Stories from Thursday, October 6, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer College students can get a jump on funding for the 2017/18 year following changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students and parents can now file the FAFSA beginning Oct. 1. Applicants used to have to wait until Jan. 1 to file for the upcoming school year. Parents, or students if filing individually, can also use their 2015 taxes to complete the application...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer VAN BUREN, Mo. -- A new Carter County, Mo., prosecutor filed court documents Tuesday to dismiss a case that attempted to remove Van Buren Mayor Michael Hoerner from office for failing to pay five years worth of state income taxes...

John Prince PUXICO, Mo. -- John Prince, 74, of Cardwell, son of the late John and Marie Hanner Prince, was born in Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 6, 1942, and passed away at his home Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. Mr. Prince had lived in Poplar Bluff and Puxico before moving to Cardwell in 1979. He was a member of the Forest Grove Baptist Church in Cardwell...

John Stanard was a special guest at the Wappapello Lake Area Association September meeting. Stanard addressed the association concerning the: "Rowing Demonstration Exhibition" special activity Sept. 24 2016 at Peoples Creek Recreation Area. He gave away a book entitled "The Boys in the Boat," which covered the 1936 Rowing Olympic Team that won a gold medal. ...

On July 30, all 53 members of the Russell and Martha Norris family met at the family farm for pictures by Jackie Hodges. They all arrived at 9 o'clock. Martha Norris said, "I could believe they were all there until the vans started rolling in. Some had met at Kathy's on Friday night. Julie Wyant had planned this purchasing printed shirts for everyone, different colors for every family. That made it easier to group them for pictures. They took my chair off the porch for me."...

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) provides detailed information on Missouri waterfowl hunting in its 2016-2017 Waterfowl Hunting Digest, available where permits are sold and online at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoD. Changes for the upcoming season include 21 more days of Canada goose hunting with all regular goose seasons opening the same day, Nov. 11, and closing the same day, Feb. 6, 2017. The Light Goose Conservation Order will begin on Feb. 7, 2017, instead of Feb. 1...

The members of the SEMO Regional Water Safety Council met Sept. 27 at the Bill Emerson Memorial Visitor Center. The meeting started at 10 a.m. by Andrew Jefferson giving a brief overview of the council's purpose and how it originated. President Heather Tuggle also provided information to those in attendance pertaining to activities that the Council engaged in such as day use fee money envelops, T-shirts, activity books, etc. ...

From Staff Reports Stoddard County trail riders were among those who raised $19,850 to help Haven House provide services and support battered women and their children need. The 28th annual event was presented by the Missouri Foundation for Health, Minton Environmental Consultants and Whitworth's Gift Chest Jewelers, and hosted by Ted and Cindy Evans. ...

By MIKE MCCOY SEMO News Service A large number of county residents braved the heat on recently to attend the Stoddard County Fair this year, making total attendance 341 above last year, according to Fair Board President Kevin Holman. The total paid attendance for the 2016 County Fair was 12,734...

By MIKE MCCOY SEMO News Service BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Stoddard County Commission instructed Sheriff Carl Hefner to prepare a memorandum of agreement between the county and local municipalities to house city inmates and bring it back to the commission for approval. If approved, the county will begin charging $30 per day to house those inmates...

By MIKE MCCOY SEMO News Service BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Stoddard County Health Unit, pharmacies, medical providers and other public health agencies are gearing up for the 2016-17 influenza (flu) season by encouraging everyone to get a flu shot by the end of October. Everyone six months or older should get the vaccine, officials say...

Each year, October is designated as energy awareness month. According to South Central Missouri Community Action Agency (SCMCAA), this year is a particularly special year in the world of "Weatherization". SCMCAA is honored to recognize the 40th Anniversary of Weatherization...

By COLLIN STINSON SEMO News Service SIKESTON, Mo. -- Babies born in Missouri's Bootheel have less chance of surviving their first year of life than those born in many underdeveloped countries. Southern and Midwestern states have the highest infant-mortality rates, defined as the death of children before their first birthday. ...

By TOM UHLENBROOCK Missouri State Parks SALEM, Mo., - Montauk State Park, one of the oldest and most popular destinations in the state park system, is getting a bit of a facelift for its 90th birthday. Gov. Jay Nixon recently visited Montauk to inspect completed and planned improvements. He noted that all three of the state's trout parks, which includes Bennett Spring and Roaring River, will have surprises for the thousands who show up for the opening of trout season next March...

