Stories from Tuesday, May 22, 2018

The members of the Heartland Cruisers announce the winner of their 2018 scholarship, Clayton Riddle. Riddle is the son of Andy and Debbie Willerson and Jeff Riddle. During his high school career, Clayton was active in FFA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Skills USA. He was also enrolled in the Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center where he studies Automotive Technology and was selected to be in the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS)...

The members of Puxico Fire Department are working in connection with the American Red cross and Missouri Division of Fire Safety in going door to door in town to install smoke alarms free of charge Saturday, June 2. Anyone not in the city limits and in the Puxico Fire District wishing to have alarms installed may leave their name, address and phone number at Puxico City Hall...

William "Bill" Davis, 72, of Wappapello died May 9, 2018 at his residence. Services were held May 12, 2018 at the White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk. Burial followed in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson. Rev. Jim Sanders officiated. Online condolences to the family may be made at www.whitesandersfuneralhome.com...

CAMPBELL. Mo. -- Jean McCormick, 74 of Holcomb, passed away on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at her residence in Holcomb, Missouri. Jean, daughter of Elmer and Grace Underwood Lincoln, was born on Wednesday, May 19, 1943 in Holcomb, Missouri. She was office manager for Dr. Scott Borders and Miller and a member of the First Baptist Church in Holcomb...

From staff reports A volunteer group will hold a boat blessing from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, June 3, at Peoples Creek Recreation Area. The Wappapello Lake Area Association has also steadily been raising money for a fireworks celebration to be held at Wappapello Lake in honor of July 4th...

Wilma Faye Wheetley Phillips, 81, of Bloomfield died May 13, 2018 at her residence. Services were held May 19, 2018 at the Rainey-Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie. Bro. John Ross and Bro. Roy Patterson officiated. Burial followed in the Bernie Cemetery...

FISK, Mo. -- Jimmy Dale Crum, 81, of Wappapello died May 3, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation was held May 6, 2018 at the White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk. A private family burial will be held at a later date. Online condolences to the family may be made at www.whitesandersfuneralhome.com...

Jacob Bates, 29, of Puxico died May 16, 2018 in Bollinger County. Visitation was held May 18, 2018 and funeral services were held May 19, 2018 at the Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. Burial followed in the Puxico City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, an account is set up at Peoples Community Bank for Kingston Edward Bates if anyone would like to make a donation. The bank address is PO Box 10, Puxico MO 63960...

FISK, Mo. - Ralph Wayne Ellsworth, 86, of Broseley, died Saturday, May 19, 2018 at St. Francis Medical Center, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation was Tuesday at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk. Funeral services will follow at noon in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Wayne Burchett officiating. Burial will be in Brown Chapel Cemetery in Broseley...

Thomas Odell Miller, 77, died at his home in Parma on May 17, 2018. Thomas has donated the "Gift of Life" and his body and will be transported to the St. Louis University School of Medicine. There are no services planned, Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Parma is in charge of arrangements...

The Whitewater Bluegrass Band will perform a concert at Sam A. Baker State Park 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 26. Now in its 12th year together, the band provides upbeat, family-friendly entertainment that includes both traditional and new bluegrass and gospel music...

Want some free fun that gets family and friends outside in nature? Get hooked on fishing with the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Free Fishing Days June 9-10. During Free Fishing Days, anyone may fish in the Show-Me State without having to buy a fishing permit, trout permit, or trout park daily tag...

Why do men establish memorials? Simply to perpetuate the memory of some great person, place, event or thing. When Jacob was en route to Padan Aram fleeing from the wrath of his brother, Esau, for having, with the help of his mother, manipulated him out of his blessing and birthright due to the firstborn, stopped to rest one night and used a stone for a pillow. ...

Readers of all ages will explore all things that make libraries rock this summer as the staff of the Puxico Public Library present "Libraries Rock" during their summer library program. Come by and sign up on June 4, 2018 or any time thereafter for the program. The summer program will run from June 4-July 27. Freebie bags will be given to the 25 to sign up...

