Stories from Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Staff Reports Stacey Griffin's routine mammogram early this year led to a second test, a biopsy and a diagnoses of triple receptor-negative breast cancer. Reality quickly set in and life for the Poplar Bluff woman was no longer routine. While seeking information about her own cancer and treatment, Griffin immediately began a campaign to make certain friends were tested...

The 26th Annual Festival of Lights Auto Tour will be held in the Redman Creek East Campground at Wappapello Lake. The event is scheduled to begin Nov. 23 and will run through Dec. 30. The Festival of Lights will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights from dusk until 9 p.m. until Dec. 16, when it opens on a nightly basis until closing Dec. 30...

In an effort to renew hazard mitigation plans for six area counties, including Stoddard, Bootheel Regional Planning Executive Director Hannah Barnett met with several school superintendents during a recent commission meeting. Currently, hazard mitigation plans are out of date within the county and Bootheel Regional Planning is in charge of updating those plans...

From Staff Reports Head stones, sewer improvements, a fire department grant, plans for a new subdivision along with regular reports kept the Puxico Board of Aldermen busy at the Sept. 25 meeting. Present were Mayor Rick McLean and aldermen Gary Burns, Charles Fann and GS Kilbreth. Peter Coutavas was absent...

Publisher to retire Oct. 31 Staff Reports After 39 years leading newspapers in Poplar Bluff and the surrounding area, Daily American Republic publisher and president of Butler County Publishing Don Schrieber will retire at the end of the month. The move coincides with control of Butler Country Publishing, which also includes newspapers in Dexter, Puxico and Doniphan, transitioning from Gary W. Rust to Rust Communications, a corporation led by Rust's three sons...

Members of the City of Puxico Board of Aldermen are asking for input from area residents who have grave sites purchased in Section A and Section B of the Puxico City Cemetery. At the time these two section of the cemetery were opened in 1968, the Board of Aldermen adopted an ordinance stating "no marker other than a flat marker shall be erected on any grave site."...

DEXTER, Mo. - Dorothy Faye Black Kersey Jarrell, 92, of Dexter, died Thurs., Oct. 11, 2018 at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, MO. Visitation will be from 5 - 8 p.m., Tues., Oct. 16 at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Dexter. The funeral will be at 11 a.m.,Wed., Oct. 17, at at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter with Tom Jarrell of Bloomfield, MO officiating...

Isebelle Hartle of Bloomfield has been awarded the Joda Bess Scholarship at Three Rivers College. The fund is administered by the Three Rivers Endowment Trust.Hartle, the daughter of Eric and Karen Hartle of Bloomfield, was homeschooled and completed her studies in 2016. ...

In the seventh chapter of Hebrews, the Levitical priesthood of the Israelites under the old covenant is compared to the priesthood of Christ, the great high priest of the new covenant. He said, under the old covenant, there were necessarily many priests because they were mortal and needed to offer sacrifices over and over, first for their own sins, then for the sins of the people. ...

Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health, along with local law enforcement, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and local pharmacies, are promoting a Prescription Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 27. Community members are encouraged to bring unused, unwanted or expired prescription medication to a secure site for safe disposal. Prescription Take Back Day area locations and times are as follows:...

By MONA CHAREN He had an appointment at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to collect some documents he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee -- a certificate showing that he was divorced from his first wife. He entered the consulate on Oct. 2 at 1:14 p.m., asking his fiancee to wait outside for him. She did. Until 2 a.m. He never emerged...

I would like to acknowledge the people who attended the 'Conversations on the Future of SEMO's Work Force.' Five members of the Harviell community came with questions and listened to the excellent information provided by: I greatly appreciate these people who took time from their personal lives to get together and discuss how we can help our rural population reach it's full potential. ...

October is National Long-Term Care Residents' Rights Month, a time to acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices many long-term care (LTC) residents have made to better our community and to call attention to the rights of residents in long-term care facilities. ...

The Friends of Margaret Harwell Art Museum and the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library just celebrated the opening of Watercolor Now! 2018 exhibit with a special reception. Thank you, Sue Szostack and staff for immediately agreeing to co-host this event at the library. Our library is the best there is!...

MALDEN, Mo. - Harold Morrow of Dexter, will have memorial services conducted Saturday, October 20 at 3 p.m. in the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses at 1013 S. Madison St. in Malden. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service www.watkinsfuneralhome.com

PIEDMONT, Mo. - Beth (Brimer) Wills, 57, of Patterson, Mo., died Sat., Oct. 13, 2018 at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation was at 10 a.m., Tues., Oct. 16 at Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. The funeral followed at noon in the funeral home chapel with Elder Tom Willis and Bro. Robert Randolph officiating. Burial was in the Meador Flatwoods Cemetery near Piedmont. Online condolences may be left at www.morrisonworleychapel.com...

Kevin B. Stewart, 52, of Poplar Bluff, formerly of Newton, Iowa, passed away suddenly on Oct. 2, 2018, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. He was born in Newton on Oct. 18, 1965, to Jimmie D Stewart and Theresa L Stewart. He attended Newton schools and graduated from Newton HS as a part of the Class of 1985. ...

CORNING, Ark. - Mr. Arlie Dewitt Owens, 84, of Corning, AR., passed away Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, MO. Mr. Owens was born in Corning, on April 20, 1934. He was a former Deputy Sheriff and CID with the Clay County Sheriff's Department, he also served as an elected Clay County Constable, and was a retired used car salesman. ...

