Stories from Friday, March 11, 2016

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer Bed bugs are an itch Poplar Bluff public housing officials and local hotels have found hard to scratch. Poplar Bluff Housing Authority has treated dozens of its apartments for bed bugs in the past year, and recently began a new extermination effort at Twin Towers...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer A Scott County judge sentenced a former Bloomfield, Mo., pastor convicted in a murder-for-hire plot to 50 years in prison Wednesday in Stoddard County Court, but also allowed him to post bond while the case is being appealed...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Reports in January that a U.S. agreement to export rice to China was reached, may have been published prematurely according to the Arkansas Rice Growers Association USA Rice, a global advocate for the industry, published an online article in January lauding the implementation of the agreement and saying shipments could begin this spring. ...

By MICHELLE FRIEDRICH Associate Editor FARMINGTON, Mo. -- An autopsy Wednesday morning on a Doniphan, Mo., man who was shot and killed by an apparent doped-up man he had given a ride to provided additional answers for investigators. The autopsy on Stahl Lee Sturgeon, according to Butler County Coroner Jim Akers, was "successful in collecting evidence and aiding with where the suspect was when (the) shooting occurred. It has provided several answers."...

By DONNA FARLEY Staff Writer The Poplar Bluff, Mo., airport served as a temporary base for a crew of U.S. Forest Service firefighters from late February through the early part of this week. Prior to the current wet weather, the Helitack crew was conducting reconnaissance flights to monitor the Poplar Bluff, Doniphan and surrounding areas for potential fires...

All eight states in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Midwest Region receive federal funds annually to support state-specific conservation needs through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. This year, more than $201 million dollars will be allocated to the Service's Midwest Region...

By CANDICE DAVIS Mo. Dept. of Conservation CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation will offer a Discover Nature Girls Camp in the Southeast Missouri June 21-23 at Camp SEMO in Wappapello, Mo. According to the camp organizer, Conservation Agent Christa Cox, this camp is a free, three-day, two-night experience aimed at introducing girls ages 11 to 15 to outdoor skills in a supportive learning environment...

By JOE JEREK Mo. Dept. of Conservation JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- More than 4,500 deer hunters donated more than a quarter-million pounds of venison (228,306 pounds) from last season's deer harvest to the state's Share the Harvest program. The donated deer meat will help feed hungry Missourians all around the state...

By ERIC MANSFIELD Special to the DAR Coming on the heels of the illegal killing of a mature bull elk this past year, there has been new legislation proposed in the Missouri House of Representatives. The large bull found on government land back in December had its antlers removed with a chainsaw and then left to rot. ...

By GEORGE F. WILL WASHINGTON -- Lyndon Johnson simply was exasperated. Barack Obama's mischief was methodical. Four days before the 1966 congressional elections, Johnson, asked about criticism from Richard Nixon, testily responded: "I do not want to get into a debate ... with a chronic campaigner like Mr. Nixon." Johnson's disparagement endeared Nixon to Republican voters, thereby propelling him toward the presidency...

By FRANK CAMPA Mo. Dept. of Conservation It is that time of year - the water temperature is starting to warm up and fish are beginning to bite! Fishermen last weekend did quite well just about everywhere, including crappie on the lakes, smallmouth bass on the rivers and largemouth bass on farm ponds. So, this would be a good time to review some of the basic fishing regulations that we need to know in this area...

By Paul Davis Outdoors Editor It looks like invasive silver carp finally have made their way into the Black River system below Clearwater Lake's dam. Yep, those are the ones you see on television jumping into boats and knocking boat operators over the head...

By STEPHEN MOORE A top Republican consultant whined last week, "Donald Trump is hijacking the Republican Party." Really? This is a common and almost comical complaint these days from the establishment wing of the GOP, the same people who have hijacked the party pretty much since the end of the Reagan era...

Legislature sends paycheck protection to governor's desk The House gave final approval to House Bill 1891, which establishes paycheck protection legislation for public sector unions, with a bipartisan, veto-proof majority. The bill passed the Senate with a veto-proof majority earlier this week after a few changes were made. ...

By Paul Davis Outdoors Editor PIEDMONT, Mo. -- The walleye populations in four local rivers are in good shape, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation fisheries biologist who conducted his annual survey last week. "All the fish we caught looked good," said Paul Cieslewicz after a night on the Black River. "There were good numbers of males, and the fish were feeding."...

It's time to plant your early cool garden veggies. One of these vegetables, the cabbage, and all the relatives are planted during March and April. Cabbage belongs to the large Cruciferae family. The cousins include kale, broccoli, collards, Brussels sprouts, salad Savoy, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, Savoy cabbage, sea kale, and kohlrabi...

You'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who has dedicated more time to the Neelyville girls basketball program than Becky Hale. A Neelyville graduate, Hale always has, and probably always will, bleed maroon and gold. Now in her 19th season with the program, it's that passion and dedication to her alma mater that makes her the perfect woman to lead the Lady Tigers to their first MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown in school history...

They bowl and they pray. Not necessarily at the same time. Every group of high school friends have their own habits and routines, the regular place they go to on the weekend and such. The Bloomfield basketball team has two that stand out. They tend to go bowling together in Dexter and much of the group attends one church or another together...

Barbara Sue Rice QULIN, Mo. -- Barbara Sue Rice, 68, of Qulin, died Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau. Mrs. Rice was born April 29, 1947 at Risco. She was a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Qulin American Legion Post 494 where she currently served as Chaplin and volunteered at the Qulin Senior Center and John J. Pershing VAMC. She enjoyed fishing and playing bingo...

BREWTON, Ala. -- Destiny Bolen put her stamp on the final day of the Lady Raiders' spring break trip. Three Rivers' top pitcher capped the Gulf Coast adventure with a no-hitter against Jefferson Davis. "She pretty well took care of business," Three Rivers coach Jack Childress said. "I think we're going to get better. I really do."...

Leroy Bennett PIEDMONT, Mo. -- Leroy Bennett, 85, of Greenville, died Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at his residence. Services are currently pending with Ruegg Funeral Homes, INC.

James Forrest Mann MALDEN, Mo. -- James Forrest Mann, 75, of Malden, died Monday, March 7, 2016 at his residence. Memorial service will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, at the Voice of Zion Church in Malden with Pastor Roger Fowler officiating. Arrangements by Bradshaw Funeral Home of Malden...

Wilburn E. "Pete" LeRoux DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Wilburn E. "Pete" LeRoux, 56-year-old resident of Doniphan, Mo., departed this life Monday, March 7, 2016 at the Southeast Health of Ripley County. Pete was born July 9. 1959 in Westline, Mo. to the late Charles and Ethel Ora Webb LeRoux. ...

Stahl Lee Sturgeon Stahl Lee Sturgeon, age 50, and a resident of Doniphan, Mo., departed this life on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Stahl was born Nov. 8, 1965 in Poplar Bluff and was a graduate of Poplar Bluff High School Class of 1984. He received his degree in Electronic Engineering at ITT in St. Louis, Mo., with advance training in Robotic Engineering ITT in Indianapolis, Ind., where he graduated with honors...

Once in a great while, a program is lucky enough to have a great offensive talent and leader wrapped in one. Those around the Naylor girls basketball team know that the Lady Eagles have had it in the form of senior Kabrien Rogers since Day 1. As a freshman during Naylor's run in the softball MSHSAA Class 1 final four in 2012, Rogers was the loudest cheerleader even when she wasn't playing...