Stories from Sunday, February 11, 2018

Wappapello Lake is seeking competitors for an event that will honor the rich timber industry of the region. The Third Annual Wappapello Woodlands Expo will be held March 24 at Redman Creek Recreation Area. The deadline to pre-register for competitions is March 12, with a cost of $10 per event. Registration the day of the event will be $20 per event...

The new budget deal passed by Congress and signed into law Friday will boost federal spending, ballooning the national debt, according to U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, who voted against the measure. Smith said he was one of 67 House Republicans to vote against the last-minute deal, and the only member of the GOP House leadership to do so...

By SEN. DOUG LIBLA Ameren, and other investor-owned monopoly electric utilities (not to be confused with member-owned or municipal-owned) are promoting SB564 as legislation that is desperately needed for electric consumers. Let's quickly examine the facts of this bill; which explains why I have opposed this type of legislation throughout my 6 years in the Missouri Senate...

Wake up, make sense Hello Speak Out. I would like to question the new superintendent and board that voted to raise taxes and build a new school at Broseley for Twin Rivers. I've seen some literature and they all admitted they believe when the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades move to Broseley at Twin Rivers there will not be adequate classrooms in the old high school for them. ...

There's a table in Poplar Bluff to which our police officers aren't invited. There aren't seats for leaders of our fire department either, members of our park department or about 130 city employees in total. These are the men and women who have no union representation...

To the Editor, Starting another new year. Seems the years come faster all the time. I do not make any New Year's resolutions. Someone said they were only made to be broken. Last year was such a terrible year for the United States!! I am sending out some very positive thoughts and prayers that this year will be better than last year. We cannot do anything about the floods. But can surely pray about the gun violence...

Missouri Sen. Doug Libla, District 25, hosted an assembly for Poplar Bluff Junior High history classes Feb. 2, in the gymnasium opening the floor up to the audience to direct the discussion. Questions submitted by the students, currently studying the branches of government and Constitution, ranged from how many suits Libla owns (about 25) to what bill he is most proud of sponsoring (Senate Bill 530)...

Leonia Parthenia Parish, 91, of Neelyville, Mo., passed away Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 at Cedargate Nursing Home in Poplar Bluff. She was born Jan. 4, 1927, to Oscar and Lillie (Robertson) Vangilder in rural Northeastern Arkansas. On Sept. 30, 1944, she married Roy Lee Parish in Piggott, Ark. He preceded her in death Jan. 4, 2017...

William C. Epps, 88, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service on www.cotrellfuneralservice.com

NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Gary David "Cork" Hogue, 75, died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center surrounded by his family. Born June 16, 1942 in St, Louis to Anna (Hardin) Hogue and Luther Lee Hogue, Gary was a veteran of the United States Navy, and a life long truck driver. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN President Trump is the leader of America's conservative party. Yet not even his allies would describe him as a conservative in the tradition of Robert Taft, Russell Kirk or William F. Buckley. In the primaries of 2016, all his rivals claimed the mantle of Mr. Conservative, Ronald Reagan. Yet Trump captured the party's heart...

Poplar Bluff Middle School staff has announced the A and B honor rolls for the fourth, fifth and sixth grades. Fourth grade second quarter A Honor Roll includes Colby Bailey, Dawn Barger, Maelynn Beis, Braden Belknap, Elizabeth Blancett, Karter Blanchard, Annabaella Brooks, Audrey Brooks, Gracie Brown, Kalen Campbell, Alyssa Cochran, Emerson Cole, Daniel Collins, Shelby Cooper, Hailey Coston, Leeanna Cross, Kiersten Crutchfield, Celsey Cummins, Landen Deaton, Tori Dobbs, Lane Dunham, Alysa Duren, Molly Eason, Kaelyn Everett, Hope Fluech, Chloe Fortner, Claire Funke, Jaykob Gannon, Jada Grant, Jonah Halliburton, Kiara Hamilton, Colby Harris, Cassidy Heuiser, Grant Hill, Kade Huffman, Daniel Jackson, Rose Johnson, Wyatt Joiner, Kyle Knight, Alexander Larkins, Jamece Lathon, Addison Lightner, Emma Longhibler, Mason Magill, Morgan Magill, Jayden Massa, Beau McCormack, McKenna Miller, Ava Monaghan, Cade Moncier, Anden Moore, Tristan Morgan, Addyson Moss, Marawan Mostafa, Brume Osiohwo, Cooper Overbey, Preston Palmer, Diane Perez, Rylie Pounds, Charlie Raglin, Lucas Reasons, Gavin Rogalski, Karson Rolland, Gabrielle Rushing, Karly Scott, Katherine Scott, Mekenna Seabaugh, William Sherrill, Jordan Shock, Noah Sidney, Maddox Sneathern, Ella Starling, Brianna Steward, Ileana Stockton, Ava Stotts, Kaylen Taylor, Corban Thomas, Landon Thomas, Tangant Tuggle, Addison Valenzuela, Rhyan Waddell, Angelee Wallace, Martha Ward, Harley Werkmeister, Jack Wesemann, Ella White, Keira Willis. ...

Opening the mailbox can be a drag. For some, the disappointment comes in the form of bills with anxiety-inducing due dates inching ever more near. But for Carly Garcia and her husband, Alex, opening the mailbox one August afternoon was the same as opening a gateway to hell...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. --Nik Rowland's prayer was answered Friday night. The Poplar Bluff junior caught a rebound above his head as he was jumping away from the basket and got off a shot before his feet hit the court and the final buzzer sounded. The 14-foot shot lifted the Mules to another thrilling SEMO Conference win, this time beating Notre Dame 65-63...

Mark Barousse is stepping down as head coach of the Poplar Bluff football team. After leading the Mules to their third unbeaten, untied regular season that featured a SEMO North Conference title, Barousse said Friday it was time to "give somebody else a shot."...

KENNETT, Mo. -- Without two starting seniors in Ben Sindle and Clay Mullins, Dexter found new sources of offense for an eight point run in the fourth quarter. The Bearcats rallied from six points down early in the fourth to win 61-59 on Friday at Kennett...

Neeylville included some old-school basketball in its first Ozark Foothills Conference tournament championship in 34 years. Following a four-minute stall to open the second quarter, the Tigers held off Twin Rivers in the fourth quarter to win 58-48 Friday night at the Bess Activity Center...

A Sikeston, Mo., man is being held without bond after being charged Friday morning in connection with a shooting that left one dead and two others wounded. Ricky Dewayne Davis Jr., 31, was charged with the Class A felony of first-degree murder, two Class A felonies of first-degree assault and three unclassified felonies of armed criminal action by Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher...

The Lady Tigers' run atop the Ozark Foothills Conference has reached decade status. With lots of 3s and lots of defense, Neelyville won its 10th straight Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament championship with an 81-49 victory over Twin Rivers on Friday at the Bess Activity Center...