Stories from Sunday, January 7, 2018

A renovation project aimed at increasing the security and safety of correction officers booking inmates at the Butler County Justice Center is under way. Plans call for the booking area to be expanded and made more secure and at least three more holding/medical observation cells to be added...

Downtown Poplar Bluff, Inc., has received a $15,000 grant from Nestle Purina for its dog park. The money has been used to purchase equipment for the park, Director Jerrica Fox said. It includes benches, water fountains, waste stations and six pieces of agility equipment, she said...

It only took one stint in jail for Michael Whitehead to make up his mind, it would never happen again. The 70-year-old is on the path toward keeping that promise, as one of five graduates last week from the SEMO Veterans Court. This speciality court offers an intense supervised treatment plan for veterans, most of whom are dealing with substance abuse dependence, behavioral health needs or a combination of the two...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN As tens of thousands marched in the streets of Tehran on Wednesday in support of the regime, the head of the Revolutionary Guard Corps assured Iranians the "sedition" had been defeated. Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari is whistling past the graveyard...

Chicago Tribune President Donald Trump's first tweet of 2018, directed at Pakistan, was predictably clumsy and combative. "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit," Trump huffed. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"...

Gene and Pat Stamps of Poplar Bluff, Mo., will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary Monday, Jan. 8, 2018. The couple married Jan. 8, 1953 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. They had six children: Carolyn Chappell and Karen Stamps, who are deceased, Danny Stamps, Randy Stamps, Lisa Trainor and Sandy Griffin. 10 grandchildren, 11 great--grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren...

VAN BUREN, Mo.-- A former Carter County Circuit Clerk and Recorder Shirley Mae Chitwood, 81, of Van Buren died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 at the Riverways Manor Nursing Home in Van Buren. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in the Van Buren. Rev. Ron Robinson will officiate. Burial will be in the Van Buren City Cemetery...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- It is almost a law of our political physics: Those who choose to leave Congress thereby demonstrate qualities that make one wish they would linger here longer. After seven terms in the House of Representatives, which followed eight years in Pennsylvania's House of Representatives and six in the state Senate, Republican Charlie Dent, 57, is moving on without knowing his destination...

Jimmie Dal Lee, 66, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018 at his home. He was born on Sept. 7, 1951 to George and Dorothy (Hall) Lee at Poplar Bluff, Mo. Jimmie worked as a truck drier and enjoyed riding his motorcycle. Jimmie is survived by his daughter, Nikki Benzing (Tony) of Germantown, Tenn.; grandchildren, Landry and Emma Benzing; and a close cousin, LInda Gatewood...

PIEDMONT, Mo.-- Raymond Brewer, 74, of Des Arc, Mo., died Friday, Jan. 5, 2018, at his residence. Visitation will be held from noon - 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, for the public. Services will follow at 2 p.m., also at the Piedmont Chapel of Ruegg Funeral Home. Burial will be at Annapolis Cemetery, Annapolis, Mo...

PUXICO, Mo. -- James "Tim" Whitehead, 58, of Alton, Ill., died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017 at Alton Memorial Hospital. Visitation will be held at noon Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 in the Morgan Sifford Funeral Home Chapel in Puxico. A memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. in the Morgan Sifford Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ray Placher officiating. Burial arrangements are pending...

James D. "Jim" Hays, 96, Blue Springs, Mo., formerly of Poplar Bluff, Mo. passed away Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Services will be private. The family requests contributions to the First United Methodist Church of Poplar Bluff, 500 N. Main St., Poplar Bluff, MO 63901...

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- Calvin Dallas Agner, 61, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, passed away Friday, Dec. 29, 2017. Calvin is preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Frances (Jonhson) Agner; brother, John Agner. Calvin is survived by his wife, Sheryl; daughters, Amber Arbuckle, Aundriea Rodgers (Steve), Alana Alvarado; son, Brian Carson (Theresa), and brother, Rick Agner and a host of other family and friends...

Anna Schmit, 90, of Poplar Bluff, died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018 at Cedargate Healthcare in Poplar Bluff. Burial will take place in Princeton, Minn. and will be announced. Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff is handling the local arrangements. Online condolences: www.moorefuneralservice.com...

Phyllis Louise Sutton, 54, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., passed away Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born Oct. 27, 1963 to Jack Yates and Sharon (Arbuckle) Pipkins at Elgin, Ill. Phyllis worked as a waitress. She was of a non-denominational faith...

