Stories from Thursday, May 18, 2017

The process of determining whether parts of Missouri will be declared federal disaster areas has begun, as Missourians affected by last month's floods continue to tally the damage. Gov. Eric Greitens would need to submit a request for President Donald Trump to issue such a declaration, thereby granting Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to residents, U.S. Rep. Jason Smith's communications director Maggie Starks said Wednesday...

Two local young men will put their billiard-playing skills to the test against some of the best in the nation in their age group this August in Las Vegas. Matthew Wiseley, 14, of Poplar Bluff, and Dalton Walters, 11, of Sikeston, Mo., have qualified to play in the Billiard Education Foundation 29th Annual Junior National 9-Ball Championships held Aug. 2-5 at South Point Hotel and Convention Center...

As flood waters ravaged parts of Butler and Carter counties earlier this month, the United Gospel Rescue Mission saw that displaced residents and volunteers had hot meals each day. "It's amazing to me how this community in Poplar Bluff and the surrounding community comes together," explained the Rev. Greg Kirk, mission executive director. "There were a lot of pieces to the puzzle," with food preparation and delivery organized by Kirk...

The Three Rivers College Board of Trustees met Wednesday afternoon to address policy updates, including initial approval of a new "Academic Fresh Start" policy, weigh in on a future interstate project that would impact Southeast Missouri and receive an update of projects going on around the campus...

Two Poplar Bluff, Mo., teenagers are being investigated for allegedly firing shots from a BB gun, one of which struck a school bus Wednesday afternoon as it was taking children home. Authorities say a Poplar Bluff school bus, as well as at least two other vehicles, were struck with BBs while traveling on County Road 302...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- There may be some limits to the amount of time nonresident hunters may pursue waterfowl on Arkansas Game and Fish Commission controlled wildlife management areas in the next year. After many phone calls, letters and posts to social media from Arkansas hunters, the AGFC is proposing one possible way to give resident hunters additional preference on public land in the Natural State...

Graduating Poplar Bluff High School senior Hamiz Mirza has been awarded the $1,300 Mary Lynn Wolpers Scholarship. Mirza plans to study biology at St. Louis University and transfer to medical school. He also has an interest in dentistry, he said, having volunteered more than 200 hours to the Smiles of Hope Dental Clinic, among other nonprofit operations. Mirza was recently presented the Missouri Award for Outstanding Achievement in Citizenship...

Squirrel hunting has always been one of my favorite outdoor pastimes. As a young boy, I spent many a day in the squirrel woods with my old bolt-action .22. It also was a great way for my father and I to get to spend some time together. With turkey season over and most all hunting seasons closed, what better way to get out in the woods than to chase some squirrels. Here are some regulations you should keep in mind while squirrel hunting...

While Missouri's elk population slowly expands, its staunchest supporters are growing by leaps and bounds, evident by the turnout for Saturday's Three Rivers Buglers/Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation banquet at the Black River Coliseum. More than 400 people attended the event, which was a record setter on multiple counts...

DUNKLIN COUNTY, Mo. - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and several local police departments hosted the first Kids N' Cops outdoor community event at Jerry P. Combs Lake Saturday. The event was designed to help local children to spend more time outdoors and establish positive relationships with local police officers...

The day a lot of youngsters look forward to every spring is almost upon us -- Kids' Fish and Fun Day. The annual event, dating back around four decades, is designed to get children ages 3-12 interested in fishing as simply as possible in a safe environment...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN In December 1964, a Silver Age of American liberalism, to rival the Golden Age of FDR and the New Deal, seemed to be upon us. Barry Goldwater had been crushed in a 44-state landslide and the GOP reduced to half the size of the Democratic Party, with but 140 seats in the House and 32 in the Senate...

By STEPHEN MOORE Almost every promise made eight years ago about Obamacare turned out to be a falsehood. That is first and foremost why the law must be repealed. No, you couldn't keep your insurance plan, doctor or provider in many cases. No, it didn't save $2,500 per family (more like cost $2,500 more per family). ...

SAPPINGTON, Mo. -- For the second straight year, Poplar Bluff's season ended at the hands of the Lindbergh Flyers. The Mules were swept 5-0 Wednesday in the MSHSAA Class 2 sectional playoff at Lindbergh. "They were really good," Mules coach Charles Harper said...

FISK, Mo. -- Pansy M. Franklin, 68, of Dudley, died Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Franklin was born Feb. 15, 1949 in Puxico, daughter of the late Harley and Laura Hicks. She was a homemaker and enjoyed spending time with her family...

ALTON, Mo. -- Van Buren didn't bring a Gatorade bucket. After the Bulldogs held off a last gasp comeback from Ellington, held up the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 championship plaque and took a team photo, senior Justin Chilton grabbed a mostly drank 20-ounce bottle of orange Gatorade and splashed the remaining gulp across coach Jacob Black's back...

Leona Imogene McPike, 91, of Poplar Bluff, passed away Wednesday, May 17, 2017 at her residence. Mrs. McPike, the daughter of the late Joseph Rogous and Etta May Bingham Fears, was born March 14, 1926 in Ellington. She was a member of the Bluff City Apostolic Worship Center, where she served as Ladies Auxiliary Leader. For many years Mrs. McPike worked for the Florsheim Shoe Factory. She enjoyed spending time with her family, being active in her church and her T.O.P.S. group...

BERNIE -- Riley Peters and the Campbell baseball team helped break a 17-year-old record but couldn't keep pace with the Bulldogs on Wednesday. Second-seeded South Pemiscot rallied from eight runs down, got a momentum-swinging three-run home run from Riley Cain in the fifth inning and shut down the fourth-seeded Camels late to claim the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 championship with a 19-15 victory...

Nina Hefner graduates with honors Nina Hefner, 22, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts, History and English degree from Ouachita Baptist University. Out of a class of 293 graduates, Hefner was among 44 who graduated magna cum laude or with 3.75 GPA...

The Mules Booster Club has named soccer player Shelbey Johnson and baseball standout Ronin Rice the Poplar Bluff High School Athletes for March and soccer player Sophie Rowland and golfer Nathan Woolard Athletes for April. Rice, a senior, holds a .381 batting average with seven singles, one double, 3 RBIs and a .458 on-base percentage. ...