Stories from Saturday, December 31, 2016

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer With the swearing in today of a new western district commissioner, Jeff Darnell has officially left the Butler County Courthouse after 16 years. The Stringtown native, who lives within an eighth of a mile of where he grew up, has served four consecutive terms...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer "Live from New York, it's Saturday night" has echoed throughout American homes since Saturday Night Live premiered on Oct. 11, 1975. Even folks who don't watch the show are probably familiar with the weekly sketch-comedy format, featuring a celebrity host, musical guest and ensemble cast...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor An elderly Poplar Bluff, Mo., woman is in "extremely serious" condition today after being found weighing just 71 pounds, suffering from infected bed sores and living in what authorities described as deplorable conditions. The woman's daughter is in jail accused of abusing her...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- It is axiomatic that if someone is sufficiently eager to disbelieve something, there is no Everest of evidence too large to be ignored. This explains today's revival of protectionism, which is a plan to make America great again by making it 1953 again...

Thomas Sowell has just published a revised and enlarged edition of his classic "Wealth, Poverty and Politics." At the very beginning, he quotes Alexander Hamilton, who said, "The wealth of nations depends upon an infinite variety of causes." The book's 16 chapters apply Hamilton's notion to domestic, as well as international, differences in wealth. ...

By DAN K. THOMASON Tribune News Service WASHINGTON -- Having been born in December in the heart of the Great Depression (which, of course, had no heart), I learned early not to expect much in terms of celebration, especially when Christmas would be forever just three days away...

Cane Creek Community Club met Wednesday, Dec. 14, with hostess Wilma Rains. The thought for the day -- It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you. It is Christmas every time you smiles on your brother and offer him your hand. There six members and one guests in attendance...

J.W. and Janet Burford of Poplar Bluff, Mo. will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. 2016, at the First Church of God, 3482 S. Westwood Blvd., Poplar Bluff. The couple were married Dec. 31, 1966, in Doniphan, Mo., when Burford was home on leave from the military. ...

The Mules picked the worst time to meet the defending Class 4 state champions. Coming off an 18-point loss in the semifinals, Vashon took it out on the host in the 30th annual Poplar Bluff Showdown. The Warriors scored the first 10 points and rolled to a 85-60 win for third place at the Senior High Gym...

BLOOMFIELD -- The Dexter boys basketball team has been burning for this one for awhile. After falling in last year's tournament final by five points, the second-seeded Bearcats took out a year's worth of frustrations on top-seeded Hayti to get back on top in the 60th annual Bloomfield Christmas Tournament Thursday night...

HOXIE, Ark. -- Trailing by 13 to start the fourth quarter Thursday night, the Poplar Bluff girls basketball team rallied in the championship game of the Mustang Classic. Autumn Dodd and Sophie Rowland each sank a pair of 3-pointers but the Mules missed a chance to tie it late. They also missed 15 points at the free-throw line, five in the final quarter, as host Hoxie held on for a 57-52 win...

The Hurricanes blew through the Poplar Bluff Showdown for a second time in five years. Jonesboro (Ark.) won a rematch of last year's final, beating Kenwood of Chicago 70-54 Thursday night to take home the 30th title at the Poplar Bluff Senior High Gym...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Free throws and putbacks were almost enough for the Raiders to topple a top-10 team. Three Rivers College grabbed its only lead against No. 9 ranked Tallahassee (Fla.) with about 8 minutes left in the game, but weren't able to hold on to it and lost 88-80 on Thursday...

BLOOMFIELD -- Balanced scoring led the Malden Green Wave to a 52-50 win over Portageville during the 60th annual Bloomfield Christmas Tournament fifth place game. Dushawn Butler led Malden with 14 points while Malcom McBride added 13 and Tyler Ison scored 12...

William E. Ramsey PIEDMONT, Mo. -- William E. Ramsey, 88, of Piedmont, died Friday, Dec. 30, 2016 at the Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Arrangements are pending with Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.

Robert Andrews PUXICO, Mo. -- Robert Andrews of Puxico died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2016, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Jackson, Mo. Arrangements are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico.

Debra Jewell Petigo NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Debra Jewell Petigo, 57, of Doniphan, Mo., passed away Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016 in the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. She was born Sept. 10, 1959 at Gideon, Mo. to the Junior Gribble and Joyce Waller Gribble...

Clara Jacklin Clara Jacklin, 81, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016, at her home. No services are planned. Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff is in charge of arrangements

Charles Fanter Charles Fanter, 77, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died on Friday, Dec. 30, 2016 at the Westwood Hills Nursing Center in Poplar Bluff. Arrangements are pending with Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff.

Billy Allison PUXICO, Mo. -- Billy Allison of Puxico died Thursday, Jan. 29, 2016, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Arrangements are pending with Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico.

Allen Bolin BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Allen Bolin, 51, of Bloomfield, Mo. died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016 at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2, at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. ...

Bobbie Lee Alsup KENNETT, Mo. - Bobbie Lee Alsup, 91, of Greenville Mo., formerly of Kennett, died Monday, Dec. 26, 2016 at the VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 31 at the McDaniel Funeral Home in Kennett. ...