Stories from Monday, June 29, 2015

By TAYLOR PIERCE Staff Writer No strikes, no outs, and nothing but fun! That is exactly what Poplar Bluff Buddy Ball, a league for kids with mental and physical disabilities, has been about this season. The motto, "The game's the same, just different," has been the foundation of the program. There are still two teams that hit and field the ball, but it is different because it is noncompetitive and every player is a winner. The success of the program's first season has been outstanding...

SEMO News Service BENTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston, Mo., man convicted of statutory sodomy Thursday later took his own life. A jury deliberated over three hours Thursday before finding Shannon Mouser, 40, guilty of one count of first degree statutory sodomy for having deviate sexual intercourse with a child less than 12 years of age at a residence in Scott County between March 16, 2003, to Dec. 1, 2004...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The hills of Shannon County squeezed tight around Tony Schmitt on Thursday as he began the 100-foot vertical descent into Devils Well, the largest known natural underground lake in Missouri. Schmitt is the first person in more than 30 years to attempt this journey, which begins in a narrow shaft...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff opened a new 911 center last week with an estimated $10,000 in technology provided for the move by Information Systems Intelligence, a company the city council gave more than $1.5 million in December for a "disaster recovery plan."...

From Staff Reports The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff will have an open house from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday June 30, from noon to 6:00 p.m. at the medical center, located at 1500 N. Westwood Blvd., in Poplar Bluff. Experts will be on hand to explain the Veterans Choice Program, help veterans look into the status of their service-connected disability claims, enroll for VA health care, learn about programs to help veterans get jobs, and much more...

Only a coward shoots pets You better hope I don't figure out who shot our cat on County Road 468. You are a worthless coward! 'I'm not a child' Hello. I was wondering am I the only senior citizen that resents being called names like, "hon," or "babe" by these service people or people in the restaurants or in the stores? Those are names of endearment that we call our children. ...

Gene Gunn Eugene "Gene" David Gunn, 53, died Tuesday, June 9, 2015, at his home in Lilliwaup, Wash. Mr. Gunn was born Aug. 19, 1961, in Poplar Bluff, to Hershel "Gene" Gunn and Corene Noles Gunn-Becker. He attended Poplar Bluff schools and graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia with a B.S. in English Literature. Mr. Gunn was retired from the New York State Parks and Recreation IT Security Department...

Jeff Morrison Jeffrey Alan Morrison, 65, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at his residence in Poplar Bluff. A celebration of life will be held from 5-8 p.m., Friday, July 3, at The Fraternal Order of the Eagles, 1400 S. Broadway in Poplar Bluff. Brother Rick Franklin will be officiating...

Connie Richardson Erden Claudine "Connie" Richardson, 87, of Poplar Bluff entered the gates of Heaven on Thursday, June 25, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Mrs. Richardson, daughter of the late Claude Moses and Ruth Irene (Greene) Mann, was born Feb. ...

Patricia Williams Patricia Ann Williams, 52, of Poplar Bluff died Sunday, June 21, 2015, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Fowler-Sullivan Funeral Home in Poplar Bluff. The funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Monday at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery, Bloomfield...

To the Editor: Through life you meet so many people to the point you cannot remember them all but every once in a while you run across one you can never forget, such is the person I am about to tell you about. In 1991 I moved back to Poplar Bluff after being in the military from 1980 to 1987 then moving back to Texas until 1989 at which time I moved back to St. ...

Eileen McRill Sechrest PARK HILLS, Mo.--Eileen McRill Sechrest, 87, of Farmington passed away Wednesday, June 17, 2015, at her home. Her funeral was Saturday, June 20, at First Baptist Church in Park Hills.

Adam Wainwright's lost seasons are becoming something of a good omen for the St. Louis Cardinals. Even with their ace sidelined since late April and likely out for the season, the Cardinals are just a win shy of their best start in franchise history following Friday's win...