Stories from Saturday, October 15, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff family was chosen as the State Fair Farm Family for Butler County in August at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, Mo. Eric and Cindy Patterson of Poplar Bluff were among several families honored during the Missouri Farm Family Day. The annual event is sponsored by several state agricultural agencies, and showcases the impact Missouri Farm Families have on the economy and heritage of our state...

By MARK BLISS SEMO News Service The tobacco industry's support of two tobacco-tax hikes on the November ballot in Missouri has ignited opposition from a coalition of health organizations that typically favor higher cigarette taxes. The American Heart Association, American Lung Association, American Cancer Society and other health groups contend Amendment 3 and Proposition A seek to "deceive Missouri voters and keep cigarettes cheap."...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer The National Fire Protection Agency's Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 9-15 and local departments are visiting all area schools to help prepare students what to do in case of an emergency. Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Ralph Stucker and firefighter crews visited Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center on Tuesday, giving the 3-4-year-olds tours of the fire truck and a chance to meet members of the department and learn valuable safety skills...

By WILLIAM MURCHISON What with writers and speakers everywhere quoting William Butler Yeats' poetic appraisal of modern times, as I read recently, maybe we can better appreciate House Speaker Paul Ryan's present dilemma and resolve to leave the guy alone. ...

"Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose." "Me and Bobby McGee" WASHINGTON -- What did Donald Trump have left to lose Sunday night? His dignity? Please. His campaign's theme? His Cleveland convention was a mini-Nuremberg rally for Republicans whose three-word recipe for making America great again was the shriek "Lock her up!" This presaged his Banana Republican vow to imprison his opponent...

To the Editor: This year we were approached by Brian Crouse from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce about being involved in a national program called "Dream It, Do It" on national Manufacturing Day. Manufacturing Day is an annual event in which area high school students are invited to tour local manufacturing plants. ...

DEXTER -- Just about every runner got a nice surprise as they approached the finish line Thursday in the SEMO North Conference cross country race. "I was expecting an 18 and I ran a low 17," said Poplar Bluff's Wesley Moore of the minutes on the clock set up at the finish...

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Momentum is everything in volleyball, and what started so well for Poplar Bluff got turned on its head Thursday night, as the Mules succumbed to a rally by rival Jackson and fell in the semifinals of the SEMO Conference Tournament in three sets -- 20-25, 25-22, 25-15 -- at Scott City High School...

David Leroy Chilton ELLSINORE, Mo. -- David Leroy Chilton, 77, of Ellsinore, Mo., died Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016 at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Ellsinore, with the funeral services being held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home chapel. Officiating will be Rev. Carlos Boyer. Burial will be at Pumpkin Hollow Cemetery in Ellington, Mo...

Beverly Albright ARLINGTON, Ky, -- Beverly Albright, of Arlington, Ky., passed away Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, in Paducah, Ky. Beverly was married to Dana Albright, April 12, 1984. He survives. Also surviving is a son, Bryan Bowen and sisters: Barbara Summerfield and Helen Kneir Dever, all of Poplar Bluff...

Ralph E. White WARRENTON, Mo. -- Ralph E. White, 85, of Warrenton passed away peacefully Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. Mr. White was born on March 23, 1931 to William and Loma (nee: Spencer) White. Ralph served our country in the United States Army. He was married to Elwanda Mothershed in Piggott, Ark., on Feb. 16, 1951. They spent 65 years together. Ralph was an avid farmer and enjoyed spending his time out on the farm...

Christine R. Winingnear NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Christine R. Winingnear, 78, of Bloomfield, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016 in the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center of Poplar Bluff. She was born Jan. 20, 1939 at McDougal, Ark. to the late Thomas Henry Dean and Edith Dickson Dean...

NORWOOD, Mo. -- In a year of firsts for the Van Buren softball team, Summer Shockley figured she'd check a few more off the list Thursday. The Van Buren senior crushed two home runs in the same inning -- the second a grand slam -- and tossed her first postseason no-hitter to lead Van Buren to the MSHSAA Class 1 state quarterfinals for the first time with an 11-0 victory over Norwood...

Robert Lee Montgomery Robert Lee Montgomery, 91, a retired prominent business owner of Poplar Bluff, passed away Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 at St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, Mo. The funeral service will begin at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Poplar Bluff. A gathering of family, friends and former customers will be at Westwood HIlls Country Club following the graveside committal service at 3p.m...

Ardin Edward Simmons PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- Ardin Edward Simmons, 76, of Portageville, died Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, in Portageville. He was born Feb. 1, 1940 in Hayward, Mo., to Alfred A. and Nevel "Polly" Viola DeTie Simmons. Survivors are his wife, Peggy Simmons, of Portageville; son, Kris Summons, of Portageville, daughters: Sabring Atchley and Michelle (David) Parsley, both of Portageville; brother, Gary (Carrie) Simmons, of Poplar Bluff, sister, Sharon (Rayburn) Summerton of Vicksburg, Miss.; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.. ...

Roger Fields Roger Fields of Piedmont, Mo., died Thursday, October 13, 2016 at his residence. Services are pending with Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont.V

Charles Ernest Newbern Charles Ernest Newbern, 75, of Poplar Bluff, died Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, at his home. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

JACKSON, Mo. -- The Poplar Bluff seventh grade Junior Mules scored three first-half touchdowns to complete the perfect season Thursday night. Justin Mitchell ran in two touchdowns from five yards out and Gage Rivers added a 65-yard rushing score as Poplar Bluff beat Jackson 18-7 to improve to 6-0...

SAPPINGTON, Mo. -- The Poplar Bluff soccer team was shutout for just the third time this season, 2-0 at Lindbergh on Thursday night. "I thought we put pressure on them early," Mules coach Steven Edwards said. Poplar Bluff (8-14-1) had nine shots on goal led by five from leading scorer Jeffry Hardin and a pair by Adam Vincent and Sam Roth. Trevor Fredwell made 18 saves in front of the net but the Mules fell to 1-13 when allowing two-or-more goals...