By NOREEN HYSLOPSEMO News Service POWE, Mo. -- A two-vehicle wreck May 12 north of the Powe community left three individuals injured, with an Arkansas man facing charges involving the accident.According to the Highway Patrol, Michael S. Lucas, 27, of Rector was northbound in the southbound lane of Rt. ...

By NOREEN HYSLOPSEMO News Service BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Members of the Bloomfield Board of Education May 15 approved a raise for their certified staff and an increase in the salaries of non-certified staff members.Supt. Toni Hill stated that the salary schedule was reworked somewhat "to give a higher percentage for education toward a Master's degree and longevity."Board members also approved of hiring the firm of McKinstry out of Chesterfield, Mo. ...

When Sen. Claire McCaskill looks through her looking glass these days, what does she see? In short, McCaskill sees the best friend she can have in politics these days, and that's the ongoing, undeniable presence of GOP chaos. It's all around her -- and every other Missourian these days. It's weird. It's wild. It's embarrassing. It's nonsensical...

FISK, Mo. - Ralph Wayne Ellsworth, age 86, of Broseley, died Saturday, May 19, 2018 at St. Francis Medical Center, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Mr. Ellsworth was born March 15, 1932 in Gideon, Mo. to the late James Isaac and Roxie Ellsworth. He was a retired farmer and enjoyed music, singing and traveling. He was an active member of Black River General Baptist Church at Broseley...

By JASON SMITH Over the counter, under the table, stolen from a family member, begged for from a friend, purchased in a back alley, hidden in a classmates locker, received from a coworker, leftover from an injury, a forged prescription, obtained from a complete stranger. ...

A year after its inaugural tour of Southeast Missouri, the Mamm Van is coming back to offer more free breast cancer screenings. Saint Francis Healthcare System, working together with the Saint Francis Healthcare System Foundation, will host events at three locations for the University of Missouri mobile mammography van in Dexter, New Madrid and Piedmont in July...

PRINCEVILLE, Ill. - Harold Anthony Ostrom, age 95, of Wappapello, Mo., formerly of Princeville, Ill, died Friday, May 18, 2018 at The Manor, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Mr. Ostrom was born Aug. 12, 1922 in Williamsfield, Ill. Mr. Ostrom had formerly owned and operated R. Cox & Son, Inc. in Princeville. On Feb. 22, 1949 he married Jane King. She preceded him in death. He later married Virginia Risen. She also preceded him in death...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - Mary Irene Vandergriff, 67, of Benton, Mo., died Friday, May 18, 2018 at her residence. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 22 from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. at the Chiles-Cooper Funeral Home in Bloomfield. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. in the funeral home with Jeannie Hazel of Bloomfield officiating...

MALDEN, Mo. - Charlie Truman Holt, 72, of Clarkton, Mo., died Sunday, May 20, 2018 at his residence. Visitation will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 22 at the Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. in the Bradshaw Chapel with Rev. Phillip Keeton officiating. Burial will be in Clarkton in Mt. Gilead Cemetery with military rites. www.bradshawfh.com...

A 29-year-old Puxico, Mo., man was killed in a two-vehicle crash at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 16, on Highway C, two miles west of Advance, Mo., in Bollinger County. According to the report, Jacob D. Bates was operating an eastbound 2004 Dodge pickup, which was attempting to overtake another vehicle...

DONIPHAN, Mo. - Terry Lynn Pender, 61, of Doniphan, died Saturday, May 19, 2018 in rural Ripley County, Mo. Visitation will be from 4 - 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 22 at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan.

DONIPHAN, Mo. - Willis Iver Cates, 94, of West Plains, Mo., died Monday, May 21, 2018 at North Howell County Nursing Center in West Plains. Visitation will begin at noon Friday, May 25 at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Brother Alan Wilson officiating. Burial will be in the Johnston Chapel Cemetery...

Laverne E. Krivohlavek, 86, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Monday, May 21, 2018 at his home. A memorial service will be at 4 p.m., Thursday, May 24, 2018 at Second Baptist Church of Poplar Bluff. Arrangements have been made through Fitch-Hillis Funeral Home...

