Stories from Sunday, December 31, 2017

By MARK BLISS SEMO News Service The operators of two Southeast Missouri soybean farms have filed a class-action lawsuit against St. Louis-based Monsanto Co., alleging their crops were damaged by exposure to dicamba herbicide. The 35-page suit was filed Wednesday in Mississippi County Circuit Court...

Raider Reunion is an annual celebration for alumni and friends of Three Rivers College. In preparation for 2018's reunion, which begins at 5 p.m., Feb. 4 at the Bess Activity Center, TRC invites area businesses to participate in the inaugural Raider Reunion Community Spirit Contest during the week leading up to the event...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The pursuit of justice has been Larry Ferrell's lifelong passion, first as a county prosecutor and most recently as a federal prosecutor. During a career spanning more than three decades, Ferrell has prosecuted thousands of cases, as well as assisted in the prosecution of Saddam Hussein for war crimes against the people of Iraq...

One person has filed for Poplar Bluff City Council, which will have two seats open in the April 3 election. Dylan Groves will seek the Ward 2 seat currently held by Mayor Ed DeGaris, according to officials. Attempts to contact Groves were unsuccessful as of press time...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Denise Giambelluca, 63, of Columbia, formerly of Poplar Bluff, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017 at Bluff Creek Terrace Assisted Living. She was born Dec. 10, 1954 in Poplar Bluff, the daughter of Sam and Judy (Perry) Giambelluca. Her mother and sisters had faithfully supported her during her long and courageous battle with breast cancer...

Michael Ray Gibbs Sr. 70, of Poplar Bluff passed away Friday, Dec. 29, 2017 at his home. Mr. Gibbs was born July 4, 1947 in Fisk, Mo. He was a member of the Bible Baptist Church. Mr. Gibbs had careers as a horse trainer, a deputy for Butler County Sheriff Department. an ordained minister, cement truck driver and had been a professional wrestler. He enjoyed fishing...

John and Connie Hurt will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary between 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. Their daughter, Debbie Libla, will host the party at the Kinyon School Event Center on Ninth and Vine streets in Poplar Bluff. Additional family and friends will be assisting with decorations and refreshments...

The aliens are here, the aliens are here _ illegal aliens from outer space. And what is President Donald Trump to do? Put out tweets referring to them as "little green men," no matter if that is politically incorrect, stereotypical speciesism? Call for a transparent, impermeable, continental dome that the aliens will be forced to pay for? Or maybe just say a former Pentagon official is guilty of fake news?...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Wisconsin's Supreme Court can soon right a flagrant wrong stemming from events set in motion in 2014 at Milwaukee's Marquette University by Cheryl Abbate. Although just a graduate student, she already had a precocious aptitude for academic nastiness...

Oather "Leroy" Jackson, 84, of Patterson, Mo., died Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017, at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St. Louis, Mo. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, Mo. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, also at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be at Centerville Cemetery, Centerville, Mo...

Harry Edward Williams, 85, of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. The arrangements are pending and will be announced when completed by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

Maycee Grey Maycee Grey was chosen as Eugene Field's second grade November student of the month. She is the daughter of Greg Grey and Kristen Smith. Maycee was chosen by her teacher Mrs. Cindy Robertson for many reasons. Mrs. Robertson says, "Maycee is one of the sweetest, most kind students I've had in 27 years of teaching. ...

The just-signed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, like all income tax laws, will reward some behaviors and penalize others. Unfortunately for nonprofits, the new rules are going to discourage charitable donations. At a time when discretionary government services are diminishing, and as deeper cuts are contemplated, the role of nonprofits in filling the holes in the social safety net is becoming more essential. ...

Jesse Otto Ice, 74, of Wappapello, passed away surrounded by his girls on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He was born on Jan. 3, 1943 to Roy and Bertha (Smith) Ice in Holcomb, Mo. He loved spending his time watching his girls barrel racing and riding horses. He also enjoyed stock car races and was a well-known horse trainer in Southeast Missouri...

CAMPBELL, Mo. - Lee Roy Buchanan, 78, of Campbell, died Thursday, December 28, 2017 at Piggott Community Hospital in Piggott, Ark. Visitation will be from noon - 2 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 2 at the Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m. with Rev. Marion Parson officiating. Burial will be in Rombauer Cemetery in Rombauer, Mo...

BLOOMFIELD -- The Green Wave did what nobody else in the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament did and kept Klay Barton in check. Malden held the tournament's leading scorer to one point in the second half and 21 total. Barton had been averaging more than 28 points in the tournament and was coming off a 37-point performance against Hayti, the individual high for any game in the tournament...

HOXIE, Ark. --The Mules earned another shot at the Mustang Classic title by reaching the final for a second straight year as Poplar Bluff beat Maynard (Ark.) 53-44 in Friday's semifinal. The Mules (8-3) were to face host Hoxie (8-6) in the final Saturday night. Last year the Mustangs won 57-52 in the final and went on to claim the Arkansas 3A state title...

MEMPHIS -- After a dismal rebounding effort on Thursday, the Lady Raiders flipped the switch 24 hours later. Three Rivers went from grabbing 28 fewer rebounds against Lewis & Clark in Thursday's loss to grabbing 16 more rebounds than Wallace State on Friday and won 72-59...

Allie L. Mack, 96, of Warrenton, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2017 at the Warrenton Manor. The arrangements are pending and will be announced when completed by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Consistency is something that every team strives to attain, and the Cape Central boys basketball team appears to have a lot of it. The top-seeded Tigers continued their run in the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament with another resounding win on Friday at the Show Me Center...

BLOOMFIELD -- Dexter's five seniors made it 2 for 2 in the championship game of the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament. Clay Mullins, Gabe Jackson, Ben Sindle, Alan Pippins and Dawson Kasting each played key roles Friday night in the top-seeded Bearcats' 54-41 win over second-seeded Hayti to win their second straight championship...

Rodney Houston's two free throws with 10 seconds remaining Friday night completed a thrilling comeback by the host Mules to win the 31st annual Poplar Bluff Showdown. Down seven with a little more than 2 1/2 minutes to play, the Mules rallied against Jonesboro (Ark.), the defending champs, to claim their third title with a 61-59 win at a packed Senior High Gym...