Stories from Tuesday, February 19, 2019

“We married in January of 1972 and by December of 1974, we were divorced,” an older and wiser John Massey recalls. “We were too young,” Debbie says, reflecting on those early days. “We weren’t prepared physically or emotionally for the obstacles we faced almost from the outset.”...

PUXICO — John Garner submitted his resignation as Superintendent of the Puxico R-8 Schools during its regular board meeting Feb. 14. Cindy Crabb was named Interim Superintendent by the board and will continue as high school principal as well. An administration team has been formed to share the responsibilities of the principal position at the school...

A high-speed chase on Feb. 4 through Stoddard County reached speeds exceeding 120 mph and caused one school system to go on lockdown and another was on alert. It was a brief reminder of the importance of safety proceedures on school grounds. “Our number one priority is safety,” Bernie Superintendent Dustin Hicks said. “Even above instruction.”...

Poplar Bluff police have released a person of interest taken into custody Sunday evening in relation to a weekend shooting. They have now identified and are seeking two suspected shooters in the incident, Michael Fry, 34, and Michael Melvin, 38, both of Poplar Bluff...

Lillian Inez Cunningham, daughter of the late Dallas Winfield and Stella Odell Tindle,  was born in Portageville on Nov. 18th, 1932, and passed away at the Ridgeview Living Community in Malden on Feb. 15th, 2019 at the age of 86 years. Mrs. Cunningham had lived in Parma most of her life and she attended the Church of Christ in Parma as well...

John Henry Reiter of Puxico,was born in Puxico, on April 9, 1941, and passed away at Southeast Hospital, in Cape Girardeau, February 16, 2019, at the age of 77 years, 10 months and 7 days. Graveside funeral services were held on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Fairview Cemetery near Puxico, Missouri...