MALDEN, Mo. - Ralph L. Burson, 92, of Campbell, Mo., died Monday, Oct. 15, 2018 at General Baptist Nursing Home - Campbell. Visitation will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Oct. 19 at Bradshaw Funeral Home - Malden. The funeral will follow at noon in the Bradshaw Chapel - Malden. Burial will be in Elder Cemetery in Campbell with military rites. www.bradshawfh.com...

VAN BUREN, Mo. - Jewell Vernita House, daughter of the late Dallas and Bessie (Harman) McSpadden was born on Sept. 5, 1922 in Van Buren and departed this life Oct. 15, 2018 at the age of 96 years, 1 month and 10 days. After graduating from Van Buren High School in 1941, she moved to St. Louis where she resided until 1980 when she returned to Van Buren and enjoyed her retirement...

The staff of the Puxico Public Library will be offering two computer classes open to the public starting in October. Classes are being taught by Mikey Sullivan. Each class is limited to five per class and is $40 per student, which includes the weekly seven month class and materials for the class...

A new furry addition, taller than most of the students, has been roaming the halls of Oak Grove Elementary. Bailey, a 4-year-old Great Dane, and his owner, Holly Shupe, have joined the staff of Oak Grove this school year from Arizona and brought along the concept of having Bailey join the school as a therapy dog...

Three Rivers wrapped up its second weekend of preseason action with some improvements on both the stat sheet and the scoreboard. Turnovers were down and assist totals were up as the Raiders fared well in their first two games of the Evangel Jamboree...

Richland Elementary has received the highest honor an educational institution can earn by being named one of eight schools in Missouri as a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School. "This award takes four consecutive years of academic accomplishment at an extremely high level and very few school buildings ever accomplish this prestigious level," Richland Superintendent Frank Killian said. "Richland School Board and I are very proud of our elementary staff, students and community."...

Poplar Bluff used one more emotional night to secure an undefeated home record for the season. On senior night, the Mules beat Cape Central 25-16, 25-23 to go 8-0 at home this season. Poplar Bluff (15-10) still has the SEMO Conference tournament to play before districts begin next week...

Claude Leonard Montgomery, 94, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018 at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service.

DONIPHAN, Mo.-- Robert Lloyd Holland, 70, lifelong resident of Doniphan, Mo. died Sunday evening, Oct. 14, 2018, at Southeast Health of Ripley County. Mr. Holland, son of Clyde and Mildred (Rongey) Holland, was born May 1, 1948, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. ...

Rezoning was approved Monday by the Poplar Bluff City Council for several properties on Butler and South 11th streets, over the objections of city fire personnel. The zoning involves the conversion of single-family homes to apartments. Chief Ralph Stucker said today he will continue to object to these conversions as long as the city lacks codes to protect residents...

BLOOMFIELD -- Stoddard County commissioners will soon go out for bids regarding financing options for the voter approved jail expansion. With the help of county attorney Ivan Schrader, the request for bids finance language was reviewed during Monday morning's meeting...

CORNING, Ark. - Mr. Arlie Dewitt Owens, 84, of Corning, AR., died Sat., Oct. 13, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, MO. Visitation will be at noon, Wed., Oct. 17 at Ermert Funeral Home Chapel in Corning, AR. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m. in the Ermert Funeral Home Chapel with Earl Ladyman officiating. Burial will follow in the Corning Cemetery...

H. Ray 'Speedie" Rains, 70, of Puxico, Mo., died Oct. 5, 2018 at his residence. Visitation was Oct. 8, 2018 and the funeral service was Oct. 9, 2018 at the Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. Rev. Justin Miller officiated. Burial followed in the Kearbey Cemetery...

FISK, Mo. -- Danny Joe Elsworth, 42, of Ellsinore, Mo., died Oct. 7, 2018 at the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation was Oct. 11, 2018 and the funeral service was held Oct. 12, 2018 at the White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk. Rev. Jim Sanders officiated. Burial followed in the Shain Memorial Cemetery...

PIEDMONT, Mo. - Beth (Brimer) Wills, 57, of Patterson, Mo., died Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018 at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Visitation was at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 16 at Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. The funeral followed at noon in the funeral home chapel with Elder Tom Willis and Bro. Robert Randolph officiating. Burial was in the Meador Flatwoods Cemetery near Piedmont...

Lawrence Edward 'Pat" Fererro, 73, of Wappapello died Sept. 30, 2018 at his residence. A memorial service was held Oct. 7, 2018 at the gatehouse pavilion at Wappapello. Online condolences to the family may be sent to www.reuggfuneralhomes.com.

FISK, Mo. -- Precilla Elsworth, 76, of Wappapello died Oct. 9, 2018 at her residence. Visitation service was held Oct. 11, 2018 and the funeral service was held Oct. 12, 2018, both at the White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk. Rev. Jim Sanders officiated. Burial followed in the Shain Memorial Cemetery in Fisk...

Rev. Kevin Clayton Foriester, 57, of Wappapello, Mo., died Oct. 7, 2018 at his residence. A Celebration of Kevin's Life was held at the New Life Baptist Church in Wappapello Oct. 13, 2018.

John Franklin "Frank" Cooper, 80, entered into rest Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018 at Fountainbleau Nursing Center in Festus, Missouri. Born April 26, 1938, in Puxico, Missouri, to the late John Roy and Cora Agnes (Wills) Cooper. Frank taught fifth grade at Crystal City School until he retired in 1991, he worked a few years as a door greeter at Festus Walmart, he especially enjoyed meeting and visiting friends every morning at Cracker Barrel Restaurant; he also enjoyed Cardinal baseball and car shows. ...