Stories from Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Members of the Concerned Citizens of Stoddard County group returned to the commission meeting Tuesday, Sept. 4 to rehash the struggles between the Senate Bill 40 and Sheltered Workshop boards, as well as dive deeper into comments made during the pervious week's meeting regarding "omitted" information...

CAMBPELL, Mo. ~ Bruce Elder, 56, of Campbell, died Monday, Sept. 10, 2018 at his residence. Visitation will be from 6 - 8 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 12, at the Landess Funeral Home in Campbell. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 13, at the Landess Funeral Chapel with Brother Austin Holiman and Mr. Jason Bean officiating. Burial will follow at Elder Cemetery in Campbell...

As fire alarms rang out through Southwest Elementary last Thursday morning, faculty and staff immediately switched into the mode they train for several times during the school year - getting the students to a safe place. "The building went immediately into safety mode and evacuation mode," Principal Jacinda DeWitt said...

By NANCY NELSON VINES Contributing Writer "The fair played a huge part in my becoming the person I am today," reflects Megan DeLisle. "Truly. My work ethic, fearlessness, and self-confidence are a result of the many years I devoted to 4-H and fair competitions."...

By STEPHEN MOORE This past week I asked a friend at the White House about how the president was holding up against the onslaught of media attacks. "They didn't even deliver a glancing blow," was the response. It wasn't for a lack of trying. Has any president in modern times been the target of such a Blitzkrieg of orchestrated assaults -- from John McCain's funeral turned anti-Trump scrum to Bob Woodward's discredited new book trashing the president to the media infatuation with the anonymous New York Times op-ed by a disgruntled federal employee who hates President Trump.. ...

Today's column was written prior to Tuesday's cancellation of President Trump's visit to southeast Missouri. Though the rally was cancelled, the message of the column remains true. Had the President been here this week, this is what we would have said...

Is President Donald Trump about to intervene militarily in the Syrian civil war? For that is what he and his advisers seem to be signaling. Last week, Trump said of Syrian President Bashar Assad's campaign to recapture the last stronghold of the rebellion, Idlib province: "If it's a slaughter, the world is going to get very, very angry. And the United States is going to get very angry, too."...

ROMBAUER, Mo. - Sylvia Sue Walker, 77, of Sikeston, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Aug. 30, 2018 at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. She was born Feb. 11, 1941 in Rombauer to the late Clyde Hosfelt and Nora Ham Hosfelt. She was of the Protestant faith...

The Stoddard County assessor and juvenile offices will each soon see a new vehicle for their division. The Stoddard County Development Corporation approved a loan resolution and grant application to purchase vehicles for the two offices during Monday morning's commission meeting...

After four games and a week on the road to open the season, the Mules battled both sickness and the Zizzers in their home opener. Poplar Bluff beat West Plains 2-1 (29-27, 25-17) after losing consecutive road games at Jackson and Bloomfield. "We started out really strong. ...

Staff Report A financial award honoring State Rep. Steve Cookson will benefit students in Southeast Missouri after its recent establishment by the Three Rivers Community College Foundation. Foundation executive director Judith Wangelin Scott said Cookson has been an outstanding contributor to public education in the region and has represented Missouri House District 153 exceedingly well during his eight years in office. Cookson joined the TRCC Foundation Board of Directors in 2011...

Staff Reports Ozark National Scenic Riverways will host fall and winter trail events throughout the national park. Visitors can explore trails independently, or participate in these events. The fall hiking season will kick off with a celebration on Sept. 15 at Round Spring and will continue with special activities nearly every weekend through early November. Activities and events are free of charge...

NEELYVILLE -- Neelyville softball had given up six runs in the first four innings and faced a four-run deficit entering the sixth inning against Naylor. The Lady Tigers were unfazed. Neelyville (4-3) buckled down on its home field Tuesday and scored five unanswered runs in the final two innings, including the winning pair in the seventh as part of a two-out rally to snatch a second straight 7-6 victory and push its record back above .500...

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Notre Dame softball team was struggling to make contact at the plate. So the Bulldogs turned to a small-ball approach that helped key their run to the Class 3 state championship game last fall. Notre Dame bunted four times in the fourth inning, breaking up a no-hitter and scoring the game's first two runs without the ball leaving the infield. ...

DEXTER -- The Dexter Bearcats overpowered Bloomfield in the first set and captured their first win of the season Tuesday night. The Bearcats defeated Bloomfield 25-16, 25-19 in an SCAA volleyball match at the Bearcat Event Center. "I was proud of the girls the first game," Dexter coach Starla Pulley said. "They came out and pretty much controlled the game the whole time. We controlled the net. We played good defense. We set well. Our hitters attacked the ball and attacked the net."...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- For the first time in 54 years, the SEMO District Fair is operating without the experience and dedication of "Miss Dortha" Strack, who became somewhat of an icon within the 4-H community. Strack died in February. She was the first inductee into the Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame...

On Tuesday, a group of teens from the Boys & Girls Club of Poplar Bluff helped honor the 343 firefighters who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. Club members climbed the equivalent of 110 stories of stairs as part of a challenge from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation...

BERNIE -- Ben Barnett tossed a no-hitter and needed just 81 pitches to do so on Tuesday as Campbell took down Bernie, 4-0. Barnett relied a lot on his defense to help him get the 21 outs to win the game, striking out four batters on the day. Offensively, Campbell (5-2) did the bulk of its damage in the first inning, scoring three of its four runs. ...