Stories from Friday, June 24, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Three Rivers College Board of Trustees on Thursday approved a $26.2 million operations budget for fiscal 2017, which reflects an anticipated enrollment decrease of 3 percent. College financial officials attributed the slight decline to an improved economy...

Brandon and Jess Crawford of Auxvasse, Mo., have chosen the name Breckley Tru Crawford for their 7-pound, 8-ounce daughter born at 2:33 p.m., Sunday, May 1, 2016, at Boone Hospital in Columbia. Grandparents are: Bryan and Pam Crawford of Hatton, Bill and Heather Wilson and Phil and Treena Murray, all of Poplar Bluff. Great-grandparents are: Polly Crawford of Hatton, Richard and Karen Patrick of Mexico, Mo., and C. M. Wilson of Poplar Bluff...

Disbelief, horror, devastation, sorrow. As we saw the images and news unfold from Orlando, Florida, this week it was hard not to feel some of these emotions. For me, I wanted answers, but I understand we don't always have the answers, and the answers given by those in Washington, D.C., often trying to rally partisans are hard to accept. ...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Some 50 State Department officials have signed a memo calling on President Obama to launch air and missile strikes on the Damascus regime of Bashar Assad. A "judicious use of stand-off and air weapons," they claim, "would undergird and drive a more focused and hard-nosed U.S.-led diplomatic process."...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation is in the multi-year process of updating Conservation Area Management Plans, and is seeking public input on how the Coldwater Conservation Area is important to Missourians. The Coldwater CA management plan is open for public review in June...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor PUXICO, Mo. -- For budding nature photographers who want to show off their work, the Mingo National Wildlife Refuge has just the thing for you. The refuge's 11th annual photo contest, a joint effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Mingo Swamp Friends organization, is designed to promote the refuge and its activities and now is in full swing...

ROLLA, Mo. -- Sherri Schwenke has been selected as the new Forest Supervisor and Michael "Tony" Crump has been selected as the new Deputy Forest Supervisor for the Mark Twain National Forest. Both Schwenke and Crump are expected to arrive on the Mark Twain National Forest by mid-August...

EL DORADO, Ark. --The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission heard modified proposals to help slow the spread of chronic wasting disease in Arkansas at its June meeting at the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce. Regulations concerning CWD originally were presented at the Commission's May 19 meeting. Since that time, AGFC staff has gathered public comments through 11 public meetings, a statewide call-in television show on AETN and an online public survey...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation With the rivers and streams starting to fall and get down to normal levels, you may want to explore a portion of a stream that you have never been on before. Butler County itself has several options for you...

Kenneth Lorenzo Hill DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Kenneth Lorenzo Hill, 77, of Oxly, Mo., died Tuesday, June 21, 2016, at the Current River Nursing Center in Doniphan. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Friday, June 24, 2016, at the Edwards Funeral Home in Doniphan. A graveside service will follow at 11:30 a.m. at the Doniphan City Cemetery...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor The duo of Alex Rutledge and his wife, Lynda, easily had the winning weight in Saturday's Current River Smallmouth Association His and Hers tournament, fished from Van Buren, Mo. The pair brought 11.52 pounds of fish to the weigh-in...

Mike Janes FISK, Mo. -- Mike Janes, 57, of Qulin, Mo. passed away Sunday, June 19, 2016 in Waco, Texas from natural causes. Mike was born June 6, 1959, in Poplar Bluff to Joe and the late Sarah Janes of Qulin, Mo. He owned and operated Janes Soil Service inQulinfor many years serving and progressing agricultural practices. ...

Jimmy Dale Richmond NEELYVILLE, Mo. -- Jimmy Dale Richmond, 64, of Doniphan, Mo. died Tuesday, June 21, 2016, A lifelong resident of Ripley County, Mo., he was born Aug. 6, 1951, in Ripley County and raised in Oxly, Mo. His hobbies were hunting and fishing. He worked for the state Conservation Department...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- For the second straight year no local golfers made the cut to match play in the Missouri Amateur. Nick Woolard missed the 64-player field after two rounds of stroke play by 4 shots, tying for 83rd while Bobby Godwin was a shot behind tied for 87th. Poplar Bluff's Tyler Norton, Nathan Woolard, Jake Robertson and Billy Pyland also missed the cut at the 109th Amateur...

Eddie Eugene Mitchell CROSS PLAINS, Texas -- Eddie Eugene Mitchell, 78, of Cross Plains, Texas passed away, Tuesday, April 12, 2016 in Abilene, Texas. Eddie was born on March 21, 1938 in Poplar Bluff, Mo. to Joseph Calvin Mitchell and Nola York-Mitchell. He enjoyed playing and listening to music, hunting, fishing and tinkering (as he called it) on his old '55 Chevy Truck...

Etta Harris Etta Harris of Oceanside, Calif., passed away at age 85 years on Friday, June 17, 2016, at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside. Mrs. Harris, the daughter of the late J. L. and Virgie (Sutton) Lee, was born July 11, 1930 in Arkansas. She was a member of Family Fellowship Church in Oceanside, Calif. ...

Markham family reunion is Sat. The family of the late Bob and Tommie Markham will have its 34th family reunion Saturday at Millers Motor Lodge, Highway T, Wappapello.

All girls are invited to Oak Hill Day Camp, which will be held Monday through Thursday, June 27-30. Registration fee for Day Campers includes T-shirt: Scouts, $40; Non-Scout, $55. Overnighters (7th - 12th Grade only): Scouts, $50; Non-Scout, $65. For girls who attend camp and are not a registered Girl Scout, there is an additional cost of $15 for campers. This fee registers them as a Girl Scout for insurance purposes and to be able to receive information about other Girl Scout activities...

The Downtown Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Skate Plaza will be sponsoring an International Go Skateboarding Day Event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Starting at 10 a.m. there will be skateboarding and a board swap. A tent will be set up to offer free maintenance and assembly of skateboards, and second-hand skateboard parts may be traded and donated to get everyone rolling. Sponsors include Hays Music Store, Hanuman Express, Taco Taco, and Lemonade House Grill...

Jerry W. Cobb WILLIAMSVILLE, Mo. -- Jerry W. Cobb, 43, of Piggott, Ark., formerly of Williamsville, Mo., died June 20, 2016. Visitation services will be held from 2 -3 p.m. Saturday, June 25, 2016, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Williamsville. Funeral services will follow at 3 p.m. at the Williamsville Chapel. Burial will be at Chapel Hill Cemetery...

Area women will gather for the first "Positive Women Tea and Salad Luncheon," 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Saturday at the Van Buren Methodist Church, corner of James and Sycamore Street. Ladies attending will enjoy fun, food, joyful music, inspirational speakers, gift bags, door prizes and silent auction. Casual dress and big hats are welcome...

A Force to be Reckoned With regional conference will be held Monday and Tuesday at the Fellowship General Baptist Church, 3581 North Westwood Blvd. If you or someone you love is seeking recovery from a substance use disorder, this is likely the force you want to be with you, organizers said. ...