MALDEN - Bottom of the seventh, two outs, down by one, the tying run on second, and freshman Drew Blankenship stepped up to the plate. Representing the winning run and the person who would send Malden baseball deeper into the postseason than it had ever been, or perhaps the final out, Blankenship knelt down and prayed...

ELLINGTON -- Gavin Brown and Dalton Hobgood provided the highlights for Bernie. Unfortunately for the Mules, the Whippets provided many more memorable moments and beat Bernie 12-6 in the first round of the MSHSAA Class 2 playoffs Monday at Elllington...

Down four runs with a single out remaining it seemed inevitable. The 22-5 season that the Malden Green Wave carved out would finish with a whimper. But then ... the inevitable turned into the improbable. When Dushawn Butler stepped into the batter's box and locked eyes with Scott City pitcher Bryan McNeely his nerves grew...

Opal (Bunny) Sisk, 77 of Poplar Bluff went to be with the Lord Saturday, May 19, 2018 at her home. She was born January 21, 1941 in Steele MO, daughter of Chester and Gladys Durham of Caruthersville, MO. Bunny was a member of Temple Baptist Church. She was a lifelong member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority as well as the past president of Troop E Missouri State Troopers Association Auxiliary. ...

JEFFERSON CITY -- Greenville's Tye Huff became Greenville's first All-State track and field athlete since its started up three years ago after he finished eighth in the javelin with a throw of 143-feet, 10-inches at the MSHSAA Class 2 State Championship on Saturday in Jefferson City, just short of his personal record of 148 feet...

Poplar Bluff City Council members voted Monday to ask citizens for additional sales tax money in August. They also gave the final approval for construction to start on a new Barron Road subdivision called Brookstone. The 14 single-family homes mark the largest number of residential construction permits issued by the city in a single year since 2010...

DEXTER -- Dexter R-XI Schools will become a one-to-one computing district beginning in the fall. At Monday's regular monthly meeting, the Board of Education unanimously approved a lease agreement for Chromebooks to be used at the Middle School. The one-to-one initiative allows students access to the internet, digital course materials and digital textbooks. ...

A woman who lives on Gardner Street with her daughter and mother woke up at 3 a.m. one night to find a strange man climbing over her fence from the vacant house next door. It is the house with the overgrown yard, that neighbors say draws snakes, mice and other wildlife...

Commencement for the Poplar Bluff High School Class of 2018 will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Black River Coliseum. For the first time in more than two decades, anyone aged 3 or older must present a ticket upon arrival, according to earlier statements from PBHS Principal Mike Owen...

The University of Missouri Extension/4-H in partnership with the Three Rivers College Rodeo Team will be having "Horse Camp" at the Three Rivers Rodeo Facility in Fairdealing June 4-6, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Deadline for applications is May 31. Youth will learn all about horse care, riding instruction, and equine safety. ...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wappapello Lake in partnership with the Wappapello Lake Area Association (WLAA) announces the Fourth of July holiday weekend festivities, June 29-30. Things will kick off Friday evening, June 29, as Southern Bank of Missouri provides the "Movie in the Park" at the Spillway Recreation Area. This event is free to attend and free beverages and popcorn will be given to all attendees...

Local and state officers continue to investigate the weekend shooting death of a Poplar Bluff man whose body was found at the dead end of county road in eastern Butler County. The victim is identified as Jermaine Johnson, 32, and an autopsy performed Monday afternoon by Dr. Russell Deidiker at a Farmington, Mo., area hospital showed he died as the result of a gunshot wound to his torso, said Butler County Coroner Andy Moore...

U.W. "Junior" Freeman of Scotsdale, Ky., formerly of Puxico, died May 9 at Bowling Green, Ky. Services were held May 14, 2018 at Morgan Sifford Funeral Home in Puxico. Rev. Ray Placher officiated. Burial followed in the Puxico City Cemetery.