Stories from Monday, February 27, 2017

One in five people will have a panic attack once in their lifetime. What would you do when this happens to a student, loved one, or church member? Attend the Youth Mental Health First Aid course to recognize symptoms of mental health problems, how to help, and how to guide the youth to professional help. University of Missouri Extension is sponsoring Youth Mental Health First Aid training on Thursday, March 30 in Poplar Bluff...

Carolyn Lacy DEXTER, Mo. -- Carolyn Lacy, 66, of Sweet Springs, died Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, in Sweet Springs. Visitation will be after 1 p.m. Sunday at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home...

Casandra Schlatweiler Casandra Del Schlatweiler, 66, of Wappapello, passed away Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017 at her home. The daughter of Welton Prewitt and Freda (Bell) Prewitt, she was born Oct. 26, 1950 in Piggott, Ark.A homemaker, she enjoyed spending time with her family and playing Bingo...

Lawrence Geary BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Lawrence Ray Geary, 78, of Aquilla, died Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. today at Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home...

Ovey Haynes MALDEN, Mo. -- Ovey Lee Haynes, 95, of Malden departed this life on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017, at the Gideon Care Center in Gideon, Mo. Ovey was born on Nov. 15, 1921. Ovey was a homemaker. She attended the Malden Pentecostal Church. Ovey was united in marriage to Rev. Nowlin Adrian Haynes on Dec. 7, 1938 in Osceola, Ark. He preceded her in death on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014...

MEXICO, Mo. - University of Missouri Extension will soon begin a new session of Annie's Project, a farm management class for women. Farm women and women landowners learn new skills in the six-session evening class, said Mary Sobba, MU Extension agricultural business specialist. Classes in Kirksville, Mexico and Monticello begin March 2. Another class starts in Potosi on March 21...

Poplar Bluff's first season at the new Senior High Gym will end this week with the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 tournament. The Mules and Lady Mules, who are a combined 13-9 in their new home, both look to end long title droughts and both enter the postseason coming off a loss...

Poplar Bluff Municipal Library celebrates Dr. Seuss Story Time at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 28. The rhyming stories of Dr. Seuss are beloved by generations of children, and are celebrated that week in libraries nationwide with reading aloud, crafts, and games...

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- It took about 22 minutes for the Dexter boys basketball team to get rolling Saturday night. When the Bearcats hit full stride, Perryville had no answer. Fourth-seeded Dexter used an 11-4 run to end the third quarter and open a 13-point lead before finishing out a 69-57 victory in the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 quarterfinal...

Three Rivers College opened up its region schedule by getting swept by North Central, losing the opener 7-5 and the nightcap 8-5 on Saturday at Roger Pattillo Field. In the opener, North Central scored five runs in the top of the first inning. The Raiders chipped away at the lead with two runs in the first and second innings before tying the game in the bottom of the fourth...

Heading into his 47th postseason, Three Rivers College coach Gene Bess is wondering if it will be his last. The longtime Raiders coach picked up his 1,254th win Saturday in the regular-season finale at the Bess Activity Center -- a 98-89 victory over On-Point Academy -- then admitted increasingly thinking about retirement...

NEOSHO, Mo. -- In their final game of the regular season, the Lady Raiders rebounded from last week's disappointing loss for a come-from-behind win. Three Rivers College beat Crowder College 82-71, and in doing so locked up the No. 1 seed in the Region XVI Tournament...

WASHINGTON -- Some American disasters come as bolts from the blue -- the stock market crash of October 1929, Pearl Harbor, the designated hitter, 9/11. Others are predictable because they arise from arithmetic that is neither hidden nor arcane. Now comes the tsunami of pension problems that will wash over many cities and states...

EDITOR'S NOTE: Writer and historian Ray Burson was a frequent contributor to the Daily American Republic newspaper. He had retired to Ripley County after a long career in government service which took him to many parts of the world. Sadly, Burson died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017, at age 79...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer Upon entering the Black River Coliseum Saturday, an aroma of fresh chili graced the air. Familiar country tunes performed by the Thin Blue Line rang out and a spirited shouting match between the Smith & Co., and Bluff Burgers and Brew teams over whose chili is better, all helped set the tone for Saturday's 12th Annual Mason-Dixon Society Chili Cook-Off...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The first project of a newly minted group to help area families in Butler County was a hand-bound resource guide. Decades before the easy access of the Internet, those printed pages served as the original Google to find everything from employment and education services to housing for those in need...

