Stories from Friday, November 20, 2020

We are entering the holiday trifecta: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. You may be surprised to learn many experience greater anxiety and depression during the holidays. Harvard Health Publishing (HHP) recently made this profound observation: “Research (and common sense) suggests that one aspect of the Thanksgiving season can actually lift the spirits, and it’s built right into the holiday — expressing gratitude.”...

April LeAnn and Chris M. Riney of Puxico are the parents of a 7-pound, 7-ounce son born at 11:18 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, at Saint Francis HealthCare Family BirthPlace. They named the baby Steven Raye Riney. He was 18 1/2 inches long. They have another son and four daughters...

The Agee Community Club held its 88th anniversary meeting at Arbys’ on Nov. 9. The club has never failed to hold a monthly meeting. This month’s hostess was Nickey Orton. Club president Cathy Womack opened the meeting with the ladies repeating the clubs motto, “When the heart is full of love, the world is full of beauty.”...

The title of this column is a question that kept popping into my head during Missouri’s gubernatorial campaign. That question repeatedly was asked by fictional Pres. Jed Bartlet in the TV series West Wing of two decades ago. Bartlet used that question to cut off meandering conversations by his staff that went nowhere...

David E. Sappington, 57, of Independence, Missouri, died Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020 at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. David was born in Doniphan, Missouri to Rev. James Philo Sappington (1924 – 2004) and Doris Maxine Cromwell (1935 – 2010) May 23, 1963, the youngest of eight children. He was actively involved in Christian work as a Sunday School teacher, choir member, evangelism leader, licensed minister, and Gospel singer. He was of the Pentecostal faith...

Two Christmas classics — “Frosty the Snowman” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” — will be shown at the Rodgers Theatre on Black Friday. “We always want to do something for Christmas for the community, and this is an opportunity for people to see a classic movie in a classic theater,” said Wally Duncan, president of the Rodgers Theatre Inc.’s board...

Jerry W. Braden, 72, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020. He was born Sept. 5, 1948 in Holcomb, Missouri to the late Ray Braden and Dorothy (Wrinkle) Braden. He was a longtime resident of Poplar Bluff. He never passed up a good western on TV, a chance to go fishing or just kidding around with family and friends...

DONIPHAN, Mo. — Eva Jean Milner of Doniphan, Missouri passed away peacefully Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. Eva Jean was born Aug. 17, 1930 in Doniphan to Virgil and Opal (Decker) Ponder. On Oct. 2, 1949, she married Louie J. (Bill) Milner. Eva Jean had worked at the Ben Franklin Store and Wright Leather before moving to the suburbs of Chicago. ...

Barbara Ann Sanders, 77, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri went on to her reward after a brief illness Nov. 16, 2020. Barbara was born July 4, 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri. She was the daughter of George Schaefer Jr. and Anna (Scholbe) Schaefer. In 1964, she found the love of her life and she married her soulmate, Dwight Sanders...

QULIN -- Jerry Odell Carter Sr., age 71, of Qulin, Missouri, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020, at Evelyn’s House Hospice Center in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Mr. Carter was born May 6, 1949, in Qulin, Missouri, to the late Obal Carter and Alice Maxine Melton. He had served in the Army during the Vietnam War...

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL Donald E. Davis, 32, of Clubb was arrested at 5:09 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, on a Stoddard County failure to appear warrant for possession of a controlled substance and on suspicion of no seat belt. He was booked at the Wayne County Jail...

County firefighters responded at 11:12 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, to a trash fire on property owned by Ervin Mansbridge at Fisk. _ County firefighters responded at 5:04 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, to a structure fire at 2037 Tumbleweed Trail. According to the report, the fire caused moderate damage to a shed, owned by Lisa Samonte...

Under new administrative leadership, the Twin Rivers R-X school district is taking steps toward a more secure financial position.