Stories from Friday, September 14, 2018

WASHINGTON -- The beginning of another academic year brings the certainty of campus episodes illustrating what Daniel Patrick Moynihan, distinguished professor and venerated politician, called "the leakage of reality from American life." Colleges and universities are increasingly susceptible to intellectual fads and political hysteria, partly because the institutions employ so many people whose talents, such as they are, are extraneous to the institutions' core mission: scholarship...

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. When Tina and I were going through extremely difficult times, we knew that God still wanted us to perform random acts of kindness to get to that next level of happiness and success He had prepared for us. Before our financial problems began in 2008, our form of an "act of kindness" was always money, so now we had to get creative. How do we perform any type of kindness when we are sleeping in a car and have $19.70 to our names?...

Private businesses in America can play a critical role in encouraging, supporting and enacting social change. Taking positions on important, socially responsible causes can influence the marketplace for goods and services, maintain consumer focus around an issue and build customer support and loyalty by allowing customers to align their spending with their values...

The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle warned of the dangers of oligarchy: the rule of the few. In America today a new oligarchy, independent of any democratic control, has arisen. It seeks to install its ideology through economic coercion, outside of any legal process...

Cindy Vega, 59, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 at her residence. Visitation will be from noon - 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018 at Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. Funeral services will be immediately following visitation at 2 p.m. in the Moore Funeral Service Chapel with Sheldon Tyler officiating. Burial will take place in the Poplar Bluff City Cemetery...

CAMPBELL, Mo. -- John L. King, 85, of Campbell died Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 at his residence. A memorial service will at 2 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018 at the First Assembly of God Church in Campbell with Rev. Bruce Vinson and Rev. Jim Davis officiating...

Cleo Wyman Gulley, 91, of Van Buren, Mo., died Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018 at Riverways Manor Nursing Home in Van Buren, Mo. A Memorial Service will be held at Liberty Baptist Church at a later date. Online condolences: HYPERLINK "http://www.mcspaddenfh.com/" www.mcspaddenfh.com...

Calvin Phillips, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Friday Sept. 14, 2018 at Cedargate Care Center. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service.

For the first time in 13 years, Poplar Bluff boys swimming hosted a meet at Black River Coliseum. After a long road to bringing the program back, Poplar Bluff coach Julia Dragon described how it felt to be part of the return as her team hosted Farmington...

On a hot August night in 1938, Iris "Kay" Cash Sloan was born #5 of eight live births to Millard and Clara Cash in the wonderful railroad town of Thayer, Mo. She was like a bowl full of Halloween candy... seemingly endless in colorful surprises and never sparing in her heart's generosity. ...

The Dexter Bearcats played a solid first set and rallied late in the second to sweep Bernie 25-15, 25-21 in an SCAA volleyball match Thursday night at the Bearcat Events Center. The Bearcats took a 7-1 lead in the first set and stretched that advantage of as many as 11 points...

After every game, the winning coach's postgame talk is typically quicker than the losing coach's postgame talk. That wasn't the case Thursday as Poplar Bluff coach Amanda Lance had some things to address despite the Mules' 25-22, 25-16 win over Sikeston at the Senior High Gym...

Three runs in the first inning were all Lee's Summit West (7-2) needed to secure a 5-2 win over Poplar Bluff in the Ozark Fall Festival. The Mules dropped their second game of their doubleheader. Lauren Alexander's performance was once again a silver lining for the Mules (5-4). This time, she hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. Alexander pitched the whole game for Poplar Bluff, allowing three earned runs and six hits...

As Hurricane Florence approaches, area professionals are preparing to offer help where they can. Six linemen from Ozark Boarder Electric Cooperative are a group among leaving today for South Carolina at the request of South Carolina-based Santee Electric Cooperative...

A new furry, four-legged staff member has been roaming the halls in the Twin Rivers R-X School District assisting in ways many didn't imagine. Bella, a five-year-old registered AKC Labrador retriever, was approved to serve the district as a therapy dog to assist students in stress, anxiety, defusing situations, empathy and even worked into classroom curriculum...