Stories from Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Arthur "Bud" Vaughn, Jr., son of the late Arthur Lee and Ruby Maze Vaughn, was born Aug. 3, 1930, in Dexter, Mo., and died at his home in Bloomfield, Mo., on Dec. 30, 2012, at the age of 82. Arthur had lived in Bloomfield most of his life. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean Conflict. He was a member of the Bible Tabernacle Church in Bloom-field...

Ruby O. Holcombe Copeland, 98, died Saturday Dec. 29, 2012. She was the wife of the late Eulis E. Copeland; mother of Carolyn and Lee Potter; grandmother of Michele Hitt and the late Keith Hitt; and great-grandmother of Isabela Hitt. Graveside services were held on Wednesday Jan. 3, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. at the Sikeston Gardens of Memory in Sikeston, Mo...

Flora Bell Blocker, daughter of the late Ralph W. Fralick and Ella Gray Thomas Fralick, was born on July 24, 1928, in Marion, Ky., and died on Dec. 30, 2012, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo., at the age of 84. Mrs. Blocker was a custodian for the Bloomfield Schools for 15 years and retired in 1990. She was a member of the Walker Mt. Zion General Baptist Church in Bloomfield and a resident of Dexter...

Sandra J. Lawrence, daughter of the late Arnold Cowsert and Mary Turley Cowsert, was born on Oct. 21, 1935, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and died on Dec. 30, 2012, at Gideon Care Center in Gideon, Mo., at the age of 77. Mrs. Lawrence was a homemaker, a member of the United Methodist Church and a resident of Dexter...

Hornets knock off top-seed to claim BCT championship

Local police confirmed Wedneday that the Friday death of Alan Hanner of Bloomfield has been ruled as a suicide. Assistant Police Chief Charles Sanders said Wednesday morning there was no reason to believe that anyone else was involved in the shooting death of the 44-year old whose body was found in a pickup truck parked at Dexter's West City Park on Friday afternoon, Dec. 28...

A 32-year-old Poplar Bluff man died at a Cape Girardeau hospital New Year's Day after being wounded in the left shoulder and neck from a gunshot wound while duck hunting Monday morning in the Conservation area of Otter Slough southwest of Dexter. The death has been ruled accidental...

County Clerk Joe Watson swore in county officials who were elected in the November general election at a ceremony Monday at the Justice Center. Those taking the oath of office were, from left, County Surveyor Joseph R. Pulliam, Sheriff Carl Hefner, Assessor Jody Lemmon, District 2 County Commissioner Carol Jarrell, Public Administrator Pam Lape, County Coroner Kenny Pope and District 1 County Commissioner Danny Talkington...

Circuit Judge Rob Mayer, at left, was sworn in by Judge Stephen Limbaugh in Cape Girardeau on Monday morning. Mayer was elected in the November election.

When a member of the military leaves the service, finding work can be difficult. Some military jobs lend themselves toward civilian work, but others don't. In January 2010, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon launched the 'Show-Me Heroes' initiative to help Missouri's veterans and members of the National Guard & Reserve reconnect with meaningful careers, and to showcase Missouri employers who have pledged to do so...