Stories from Wednesday, November 23, 2016

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer NEELYVILLE, Mo. - Work has begun on the new alternative classroom project, said Superintendent Brad Hagood at last night's Neelyville R-IV Board of Education meeting. The alternative classroom is a move by administrators in hopes to keep at-risk students in school. The program will be a possible alternative to suspensions and expulsions and aims to keep students facing disciplinary actions from falling behind in their coursework...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer "Turnaround Downtown" asks for a more than $170,000 investment by officials over the next two years, according to the plan, which was presented Monday to the Poplar Bluff City Council. The majority of the money would fund demolition of the city parking garage on South Broadway, says Downtown Poplar Bluff, which developed the plan. ...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Following one of the most tumultuous elections in our nation's history, Poplar Bluff High School advanced government students on Thursday posed some post-election questions on the maelstrom of the 2016 cycle to a leading national political analyst...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer More than 100 families in need of help this December already have been referred to Project Christmas Promise, a local charity that seeks to ensure no child does without during the holidays. The seven-year old organization helped nearly 1,000 children in Poplar Bluff, Twin Rivers and Neelyville school districts last year, according to organizers...

Listed here are a few of the needs Project Christmas Promise would like to help fill this holiday season. The organization will serve children in all three Butler County school districts this year. The Daily American Republic will continue to publish these lists between now and Christmas...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer In their first meeting following the results of the state's annual performance report, Twin Rivers Board of Education members discussed ways the district can improve those scores and where to focus in the year ahead. Twin Rivers saw a 5-percent increase from the year prior on the report - 83.6 percent compared to 78.6 percent in 2015. ...

This marks the 16th year a multitude of Stoddard County Churches have come together to throw an "Angels of CHRISTmas" party for the county's foster children, ages newborn to 18. The event started in November of 2001 when several area churches became aware the foster families in Stoddard County were in need...

By SCOTT BORKGREN Sports Writer The Indians did 300 pushups that first day. Team punishments for individual mistakes, and there were a lot of individual mistakes. With sore arms on day two, they ran and ran. It became clear early that new coach Nathan Martin was going to hold his team to a higher standard like the kind he learned at Three Rivers Community College and the University of Missouri...

By TIARA McCLURE "The greatest responsibility you have is to vote, all other freedoms hang on that," keynote speaker Ronnal Clinton challenged those attending the annual Freedom Assembly Friday, Nov. 11, to commemorate Veterans Day hosted by the Puxico Schools in the high school gym...

By MADELINE DeJOURNETT SEMO News Service BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The second annual "It's a Wonderful Life in Bloomfield" Christmas festival in historic downtown Bloomfield is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7. Various local churches are volunteering their help, as well as school organizations...

By MIKE MCCOY SEMO News Service BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The deadline to sponsor a wreath for Wreaths Across America at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield in Monday, Nov. 28. Organizers of the event hope that enough wreaths will be purchased to place a wreath on every grave site at the cemetery...

By EDDIE CHAMBERS The Philadelphia Inquirer via Triune News Service It's time to put pollsters under the spotlight. Prior to the election, the prevailing view of the news media was that Hillary Clinton would win. As we now know, Donald Trump was able to rack up his Electoral College votes with significantly greater ease than many had imagined. What we witnessed on the night of the election was a lesson in the unreliability of polls...

If one needed more evidence of the steep decay in academia, Donald Trump's victory provided it. Let's begin by examining the responses to his win, not only among our wet-behind-the-ears college students, many of whom act like kindergarteners, but also among college professors and administrators...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The Lady Raider bench runs deep. Eleven players scored for Three Rivers as it extended its winning streak to four games with an 88-74 win against Arkansas Baptist College on Monday. Three Rivers (6-2) got 45 points off the bench while Arkansas Baptist had six. Five Three Rivers reserves got at least 14 minutes of playing time and everyone had at least 5. The Lady Buffaloes, meanwhile, had one bench player play more than 14 minutes...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State announced its 2016 Hall of Fame class on Monday, featuring Lea Nenninger (nee Beckemeyer), Dr. John and Judy Holcomb, Heather Jenkins, Jim Klocke, Eddie Moss and Ron Shumate. The group will be inducted in the school's Hall of Fame ceremony on Feb. 3, 2017 at the Show Me Center...

ARCADIA VALLEY, Mo. -- Marshon Morrissey began the season exactly where he left off last year. The Ellington senior poured in a game-high 33 points to give the top-seeded Whippets a lopsided season-opening 71-32 win over Lesterville in the Arcadia Valley Tournament Monday...

Bobby Smith BERNIE, Mo. Bobby Smith, 37, of Wappapello, son of the late T.J. Smith and Thelma Smedley Smith was born in Waukegan, Ill., March 10, 1959 and departed this life Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, at his residence. Mr. Smith had served in the United States National Guard, was a maintenance man. He was also a Volunteer Fireman & First Responder at Wappapello, Mo. He attended Faith Baptist Church...

Sylvia Darden PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Sylvia Darden, 93, of Piedmont, died Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Desloge, Mo. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Funeral services will be held Saturday, also at the Piedmont Chapel...

Robert Alan Shockley VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Robert Alan Shockley, 66, of Winona, died Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at his residence. A graveside service was held Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 in the Eastwood Cemetery. Arrangements by McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren...

Nancy McClure Nancy A. McClure, 68, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Sunday, Nov. 21, 2016 at her residence. Mrs. McClure was born June 12, 1948 in Newport, Ark. She was of the Christian faith and was a retired nurse for Kneibert Clinic and also a plant nurse for Nordyne. Mrs. McClure enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening and reading...

