Stories from Thursday, June 8, 2017

A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is opening Thursday in Van Buren. The center offers in-person support to individuals and businesses in any of the 27 counties included in the Missouri federal disaster declaration for flooding and severe storms that occurred between April 28 and May 11, 2017...

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft visited the Butler County Courthouse Wednesday to address changes to a new voter I.D. law that went into effect June 1. Ashcroft addressed a group of around 30 Butler County residents and made it clear the changes should not hinder registered voters. The change is what Ashcroft calls "a common sense way to protect the ballot and to protect the registered voter."...

Rain delayed the 2017 Sarah Jarboe White United Cancer Assistance Network Walk, but it didn't dampen the spirit of the participants who will gather at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Danny Bell Cancer Treatment Center at 2620 N. Westwood Blvd. County music artist Ryan Hinkle, who was scheduled to perform at the original event date April 29, will entertain those attending the sixth fundraiser hosted by UCAN in memory of White...

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Preliminary autopsy results show two Poplar Bluff, Mo., men likely died from carbon monoxide and smoke resulting from Sunday fires at their homes. On Wednesday, Dr. Russell Deidiker performed autopsies on the bodies of Edward James and Tommy Eugene Younger at a Farmington hospital...

DEXTER, Mo. -- William Wesley Thompson, 89, of Dexter, died Thursday, June 7, 2017 at the Crowley Ridge Care Center in Dexter. Mr. Thompson had lived in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. before moving to Southeast Visitation will from 10 a.m. - noon, Friday, at the Watkins & Sons Chapel in Dexter. Graveside services will be held at noon Friday, June 9, 2017, at the Missouri State Veterans' Cemetery in Bloomfield, with burial to follow...

To the Editor, I wrote a letter to the editor about Mothers, so guess I should write one about Fathers. All thought I never did call my Dad Father. I always called him Dad. And I always spelled the word with a capital D. And he was always a great Dad. ...

By STEPHEN MOORE It's finally official. The Affordable Care Act is a public-policy flop of epic proportions. That's the only possible conclusion from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City announcement last week that it will drop out of many markets in Kansas and Missouri. ...

Gregory A. Hays, 67, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

The turnout may have been down a little, but, Gerry Robinson said, anglers in Saturday's Wappapello Bassmasters tournament still had a great day. "It was one of our smaller turnouts, with only 26 boats," said Robinson. "We had a great day, and the rain held off the entire day. All in all, it was a very successful day on the lake."...

Want some free fun that gets family and friends outside in nature? Get hooked on fishing with the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Free Fishing Days June 10 and 11. During Free Fishing Days, anyone may fish in the Show-Me State without having to buy a fishing permit, trout permit or trout park daily tag...

Bryan Wayne Hargrove, 58, of St. Ann, Mo. died at Bentley Extended Care in St. Louis, Mo. Born on Jan. 8, 1959, to the late Don Hargrove and Joyce Hargrove. Surviving are his mother; two brothers: Keith (Judy) and Bill (Fran) Hargrove; one aunt: Carolyn Piel; three uncles: Ferral (Mary) Taylor, Dale (Bonnie) Taylor and Terry (Carolyn) Taylor; two nieces: Brandy (Aaron) Jones and Sherrill Behymer; one great-nephew: Alex Jones; one great-niece: Kylee Behymer and many cousins. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff's Nathan Woolard earned a spot in the Missouri Amateur with a par on the first playoff hole Wednesday at the SEMO District Qualifying Tournament. Woolard tied for ninth with Buddy Allen of Pevely and Ryan Munios of St. Peters at 9-over-par 81 at Dalhousie Golf Club. Allen also earned a spot in the Amateur field with a par on the second playoff hole...

By Paul Davis Outdoors Editor As nightfall approached Monday evening, and the sounds of tree frogs and other creatures of the night began to fill the air, Mark Twain National Forest wildlife biologist Megan York-Harris waited impatiently. York-Harris, along with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rangers Eric Limanen, Eric Lemons and John Daves, was hoping to catch various species of bats over a small, hidden pond in the heavy timber of western Butler County...