Stories from Monday, February 8, 2016

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor Bishop Ron Webb, pastor of the Mt. Calvary Powerhouse Church in Poplar Bluff, participated in the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. for the first time Thursday. "I was absolutely amazed. It was a very humbling experience, but also a very powerful service," Webb said...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center HVAC students continue to save local taxpayers by performing needed repairs in the district. The class is currently replacing two heat exchange units at the PBTCC campus, saving the school upwards of $4,000, according to HVAC instructor Ronald Hedrick...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor The officers of the Poplar Bluff Police Department are asking citizens to join them for a cup of coffee at McDonald's on North Westwood Boulevard on Feb. 19. Beginning at 8:30 a.m. that day, the department will be hosting "Coffee with a Cop," a program, which offers citizens the opportunity to meet with local officers and discuss community issues...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Poplar Bluff native will appear in Michelob Ultra's Super Bowl 2016 A-I spot, the first to run after kick off. Chelsea Edmundson will play one of the characters in the workout-themed 30-second spot promoting the beer titled "Breathe" during Sunday's game. ...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport has in recent weeks played host to Gov. Jay Nixon, who flew in while traveling with members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. It was the destination for a critically injured victim of a car accident that occurred near Qulin. Eagle Med, the only Air Evac fixed wing plane in four states, was needed to transport the patient to a larger hospital when weather was too bad for a helicopter to fly...

By DAVID SILVERBERG Associate Editor NEELYVILLE -- The Neelyville High School Professional Learning Community Team gave a presentation during the Missouri Powerful Learning Conference Jan. 25-26 at Tan-Tar-A Resort at Osage Beach, Mo. "We were there presenting our Tiger Time, Response to Intervention concept to other schools around the state," said Heather Wells, director of curriculum and instruction in the Neelyville School District...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- After nearly two months Poplar Bluff was no better at cracking Sikeston's pressure defense. The Mules ended up with the exact same number of turnovers -- 27 -- Friday night in a 86-65 loss at Sikeston as they did in the first meeting this season...

MARSHFIELD, Mo. -- The Poplar Bluff wrestling team got ready for the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 tournament by winning 7 of 8 matches over two days. The Mules' lone loss came Saturday to Pleasant Hill, 59-21, to place second at the Marshfield Duals Tournament...

Ben and Norma (Pennington) Hager of Poplar Bluff recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. A celebration was held Monday, Jan. 18, 2016, at the home of their granddaughter, Elizabeth "Liz" Hager. The party was hosted by granddaughters: Rebekah Hager and Liz Hager...

Students from Poplar Bluff 5th and 6th grade center earning places on the A and B honor rolls include: 5th Grade second quarter "A" Honor Roll: Caden Anderson, Jarryn Anderson, Mercedes Baguio, Jacob Bliss, Hanna Bone, Rachel Butler, Adrianne Casey, McKenzie Cassie, Raigan Caudel, Julia Chambliss, Benjamin Colclasure, Jayla Collins, Kailyn Crites, Anthony Curnutt, Logan Davis, Mariah DeShaney, Daine Dugas, David Durbin, Emma Eudaley, Madison Faith, Justin Finley, Gabrielle Fortner, Elizabeth Fredwell, Jillianne Freeman, Mason Gillmore, Quinlan Grable, Brooklyn Hall, Lauren Hamilton, Madelyn Hefner, Elle Henderson, Gavin Hicks, Nicholas Howard, Tytin Inman, Lily Johnson, Emma King, Bennett Lacy, Nevaeh Larkins, Abigail Lawrinenko, Mikalla Little, Jace Littles, Hudson Matthews, Landen Maurer, Nathan Mays, Elijah McAtee, Kirstyn Millner, Abigail Murphy, Clara Rahlmann, Blane Ray, Jordyn Ridens, Lanie Robertson, Lucas Robertson, River Rowland, Chloe Sanders, Scotty Sanders, Christopher Schulz, John Scott, Ethan Smith, Hannah Spencer, Mekhi Starnes, Labron Thomas, Lindsay Wagner, Hannah Walsh, Diamond Weaver, Jalia Webb, Alyssa Wells, Halie Weston, Cortney White, Sidonia White, Paiton Willis, Blake Yarbro. ...

Briana Shay MacDonald and James Felton Brigance, Jr., both of Poplar Bluff, were married Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 at the Butler County Court House. Judge John Shock performed the single-ring ceremony. Parents of the bride are Veronica Lynn MacDonald, William Brian MacDonald and Sheri Lynn MacDonald, all of Poplar Bluff...

GREENVILLE -- As if they hadn't played enough basketball against each other this week, Doniphan and Greenville needed an extra eight minutes to decide the opening round of the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament. Four minutes after closing out the first overtime with a game-tying 3 at the buzzer, Doniphan junior Haley Beele broke the 12th and final tie of the game, splitting a pair of free throws with 2.2 seconds left in double-overtime to secure a 57-56 victory...

GREENVILLE -- Greenville's 1-point deficit at the end of the first quarter turned into a huge advantage in a matter of minutes Saturday night. The fifth-seeded Bears used a 14-5 second-quarter run to take the lead for good en route to a 73-61 victory and the first upset of the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament over Clearwater...

For the first time this season, Three Rivers is not at the top of the Region XVI standings. The Raiders missed a 3 at the buzzer and lost to State Fair 78-76 Saturday at the Bess Activity Center. "It's terrible," Three Rivers sophomore Domonique Alexander said of losing the top spot. "We belong there. We've got to learn how to do all the little stuff right."...

After having four players foul out, Three Rivers played the final 8 seconds with four players on the court Saturday. Despite the foul trouble, the Lady Raiders gave 18th-ranked State Fair all it could handle before losing 71-64 at the Bess Activity Center...

The Poplar Bluff Garden Club was named the Southeast District Garden Club of the Year at the annual meeting. This honor is given to a member of the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri when they have obtained top ratings in both the annual yearbook, as well as community service activities...