Stories from Thursday, June 22, 2017

By JOE JEREK Mo. Dept. of Conservation JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) continues work on evaluating and repairing river and stream accesses damaged by flooding earlier this spring. Most flood damage occurred to MDC accesses in the Ozarks on the Current River, North Fork of the White River, and the Gasconade River...

By RANDY ZELLERS Ark. Game & Fish Comm. Commissioners with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission approved changes to Arkansas's Nonresident Waterfowl Wildlife Management Area Permit at last week's regularly scheduled meeting in Jonesboro. The changes are an attempt to provide additional hunting opportunity to residents during waterfowl season on AGFC-controlled public lands...

By CANDICE DAVIS Mo. Dept. of Conservation CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has special prizes to offer at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center kid's only fishing pond. Spring is the perfect season for fishing, as many fish species, especially crappie and bluegill, congregate to spawn amongst the shallow banks in the water. ...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor LINN CREEK, Mo. -- The pressure of competing against 225 other shooters in Saturday's Missouri Scholastic Clay Target Program championship event wasn't enough to foil the effort of Poplar Bluff Junior High School's trap team, which came away with the win in the Open Division...

To the Editor, Picture this if you will. Driving to work on a Monday morning, driving down 9th Street towards Pine and you make the "S" curve and look ahead of you. What do you see? Seven cars lined up behind the city street sweeper going up the hill at a snail's pace...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor After an early-morning storm passed over Saturday and the threat of bad weather was gone, 14 teams hit the water at Van Buren, Mo., for the Current River Smallmouth Association's annual His and Hers tournament. After nine hours of fishing, the team of Williams and Williams topped the field, bringing in 10.17 pounds to the scales. The day's big bass, weighing 2.81 pounds, helped put them into the top spot on the leaderboard...

PIGGOTT, Ark. - Charles Ray Divine, 79, of Piggott, Ark., passed away Tuesday, June 20, 2017, at the General Baptist Nursing Home in Piggott, Ark. He was born Nov. 6, 1937, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and was the son of the late Raymond and Veda Thurston Divine...

By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN Pressed by Megyn Kelly on his ties to President Trump, an exasperated Vladimir Putin blurted out, "We had no relationship at all. ... I never met him. ... Have you all lost your senses over there?" Yes, Vlad, we have. Consider the questions that have convulsed this city since the Trump triumph, and raised talk of impeachment...

Marguerite E. Roberson, 93, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., died Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Westwood Hills Healthcare Center in Poplar Bluff. The arrangements are pending and will be announced by Cotrell Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff.

John Joseph Hansmann, 75, of Poplar Bluff, died Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Monday, June 26, 2017 at Moore Funeral Service in Poplar Bluff. A Catholic Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. in the chapel. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at The First United Methodist Church in Poplar Bluff with David Stewart officiating. A military burial will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Bloomfield Veteran's Cemetery...

Melissa Orel Smith, 100, died Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at Oakdale Care Center. She was born December 4, 1916 in Hooks, Tx. to the late Frank I. Perry and Melissa Etta Smith. She was a long time resident of Poplar Bluff. Melissa was a member of the United Church of God International...

PIEDMONT, Mo. - Janet B. Street, 64, of Piedmont, died Wed., June 21, 2017 in Wayne County as a result of an automobile accident. Arrangements are pending with Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel in Piedmont.

Twin Rivers (Qulin) Elementary Honor Roll students for the fourth quarter include: First Grade Noah Aldridge, Ivy Benson, Landry Benson, Rayne Conner, Angel Garver, Lilly Hillis, Addison Johnson, Isabella Johnson, Kye LeGrand, Ronnie Lowe, Tyler Mounce, Marlee Musgraves, Mattie Musgraves, Rubee Pierce, Madilyn Sechrest, Tyler Siebert, Keegan Stratton...

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Butler and Stoddard County contingent at the 2017 Missouri Amateur Golf Championship won't be sticking around for the rest of the week. Two local golfers failed to make the cut following Wednesday's second round of the championship at St. Joseph Country Club...

An attempt to rezone residential property on Katy Lane faces opposition from residents, who fear this could mean the end of a quiet neighborhood. Members of the Barbour family, who own the 1.75 acres in question, say this request for an office professional designation offers a good transition between commercial property and the homeowners...

A balanced 2018 budget was approved by the Three Rivers College Board of Trustees during Wednesday's meeting. According to Chief Financial Officer Charlotte Eubank, the college's operating budget, which includes projected revenues for fiscal year 2017-18 and the associated expenses necessary for continued daily operation and minor improvements, is expected to balance at $24 million with no surplus or deficit...

Two St. Louis, Mo., women are accused of leading authorities on a high-speed chase Wednesday night after they allegedly stole nearly $550 in merchandise from the Wal-Mart Supercenter. At about 9:55 p.m. Wednesday, Poplar Bluff police officers were sent to Wal-Mart regarding a shoplifter, according to Patrolman James Henry's report...

A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man may face charges after admitting he allegedly had sexual intercourse with an underage girl earlier this week. The Poplar Bluff Police Department learned of the alleged abuse at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when a Poplar Bluff woman, who authorities describe as the former stepgrandmother of the 13-year-old girl, called officers to her Avondale home...

Members of an airport development board are seeking approval from the city of Poplar Bluff to construct two new hangars in an approximately $570,000 no-bid project. The council is expected to vote Friday on an amended lease agreement with the Municipal Airport Development Corporation...