Stories from Wednesday, February 15, 2017

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer An investigation Sunday into a stolen license plate led police to more than $42,000 in crystal methamphetamine and four arrests in two states. More arrests may be possible as the investigation continues, said Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A rezoning request for Eugene Boulevard was withdrawn early Monday by developers, who say they will seek a reasonable compromise with opponents of the low income housing project. The matter was expected to be a workshop and voting matter Monday night for the Poplar Bluff Planning and Zoning Commission. It would have passed next week to the city council with a recommendation for or against a change from general commercial zoning to residential apartment...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer "I don't know what I'd do without that man. I've been married to him my entire life. We've had a good life and a good marriage." Side by side in their living room, Sunday's golf game on mute and their little dog Sugar snuggled up in her favorite chair, Mel and Virgie Nunn attempt to hash out their story, a love story that began more than 68 years ago...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A plane that almost crashed under foggy conditions last week was approximately 900 feet too low when it struck several trees more than 2 miles short of the Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport. The pilot was 69-year-old Michael D. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A Malden, Mo., veteran whose actions in Vietnam earned him a citation for heroism says he was really just doing what he believed was right. Lester Davenport was one of five U.S. Army veterans inducted Monday onto the Wall of Valor at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN "Disheartening and demoralizing," wailed Judge Neil Gorsuch of President Trump's comments about the judges seeking to overturn his 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. from the Greater Middle East war zones. What a wimp. Did our future justice break down crying like Sen. Chuck Schumer? Sorry, this is not Antonin Scalia. And just what horrible thing had our president said?...

By MIKE JENSEN Publisher Sikeston Standard Democrat This is where we find ourselves three months-post 2016 presidential election. All semblance of unity has clearly been abandoned by the left in favor of continued protests and disruptions. The United States has given way to disunity by a grievance class financed and supported by those who loath western values...

As February moves along, the House continues to buckle down working on issues big and small in order to make Missouri a better place. From the budget to the EPA; paycheck protection to newborn screenings; the legislature continues to do the people's business. Check out some of the highlights from this week below...

A workshop concerning autism will be held from 1-4 p.m. Friday. "Angles of Autism," a film exploring life with autism, will be screened at Kay Porter Theater on the Poplar Bluff Middle School campus. A discussion panel will follow. The event is coordinated by the Butler County Community Resource Council's mental health subcommittee with the University of Missouri School of Social Work...

Dexter trailed 7-0 after 66 seconds and by as much as 14 midway through the opening quarter Monday night. Krysten Garrison then scored 20 of Dexter's next 33 points as the Bearcats surged into halftime with the lead. Chaylea Mosby and Natalie Sitze fueled a third-quarter run from long distance to beat Poplar Bluff 82-50 in a SEMO Conference game...

PUXICO -- The Green Wave just ran a little too much, and ran a little too fast. Malden capitalized on turnovers and transition buckets out of halftime to take a comfortable lead and beat Puxico 64-53 on Monday. "We struggle with halfcourt offense," Malden coach Mike Vipperman said. "If the tempo is not fast, we struggle. We have all year long."...

WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. -- The Lady Raiders have relied on bench points all season. They got four on Monday. In an unusual turn, Three Rivers College relied almost entirely on its starters for offense and lost on the road to Arkansas State Mid-South 61-56...

BROSELEY -- Chance Wilkerson had another big night with a game-high 22 points as the Twin Rivers Royals wrapped up the regular season with a 58-55 win over Bloomfield on Monday. Wilkerson knocked down four 3-pointers, Jacob Mitchell added five more for 17 points while Hayden Thomas and Jamie Robards each chipped in six points for the Royals (16-9)...

Sanford J. Potter PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Sanford J. Potter, 85, of Piedmont, died Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, at the Clark's Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. Arrangements are pending with Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel, Piedmont.

Byron Kirby Byron Kirby, 31, of Comfort, Texas, formally of Poplar Bluff, passed away Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017 at his residence. He was born Dec. 24, 1985 to Carl and Norma (Hogan) Prim in Poplar Bluff. He attended school at Twin Rivers High School in Broseley. Byron worked as a truck driver for RW Septic in Boerne, Texas...

Charles Bader CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Charles A Bader, 65, of Qulin, entered eternal life, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital after a brave battle with cancer. Charles, son of John H. and Rosella (Eberhard) Bader was born Dec. 12, 1951 in Glennonville. He was employed with Missouri Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads until retiring in 2001...

From Staff Reports The Puxico Board of Aldermen learned at the Jan. 24 meeting, maintenance supervisor David Hawthorne will not retire in February as planned and the Southeast Area Agency on Aging is accepting applications for a new director for the Puxico Nutrition Center...

Patricia Ann Ivy Kemp MALDEN, Mo. -- Patricia Ann Ivy Kemp, 44, of Malden, died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Visitation will be at noon, Thursday, at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. Funeral will follow at 1 p.m., Thursday, at Bradshaw Chapel in Malden...

Mabel L. Isom PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Mabel L. Isom, 86, of Piedmont, died Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, at the Greenville Nursing and Rehab Center. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m., Thursday, at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, at the funeral home chapel...

Leo J. Giovando, Sr. PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Leo J. Giovando, Sr., 61, of Piedmont, died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, at his home near Piedmont. Visitation will be held from 6 -8 p.m., Wednesday, at the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, at the funeral home chapel...

Joseph (Joe) Tilmon Sifford PUXICO, Mo. -- Joseph (Joe) Tilmon Sifford, 97, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in Springfield, Mo. In celebration of his final Homecoming, family and friends gathered at the Morgan-Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico for visitation Monday, Feb. 13 from and for the funeral service on Feb. 14...

James Bailey CAMPBELL, Mo. -- James Bailey, 77, of Campbell, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, at the Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Thursday, at Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. Funeral services will be held at noon, Friday, at Landess Funeral Chapel in Campbell with Rev. Bruce Vinson officiating...

Helen Marie Bulliner FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. -- Helen Marie Bulliner, 73, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. She was born June 25, 1943 in Womack, Mo., daughter of William Adolph and Pearl Irene (Pirtle) Holmes Sr...

George West PUXICO, Mo. - George West, 81, of Puxico, died Monday, Feb. 13, 2017 at Puxico Nursing and Rehab. Arrangements pending with Morgan-Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico.

Marjorie M. Wheatley PIEDMONT, Mo. - Marjorie M. Wheatley, 92, of Piedmont, Mo, died Sat., Feb. 11, 2017 at Clark's Mountain Nursing Center, Piedmont, Mo. Visitation will be from noon - 1 p.m., Wed., Feb. 15 at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Services will follow at 1 p.m. at the chapel. Burial will follow in Masonic Cemetery, Piedmont. Online condolences may be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Henry W. Sanders WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. - Henry W. Sanders, 99, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Williamsville, Mo., died Sat., Feb. 11, 2017 at his residence. Visitation will be from noon until 2 p.m., Tuesday, February 14 at Assembly of God, Williamsville, Mo. The funeral will follow there at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Duncan Cemetery, rural Piedmont, Mo. Online condolences may be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Berneice "Bonni" Rain LINCOLN, Ne. -- Berneice "Bonni" Rain of Wappapello Mo., passed away Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017. She is survived by her children; Jim (Shantel) Keller and Chris Keller, grandson; Alex Keller. No services are planned at this time...

Henry W Sanders WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. - Henry W. Sanders, 99, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Williamsville, Mo., passed away Saturday, February 11, 2017 at his residence. Visitation will be held Tuesday, February 14 from noon until 2 p.m. at Assembly of God, Williamsville, Mo. Funeral services will follow there at 2 p.m. Burial will be at Duncan Cemetery, rural Piedmont. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Marjorie M. Wheatley PIEDMONT, Mo. - Marjorie M. Wheatley, 92, of Piedmont passed away Saturday, February 11, 2017 at Clark's Mountain Nursing Center, Piedmont. Visitation will be held Wednesday, February 15 from noon - 1 p.m., at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Services will follow at 1 p.m., at the chapel. Burial will follow at Masonic Cemetery, Piedmont. Online condolences may be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Editor's Note: The Lady Indians now have 19 wins and six losses. By AMY WALKER The 2016 - 2017 season for the Lady Indians Basketball team has been one for the books! With a record of 18 wins to only five losses, the Lady Indians found out on Tuesday, Feb. ...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor PUXICO, Mo. -- The hooting, hollering and laughter across the brushy Bollinger County field told the story of success - the shotgun blast, still echoing through the hills, had hit its mark, and a young hunter's first-ever rabbit was in the bag...

William Cooley, 76, of Poplar Bluff died Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017 at the Mark Twain Caring Center in Poplar Bluff. Services were held Feb. 8, 2017 at the White-Sanders Funeral Home in Qulin. Rev. Gerald Burger officiated. Burial followed in the Brown Chapel Cemetery in Broseley...

Joseph (Joe) Tilmon Sifford, 97, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in Springfield, Mo. In celebration of his final Homecoming, family and friends gathered at the Morgan-Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico for visitation Feb. 13 from and for the funeral service on Feb. 14...

Lloyd "Red" Harris, 85, of Bloomfield died Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017 at the Bloomfield Living Center. Graveside services with full military honors were Friday, Feb. 10, 2017 at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield. Bro. Dale Wiseman of Advance officiated...

Barbara Jean Priest, 74, of Poplar Bluff died Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. A Celebration of Life was held Feb. 5, 2017 Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. Rev. J.C. Bryant officiated. Interment will follow at a later date in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery...

Emma Evadean Choat, 91, of Ida, La. and formerly of Puxico, died Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017 in Ida, La. Visitation and funeral services were held Feb. 11, 2017 at Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter. Rev. Kenneth Lambert and Rev. Travis Lambert officiated. Burial followed in the Hobbs Chapel Cemetery...

Melissa Bonta, 40, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017 A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at the First Baptist Church, 416 N. Main St., Perryville, Mo. All cards, flowers and monetary gifts may be sent to the First Baptist Church, 416 N. Main St., Perryville, Mo...

PUXICO, Mo. - Staff at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 to review the 2016 hunting season. The meeting will take place in the Visitor Center and a presentation will allow attendees the opportunity to review harvest results for each of the game species on the refuge as well as a comparison to historical harvest data by species. ...

By AMY WALKER Puxico R-8 School officials announces for the third year in a row they are the home the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) District 20 Student President. Sophia Hancock will be filling the position for the remaining part of 2017 and first semester of 2018. Hancock who is a sophomore will be taking the place of current senior and fellow upperclassman, Bradley Clark...