Stories from Friday, August 22, 2014

BLOOMFIELD -- Two Stoddard County men, both of whom face separate and serious allegations, saw some changes being made in the handling of their cases on Wednesday. Donald Lafferty, who faces charges of first degree attempted murder, armed criminal action, first degree arson, and financial exploitation of an elderly/disabled person, appeared in court Wednesday without his attorney. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- State utility regulators denied a request Wednesday from a Southeast Missouri manufacturer to cut its electric rates by about 25 percent and pass the difference to other customers of Ameren Missouri. In an order accompanying its 5-0 vote, the Public Service Commission said it was unconvinced by Noranda Aluminum Inc.'s assertion it faced a "liquidity crisis" or that the rate cut was crucial to the future of its large smelting plant in New Madrid, Missouri...

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- Charges were formally filed on Tuesday, Aug. 19, alleging that a Bernie man was selling drugs in Bernie within 1,000 feet of the Bernie School campus, a felony in violation of Missouri law. According to Bernie Chief of Police Justin Allen, on July 30, 2014, his department received word that Larry H. Ryans, 31, was selling prescription drugs from his residence at 207 Mann St. in Bernie...

Dexter Police Aug. 20 - 21, 2014 Amber Kerr, 26, of Bloomfield, was arrested at 2017 W. Business 60 at 8:56 a.m. Tuesday for DWI (alcohol) as a prior offender. She is also charged with possession of a controlled substance, leaving the scene of an accident, and tampering with physical evidence. She was taken to the county jail, where she remains without bond...

ESSEX, Mo. - The players of the Richland high school volleyball program will get their first taste of varsity action this season. The Rebels return no varsity starters off of last season's squad. "We are a young team," Richland longtime coach Lisa Taylor said. "I do have a senior, but she hasn't played the last couple of years...

Eunice Irene (Pullum) Hendrickson of Dexter, daughter of the late Andrew "Bud" and Goldie Eunez Lashley Pullum, was born in Essex on Jan. 14, 1947, and died at the St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau on Aug. 19, 2014, at the age of 67. She had lived in Essex, for many years and had lived in Dexter the past several years. She had worked as an in home health care worker...

William H. Conder, 79, of Dexter, died August 21, 2014, at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti. Mr. Conder was born March 2, 1935, at Arab, Mo., the son of Daniel and Rosie Roe Conder. Bill had been a truck driver and farmer. He was a Veteran of the U.S. Army...

JONATHAN DAWE-jdawe@dailystatesman.com A minor accident involving a Dexter school bus occurred as children were being delivered home on Friday. The mishap was at Nelson and Stoddard Streets on the east side of town. Information surrounding the accident was not available at presstime, but will be reported in the next edition of The Daily Statesman. ...

Editor's note: The following is a submission by Kyle Carter, a Richland teacher who often contributes photographs and information on school events to The Daily Statesman. Following the Tuesday night Cardinals ballgame from Busch Stadium, which served as the annual "This One's for You" military network broadcast, Carter wrote his thoughts regarding opportunities that were presented through the American Armed Forces Network participation...