Stories from Friday, December 14, 2018

In early December, large-scale street protests forced the French government to roll back its newly imposed fuel taxes. The French president later vowed to lower other taxes as well and to increase wages. The protesters won a six-month reprieve on the taxes, which may or may not return...

SENATH, Mo. -- The final lived up to its billing Thursday at the Senath-Hornersville Christmas Tournament. After seven of the first eight games at the event were decided by double digits, the title game between top-seed Senath-Hornersville Lions and second-seeded Campbell came down to the wire...

QULIN, Mo. - Mary Frances Arnold, 71, of Qulin, Mo., died Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Visitation will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 15 at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Qulin. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Jim Cornman officiating. Burial will be in Qulin Cemetery at Qulin...

This time a week ago, Kiley Bess mentioned she missed "a ton" of free throws after Poplar Bluff lost to Tupelo (Miss.) by 14 points in the SEMO Border Challenge at Dexter. Bess went 8 for 14 from the line in that game. Six days later, she was 22 for 25 and finished with 32 points, but Poplar Bluff still lost to Greene County Tech 55-51 on Thursday at the Senior High Gym...

LAS VEGAS -- Perched like a partridge in a pear tree and surrounded by far more than four calling birds, agent Scott Boras held his annual winter meetings press conference in front of a Christmas pine Wednesday and suggested the Cardinals' team, like the bat on its jersey, was still big enough for his big-ticket client, Bryce Harper...

Well, here we are in the middle of the most wonderful time of the year! The tree is up and all the pretty lights and ornaments look marvelous. The stockings are hung by the chimney with care. There are certain smells that take center stage this time of year. The smell of pine needles is a big one for me. There is also that great smell of winter, I love walking outside in the morning and breathing in that cold and crisp winter air with a hint of burned wood thrown into the blend...

NAYLOR -- A pair of picture perfect starts to each half got the job done for Naylor on Thursday. The Lady Eagles began the game on a 12-0 run and started the second half on an 11-0 run to lead by as many as 18 points against Van Buren. Despite getting in a hole early and trailing big in the second half, a 22-8 run had the Lady Dawgs back in business with a chance to force overtime...

DEXTER -- The Dexter Bearcats dictated the tempo and snapped a three-game losing streak with a 79-46 SCAA victory over Richland on Thursday at Dexter High School. Richland's win streak ended at four. "We let Dexter get us in a hurry," Richland coach Marc Crane said. ...

BROSELEY -- Every year, fans of 16 teams flock through the doors of Twin Rivers High School for the Lady Royals Christmas Classic. For the last 11 years, Twin Rivers Athletic Director Kelly Westerfield has been behind the scenes planning, coordinating and gathering a staff to smoothly run the event. As if that weren't enough, Westerfield doubled as coach of the girls basketball team for 10 of those years...

Calvin 'Eddie' Robertson 76, of Poplar Bluff departed this life on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in Poplar Bluff. He was born on Aug. 26, 1942 to the late Calvin A Robertson and Alberta P Nunn. On March 18, 1967 he married Joan E (Harvill) Robertson in Florence Alabama she survives. He was a lineman for 15 years, A dump truck owner for 37 years,...

By ADRIANA COHEN The U.S. judicial system is disintegrating before our eyes. What used to be a world-renowned legal system that treated its citizens fairly and equally has now become a political sword for those in power to wield against political opponents -- similar to what's found in police state regimes, such as North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Iran...

BERNIE -- A high-speed chase ended in a crash Thursday morning as the Bernie Police Department, along with the Missouri Highway Patrol and Stoddard County Sheriff's Department, apprehended the driver who fled on foot. Joshua Jones, 27, of McClure, Illinois, was arrested on suspicion of a first-degree felony of tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest by fleeing, careless and imprudent driving, speeding and no seat belt...

The annual production of "The Sounds of Christmas" at the Palace of Praise starts Sunday. The original production featuring music, dancing and elaborate sets is in its ninth year. The cast consists of church members and the script is written every year by Associate Pastor Randy West with a brand new set designed and constructed just for the script...