Stories from Tuesday, February 25, 2014

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - The top-seeded Bernie Mules moved one step closer to repeating as Class 2, District 1, champs with an 84-35 district quarterfinal win against Cooter Monday. The Mules hit five of its eight 3-pointers in the first half. Bernie built a 51-20 lead by halftime and padded its advantage to 74-31 by the start of the fourth quarter...

Dexter's Trevor Waldner (pictured) beat Olen Brattin of Pleasent Hill by a 6-4 decision to win the Class 2 state title in the 138-pound weight class Saturday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. Waldner will be recognized Tuesday night at halftime of the varsity boys basketball game at the Bearcat Event Center. A story will follow on Wednesday, Feb. 26...

An annual Ecumenical effort that for 16 years has benefited four local charitable agencies is planned this year for Thursday, March 13. The St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef and Cabbage Feed has been a longtime tradition in Stoddard County, with 11 area church congregations involved in putting on the event...

PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Authorities say the Reynolds County couple missing for nearly three weeks and found dead last week in the woods near their Bluff View area home died of hypothermia. Autopsies on the bodies of 54-year-old William Talley and 47-year-old Jordy Wagner were performed Friday at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in Farmington, Mo., by Dr. Russell Deidiker...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Stoddard County Commission awarded contracts to Whitehead Electric and Langford Mechanical and Sheet Metal, Inc. for a project at the Stoddard County Jail at their regular meeting Monday morning. The work will include electrical work in Cell Blocks C & D dealing with emergency lighting and electrical outlets. Whitehead Electric is doing the work at a cost of $3,850...

Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 25, individuals ready to delve into the world of politics may officially file for a variety of county and state offices for the upcoming Aug. 5 primary election. Filing will remain open until March 25, 2014, at 5 p.m. The race in which a potential candidate intends to run determines where the candidate should file...

ESSSEX, Mo. -- A Dexter woman sustained moderate injuries Sunday in a wreck that occurred just before noon at Rt. FF and Highway 60 near Essex. According to the Highway Patrol, Patricia A. Rogers, 69, of Dexter, was southbound in a 2012 GMC Terrain on Rt. FF and was crossing Highway 60 when she drove into the path of an eastbound 2010 Chevrolet Traverse driven by Paul J. Hester, 78, of Poplar Bluff. Hester was uninjured in the accident...

An Arkansas man was placed under arrest Monday afternoon after he turned over a tractor-trailer rig as he was westbound on Highway 60 about one mile east of the Dudley exit. Fred A. Motes, 43, of Marmaduke was charged at 4:37 p.m. with DWI (drugs), C&I driving causing an accident, and failure to keep a proper driver's log. ...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Stoddard County Commission awarded contracts to Whitehead Electric and Langford Mechanical and Sheet Metal, Inc. for a project at the Stoddard County Jail at their regular meeting Monday morning. The work will include electrical work in Cell Blocks C & D dealing with emergency lighting and electrical outlets. Whitehead Electric is doing the work at a cost of $3,850...

DEXTER, Mo. - Forward Erika Cobb became the third Dexter senior to reach 1,000 career points this season as her team cruised past Jackson 72-50 Monday. Cobb tallied 23 points in the home win. She hit a field goal in every quarter. Dexter led 9-8 after the first quarter and 25-18 at halftime. The Bearcats outscored Jackson 26-10 in the third quarter to pad its advantage to 19 by the start of the fourth period...

Lille Mae Lemons is her name. "Toots" Peck is her fame. Lillie Mae Lemons was born on Feb. 6, 1916, and died at the age of 98 on Feb. 21, 2014, at Golden Living Center in Bloomfield. Toots was welcomed into heaven where she was reunited with her husband (the love of her life), Vernie Peck; her mother and father, James and Frances Lemons; and a lifetime of family and friends...

Leo Hoopingarner, son of the late Marion Leo Hoopingarner, Sr. and Verla Loman Hoopingarner, was born in Dudley on June 20, 1946, and died at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau on Feb. 22, 2014, at the age of 67. He had lived in the Puxico area all of his life where he was a row crop and live stock farmer and also had a salvage yard. He was a member of the Mingo Tractor Club...

Norman Derwood Atchley, son of the late Thomas and Maggie Atchley, was born July 28, 1925 in Non, Okla. His Lord and Savior called him home on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014 in Springfield, Mo. at the age of 88. He was united in marriage to the love of his life Venice Pauline Phipps, Aug. 27, 1953 in Springfield, Mo. They were married 60 years, 5 months and 26 days. To this union three children were born...