Carolyn Hopwood Vaughn CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Carolyn Hopwood Vaughn, 76, of Hendersonville, N.C., formerly of Campbell, died Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016, at Sunnybrook Assisted Living in Hendersonville, N. C. Visitation will be from 1 - 2 p.m., Tuesday, at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m., at Landess Funeral Chapel in Campbell with Rev. Tracy C. Fletcher officiating. Burial will be at Dunklin County Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kennett...

Augustia "Gussie" Mae Bristol VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Augustia "Gussie" Mae Bristol, 70, Van Buren, died Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, at Riverways Manor Nursing Home. A graveside service was held Monday, Nov. 21, 2016 in the Bristol Cemetery in Fremont, Mo., with Pastor Marie Inmon officiating...

Nellie Bernice Brayton Nellie Bernice Brayton, 94 of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Brayton, daughter of George Pleasant and Ana Laura Conover Alford, was born on Friday, Feb.17, 1922 in Butler County...

Randall "Randy" Crocker Randall "Randy" Crocker, 64, of Memphis, Tenn., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, Nov. 18, 2016 at his residence. Mr. Crocker, the son of Fay Swiney Crocker and the late Travis Crocker, was born Jan. 23, 1952 in Ironton, Mo. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy and had retired as a surgical technician. Mr. Crocker enjoyed spending time with his family. He had a deep love for his dog Sam...

Sylvia Darden PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Sylvia Darden, 93, of Piedmont, died Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, in Desloge, Mo. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Funeral services will be held Saturday, also at the Piedmont Chapel...

Robert Alan Shockley VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Robert Alan Shockley, 66, of Winona, died Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at his residence. A graveside service was held Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 in the Eastwood Cemetery. Arrangements by McSpadden Funeral Home in Van Buren...

Nancy McClure Photo Nancy A. McClure, 68, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Sunday, Nov. 21, 2016 at her residence. Mrs. McClure was born June 12, 1948 in Newport, Ark. She was of the Christian faith and was a retired nurse for Kneibert Clinic and also a plant nurse for Nordyne. Mrs. McClure enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening and reading...

Carolyn Hopwood Vaughn CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Carolyn Hopwood Vaughn, 76, of Hendersonville, N.C., formerly of Campbell, died Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016, at Sunnybrook Assisted Living in Hendersonville, N. C. Visitation will be from 1 - 2 p.m., Tuesday, at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m., at Landess Funeral Chapel in Campbell with Rev. Tracy C. Fletcher officiating. Burial will be at Dunklin County Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kennett...

Bobby Smith Photo Flag BERNIE, Mo. Bobby Smith, 37, of Wappapello, son of the late T.J. Smith and Thelma Smedley Smith was born in Waukegan, Ill., March 10, 1959 and departed this life Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, at his residence. Mr. Smith had served in the United States National Guard, was a maintenance man. He was also a Volunteer Fireman & First Responder at Wappapello, Mo. He attended Faith Baptist Church...

Lotus L. Wilkison, 89, daughter of the late Bryan O. and Dorothy Shoemate McClure, was born in Puxico on Nov. 29, 1926, and passed away at the Cypress Point Skilled Nursing Center in Dexter on Nov. 14, 2016. Mrs. Wilkison had lived in the Puxico area all of her life. ...

By MIKE MCCOY SEMO News Service The Dexter Chamber of Commerce is again sponsoring the "Polar Express Experience" with programs on two weekends (Dec. 9-10 and Dec. 16-17) at 5:30 and 7 p.m. each date. The 7 p.m showing on Saturday, Dec. 17, is sold out, but tickets remain for all other programs...

Donald Hendrix Sr., 80, formerly of Puxico died Monday, Nov. 14, 2016 in Tennessee. Visitation and funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 at the Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. Rev. Ray Placher officiated. Burial followed in the Duck Creek Cemetery near Puxico...

The members of the Puxico FBLA will be sponsoring a Christmas Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in the Puxico Activity Center. The Christmas Bazaar will have crafts, home-based businesses, and food related items. Vendors will be accepted until Dec. 1. Booths measuring 10 x 10 are available with a table for $25. Extra tables and electric are available for extra charge...

Augustia "Gussie" Mae Bristol VAN BUREN, Mo. -- Augustia "Gussie" Mae Bristol, 70, Van Buren, died Sunday, Nov. 20, 2016, at Riverways Manor Nursing Home. A graveside service was held Monday, Nov. 21, 2016 in the Bristol Cemetery in Fremont, Mo., with Pastor Marie Inmon officiating...

Nellie Bernice Brayton photo Nellie Bernice Brayton, 94 of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Sunday, November 20, 2016 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Brayton, daughter of George Pleasant and Ana Laura Conover Alford, was born on Friday, February 17, 1922 in Butler County...

Randall "Randy" Crocker Randall "Randy" Crocker, 64, of Memphis, Tenn., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, Nov. 18, 2016 at his residence. Mr. Crocker, the son of Fay Swiney Crocker and the late Travis Crocker, was born Jan. 23, 1952 in Ironton, Mo. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy and had retired as a surgical technician. Mr. Crocker enjoyed spending time with his family. He had a deep love for his dog Sam...

I believe it is fitting and proper that we as a people set aside a day designated as Thanksgiving Day. It causes us to pause from our overly busy lives to reflect upon the blessings we receive that makes life good and desirable, recognizing it has its source in God. ...