Bluff football team. The Mules scored on their first three possessions for a third straight week, this time needing just 7 1/2 minutes, as the defense set the tone early in a 55-6 win at previously unbeaten St. Charles...

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Dexter coach Kevin Goltra owes Payton Tinnin a steak dinner. Bo McMullin could have been invited, but he literally dropped the ball. "I tell the guys, if they get a pick-6, they get a steak dinner. So Bo right now is saving me an awful lot of money," said Goltra of McMullin, who also dropped an interception in Week 1. "I'm going to have to take (Tinnin) to Sizzler or something. I don't know."...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- A late free kick off the post and into the net allowed the host to edge Poplar Bluff for third place Saturday in the Notre Dame SoccerFest. Coming off a 6-2 loss Friday to Jackson, the Mules pulled even with Notre Dame on Adam Vincent's fifth goal of the season in the second half. But the Bulldogs scored with 18 minutes remaining to win 2-1...

GREENVILLE -- Spencer Burnham threw five innings allowing one hit with 10 Ks as the Van Buren Bulldogs beat Greenville 7-1 Friday. Burnham was also 4 for 5 at the plate with two doubles to lead Van Buren (2-4). Twin Rivers 4, Campbell 3 David Deken and Baylen Teague struck out a combined 12 batters as the Royals held off the Camels at home...

Alicia Jayne and Michael Shane Houk of Bernie have chosen the name Miki Jayne Houk for their 6-pound, 12-ounce daughter born at 9:16 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016 at Saint Francis Medical Center's Family BirthPlace in Cape Girardeau. Miki was 18" long...