Amy Lynn VonRuedgisch, 39, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Wednesday, January 3, 2018 in Mexico, Mo. She was born on May 1, 1978 in Fort Benning, Ga. to Burley and Linda VonRuedgisch. Ms. VonRuedgisch was a homemaker and attended Southside Assembly of God...

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Deborah L. Cradic, 64, of Piedmont, Mo., died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, at Evelyn's House Hospice Center in Creve Coeur, Mo. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 in the Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018 in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in the Jefferson Barracks Cemetery in St. Louis...

Nollin "Sonny" Edward Terrell, 77, of Puxico, Mo., died Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 at Puxico Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018 at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. The funeral will follow at 11 a.m. with Rev. Ray Placher officiating. Burial will take place in the Shain Memorial Cemetery in Fisk, Mo...

PUXICO, Mo. -- Doris Ann Leslie, 80, of Puxico, died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, at the Puxico Nursing & Rehab Center. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. - noon Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, at the Watkins & Sons Funeral Home in Puxico. Funeral services will follow with Bro. Buck Cruse officiating. Burial will be in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield, Mo. Watkins & Sons Funeral Service of Puxico is in charge of arrangements...

DONIPHAN, MO. -- Sixty-five years ago, a young teacher found his first job in a county that shared his last name. "It was my first job," he recalled. "I was broke and in debt. I had a lot of people mentor me and welcome me." Now 86 years old, Paul Ripley still calls it the best decision of his life...

MALDEN, Mo. -- Jimmie Wayne Hensley, 72, of Malden, died Friday, Dec. 29, 2017 at his residence. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 at Rosewood Cemetery in Malden with Rev. Willis Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Rosewood Cemetery. Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden is in charge of arrangements...

Jerry Curtis, 72, of Poplar Bluff, Mo. died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan.9, 2018 at Cornerstone Tabernacle United Pentecostal Church in Poplar Bluff. Funeral services will be held immediately following visitation at 1 p.m. in the church sanctuary...

BROSELEY -- The Royals simultaneously managed foul trouble with their leading scorer while shutting down Doniphan's leading scorer. Twin Rivers' Hayden Thomas spent about seven minutes of the second half on the bench with foul trouble, but the offense continued. Doniphan's Klay Barton went without a field goal for nearly the entire second half, and Twin Rivers pulled away for a 57-48 win Friday...

BERNIE -- Armani Vermillion provided the heroics, and the top-ranked Advance Hornets escaped Bernie High School with an overtime win Friday night. Vermillion sank a 3-pointer just inside the half-court line to force overtime, and the Hornets beat Bernie 59-55 to solidify their hold on first place in the Stoddard County Activities Association...

COLUMBIA, Mo. --Poplar Bluff senior Taylor Norwood placed second in the butterfly and third in the individual medley, lowering her state-qualifying times Saturday at the CoMo Invitational at the University of Missouri pool. Norwood, Audrey Cisne, Raegan McAtee and Paige Bradley had the 12th-fastest time in the prelims of the 200-yard medley relay, missing the state cut by less than half a second at 1 minute, 58.73 seconds. ...

MALDEN -- An old-fashioned three-point play proved to be the difference in Friday night's see-saw battle between South Pemiscot and Malden. Following a timeout, South Pemiscot's Darius Johnson penetrated to the basket and made a contested shot with 33.7 seconds remaining, breaking a tie before sinking his free throw...

HIGHLAND, Ill. --Playing two of the top three teams in Illinois, the Poplar Bluff boys basketball team suffered a pair of blowout losses Friday and Saturday. The Mules lost 66-44 to Chicago Curie at Paducah, Kentucky on Friday night then lost 68-51 to Belleville West at Highland, Illinois on Saturday...

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- After leading throughout the first half, Three Rivers College lost it immediately to start the second Saturday night in the Region XVI opener. Mineral Area came out swinging after halftime with a 13-2 run in less than 2 minutes, giving the host Cardinals a 20-2 run going back to the 2 1/2-minute mark of the first half...

PARK HILLS, Mo. -- The second half of the third quarter featured a swearing coach, forwards who almost literally fought over a rebound, two three-point plays, a corner 3 that beat the shot clock, and a layup that barely didn't beat the end-of-quarter buzzer...