Stories from Thursday, March 22, 2018

DEXTER, Mo. -- Dexter's chief of police remains on paid administrative leave as city officials look into "personnel matters." Sammy Stone, who has served on the police department for more than 33 years, including the last seven as its chief of police, was placed on administrative leave last week, according to Dexter City Administrator Mark Stidham...

NEW MADRID, Mo. - New Madrid County voters will decide whether to continue to collect a tax on purchases made out of state when they go to the polls on April 3. A use tax of 1.5 percent, which is the same as the local sales tax rate, will be applied to out-of-state purchases exceeding more than $2,000 annually if the issue is passed by voters. According to the ballot, the tax eliminates a sales tax advantage that non-Missouri vendors would have over New Madrid County vendors...

ST. LOUIS, Mo.   Franklin "Frank" Harp, 76, died Feb. 23, 2018, at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in St. Louis.

SIKESTON  Ruby Jolene Tyrone, 88, died March 21, 2018, at Bertrand Nursing Center in Bertrand.

SIKESTON Randall D. Shrull, age 72, died March 22, 2018, at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST, West Africa Randy Ray Arnett, 62, and Kathy Gage Arnett, 61, of Abidjan, Ivory Coast met their Savior on March 14, 2018, while traveling for missions' work in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.  Sharon M. Buckley, age 73, passed away on March 20, 2018, at Landmark Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

NEW MADRID, Mo.  Carletha Lola Riley, 92, died March 19, 2018, at New Madrid Living Center in New Madrid.