By SCOTT BORKGREN SEMO News Service The Lady Indians have the sixth seed in the Stoddard County Activities Association Tournament after sweeping Bell City and Richland in Monday's pool play. Puxico held on to beat Bell City 25-22, 25-14 and then swept Richland 25-19, 25-21. It will face No. 3 seed Bloomfield on Thursday in the first round of the single elimination tournament...

Many spring flowerbeds awaken with the vibrant colors of tulips. Once a valuable currency, tulip has a history as vibrant as its petals. Plant tulip bulbs in October, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Look for plump bulbs free of gray discoloration, an indicator of disease. ...

Book Run and chili cook-off at Piggott The 2nd Annual Sam & Diane Book Run For The Son Chili Cook Off will be held Saturday, Oct. 15, on the court house square in Piggott, Ark. Entry fee per team is $25. Each team must prepare two gallons of chili. Sign in begins at 8 a.m. Chili must be ready to judge by noon. The public may buy sample cups for $3. Judging will be by the public...

Clara L. Steimle will be 100 years old Wednesday. Steimle will celebrate her birthday anniversary beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday at the VFW Post 3416, Lake Wappapello, Mo. Sheimle, who was born in 1916, formerly lived in New Hamburg, Mo. She resides six months with each of her sons, Larry Steimle of Lake Wappapello and Marvin Steimle of Pacific, Mo. She has three grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchildren...

History was made this week when Congress in overwhelming bipartisan fashion overrode President Obama's misguided veto of legislation allowing families of the victims of the horrible attacks of September 11th 2001 to sue the government of Saudi Arabia and seek compensatory damages. ...

I was invited, along with several other American professors, to deliver lectures at South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg in 1979. Pieter Willem Botha was the prime minister, and apartheid, though becoming a bit relaxed, was the law of the land. ...

By JOEL MATHIS and BEN BOYCHUK Tribune News Service The first presidential debate, which attracted a record TV audience for an event of its type, has come and gone, and the polls are tightening. Hillary Clinton's once-commanding lead over Donald Trump has shrunken considerably, and the stretch run has started: We're now down to the final six weeks of the campaign...

Clayton "Eugene" Pruitt PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Clayton "Eugene" Pruitt, 80, of Piedmont died Monday, Oct. 3, 2016, at Clark's Mountain Nursing Home. Visitation will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont. Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct.6, 2016,also at the Piedmont Chapel. Burial will be at New Liberty Cemetery...

Having won the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament title a season ago, the top-seeded Greenville Bears were out for respect Tuesday afternoon. They didn't get it right away as a scrappy Naylor team tried to play spoiler by striking for two runs in the top of the first inning...

Barbara J. Jackson Barbara J. Jackson, 73, of Broseley, Mo., passed away Saturday, Oct. 1, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Ms. Jackson, the daughter of the late George and Ella Mae Arington Blufoes, was born Dec. 21, 1942 in Poplar Bluff. ...

James White FISK, Mo. -- James White, 58, of Fisk, died Sunday, Oct. 02, 2016 at his residence in Fisk. Mr. White was born Dec. 03, 1957 in Pontiac, Mich. He was retired from the U.S. Navy and served in the Gulf War. After retiring, he worked for Boeing Aircraft in San Antonio, Texas and later as a civilian contractor with Fluor Government Group in Iraq and Afghanistan...

East Carter's late-inning magic may never run out. Down three with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, the Redbirds pulled within one, setting the stage for a sophomore in his first season at the varsity level. Wyatt Elliot, the Redbirds' No. 9 hitter, worked a 1-1 count before belting a two-run single to right field as third-seeded East Carter rallied for a 7-6 win over No. 2 Twin Rivers in an Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament semifinal Tuesday at Roger Pattillo Field...

Senior Night for the Poplar Bluff soccer team felt like a fortnight Tuesday at Mules Stadium with a dozen players, parents in tow, and their long list of accomplishments. Adam Vincent, Ty Flanagan, Sam Roth, Jeffry Hardin, Tanner Tibbs, Ronin Rice, Clayton Mitchell, Alexis Reyes, Cole Cooper, Trevor Fredwell and Matthew Lambert started minus Michael Anagnostopoulos, who was injured during the offseason...