Stories from Wednesday, July 19, 2017

ELLSINORE, Mo. -- The eastbound lanes of U.S. 60 were blocked for about two hours Tuesday afternoon after two tractor-trailers apparently collided near the entrance into the Leerjak Travel Center parking lot at Ellsinore. The crash reportedly happened at 2:51 p.m. and resulted when a tractor-trailer apparently was attempting to turn right into the service station. Another tractor-trailer allegedly attempted to pass the first truck, but apparently didn't give it enough room as it was turning...

A Butler County judge heard testimony Tuesday afternoon from four former female students of a Naylor science teacher/assistant principal who they allege touched them inappropriately. The testimony was presented to Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett in support of a motion filed by Ripley County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor...

Improvements to low water crossings and Black River levees are among the needs to be included in an updated disaster mitigation plan for Butler County. The plan helps establish priorities and a framework for improvements that could help reduce damage from natural disasters...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Were it not for the provision that Pat Toomey, the Pennsylvania Republican, put into the Senate's proposed health care reform, this legislation would be moderately important but hardly momentous. Toomey's provision, however, makes it this century's most significant domestic policy reform...

Rhonda Heaton of Wappapello, Mo, has received the Community College Scholarship to attend Southeast Missouri State University for the 2017-2018 academic year. Heaton is the daughter of Ronald and Rebecca Osborn of Puxico, Missouri, and is a 2006 graduate of Puxico High School and a 2017 graduate of Three Rivers College...

In June, with the support of President Trump, we acted to give US Customs and Border Protection more resources to secure our border by making it easier for them to hire our brave military veterans and law enforcement officers. Last week, we continued the work to enhance security by advancing Kate's Law which will keep Missouri and all Americans safe from the danger of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. ...

A professional environment for students to turn theory into practice is what pharmacist and business owner Marty Michel provides at Key Drugs. "We do a lot of education for students to make sure they can be the best pharmacists they can be in the future," Michel said...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN For a year, the big question of Russiagate has boiled down to this: Did Donald Trump's campaign collude with the Russians in hacking the DNC? And until last week, the answer was "no." As ex-CIA director Mike Morell said in March, "On the question of the Trump campaign conspiring with the Russians ... there is smoke, but there is no fire, at all. ... There's no little campfire, there's no little candle, there's no spark."...

Southbound Route 67 in Wayne County will be reduced with a 12 foot width restriction as contractor crews perform bridge maintenance. This bridge is located between County Road 303 and Route K over Bennett Creek. Weather permitting, work will take place Friday, July 28, through Friday, Aug. 18, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily...

New sessions for Grief Share, a support group for people experience grief from the loss of a family member of loved one, will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, at Memorial Baptist Church, 2215 S. Broadway, and at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at Fellowship General Baptist Church, 3581 N. Westwood...

Public testing of election equipment will be held at 8 a.m. Aug. 2 at the Butler County Courthouse. The testing will be done in the election room on the first floor. For more information, contact the county clerk's office at 573-686-8050.

Wednesday, July 12, Cane Creek Community Club held its monthly meeting at Twin Towers. Jennifer Rosener, RSVP director, presented a program about the work being done by community volunteers. Volunteers provide service to numerous groups and agencies, including free tax preparation service, Red Cross, Women Aware, Health Fair, and various fundraisers. In 2013, volunteers provided 29,000 hours of service...

The Agee Community ladies met at the Ryan's Steakhouse, for their July 14, 2017, meeting. Nickey Orton, was hostess. Cathy Womack, president called the meeting to order and gave the invocation. The ladies repeated their club motto "When your heart is full of love, the world is full of beauty." Roll call response was, Which invention was invented in your lifetime, that has changed your life the most. Some of the answers were washer and dryers, and electricity...

Kathy Ellis, psychotherapist and addictions counselor from Jefferson County announces her candidacy for the Democratic Nomination for the 8th Congressional District at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 24, 2017, at the Fine Arts Plaza at Jefferson College. "What is happening in Washington has got to stop," Ellis said. "People are terrified of losing their healthcare, and Washington's answer is tax cuts for the wealthy. We need someone who will stand up for the people of the 8th District."...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Fans at the Cardinals-Mets game cheered when a man neatly caught a foul ball at Citi Field -- until they realized it was Chris Christie. The New Jersey governor then got loudly booed Tuesday night. The ovation quickly turned sour after Christie stood up and slapped hands with another fan. No matter that Christie gave the souvenir to a kid...

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Lawrence Edward Doiron, 45, of San Antonio, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by friends and family Sunday, July 16, 2017 of cancer. He is survived by his father; Ildege (Larry) Doiron (wife Shirley) of Poplar Bluff, two sisters; Pamela Kelley of Fisk, Mo., Debbie Rathbun (spouse Perry) of Athens, Texas, one brother; Faries (Bucky) Doiron of Richmond, Ind. and best friends; Jimmy Stahls and Frank and Kim Arocha...

PRIPYAT, Ukraine (AP) -- A bulletin board in the Ukrainian town of Pripyat still bears an edition of the Sovietsky Patriot newspaper, dated three days before the nuclear explosion that turned the city into one of the world's most baleful ghost towns...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- Laughter can combat trauma. Spiritual cleansings could be used to fight an opioid addiction. Cactus extract may battle diabetes and obesity. These insights are from curanderismo -- traditional indigenous healing from the American Southwest and Latin America...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Raegan McAtee missed a perfect day at the Southeast Missouri Swim Conference Championships by 0.66 of a second Saturday afternoon. The Poplar Bluff swimmer earned the high-point award for her age group by winning all three of her individual events and helping Poplar Bluff win the 200-yard freestyle relay. McAtee and the 200-medley relay finished second by less than a second...

Seven local athletes from the Cleats of Fire Track and Field Club qualified for the 2017 National Junior Olympic Games last month. Landen Deaton, Jaelyn Haldeman, Trenton Davis, Logan Davis, Jaden Deaton, Darrell Barnes and Hanna Moore each punched their tickets in their respective events and will compete in the nationwide event on July 29 in Detroit, Michigan...

Jimmy Lee Blurton Jimmy Lee Blurton, 76, of Poplar Bluff, moved to Heaven at 3:39 a.m. Tuesday July 18, 2017. He was born May 22, 1941 in Macks Creek, Mo. to the late Herbert Junior Blurton and Gladys Wanda Blurton (Rash). Mr. Blurton enjoyed his grand and great-grandchildren, fishing, hunting and gun collecting...

Billy Dale Harlow DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Billy Dale Harlow, 66, of Doniphan died Sunday, July 16, 2017, at the John J. Pershing V. A. Hospital in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. and the funeral follow at 6 p.m. Friday, July 21, 2017, at Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan...

Allen Coats DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Allen Coats, 77, of Gatewood, Mo., died Monday, July 17, 2017, at the Shady Oaks Healthcare in Thayer, Mo. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 20, 2017, in the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Jerry Reynolds officiating. Burial will be in the Bardley Oak Ridge Cemetery...

Cody Wayne Collins, 24, of Naylor, Mo., was booked at the Butler County jail Monday on a failure to appear warrant for possession of controlled substance. _ Alexander Inell Jackson, 28, of the 800 block of Garfield Street was booked at the Butler County jail on Monday two warrants for possession of controlled substance and distribution/delivery/manufacture of a controlled substance...