A Fisk, Mo., man who uses his own experiences with drug and alcohol addiction to help fight substance abuse in Butler County was recognized Friday for outstanding service to the community. Austin Montague was named the 2016 Person of the Year by the Butler County Community Resource Council. The award was presented during the CRC's annual luncheon for community partners, which was held at Fellowship General Baptist Church...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer A Dexter, Mo., sex offender was arrested Friday on new charges involving a child less than 14 years old. David William Madsen, 40, was booked at Stoddard County Jail on a warrant for first degree statutory rape. There is no bond...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Three Rivers College vice president for academic and student services Dr. Mary Lou Brown will retire this June following a career in education spanning more than four decades. Brown, who has served the college for almost 30 years in a number of capacities, says "it is just time." She and husband Dr. David Brown, a long-time dentist in Poplar Bluff, plan to move to North Carolina to spend more time with their children Drew and Julia and grandchildren...

Robert C. Oppermann, Jr. Integrity. Service. Honor. Robert C. Oppermann, Jr., 84, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Bob was in the presence of his Beloved wife Liz. Mr. Oppermann, the son of the late Robert C. ...

Randy Lee Green Randy Lee Green, 51, of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, Feb. 24, 2017 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Arrangements are pending with Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Online condolences: www.moorefuneralservice.com...

Ernest Bridgeforth Ernest Richard Bridgeforth Sr., 69, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at his residence. Survivors include three children, Ernest Richard "Richie" Bridgeforth Jr. of Poplar Bluff, La Wana Sue Lewis of Chaffee and Clayton Scott Bridgeforth of Mesa, Ariz.; three grandchildren; and two sisters, Ann Carroll of Chillicothe, Ill., and Aileen Leahr of Okawville, Ill...

Betty Sue Cooper ELLSIORE, Mo. - Betty Sue (Thompson) Nichols Cooper of Ellsinore, daughter of the late Amsey and Tessie L. (Smith) Thompson, was born Aug. 4, 1935, in Kennett, Mo., and departed this earth on Feb. 23, 2017, at the age of 81 years, six months, and 19 days...

William Walter (Junior) Mallard William Walter (Junior) Mallard, 83, of Poplar Bluff, died Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. Mr. Mallard was born April 18, 1933, at Pollard, Ark. He was married to Martha Frances Harrellson Mallard. Survivors include brothers: Robert Mallard (Shirley) of Poplar Bluff,; Curtis Mallard of Hebron, Ind.; Billy Mallard (Lela) of Paragould, Ark.; sister-in-law Judy Mallard of Piggott, Ark., and numerous other relatives. ...

Lonnie M. Gulliams PUXICO, Mo, - Lonnie M. Gulliams, 75, of Puxico died Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, at Puxico Nursing & Rehab. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27, at the First Christian Church with the funeral following at noon at the church. Burial will be in the Puxico City Cemetery...

J.D. Wagster MALDEN, Mo.-J.D. Wagster, 99, of Malden died Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 at Southeast Health in Dexter, Mo. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden followed at 7 p.m. by the funeral with Rev. Bob Phillips officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden...

Plant cypress trees in lake The State of Missouri Forestry Division plants thousands of trees every year. Why can't they plant cypress trees in Lake Wappapello to provide cover for the fish? I realize that Lake Wappapello is a Corps of Engineers Federal lake but surely some kind of cooperative arrangement could be made to allow Missouri to plant cypress trees in that lake. Adequate cover for the fish is sorely needed and cypress trees would go a long way toward fulfilling that need. Thank you...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN As the culture war is about irreconcilable beliefs about God and man, right and wrong, good and evil, and is at root a religious war, it will be with us so long as men are free to act on their beliefs. Yet, given the divisions among us, deeper and wider than ever, it is an open question as to how, and how long, we will endure as one people...

A 46-year-old Poplar Bluff, Mo., man was killed in a traffic accident Friday afternoon on County Road 465, about half a mile west of Poplar Bluff. Timothy S. Anderson, 46, was traveling south around 2:30 p.m. when his vehicle ran off the road. The 1992 Ford F150 struck an embankment and a tree, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol...