Stories from Friday, December 2, 2016

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Poplar Bluff Fire Department would like to remind residents that this festive time of year can turn into tragedy quickly if holiday fire prevention measures are not followed. U.S. Fire Administration statistics reflect in 2009-2013, Christmas trees were the item first ignited in an average of 210 reported home fires per year, resulting in an annual average of seven civilian deaths, 19 civilian injuries, and $17.5 million in property damage...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer Nearly four months after a raging fire consumed a historic Downtown Poplar Bluff building, a local business is reclaiming it's territory in a new, old location. McNeely Shoe Service has re-opened at 411 Vine St., just a block west of it's long-time previous home at the intersection of Vine and Broadway streets...

By CHELSAE CORDIA Staff Writer Shoppers will have the opportunity to help "stuff the truck" with non-perishable food items from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday at Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market to benefit Breaking Bread, a free community meal served on Sundays at The Bread Shed...

By TYLER GRAEF SEMO News Service CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Astronaut Scott Kelly's message Wednesday night at the Show Me Center built upon the idea impossible things are worth striving for. He told the audience when he was a child, it was impossible for him to become an astronaut...

By PAT PRATT Staff Writer Local residents planning a Clark Griswold-esque adventure to cut down a living Christmas tree this holiday season can expect a longer trip than ever before in the old four-wheel-drive sleigh. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the only cut-your-own tree farm operating in Southeast Missouri is Meier Horse Shoe Pines in Jackson, Mo. ...

WASHINGTON -- History has a sly sense of humor. It caused an epiphany regarding infrastructure projects -- roads, harbors, airports, etc. -- to occur on a bridge over Boston's Charles River, hard by Harvard Yard, where rarely is heard a discouraging word about government...

Steve Halter, president of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, received the Missouri Community College Association's (MCCA) Distinguished Business and Industry Award at the association's 52nd Annual Convention at the Hilton Convention Center in Branson, Missouri...

To the Editor: We take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped with the fire at Vine and Broadway streets on August 10. This includes the Police Department, Sheriff's Department, MoDOT, EMS services, Red Cross, local news media, community members, strangers, local business owners and employees, friends, family and neighbors. ...

By PAUL DAVIS Outdoors Editor Maybe it was the fog, skittish deer so soon after the regular gun season ended or maybe something else -- whatever the case, the second portion of the youth deer season in Missouri, in my estimation, didn't really seem to produce a big bump in the harvest Department of Conservation officials hoped it would when they moved it from its traditional January slot to the Thanksgiving weekend...

The minnows are now the sharks. Having won their first Show Me Conference championship last season, the Poplar Bluff swim team looks to again be the biggest fish in the water this winter. "There are seniors that want to make an impact before they leave," Mules coach Beth Lewis-Muse said of a group of eight swimmers, half who will be four-year lettermen...

For the second straight year, the stage at the Black River Coliseum wasn't big enough. Cape Central's Kway'Chon Chisom took home the Carr Trophy as the most outstanding player in the SEMO Conference, and deservedly so after accounting for 3,309 all-purpose yards and 37 touchdowns. But in a season where quarterbacks flourished, the competition to take home the conference's top honor seemed to be missing a few finalists...

The SEMO North Conference swept the two biggest awards during the 71st annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Gridiron Banquet at the Black River Coliseum on Wednesday night. Cape Central quarterback Kway'Chon Chisom was awarded the SEMO Conference's highest honor with the Carr Trophy as the most outstanding football player...

The trio that helped Dexter reach two girls basketball final fours are emerging as leaders in their junior seasons in college. Hannah Noe, Alison Jarrell and Paige Patterson each scored more than 1,000 points in their high school careers. They finished fourth in Class 4 as juniors and second as seniors...

North Division QB --Cooper Callis, Jackson, 6-2, 170, jr. RB --Bryndan Reid, Jackson, 5-9, 185, sr.; Aaron Harris, Cape Central, 6-0, 205, jr. WR --Tyson Cox, Poplar Bluff, 5-9, 170, jr.; Quentin Kent, Jackson, 5-10, 175, sr.; Myanza McCain, Poplar Bluff, 6-0, 175, jr...

Where's the support? The title of this Speak Out is "No Support from PBHS Administrators." In response to the Speak Out on Friday, Nov. 18th, teachers were not told about or invited to the Academic Reception. Unfortunately, under the current administration this is par for the course. If the reader is outraged by a lack of teacher support, he or she should call Principal Mike Kiehne and ask him why the teachers were not invited...

George Huff PIEDMONT, Mo. -- George Huff, 83, of Piedmont, died Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 6 - 8 p.m., Friday, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Williamsville. A graveside service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, at Mt. View Cemetery in Des Arc. Online condolences: www.rueggfuneralhomes.com...

Claude Allen Hicks GIDEON, Mo. - Claude Allen Hicks, 80, of Gideon, died Wed., Nov. 30, 2016 at his residence. Visitation will be at 6 p.m., Fri., Dec. 2 at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Gideon. The funeral will be at 11 a.m., Sat., Dec. 3 at Bethel Assembly of God Church - Gideon with Rev. Greg Mullins officiating. Burial with Military Rites will be in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton, Mo. www.bradshawfh.com...

Bob Dockins MALDEN, Mo. -- Bob Dockins, 78, of Malden, died Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2016, at his residence. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Thursday, at Landess Funeral Home in Malden. Funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. at Landess Funeral Chapel in Malden with Mr. Stan Dauck officiating...

Clarissa "Chris" Kearbey Clarissa "Chris" Kearbey, 87, of Poplar Bluff, passed away on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. She was born on August 29, 1929 to Robert and Clara Wissner in St. Louis, Mo. She had a beloved Cockatiel named Precious...

Randall "Randy" Geeves Crocker, 64, of Memphis, Tenn., formerly of Poplar Bluff, died Friday, Nov. 18, 2016 at his residence. Burial with full military honors will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Salem, Mo. with Pastor Gregory Kirk officiating...

Alice Nickless Tucker Alice Nickless Tucker, 108 years old, died Nov. 27, 2016 at Crystal Oaks Care Center in Crystal City, Mo. Alice, the daughter of the late Roy and Nola (Walton) Wilson, was born in Qulin, Mo., on Jan. 20, 1908 and had lived in Poplar Bluff, Mo., most of her life. She had been a member of Second Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff since she was 13 years old. Alice graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1926...