Stories from Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The annual Hamtown Cemetery meeting an cleanup day will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. A meal will be provided for all in attendance.

At the age of 20, Rita Seesengood took a job at a Mansion Mall retailer selling health and beauty items. She never dreamed that 45 years later, she would retire from Walmart Supercenter as an administrative assistant to managers overseeing 24 stores across the state...

The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff announced it will implement national smoke-free campus policies beginning Oct. 1. This will include the Poplar Bluff facility as well as the clinics in West Plains, Farmington, Cape Girardeau, Sikeston and Salem, Missouri, and Paragould and Pocahontas, Arkansas...

The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center announced a special ceremony in honor of POW/MIA Recognition Day will be held on Friday, Sept. 20, at 11 a.m. at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center on the Three Rivers College campus. “Please join us in honoring those who were Prisoners of War and those who never made it back,” said VA Voluntary Services Chief Dale Garrett. “Several Veterans Service Organizations will be attending and there will be information for Veterans about their VA benefits.”...

City firefighters responded at 1:03 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, to a report of a vehicle on fire at 818 Kendall Ave. Upon arrival, firefighters found 2004 Ford Mustang mostly burned, but used a thermal imaging camera and 100 gallons of water to put out the fire...

POPLAR BLUFF POLICE: Cornelius Wendel Bush, 45, no address listed, was arrested at 5:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, on a Butler County failure to appear warrant for possession of methamphetamine and on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest...

CAPE GIRARDEAU — A suit recently filed in federal court accuses Wayne County law enforcement and jail personnel of subjecting a Hazelwood man to cruel and unusual punishment by leaving him confined in a “restraint chair” for five days. Poplar Bluff Attorney Steve Walsh filed the suit in U.S. District Court, Southeast Division, in Cape Girardeau on behalf of Albert Odhiambo Okal, 44, of Hazelwood...

CAPE GIRARDEAU — A Poplar Bluff couple pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to the April robbery of a local convenience store. Ty Dean Farris, 32, and Kelsie J. Armor, 24, each pleaded guilty to one felony count of robbery before U.S. District Judge John A. Ross, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office...

KEOKUK, Iowa — George Eugene Gimbel, 56, of Keokuk, died Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019 at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Ill. A gathering of remembrance will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at the Vigen Memorial Home in Keokuk.

NEELYVILLE — Wilma Josephine ‘Jo’ Davis Worley died Sept. 15, 2019 at the Villa at Blue Ridge Nursing Home in Columbia, Mo. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. - noon Saturday, Sept. 21 at Fowler & Sons Funeral Home in Neelyville. The funeral will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home with Rev. Kenneth James officiating.

Three Rivers College started the process to create the 2025 strategic plan, which directs the school in what improvements can be made.

Thirty-two teams fished last weekend’s Angler’s Choice tournament at Wappapello Lake, which was rescheduled from early May. The team of Justin Mosier and Matt Allison took the win with a stringer weight of 16.55 pounds, aided by the day’s big bass, weighing 6.42 pounds...

Saturday’s second annual Black River Quail Forever banquet was “way better than we ever dreamed,” said chapter president John Blaich, who noted the event grossed $38,000. “It was magical, and we were beyond thrilled and blessed. We were humbled by the reception from everyone.”...

MALDEN — Jerry Manley, 78, of Malden, died Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 at his residence. Visitation will be from 2-3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 at Landess Funeral Home in Malden. The memorial will follow at 3 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Mr. Randy Moore officiating...

Three Poplar Bluff City Council members say they are changing their stance on the possible relocation of city hall from downtown. City council members heard Monday from about a dozen residents and also received results of a poll on the matter. Respondents to the poll were more than 80 percent in favor of keeping municipal offices downtown...

Poplar Bluff City Council members say they have experienced a change of heart regarding the location of a new city hall. Mayor pro tem Steve Davis and council members Lisa Parson, Shane Cornman and Ron Black said Wednesday afternoon they will support an effort to keep city hall downtown...

The Stage Company of Poplar Bluff will open it’s new production ‘Exit Laughing’ on Friday.